POSTGRADUATE
PROGRAMS
PROGRAMS
Postgraduate Programs 2026/27
Master of Business Administration Program in Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Award Title
Master of Business Administration in Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Program Short Name
MBA+
Mode of Study
Part-time
Normative Program Duration
2 Years
Program Fee
Please refer to the Program's website.
Offering Unit
MBA+ Thrust Area
Society Hub
Program Advisor
Program Director:
Prof Shaozhou QI, Visiting Professor
Enquiry
The University aims to contribute to the future of work, the future of living, and the future of people. In particular, the development of human capital (with entrepreneurial and design thinking skills) is important for these endeavors. Moreover, the Greater Bay Area is becoming an international center of innovation, which requires the establishment of an active ecosystem of both venture capital and entrepreneurship, as well as more talents with an open mind and creative thinking skills.
The Master of Business Administration Program in Innovation and Entrepreneurship at HKUST (GZ) intends to cultivate new generations of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and business leaders with a strong mindset of innovation and entrepreneurship, by providing a curriculum with insights from areas of business, science, and engineering as well as hands-on experience in venture capital investment and entrepreneurship.
On successful completion of the program, graduates will be able to:
- Create or assess innovation and startup initiatives based on venture capital thinking and entrepreneurial design thinking;
- Analyze business problems from each of the managerial disciplines of management education, and make integrated business decisions; and
- Develop the skills to communicate clearly across multiple stakeholder groups and functional topics.
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Minimum Credit Requirement
45 credits
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Cross-disciplinary Core Course
2 credits
All students are required to complete UCMP 6030.
UCMP 6030
Cross-disciplinary Design Thinking I
2 Credit(s)
Description
This course focuses on user-collaborative design methods for generating inclusive product solutions that integrate stakeholder and product functionality perspectives. Students will create specified product/process/policy/protocol/plan (5P) concept models through the use of recursive user feedback engagement methods, experimental prototyping, and divergent and convergent ideation strategies. Featured topics include design thinking; stakeholder research; concept development, screening, and selection; and interaction design.
- Hub Core Courses
4 credits
Students are required to complete the Society Hub core course SOCH 5000.
SOCH 5000
Technological Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship
2 Credit(s)
Description
This course discusses both opportunities and risks that technological breakthrough has brought to the human society. What would be the policy responses required to maximize its positive benefit and minimize its social costs? In particular, how could we utilize the technological advancement, entrepreneurial thinking to address the challenges our societies are facing, such as job loss/unemployment, income inequality and societal polarization, environmental degradation, health disparity, population aging, and among others. The course uses either case studies or cross-country and time-series data analyses to facilitate the discussion of various social issues and look for innovative solutions of in the real world.
Students are also required to take one of the other Hub core courses:
FUNH 5000
Introduction to Function Hub for Sustainable Future
2 Credit(s)
Description
This course covers background knowledge in the thrust areas of the Function Hub, including Advanced Materials, Sustainable Energy and Environment, Microelectronics, and Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences.
INFH 5000
Information Science and Technology: Essentials and Trends
2 Credit(s)
Description
This inquiry-based course aims to introduce students to the concepts and skills needed to drive digital transformation in the information age. Students will learn to conduct research, explore real-world applications, and discuss grand challenges in the four thrust areas of the Information hub, namely Artificial Intelligence, Data Science and Analytics, Internet of Things, and Computational Media and Arts. The course incorporates various teaching and learning formats including lectures, seminars, online courses, group discussions, and a term project.
SYSH 5000
Model-Based Systems Engineering
2 Credit(s)
Description
Model-based systems engineering (MBSE) is a contemporary systems engineering methodology that uses conceptual models for communication between system architects, designers, developers, and stakeholders. Object-Process Methodology (OPM) is an MBSE language and methodology for constructing domain-independent conceptual models of all kinds of systems. The course provides students with basic knowledge and tools for MBSE, focusing on conceptual modeling of systems, giving learners a competitive advantage over their peers.
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Accelerators on Data Analysis, Accounting and Python
3 credits
MBAX 5110
MBA Accelerator – Accounting
1 Credit(s)
Description
This pre-program course aims to provide elementary or refreshing knowledge in financial accounting, managerial accounting and finance to prepare students for the academic demands and rigor of MBA courses. The course will also cover the basic business concepts, financial statement analysis, cost classifications and how to do managerial decisions. Graded P or F.
