The University of Pennsylvania's roots are in Philadelphia, the birthplace of American democracy. But Penn's reach spans the globe. Faithful to the vision of the University's founder, Benjamin Franklin, Penn's faculty generate knowledge that is unconstrained by traditional disciplinary boundaries and spans the continuum from fundamental to applied. Through this new knowledge, the University enhances its teaching of both theory and practice, as well as the linkages between them. Penn excels in instruction and research in the arts and sciences and in a wide range of professional disciplines.
In 1973, The University’s Wharton School became the first school to develop a fully integrated curriculum of entrepreneurial studies. Today Wharton, through Wharton Entrepreneurial Programs, supports and seeds innovation and entrepreneurship globally through teaching, research and outreach to a range of organizations through its many programs, initiatives and research centers. At the same time, Wharton students and alumni are helping to build entrepreneurial enterprises around the world and impacting virtually every industry.
The Goergen Entrepreneurial Management Program is one of the largest and most diverse academic programs of its kind in the world. More than 2,000 students and entrepreneurs participate in courses each year led by both standing faculty and successful current or former business owners. Endowed in 1997 by Robert B. Goergen, the program is based on the leading research conducted by Wharton faculty. The program is distinguished by its ability to combine theory with practice, allowing students to gain access and insight from the entrepreneurial business community.
The Sol C. Snider Entrepreneurial Research Center was the first Center dedicated to the study of entrepreneurship. Working around the world to advance understanding of entrepreneurship, Wharton researchers produce studies drawn from analysis in China, South Africa, and the US on topics such as technology, venture capital and competition.
Wharton researchers continually produce top quality studies of entrepreneurship, current faculty research featured by the Center include; Technology Commercialization Research Program (TRCP), Social Wealth Creation via Experimental Entrepreneurial Philanthropy, Does Success in Tech Ventures Follow from Better R&D? Think Again, Compete or Cooperate? and Venture vs. Vulture.
MGMT 230 Entrepreneurship
MGMT 230 is the entry level course in Entrepreneurial Management and is a prerequisite to all other courses in the Wharton entrepreneurship curriculum. It is an integrative course—one that combines material introduced to you in core courses and applies it to the evaluation and design of new ventures.
The purpose of this course is to explore the many dimensions of new venture creation and growth and to foster innovation and new business formations in independent and corporate settings. Students will be concerned with content and process questions as well as with formulation and implementation issues that relate to conceptualizing, developing and managing successful new ventures.
MGMT 231 Entrepreneurial Venture Initiation
MGMT 231 is an advanced sequel to MGMT 230 focusing on independent entrepreneurship, business plans and the business planning process, and the operating management of small firms. This is the advanced course in entrepreneurship, which goes beyond the business plan and focuses on implementation of business start-ups. How do you actually put your business plan into action to launch a firm?
The class draws from management theory on venture initiation and managing change and growth. This course requires that you work with a group of other students on how to implement an actual business plan.
Format: Case study and lecture sequence with background readings, occasional guest lecturers, and a term project.
Requirements: Business plan, case analyses, and team term projects.
MGMT 235 Technological Innovation And Entrepreneurship
This course introduces the challenges and choices associated with the development of technical ventures. Students will learn how to identify technology-based venture opportunities, evaluate technical feasibility and business potential, and develop a plan for successful commercialization. Class sessions will focus on the issues which must be faced in starting a new venture and the options which are available to the technological
entrepreneur. Particular emphasis will be placed on rigorous assessment of the technical and business merits of selected innovations through individual and group projects.
MGMT 251 Consulting to Growth Companies
Description: This course offers students a unique opportunity to develop consulting skills and entrepreneurial expertise by working as consultants to thriving entrepreneurial ventures in the Philadelphia area. This capstone course combines both fieldwork and class work and allows students to apply knowledge and skills acquired through other course work to real world issues that must be addressed by operating companies. An understanding of characteristics producing rapid entrepreneurial growth and skills related to effective communication and management of a business relationship are emphasized.
Format: Team term consulting assignment, lectures, case analysis, and small group discussions.
Requirements: Case reports, analyses and discussions
Materials: Articles, cases and other readings.
At the Wharton School, entrepreneurship is one of four sub-fields of scholarship within the discipline of "management." All of the Program's entrepreneurial management courses are offered through the Management Department. Course work and degrees in entrepreneurial management are offered at the Undergraduate, MBA and Ph.D. levels.
A secondary concentration in Entrepreneurship & Innovation is intended to complement course work completed in a primary concentration and provide a diverse set of options for students to hone their entrepreneurial skills.
A list of courses may be viewed here.
A list of concentrations may be viewed here.
Penn consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey.
The Wharton School’s undergraduate business program has again been ranked number one in the nation with four of its specialties ranked number one: finance, insurance/risk management, marketing and real estate. Entrepreneurship, international business, management and quantitative analysis/methods were all ranked number two; accounting was ranked number three
School type: Four Year, Private, Founded: 1740
Affiliation: None
Web site: http://www.upenn.edu/
Student Profile:
Number of undergraduate, full-time students:
10,275
Percentage of undergraduate, full-time male students, female students:
48.2% male, 51.8% female
Number of states represented by student body:
50
Percentage of international students:
10%
Percentage of minority students:
37.6%
Faculty Profile:
Number of full-time faculty:
4,049
Student/Faculty Ratio:
6:1
Athletics:
Athletics division, conference, number of varsity sports:
NCAA Division I, Ivy League, 36 varsity sports.
Financial:
Cost of tuition:
Tuition, room and board, and estimated student fees and expenses $53,250
