Learn it today, act on it tomorrow. In just 12 months, Full Sail’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship master’s program can help you expand your professional skills.

Let’s say you have an idea for a product or service. You know you have an opportunity to fill a niche, or maybe even disrupt an entire industry. But how do you get started?

Enter Full Sail’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship master’s program.

“In developing this degree, we realized that 12 months was a perfect timeline for a program that acts as an incubator,” says program director Ryan Kitelyn. “Our goal is to provide students who have an idea with the business acumen to get their product to market.”

Though many students come into the program with a product in mind, Kitelyn says not everyone does. And that’s okay.

“Some of our students have that entrepreneurial itch,” he says. “They’re interested in business and want to eventually work for themselves or as a consultant. They have a passion for learning about innovation, and maybe they plan to launch a business down the line. We can help them move toward those goals.”

Beginning with leadership courses focused on personal development, students will be taught the lean startup method, which streamlines the process of product development by eliminating costly and time-consuming practices.

For instance, students take a course in venture research early on. Using a series of research and development tools, they can determine whether or not their product is viable.

“Maybe you realize it’s not the right time, or perhaps the product just isn’t feasible. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing because it means you haven’t wasted your money developing a product that won’t work,” says Kitelyn.

When facing a lack of feasibility, most students choose to pivot their original idea before heading into the next course, which focuses on product development. Once students have a minimum viable product – meaning a product with enough early features to pique users’ interest – they move on to developing a business model that will enable them to (hopefully) turn a profit. Later courses include an overview of legal issues entrepreneurs face, as well as courses in marketing and building innovative work environments.

Finally, students take their final presentation course, where they present their thesis project in front of a panel of faculty members.

“They’re putting together an extended elevator pitch. It’s something they can use to pitch to investors. The final project sets the tone that they can carry with them after graduation,” says Kitelyn.

“This is a degree program for go-getters,” he adds. “Being intelligent, or responsible, those are great traits. But being dedicated is the biggest thing. To be an entrepreneur, you have to be willing to go all in.”