MBAX 5120
MBA Accelerator – Python
1 Credit(s)
Description
This pre-program course aims to provide elementary or refreshing knowledge in technical skills to prepare students for the academic demands and rigor of MBA courses. Python is used for creating high-level abstractions for well-written and well-optimized frameworks, where business applications rely on. The course will cover Python programming language for developing business applications, the practical libraries and packages. Graded P or F.
MBAX 5130
MBA Accelerator – Data Analysis
1 Credit(s)
Description
This pre-program course aims to provide elementary or refreshing knowledge in quantitative and analysis hard skills to prepare students for the academic demands and rigor of MBA courses. It will cover data and variation, probability model and association between random variables at introductory level. Graded P or F.
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Required Courses
13 credits
MBAX 5010
Financial Accounting Foundations
1 Credit(s)
MBAX 5020
Managerial Microeconomics
1 Credit(s)
MBAX 5030
Corporate Finance
1 Credit(s)
MBAX 5040
Information and Technology Management
1 Credit(s)
MBAX 5050
Marketing Strategy and Policy
1 Credit(s)
MBAX 5060
Operations Management
1 Credit(s)
MBAX 5070
Strategic Management
1 Credit(s)
MBAX 5080
Strategy for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
2 Credit(s)
MBAX 5090
Venture Capital Fundamentals
2 Credit(s)
MBAX 5100
Business Communication and Negotiation Skills
2 Credit(s)
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Elective Courses
8 credits
i. X” Area Elective Courses
4-6 credits
Students should identify a non-business area “X” and take 2 related courses from the other Hubs/Schools, subject to approval by the Academic Director.
ii. Other Elective Courses
2-4 credits
Students can take electives offered by various Hubs, subject to approval by the Academic Director.
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Project-based Modules
12 credits
Students are required to complete two project-based modules:
MBAX 6010
Apprenticeship Module on Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital
4 Credit(s)
Description
Students (in groups) select some companies in a particular area from a large pool of startups, conduct market and firm analysis on the selected companies, and evaluate investment opportunities from the venture capital perspective. At the end of the module, students will present their analysis to a panel of faculty and venture capitalists. Graded P or F.
MBAX 6020
Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab
8 Credit(s)
Description
Built on their findings from MBAX 6010, students in this project-based module can choose multiple tracks: developing and implementing their startup initiatives, working together with one existing startup company, or making investments together with venture capital firms. Graded P or F.
Students are required to complete two project-based modules in Year 2. In MBAX 6010, students (in groups) will conduct market and firm analysis on selected startup companies, and evaluate investment opportunities from the venture capital perspective. Built on their findings from MBAX 6010, students in MBAX 6020 can choose multiple tracks: developing and implementing their startup initiatives, working together with an existing startup company, or making investments together with venture capital firms.
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Career Activities
3 credits
MBAX 6100
MBA Career Development Program
3 Credit(s)
Description
Students are required to attend career-related workshops/seminars, and/or study tours organized by the program. Workshops and training sessions can keep students exposed to valuable career connections, abreast with the latest development in the commercial world. Through these career development activities, students will get to evaluate their own strengths and weaknesses, identify areas for improvement, collect feedback on interview techniques, further improve and formulate a personalized strategy to develop their career goals. Graded PP, P or F.
Students are required to attend career-related workshops/seminars, and/or study tours organized by the program.
To qualify for admission, applicants must meet all of the following requirements. Admission is selective and meeting these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.
1. General Admission Requirements of the University
Please refer to Admission Requirements.
2. English Language Admission Requirements
Please refer to Admission Requirements.
3. Additional Information
The program welcomes applicants who have the potential to initiate/assess startup ideas and desire to develop venture capital and entrepreneurial design thinking skills.
Apply online before the application deadlines.
Application Fee
RMB 500
Application Deadlines
For 2026/27 Fall Term Intake:
International students*
15 Jun 2026
Chinese students
15 Jul 2026
Application Open On
21 Jul 2025
* All international students are required to obtain a student visa (X visa) for studying in China's mainland. For details on student visa (X visa) requirements, please click here.
