Entrepreneurship in the life sciences, 6 credits

A Bachelor's degree or a professional degree equivalent to a Swedish Bachelor's degree of at least 180 credits in health care, biomedicine, biology, cellular and molecular biology, pharmaceutics, chemistry, medicine or biotechnology. English language skills equivalent to English B at Swedish upper secondary school.

The course aims to introduce the concepts of innovation and entrepreneurship within the life science sector. The course also creates a basis for the rest of the programme regarding the pedagogic model and the learning activities.

Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to:

Regarding knowledge and understanding

• explain bioentrepreneurship and describe its components and forms,

Regarding skills and abilities

• design a business idea and apply basic business tools,

Regarding judgment and approach

• show understanding for and apply feedback.

The course deals with the phenomenon of innovation and entrepreneurship, and the creation of life science companies and projects. It contains the following themes:

• bioentrepreneurship,
• business planning,
• entrepreneurial approach.

The course is given at the master's level, where the students are assumed to be familiar with the most common study methods in higher education. The fundamental pedagogical view is based on entrepreneurial learning and requires active student participation. The teaching consists of lectures, seminars, interactive workshops, a case exercise and a team and an individual project. A business model will be developed as project work in teams. The focus for the business model will be to find a need, solve a real problem and sell an idea. The students will also conduct a minor research study communicated as a scientific poster as well as work on their peer-to-peer feedback skills.

The examination consists of 

• a written report from the team project (Fail/Pass),
• an oral presentation and opposition of that project (Fail/Pass),
• a scientific poster including an abstract (Fail/Pass/Pass with distinction)
• an individual reflection from peer-to-peer review work (Fail/Pass/Pass with distinction). 

In order to pass the course the student needs to obtain the grade pass on all examinations. To obtain a “pass with distinction” on the course, the student also needs to get the grade “pass with distinction” on the scientific poster (including abstract) and the peer-to-peer review.

Compulsary attendance
Attendance seminars and presentations are compulsory. The course director assesses if and, in that case, how absence can be compensated. Before the student has participated in all compulsory parts or compensated absence in accordance with the course director's instructions, the student's results for respective part will not be registered in LADOK.
 

After each course occasion there will be at least six occasions for the examination within a two-year period from the end of the course.

The course language is English.

Course evaluation will be carried out in accordance with the guidelines established by the Board of Higher Education.

Oral evaluation in the form of course council meetings will be carried out during the course.