Women and Entrepreneurship

By Dr. Juhi Gupta | Aligarh Muslim University

Learners enrolled: 83

ABOUT THE COURSE:

This 12-week MOOC on Women and Entrepreneurship explores the intersection of gender and entrepreneurship within the broader framework of Women's Studies. The course will examine the unique challenges and opportunities facing women entrepreneurs, analyzing the socio-cultural, economic, and policy-related factors that shape their entrepreneurial journeys. Through case studies, theoretical analysis, and practical training, participants will gain a deeper understanding of the role of women in entrepreneurship and how to foster more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems. This course is designed for students, practitioners, and anyone interested in the empowerment of women through entrepreneurship.

INTENDED AUDIENCE: Students of Social Science or Business and Management Studies Disciplines

INDUSTRY SUPPORT: All small and single owner women-led businesses and women who are looking to start their own businesses.

Summary

Course Status :	Upcoming
Course Type :	Core
Language for course content :	English
Duration :	12 weeks
Category :	Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit Points :	3
Level :	Undergraduate/Postgraduate
Start Date :	21 Jul 2025
End Date :	10 Oct 2025
Enrollment Ends :	28 Jul 2025
Exam Registration Ends :	15 Aug 2025
Exam Date :	24 Oct 2025 IST
NCrF Level	6.0

Note: This exam date is subject to change based on seat availability. You can check final exam date on your hall ticket.

Page Visits

Course layout

Week 1: Principles and Practices of Entrepreneurial Behaviour (What, Why and How)

• The What, Why and How of Entrepreneurship
• Economic and Social Theories of Entrepreneurship
• Sociological Perspectives on Entrepreneurship
• Women and Entrepreneurship
• Cultural Attitudes to Women in Business

Week 2: Introduction to Women’s Entrepreneurship: Theoretical Perspectives

• The Evolution and Key Characteristics of Women Entrepreneurs

• Feminist Perspectives on Entrepreneurship

• Culture, Identity and Intersectionality

• Women, Leadership and Power

• Leading People

Week 3: Distinctive Challenges and Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs

• The Glass Ceiling and Improving Women’s Representation

• The Glass Floor and Securing Women’s Stability

• The Glass Slipper and Building the Leadership Pipeline

• The Glass Cliff and Women and Risk

• The Glass Window and Retaining Women in the Workplace

• Review of Weeks 1-3

Week 4: Skill Development for Women Entrepreneurs I

• Conscious Leadership

• Strategic Planning

• Effective Decisionmaking

• Project Management

• Leading Cultural Change

Week 5: Skill Development for Women Entrepreneurs II

• Work-Life Balance and the Division of Labour

• Building Entrepreneurial Networks as a Woman

• Mentoring and Being Mentored as a Woman Entrepreneur

• Presentation and Public Speaking Skills

• AI, IT and Women’s Entrepreneurship

Week 6: Women Entrepreneurs in Global Perspective

• Women Entrepreneurs in the USA

• Women Entrepreneurs in the UK

• Women Entrepreneurs in Japan and China

• Women Entrepreneurs in Nepal

• Indian Government Schemes for Women Entrepreneurs including in Rural and Remote Areas

• Summary and Revision, End of Week 6

Week 7: State and Central Government Initiatives for Women Entrepreneurs in India

• State Policies for Promoting Women's Entrepreneurship I

• State Policies for Promoting Women's Entrepreneurship II

• Public-Private Partnerships for Women’s Economic Empowerment

• The Role of the Ministry of MSME in Empowering Women Entrepreneurs

• Women-Specific Tax and Legal Policies in India

Week 8: Legal Perspectives on Women’s Entrepreneurship

• Intersection between Entrepreneurship and Law

• Law, Enabling Business Environment and Women Entrepreneurs

• Laws governing E-commerce and Women Entrepreneurs

• Indian State and Women Entrepreneurs: Legislative and Policy Interventions

• Identifying Legal Challenges and Mainstreaming Laws and Policies for Women Entrepreneurs

Week 9: Funding and Finance for Women Entrepreneurs in India

• Government Schemes for Women’s Financing (Stand-Up India, Mudra Yojana)

