UMCP To Offer Technology Entrepreneurship Program

ALISSA GULIN
The Daily Record

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) -- Want to create the next Google? The University of Maryland, College Park wants to help you get there.

This fall, the university will launch an online program for students to earn a master's degree in technology entrepreneurship. The 30-credit program will be offered through the Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (Mtech), which provides classes and resources to help businesses grow. The program can be completed in 15 months.

The master of technology entrepreneurship program is designed for both full- and part-time students worldwide, university officials announced Tuesday, and will cover a curriculum including lessons in venture capital and financial management, concept development, product testing and business law.

Students will also gain access to two programs within Mtech: the Technology Advancement Program, a business incubator, and the Venture Accelerator Program, which helps faculty and students commercialize their ideas.

Students in the new master's program will be invited to video-chat with established entrepreneurs and investors for mentoring and networking sessions that could potentially lead to personal introductions and funding opportunities, officials said.

The program will be the most comprehensive and advanced entrepreneurship program offered at the university, said James V. Green, director of entrepreneurship education at Mtech, which is housed within the university's A. James Clark School of Engineering.

"As a pioneer in online education and new venture creation, the University of Maryland is empowering the next generation of technology entrepreneurs through this innovative master's program," Green said in a statement. "For the first time, we are pairing this enriching academic experience with the skills and relationships of the university's acclaimed startup incubators."

The master's program costs about $19,500, officials said, plus books and student fees. Applications are being accepted now.

UMCP prides itself on churning out successful startup companies, counting as alumni the founders of Google, Under Armour and SiriusXM Radio.

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