What’s the Difference between Babson’s MSEL and MSBC programs?

If Babson is on your radar, entrepreneurship is probably a big reason why. We’re globally known for infusing Entrepreneurial Thought & Action^® into practically every aspect of the student experience, and once you’re part of our community—it becomes hard to miss.  
Babson’s Master of Science in Management in Entrepreneurial Leadership (MSEL) and Master of Science in Management in Business Creation (MSBC) programs are both particularly focused on the entrepreneurial aspect of a career trajectory.  
 
Both programs center around experiential learning. In both, professors with real-world experience in their field become your guides. Both attract students from a wide range of backgrounds: family businesses, corporate careers, startups, and directly from undergrad, and both help you build a network for life. 

So, what’s the difference between the MSEL and the MSBC? Let’s take a look at each program’s offerings below so that you can decide which one is best for you. 

Fostering Leadership: What is the MSEL program at Babson? 

The Master of Science in Management in Entrepreneurial Leadership (MSEL) is an established on-campus program for ambitious graduates who are interested in combining the foundations of entrepreneurship and leadership. You can think of it as developing your own leadership skills through an entrepreneurial lens.

In a nine-month experience on Babson’s Wellesley campus, you’ll learn the art of not only identifying and acting on opportunities, but also building teamwork skills, solving complex business problems, and uncovering your strengths as a leader.  

“In the past year, I learned skills that transformed my management leadership style, allowing me to become a better manager and leader,” said Bárbara Cristina de Souza Pinto MSEL’24.  

“I learned crucial skills in entrepreneurship and innovation, embraced failure as an essential skill in product development, and became more customer-centric,” she said. Cristina de Souza is co-founder and CEO of a startup in Brazil, and taking time to complete the MSEL allowed her to go back with a renewed outlook. Almost 25 percent of students are working on their own venture after graduation.   

In addition to core courses like finance, law, operations management, and design thinking, MSEL learning takes place inside and outside the classroom, with a major part of the curriculum devoted to experiential learning.  

For instance, you can expect yourself to work with a team to tackle a pertinent issue for a local business through the Strategic Analysis Consulting project. Through the semester-long Leading Entrepreneurial Action Project (LEAP), you’ll work in a group to design a venture that solves a problem.  

During January break, you’ll have the chance to travel abroad to explore entrepreneurship on an international level through the Global Experience course.  

“I had the opportunity to visit Sweden … and it became one of the most memorable experiences of my time at Babson,” said Mauro Ramirez Azofeifa MSEL’25.  

“During the trip, we visited companies like H&M, EY, and PocketLaw, and explored how both large and small organizations are approaching sustainability and innovation,” he said. Azofeifa also was able to take those learnings to apply them in a leadership role at a co-founded business.

Who should apply to the MSEL program?

The MSEL is designed for recent graduates or professionals with one to three years of work experience. While some students take this program with the intention of eventually starting their own venture, most use it to accelerate their career within an existing organization.

At Babson, 95% of job-searching MSEL graduates are employed within six months after graduation, at companies like Gartner, PwC, Sequoia Capital, and BJ’s. 

Creating with Structure: What is the Babson MSBC?

Our newest addition to Babson’s portfolio, the Master of Science in Management in Business Creation is designed for students who have a concrete business idea and are ready to build.  

Pioneered by professors Keith Rollag and Richard Hanna, the program is designed so you can move from idea to launch with support and structure along the way.  

Unlike the MSEL where you’ll build experience through team projects and consulting, the MSBC is entirely focused on your own venture: shaping, pressure-testing, refining, and preparing pitch opportunities—all while earning your graduate degree.

Another key difference? The MSBC is entirely online, and can be completed from anywhere, globally. Over the course of seven-week sessions across roughly two years, you’ll have the freedom to manage your work flexibly, so long as you meet the set deadlines.  

“We designed the program to be flexible; that said, class time is for applying skills, not just for study or lectures,” said Hanna, a professor of practice and program director.  

“While most graduate programs end in the classroom, this one ends with a real-world venture pitch event,” he said.  

With an average of two virtual meetups per semester, the MSBC offers more flexibility than a traditional curriculum, without loss of intensity.  

You’ll leverage AI-powered assignments and tutors trained on course content to get real-time guidance, test ideas, and make steady progress on your venture. 

The result? A business you can stand behind and confidently pitch to investors for the opportunity to earn funding and continue to the next stage of growth. If becoming a founder is in your future, the MSBC could be for you.  

Earning A Leadership Degree Salary

Whether you’re a recent college graduate, have a few years of work experience, or are an already established career professional, if you have an idea and are seeking to build, you’re encouraged to apply.

The MSBC helps you move from idea to launch, with the structure, validation, and built-in support that can be harder to come by when building alone.

“If you have a promising idea, there has never been a more accessible path to bringing it to life,” said Provost and Executive Vice President Ariel Armony. 

MSBC vs. MSEL: What Pitching Looks Like For Each 

No entrepreneurial program is complete without pitching.  

From on-campus competitions, to the national stage, Babson founders are no strangers to presenting ideas under pressure.  

Both MSEL and MSBC students can take advantage of pitching opportunities in different ways. MSEL students are welcome to take part in campus-wide pitch competitions like:  

• Rocket Pitch: a fast-paced event where members have three minutes to present their idea  
• B.E.T.A Challenge: a long-standing, campus-wide classic with a $25,000 grand prize   
• FinTech Startup Pitch: specific to FinTech ventures, with the chance to earn cash prizes  

Experiences like these and dozens more give you the chance to showcase ideas, receive feedback, earn cash prizes, and importantly, practice your pitch. Although all students are strongly encouraged to join, there is no requirement from a curriculum standpoint.  

MSBC students, on the other hand, have a pitch competition built into the program. After close to two years of building, students end their program by presenting their venture idea to “The Chomper,” a one-of-a-kind pitch forum with the prize of winning funding, exclusive to MSBC students.  

Whether you’re enhancing your leadership style through MSEL, or building your business actively through MSBC, the opportunities to pitch will be there: what you do with them is up to you. 

What are the application requirements for the Babson MSEL?  

• Short answer questions 
• One letter of recommendation (professional or academic) 
• Resume 
• Transcripts from all institutions, undergraduate and graduate 
• Essay: Candidates may include an essay to provide additional pertinent information to the admissions committee (optional) 
• $100 application fee 

What are the application requirements for the Babson MSBC?  

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution  
• One letter of recommendation (professional or academic) 
• Resume 
• Transcripts from all institutions, undergraduate and graduate 
• Short essay asking you to (1) describe a venture idea or area of entrepreneurial interest, (2) explain why the online MSBC format fits your goals and circumstances, and (3) outline prior steps—real or planned—taken toward venture creation.  
• $100 application fee 

Choosing between the MSEL and MSBC?  

The MSEL is perfect for getting a closer view into the ins and outs of entrepreneurial leadership, with a selection of electives, and essential hands-on learning experience alongside experienced faculty and motivated peers.  

The MSBC is perfect if you have a business idea in the works, and want to bring it to life with mentorship, guidance, and alongside experienced faculty and motivated peers with their own business ideas at Babson.  

With both, you’ll graduate with a master’s degree from the #1 school for entrepreneurship for 32 years (U.S. News & World Report), and the #2 college in the country (The Wall Street Journal).

You also will be prepared to apply an entrepreneurial way of thinking and acting into anything you do—an invaluable part of navigating our world today.