Explore UCD

UCD Home >

BMGT43480

Academic Year 2025/2026

Entrepreneurship: Theoretical and Empirical Foundations (BMGT43480)

Subject:
Business Management
College:
Business
School:
Business
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Assoc Professor Rory O'Shea
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

Over the last two decades, the field of entrepreneurship has exploded as an area of academic inquiry. The aim of this module is to provide students with a deep understanding of the main theories in the field of entrepreneurship and the evolutionary phases of the entrepreneurship process – the opportunities, the people who pursue them, the skills and strategies used to organise and develop innovation-based opportunities, and the environmental conditions favourable to them. Students will be exposed to a synthesis of the body of thought on entrepreneurship through lectures, presentations, assigned readings, as well as case illustrations.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students will have:
1). Developed knowledge of, and insight into, theories in the field of entrepreneurship.
2). Acquired the ability to critically analyse and evaluate theories and empirical evidence in the field of entrepreneurship.
3). Developed the ability to synthesise the literature and integrate knowledge in the field of entrepreneurship.
4). Developed an understanding of the various policies and programmes that are used to accelerate sustainable entrepreneurship in regions.
5). Developed the ability to communicate with others about other theories and research on entrepreneurship.

Indicative Module Content:

Some of the topics that will be covered in this module include:

The Nature, Foundations and Value of Entrepreneurship
Theoretical perspectives of Entrepreneurship
Creativity and Innovation
Entrepreneurial Decision Making
Role, Sources and Forms of Entrepreneurial Opportunities
Opportunity Evaluation and Entrepreneurial Decision Making
Role of Entrepreneurs: Skills, Motives, and Characteristics
Psychology of the Entrepreneur and the Decision to Pursue Opportunity
Assembly of Resources
Legal Aspects of New Ventures and Intellectual Property
Managing and Building the New Venture: Motivation, Entrepreneurship Leadership.
Strategies for Attaining Growth.
Enterprise Policy

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

40

Autonomous Student Learning

160

Lectures

36

Total

236


Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The module will combine theoretical and experiential learning through the use of lectures, case studies, individual projects, video excerpts and class discussions.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Exam (In-person): The End of Term assessment for this module will be a 2 hour end of term closed book examination assessment. End of trimester
Duration:
2 hr(s)
Graded No
80
No
Individual Project: As a part of the module assessment strategy, students will be expected to create and deliver a presentation based on an assigned research article. Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 10, Week 11 Graded No
20
No

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Post-Assessment feedback of individual assessment will be delivered via in-class meetings using rubrics.

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Thurs 10:00 - 12:50