Small & Family Business
Small businesses are companies with 499 employees or less representing several industries worldwide. Small businesses represent over 90 percent of businesses in society, thereby creating millions of jobs. Worldwide 80% of businesses are classified as “family businesses.” The small & family business management concentration directs student learning towards refining ideas of owning and leading small and/or family businesses.
Most graduate and undergraduate programs focus on large corporations. Small and family businesses make up the backbone of the U.S. economy, and these organizations face radically different obstacles than large corporations. At the same time, these businesses, by their very nature, are more entrepreneurial.
Tarleton State University’s Small & Family Business Management program offers a collection of specialized courses to build the prerequisite knowledge needed to design strategic plans for a future small business. Our students utilize rigorous, cutting-edge analytic techniques to develop the strategic and entrepreneurial skills needed for small and family business success. Future Founder-CEOs ultimately develop the necessary skills and emotional intelligence needed in decision-making required to protect their legacy through succession planning.
While you are here, check out the Small & Family Business flier on the Management Department Webpage.
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A Skills-based Curriculum
This concentration will focus on a blend of small business leadership, family business, and entrepreneurship. Family businesses almost always start small, and frequently they exist because of the entrepreneurial spirit the founder possesses. However, they usually are more nimble than other businesses and continue to exhibit an ongoing entrepreneurial mentality. They have to survive.
The concentration addresses all three of these major skill sets. The small business leadership course zeroes in on special leadership issues that uniquely occur in small businesses. The family business course addresses the myriad behavior, structural, and, particularly, planning issues that family businesses face. The concentration to topped off by two entrepreneurship courses. One addresses strategy, while the second recommended elective deals with immediate ongoing trends in entrepreneurship.
All courses are taken entirely online, providing flexible access to help students balance academic, work, and personal responsibilities. Many classes are available in either 8-week or 16-week formats, allowing the program to be completed in as little as 12 months.
Master’s in Management Core Courses
The M.S.M. degree is designed for specialists looking to advance their business management careers through a graduate program. The 18 hours of core coursework cover essential management effectiveness and efficiency topics. Core courses tailored to the Small & Family Business concentration include:
- Strategic Business Planning & Policy
- Leadership Development
- Organizational Behavior
- Project Management
- Evidence-Based Decision Making
Small & Family Business Coursework
Beyond the core coursework, the Small & Family Business concentration includes an additional 12 credit hours of advanced discipline topics:
| Class | Number | Class Name |
|---|---|---|
| MGMT | 5313 | Small Business Leadership |
| MGMT | 5314 | Family Business Management |
| MGMT | 5315 | Entrepreneurship Strategy |
| Recommended Elective | MGMT 5325 | Trends and Issues in Entrepreneurship |
| Acceptable Elective | Any ACCT/BANA/BCIS/BLAW/BUSI/ECON/FINC/HRMT/LSCM/MGMT/MKTG 53xx course |
Program Outcomes
An MSM graduate with a Small & Family Business concentration will demonstrate the technical competencies required to plan, lead, and manage a small business. Graduates will also demonstrate problem-solving and ethical decision-making by developing recommendations and corrective actions using evidence-based results.
Career Paths
The Small & Family Business concentration provides advanced knowledge and skillsets applicable in various industries. Graduates from this program are well-equipped to step into prominent roles such as:
- Small Business Founder
- Small Business Manager
- Family Business C.E.O./Leader/Founder
- Family Business Manager
M.S. in Management Degree Accreditation
Tarleton State’s Master of Science in Management degree program is accredited by:
- the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC),
- the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP),
- we are a Member of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
These accreditations reflect our commitment to providing a degree program that builds modern, in-demand knowledge and skills within the field.
Empower Your Organization with a Master’s in Small & Family Business Management
This concentration develops special skills for leading small or family organizations in many industries. If you are ready to elevate your potential, request more information or submit your application to Tarleton State University.
Related Programs
Not what you were looking for? Tarleton State University offers over 100 different degrees and certifications that may be of interest to you, including:
Learn more about graduate studies at Tarleton!