• State and Regional Level Financial Scheme for Women Entrepreneurs

• Role of Banks and Financial Institutions in Women's Empowerment

• Government Subsidies and Tax Incentives for Women-owned Businesses

• Women Entrepreneurs in Rural Areas: Access to Financial Support

• Summary and Revision, End of Week 9

Week 10: Financial Literacy for Women Entrepreneurs

• Impact of Digital Platforms on Women’s Access to Funding

• Introduction to Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship

• Financial Planning and Goal Setting Budgeting for Entrepreneurs

• Cash Flow Management for Small Business

• Taxes and Regulatory Compliance

Week 11: Personal and Psychological Perspectives for Women Entrepreneurs

• Psychological Traits of Successful Women Entrepreneurs

• Work-Life Balance and Mental Health in Women Entrepreneurs

• Motivation and Goal Setting in Women Entrepreneurship

• Coping with Failure: Resilience Strategies for Women Entrepreneurs

• Coping Mechanisms for Stress and Burnout in Female Entrepreneurs

Week 12: Conclusion: Future Strategies and the Way Ahead

• Sustainable Business Practices and Women Entrepreneurs

• The Role of Self-help Groups and NGOs

• Government Initiatives for Promoting Women in Technology and Innovation

• Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligences

• The Future of Women in the Workplace and Final Module Review

Books and references

Cunningham, James A. & McAdam, Maura. 2021. Women and Global Entrepreneurship: Contextualising Everyday Experiences. Routledge.
McAdam, Maura. 2022. Women's entrepreneurship. Routledge.
Kaur, Harpreet. 2021. Women and Entrepreneurship in India: Governance, Sustainability and Policy. Routledge.
Greene, Francis J. 2020. Entrepreneurship: theory and practice. MacMillan
Westhead, Paul. 2013. Entrepreneurship: a very short introduction. Oxford University Press.

Instructor bio

Dr. Juhi Gupta

Aligarh Muslim University

I am Senior Assistant Professor in the Advanced Centre for Women’s Studies at Aligarh Muslim University. I completed my PhD in 2011 from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi on the influence of fatwas and feminist consciousness among Muslim Women. I specialize in issues around gender, women and other marginalized communities. I am also an Honorary Associate Professor at the University of Birmingham, UK. I am involved in a variety of impactful international research projects around women’s leadership, entrepreneurship and innovation, training women in Nepal, India, UK and Singapore among other countries.

Through my NGO Inclusive Futures Foundation, I have led a series of interventions including workshops, conferences and outreach programmes to support women and people from other disadvantaged communities.

I have a number of publications in national and international journals and authored and edited books including The Future of Indian Muslim Women: Fatwa Vs Feminism (2012); a reference book for the UGC NTA NET Exam in Women’s Studies (2019); Muslim Women: What Everyone Needs to Know (2019); Women of Marginalized Community: Concerns about Exclusion (2020); Oxford of the East: Aligarh Muslim University (2020); and Apostles of Transformation: Anthology of Muslim Women Trailblazers in India (2022).

Course certificate

The course is free to enroll and learn from. But if you want a certificate, you have to register and write the proctored exam conducted by us in person at any of the designated exam centres.

The exam is optional for a fee of Rs 1000/- (Rupees one thousand only).

Date and Time of Exams: 25 October 2025 Morning session 9am to 12 noon; Afternoon Session 2pm to 5pm.

Registration url: Announcements will be made when the registration form is open for registrations.

The online registration form has to be filled and the certification exam fee needs to be paid. More details will be made available when the exam registration form is published. If there are any changes, it will be mentioned then.

Please check the form for more details on the cities where the exams will be held, the conditions you agree to when you fill the form etc.

CRITERIA TO GET A CERTIFICATE

Average assignment score = 25% of average of best 8 assignments out of the total 12 assignments given in the course.
Exam score = 75% of the proctored certification exam score out of 100

Final score = Average assignment score + Exam score

Please note that assignments encompass all types (including quizzes, programming tasks, and essay submissions) available in the specific week.

YOU WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CERTIFICATE ONLY IF AVERAGE ASSIGNMENT SCORE >=10/25 AND EXAM SCORE >= 30/75. If one of the 2 criteria is not met, you will not get the certificate even if the Final score >= 40/100.

Certificate will have your name, photograph and the score in the final exam with the breakup. It will have the logos of INI and AMU.

Only the e-certificate will be made available. Hard copies will not be dispatched.

Once again, thanks for your interest in our online courses and certification. Happy learning.

- INI team

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