The purpose of this paper is to explore different themes within entrepreneurship education via the use of a systematic literature review (SLR). Systematic literature reviews are recognised methods for conducting evidence-based policy (Tranfield et al., 2003). The particular approach to the SLR used in this study is explained and the paper explores the findings outlining a thematic framework drawn from narrative coding. The findings support the conclusion that entrepreneurship education has had an impact on student propensity and intentionality. What is unclear is the extent to which such education impacts on the level of graduate entrepreneurship or whether it enables graduates to become more effective entrepreneurs. The findings also highlight a lack of consensus on what entrepreneurship or enterprise education actually ‘is’ when implemented in practice. There are also many pedagogic contradictions highlighted within the review and the evidence is introduced to explore these in more depth. The study highlights major implications for policy groups interested in entrepreneurship education, such as, the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship and the Kaufmann Foundation. There are a number of major issues and research requirements identified in the study. These include a need to begin tracking graduate careers, a need to explore employer demand for ‘enterprise’ skills and to begin to understand how different models of entrepreneurship education achieve different things. The paper, therefore, makes a contribution to knowledge by reflecting on the existing evidence base in the subject and is valuable because it allows for the development of a thematic framework within the subject and helps to identify where the current evidence is lacking.
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