Innovation and Entrepreneurship

MSc

  • Entry year 2025
  • Duration Full time 1 year

Overview

Top reasons to study with us

  • 9

    9th for Business and Management in the UK

    QS World University Rankings (2024)

  • 72

    72nd for Business and Management in the world

    QS World University Rankings (2024)

  • Lancaster University is top 10 in The Complete University Guide 2025

Course overview

Innovation and entrepreneurship have always lain at the heart of societal change and transformation by fulfilling two important functions:

  1. spotting and exploring opportunities and
  2. exploiting these through the development and distribution of new products and services.

Today’s global challenges go far beyond mere economic development needs but are multi-faceted and complex, relating to different societal issues such as inequality, poverty, pollution, and climate change. Thus, innovation and entrepreneurship are increasingly seen as key means to solve the grand challenges the world is facing. Combining innovation and entrepreneurship with sustainability competencies presents an exciting opportunity to rethink, redesign and rebuild a responsible future for business practice. The MSc in Innovation and Entrepreneurship provides students with the necessary skills to become successful and responsible innovators and entrepreneurs and to make a valuable contribution to global sustainability.

We offer the ideal environment for aspiring innovators and entrepreneurs, emphasising theoretical rigour and practical experience. We hold a prestigious Small Business Charter award and are renowned for our knowledge exchange and business engagement activities.

We believe in an experiential approach to teaching and learning. Modules such as Innovation Practice Lab, therefore, build on the assumption that learning and skill development come from doing. This course provides a real opportunity to develop a new business idea with support from our enterprise centre and mentoring and advice from our 80+ Entrepreneurs in Residence. Thus, you will benefit from academic excellence, broad business networks and cutting-edge theory and models delivered by leading professors.

Course outline

You will study the following modules as part of your programme. See the course structure for more details on the content of each module.

Term 1

  • Strategic Purpose and Responsible Leadership
  • Design Thinking
  • Financing Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Term 2

  • Responsible Innovation
  • Sustainable Business Models
  • (Optional Module): Entrepreneurial Leadership and Change
  • (Optional Module): Family Businesses: Stewardship, Strategy and Entrepreneurship

Term 3

  • Innovation Practice Lab
  • Dissertation

Full-year modules

  • Research Skills
  • Professional Development

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

2:2 Hons degree (UK or equivalent) in any discipline. We are looking for marks consistently at 2:2 level throughout your undergraduate studies.

If you do not meet our main academic entry requirements, we may be able to consider your application where you have relevant extensive professional experience. Such experience could include close involvement in a family business, or in your own business venture. If you meet these additional criteria we would welcome the opportunity to discuss this with you. Please contact us for information.

If you have studied outside of the UK, we advise you to check our list of international qualifications before submitting your application.

Additional requirements

Relevant work experience is helpful but not essential

English language requirements

We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.

We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 6.5, and a minimum of 6.0 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications.

If your score is below our requirements, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language programmes.

Contact: Admissions Team +44 (0) 1524 592032 or email pgadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk

Pre-master’s programmes

Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored pre-master’s pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University master’s degrees. Visit the INTO Lancaster University website for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.

Course structure

You will study a range of modules as part of your course, some examples of which are listed below.

Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, but changes may be necessary, for example as a result of student feedback, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes, and new research. Not all optional modules are available every year.

Core

core modules accordion

Optional

optional modules accordion

Fees and funding

Location Full Time (per year) Part Time (per year)
Home £16,270 n/a
International £27,300 n/a

General fees and funding information

Additional fees and funding information accordion

Scholarships and bursaries

You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status and course. You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.

Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.

If you're considering postgraduate research you should look at our funded PhD opportunities.

Scheme Based on Amount
Based on {{item.eligibility_basis}} Amount {{item.amount}}

We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.

Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries.

Postgraduate digital open event - 6 November

Join us online and let us tell you about postgraduate study at Lancaster and how to apply.

Book our online event
 A student sitting in a library using their laptop

Important Information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2025/2026 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.

Our Students’ Charter

We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies.