The Impact of Entrepreneurship Education on Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy

Abstract

This exploratory study was undertaken to assess the effect of an introductory entrepreneurship course on the level of entrepreneurial self-efficacy among undergraduate business students enrolled in the course. The study compared students who had not yet begun the course (pre-course group) with those who had completed the course (post-course group). Controlling for age, gender, business major, and ethnicity findings were mixed. Overall, entrepreneurial self-efficacy was lower among the post-course group than the pre-course group. This result suggests that a course containing efficacy-enhancing elements, but intended primarily to build awareness and understanding of entrepreneurship among students with little or no prior exposure to the subject, may actually decrease self-efficacy. Differences in self-efficacy between the pre-course group and the post-course group did, however, vary by major.