Master's Studies

In this seminar, participants familiarize themselves with various theories and concepts that can be applied to investigate entrepreneurship and develop a conceptual paper with a set of propositions. More specifically, students learn how to conduct literature reviews to understand the research object, as well as theories and concepts, and how to develop causal assumptions. This research aims at fostering the basic research skills on the master-level to develop frame the paper, to apply theories and concepts, and to explore new causal relationships. This seminar deals with various aspects of entrepreneurship, such as transnational entrepreneurship, accelerators, business incubators, entrepreneurship education, and entrepreneurial ecosystems.

You can sign up for this course via Stud.IP.

In the “Lean Startup & Prototyping” course, students have the opportunity to further develop their startup ideas in a practical setting and create initial prototypes. Through an iterative process, participants experiment with various prototyping techniques. User and market tests help validate assumptions and refine their own concepts in a targeted manner. Throughout the course, students receive individual feedback in coaching sessions and have the opportunity to reflect on their progress in interim presentations. The course offers an application-oriented framework that combines entrepreneurial thinking with practical implementation.

Registration is available during the summer semester via Stud.IP.

This course focuses on understanding and applying key concepts such as evolutionary and disruptive innovation, business model innovation, and innovation ecosystems. The course follows a journey approach, in which the topics gradually come together to form a holistic “big picture” of innovation. Theoretical input is alternated with practical case studies. Working in groups, students develop a “nightmare competitor” whose disruptive business model challenges established companies. In this way, they not only acquire in-depth knowledge but also skills in analyzing, designing, and presenting innovation strategies.

You can sign up for this course during the summer semester via Stud.IP.

The course “Scaling Startups” covers the key aspects of the growth phase of young companies. The focus is on the transition from startup to scaleup, the maturation of scalable business models and structures, and the design of sustainable growth strategies. The course follows a research-based learning approach and combines theoretical principles with work on practical scaling projects. Regular, multi-perspective feedback from instructors, fellow students, and business leaders supports students in the further development of their project work.

The aim of the course is to enable students to understand scaling processes, plan them strategically, and recognize growth opportunities and risks—with product/market fit (PMF) as an important benchmark. Analytical thinking, entrepreneurial judgment, and reflective skills are specifically promoted.

You can sign up for this course via Stud.IP.

The course “Design Thinking and Business Development” focuses on the iterative development of innovative business ideas using the design thinking method. This involves delving deeply into the problem context of the target groups in order to develop and test suitable ideas and solution models based on that context. Work is conducted in The course “Design Thinking and Business Development” focuses on the iterative development of innovative business ideas using the design thinking method. This involves delving deeply into the problem context of the target groups in order to develop and test suitable ideas and solution models based on that context. Work is conducted in groups and is dedicated to group-specific projects focused on business idea development. From the outset, the work involves intensive validation in the relevant empirical field using appropriate methods for hypothesis testing. The course makes extensive use of the inquiry-based learning approach and encourages students to work independently in groups, with ongoing feedback from instructors, fellow students, and industry professionals.

Registration for this course is available during the winter semester via Stud.IP.

The course provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of migrant, female, and refugee entrepreneurship, as well as how entrepreneurial ecosystems function. In addition to a theoretical examination of key terms and concepts, the course also addresses socioeconomic contributions and the associated challenges and barriers. Case studies and empirical research provide participants with practical insights into entrepreneurial networks and their transnational interconnections. A particular focus is placed on the specific experiences of refugee entrepreneurs and their integration into existing entrepreneurial structures.

You can sign up for this course during the winter semester via Stud.IP.

This course enables students to conduct qualitative research independently.  Participants first independently identify a research gap and question on a given research topic based on a literature review in a group. The qualitative research methodology and appropriate data analysis methods learned in the course are applied in the next step. For this purpose, the student groups conduct research interviews and evaluate them with the help of analysis software. Taking into account the knowledge of relevant theories and concepts developed in the main seminar, the students develop a presentation of results in the form of a framework. The results will be presented by means of a scientific presentation and a scientific term paper.

You can sign up for this course via Stud.IP.

In this seminar, participants develop basic research skills that are essential in qualitative studies and learn how to conduct a systematic literature review. This seminar deals with popular topics in contemporary entrepreneurship research. We teach fundamental research knowledge and skills, including the philosophy of science, basic qualitative interview techniques, research ethics, and academic English writing. Furthermore, students will conduct a research project in a group in which they perform a systematic literature analysis on a selected research topic.

You can sign up for this course via Stud.IP.