MBET vs. MBA

Build the skills to move ideas into action

The Master of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology (MBET) program supports innovative thinkers and problem-solvers who want to create impact in their careers and communities. The program focuses on developing the ability to identify opportunities, validate ideas, and lead projects in environments where information is incomplete and conditions change quickly.

A practical, applied curriculum

The refreshed MBET curriculum prepares students to work with real challenges, not just theoretical examples. Coursework integrates opportunity discovery, market validation, data-driven decision-making, business strategy, and innovation leadership. Students learn how to:

• Determine what information is needed to make sound decisions

• Gather and interpret data from real users, markets, and environments

• Assess opportunities and build viable business and project models

• Lead initiatives from early concept through execution

• Communicate recommendations clearly to stakeholders and partners

This applied approach equips students with tools they can use immediately, regardless of industry or sector.

Experiential learning grounded in reality

Experiential learning is central to MBET. Instead of analyzing pre-packaged case studies, students work through problems where the “right” data isn’t provided, they learn how to find it. Through partner projects, field research, and iterative testing, students develop confidence in navigating ambiguity and making evidence-based decisions.

Comparing the MBET to a Traditional MBA

Curriculum

MBET

• Integrates leadership, marketing, finance, accounting, and strategy through an entrepreneurial lens.

• Core curriculum includes venture-focused subjects such as Business Model Validation, Technology Innovation, and Venture Creation.

• Designed for builders and innovators, emphasizing skills directly tied to entrepreneurship, commercialization, and new venture development.

Traditional MBA

• Covers broad theoretical foundations of business with administrative and operational applications.

• Specialized or entrepreneurship-oriented topics are typically electives.

• Curriculum is often oriented toward established enterprises; innovation and commercialization receive limited attention.

Course Delivery

MBET

• Delivered as an integrated learning journey where subjects connect to the venture-building and commercialization process.

• Students encounter most courses in the first term and revisit/advance them throughout the year, supporting knowledge synthesis and real-world application.

Traditional MBA

• Delivered in a linear course-by-course sequence.

• Limited structured opportunities to integrate or synthesize knowledge across subject areas.

Experiential Learning

MBET

• Practical learning is embedded throughout. Students work with early-stage ventures, established companies, corporate innovation teams, and their own or peers’ ventures.

• Engagement with real projects, real founders, and real challenges creates an unfiltered understanding of entrepreneurship—dynamic, unpredictable, and authentic.

Traditional MBA

• Experiential components rely heavily on case studies.

• Case materials, although based on real companies, are typically curated and polished, offering less exposure to the uncertainty and complexity inherent in early-stage innovation.

Class and Faculty Experience

MBET

• A single annual cohort creates a collaborative, collegial environment.

• Small class sizes provide a high-touch experience with extensive faculty access and personalized support aligned with each student’s goals.

• The learning environment is interactive, applied, and community-oriented.

Traditional MBA

• Often mirrors an undergraduate-style environment with a more competitive and individualistic culture.

• Large cohorts and faculty teams can make the experience feel less personal; accessing faculty support may require advance planning.

Outcomes and Career Paths

MBET

• An entrepreneurial graduate business degree designed for an increasingly innovation-driven world.

• Graduates are practical venture builders, problem-solvers, and commercialization professionals capable of moving ideas from concept to market.

• Alumni frequently pursue careers in venture creation, product and innovation roles, early-stage teams, and tech-driven environments.

• Rather than “climbing ladders,” MBET graduates often build their own—creating opportunities, launching ventures, or driving innovation within organizations.

Traditional MBA

• A long-established credential well-suited for administrative, managerial, and operational roles in traditional industries.

• Prepares graduates to advance through structured corporate hierarchies.

• Career paths are stable, predictable, and aligned with longstanding business functions.