Academic Programs
Certificate in Entrepreneurship
Students from any college, discipline, or major are able to earn a Certificate in Entrepreneurship by taking a combination of courses offered by the Center through the College of Business, and their home college or school.
Imagine the possibilities: earn your major, earn your certificate, and graduate with real-world experience and perhaps even start your own company!
Major in Entrepreneurship
The goal of the program is to provide you with an in-depth and rigorous study of the field of entrepreneurship. We focus on honing your ability to either start a new venture or develop the ability to meaningfully contribute in a corporate entrepreneurial setting. Upon graduation, you will be prepared to start your own small business, assist other entrepreneurs in starting up or running a business, or contribute to entrepreneurial activities in established organizations.
The economic development of our nation is sparked primarily by the 'Entrepreneurial Spirit.' This spirit emerges from a very special and unique segment of the population known as entrepreneurs. A continual infusion of new ideas and new energies brought forth by these entrepreneurs is the cornerstone of economic growth in our country. As such, entrepreneurs and their new ventures are of vital importance in the process of economic revitalization.
Success in entrepreneurship requires a broad base of conceptual knowledge, personal skills, and competencies. The required courses ensure a variety of rich developmental experiences that can include applied learning, case analysis, research projects, team-based active learning projects, and guest speakers, in addition to traditional classroom lectures and discussions. This major places a strong emphasis on written and oral communications skills, teamwork, and personal initiative.
Corporate Innovation Minor
The Corporate Innovation Minor is for students who want to be builders and drive change inside existing organizations. Businesses need entrepreneurially minded people to help them stay relevant, solve problems, and identify new product lines or revenue streams. This minor builds real-world skills in change management, innovation, creativity, and more.
Career opportunities for students in this minor might include product management, helping established companies “think outside the box,” research and development, and more.
Small and Family Business Minor
The Small and Family Business Minor is for students who want to build something of their own, carry a family business forward, or run someone else’s small business.
This minor builds real-world skills in ownership, marketing, operations, finance, accounting, people, franchising, succession, and more through hands-on learning. Small and family businesses can grow quite large, but they tend to pursue a measured approach to growth through cash flow or borrowing capacity rather than venture capital.
Opportunities for students in this minor might include assuming a leadership position in an established small or family business, creating their own small, family, or franchise business, and/or applying an entrepreneurial mindset in an established organization.