SKEMA Business School

Programme overview

This full-time MSc trains students to create and manage technology startups by blending deep-technology awareness (AI, AR/VR, biotech, blockchain, IoT, robotics, etc.) with entrepreneurship practice in Silicon Valley. Courses run on SKEMA campuses (Sophia Antipolis and Berkeley) and students follow some classes at UC Berkeley’s Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology. The programme offers 1- or 2-year durations, with an academic calendar organised into a fall semester (mid-August to mid-December) and a spring semester (mid-January to mid-May).

What you'll study

Teaching mixes core modules, practical labs, electives and an end-of-programme final project or dissertation. Core and confirmed elements include:

• Newton Lecture Series
• Challenge Lab (past themes: Climate Innovation; Food Sustainability; Connected World; Social Impact; NeuroTech; Future of Work)
• Technology Entrepreneurship
• Product Management
• Growth Marketing for Start-ups
• Startup Catalyst

Electives (choose two) listed on the programme page include:

• Growth Marketing for Global Startups
• Design Thinking & Innovations in User Experience
• Data-driven Business Models
• Future of Technology
• Deplastify the Planet: Sustainable Transitions

Students may also take one to two courses offered by other Berkeley departments subject to departmental approval. The final deliverable may be a business plan (for students launching a company) or a dissertation. Professional experience can be validated by launching a startup or completing a 4–6 month internship within the startup ecosystem.

Entry requirements

Admission level stated as high school plus three years of study (bachelor degree). Instruction language is English and the programme start date is in August. Locations are Berkeley (USA) and Sophia Antipolis (France). The programme awards an MSc and the Diploma of Specialised Studies in International Management (DESMI) approved at master’s level by France’s Ministry of National Education, Higher Education and Research.

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared to found or join technology-centric startups, take product or growth marketing roles in early-stage companies, or work in innovation management roles that require understanding both engineering and business development. The curriculum and the Berkeley ecosystem exposure are intended to support networking with investors, industry experts and potential co-founders in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Scholarships & funding angle (general)

The programme page lists tuition figures for reference; applicants should consult SKEMA’s admissions and financing pages for current scholarship offerings, tuition payment options and financial aid guidance applicable to this MSc.