Entrepreneurship courses generating growing interest

12 Mar 2010

Difficulties in finding jobs and the success of business entrepreneurship are suggested reasons behind the growth in course applicants.

Rising numbers of postgraduates and adult students are looking to pass entrepreneurial courses as sealing employment becomes more challenging in the current economic climate.

Speaking to the Independent, Professor Andrew Burke, the director of graduate programmes at Cranfield School of Management in Bedfordshire, also feels that the success witnessed by a number of business entrepreneurs in recent years is playing a part.

He said: "There''s no question about it – entrepreneurship courses are attracting greater interest.

"This is partly a push effect, as the recession makes it harder for people to find mainstream employment, but it''s also a pull effect as for the last decade, it''s been entrepreneurial businesses leading the way."

Growing numbers of new entrepreneurial courses at universities are also helping individuals gain qualifications.

The latest figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency suggest that a 22 per cent rise has been noted in the number of students opting for specialist entrepreneurship programmes between 2007-08 and 2008-09.

Meanwhile, ten new courses arrived in this timeframe, with MBA programmes proving the most sought after.

Adults contemplating studying for a business degree may wish to focus on a specific type of course, whether this be finance, retail, international business or management.

Posted by Christopher Comfort