"One obvious reason schools are doing this, is because there is so much more potential for entrepreneurs in this day of age," Shaun Ward, VestGuard and body armor specialist says. "Most challenges which startups face can't be learned directly from a classroom; instead, we need to be offering programs that allow students to learn how to learn and adapt in an ever-evolving business world."

According to the article, many of these post-grad programs are emphasizing "soft skills." These include subjects like team building, sales pitching, communication, social marketing, and others. One reason these topics are becoming more popular is because of how universal they are for up and coming entrepreneurs.

"No one business leader strictly does accounting, financing, or marketing," Ward says. "Instead, every major career position requires workers who are versatile enough to tackle a range of day-to-day problems and learn how to stay current in the industry. Subjects like communication and teamwork are useful in any field."

Other than these "soft skill" topics, MBA programs have expanded curriculums to encapsulate specific, modernized classes that entrepreneurs are interested in. These include online market research, venture launch, growth management, social entrepreneurship, tech commercialization, and others. A lot of students from other areas such as engineering are finding these classes equally as helpful for securing jobs, the article mentions.

The article cites that entrepreneur programs often rely on outside support and community business leaders. With experienced mentors from diverse industries, students are able to learn business in real-world scenarios. The article projects that these programs will see more than a sixty percent increase in participation over the next three years. In order to account for larger student bodies, schools are looking for ways to diversify their programs. With the help of industry-specific concentrations such as Web development, engineering entrepreneurship, and social marketing and cross-disciplinary programs, schools are hoping to account for higher class sizes.

"MBA programs rely on out-of-university support from businesses in the community," Shaun Ward, VestGuard entrepreneur says. "With these connections, students can take on mentors, enter into internship and apprenticeship programs, and create relationships that may be helpful for securing a job after graduation."

Undergraduate programs are also taking on more entrepreneurial programs. Many business-related degrees end in a full-on pitch presentation, market research project, or some other industry-related assignment that teaches students how to apply their learning to real-life scenarios. Often, these programs are coupled with internships through local businesses and, at times, judged by company mentors.

"It's great to see that students have opportunities through MBA programs to get an edge in the exciting world of entrepreneurialism," Shaun Ward, VestGuard founder, says.

ABOUT:

Shaun Ward, VestGuard founder, is an avid entrepreneur and business professional. The ballistics protection equipment company was founded in 1999, and since then Ward's company has designed and manufactured civilian defense equipment for personal and vehicle use. These include military grade bulletproof vests, among other devices. The company earned the Counter Terror and Specialist Security Award two years running for its protective equipment innovations.