Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Certificate
Program Description
Knowing how to integrate innovation into a student’s chosen profession is crucial for creating thriving communities and careers. The Entrepreneurship & Innovation Certificate Program will teach the essential skills and effective strategies for enhancing working experiences and for starting new opportunities. In classes designed to engage and inspire idea generation, students will learn how to solve problems, seize opportunities, and move from idealized dreams to tangible ventures.
Student Learning Outcomes
The Student Will Benefit From:
- Understanding how to transform ideas into feasible commercial opportunities.
- A wider set of innovation skills that are designed to fit any profession or career path.
- Exposure to the most current practice and theory on innovation and entrepreneurship.
- Insights about the entrepreneurial process and entrepreneurial competencies needed to succeed in a highly competitive global economy.
- The joy of learning how to transform their passion into the source of their livelihood.
The Student should Enroll If:
- There is a desire to be independent.
- Is creative and innovative.
- There is an interest in starting their own venture or enhancing their career.
- They are leaders wishing to solve problems for the betterment of their communities.
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Course: | ||
| MGMT 3370 | Entrepreneurship, Creativity, & Innovation | 3 |
| One Semester Hour Project focused on entrepreneurial project: | ||
| MGMT 4396 | Directed Individual Study | 1 |
| Electives | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Social Entrepreneurship | ||
| Small and Family Business | ||
| New Venture Creation | ||
| Current Topics in Management | ||
| Entrepreneurial Marketing | ||
| Social Media Marketing | ||
| Total Hours | 7 | |
The student will receive a printed certificate upon completion of the course work. Completion of the certificate will not appear on the student’s transcript. All course work will be included on the student’s transcript.
Course Sequencing
Certificate Coordinator: Dr. Randall Harris
Students should take the courses in the following sequence to complete in the most timely manner:
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| MGMT 3370 | Entrepreneurship, Creativity, & Innovation | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Spring | ||
| MKTG 4360 | Social Media Marketing | 3 |
Or another elective | ||
| Hours | 3 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| MGMT 4396 | Directed Individual Study | 1 |
| Hours | 1 | |
| Total Hours | 7 | |
Courses
Explores fundamental management principles and theories of organizations. Emphasis is placed on the basic functions of management: planning, organizing, directing, and controlling. Topics include the external environment, ethics, international management, decision making, organizational structure, human resource management and diversity, motivation, group dynamics, and control mechanisms.
Prerequisite: BUSI 0011.
Introduces the fundamentals of effective communication in business and administration. Emphasis is placed on the application of modern techniques to business writing, professional presentations, group communications, verbal communications, nonverbal communications, and listening.
Prerequisite: BUSI 0011.
Introduces factors that influence interactions between individuals and groups in work environments. Topics include individual differences and diversity, motivation, leadership, power and influence, conflict, organizational culture, stress, and teams.
Prerequisite: MGMT 3310.
Explores the comprehensive set of managerial activities carried out in organizations to develop and maintain a qualified workforce. Topics include the legal environment, recruitment, selection, training, employee appraisals, compensation systems, and employer relations.
Prerequisite: MGMT 3310.
Historical and contemporary views of business as a social institution; focus is on the nature of ethics and the utilization of codes of ethics, decision-making processes, critical thinking, and creative problem solving.
Prerequisite: MGMT 3310.
An in-depth study of group and organization-wide interventions designed to improve the group and organization's ability to cope with change and manage continuous improvement. Emphasis is on developing processes to improve group dynamics, organization-wide health and effectiveness, and on a systems approach to diagnosing and solving problems.
Prerequisite: MGMT 3310.
Introduces the theory and practice of mission-driven organizations. Emphasis is on understanding unmet social needs and opportunities and creating a viable sustainable social venture.
Prerequisite: MGMT 3310.
The student will learn the description and analysis of the characteristics that produce creative opportunities and commercially sustainable innovations. This will include learning about the personal and organizational characteristics, business and societal planning tools, and practices of entrepreneurs. Factors inside and outside the entrepreneurial firm that influence creativity and innovation are also considered as they affect successful business decisions.
Prerequisite: MGMT 3310.
Examines the concepts, methods, and problems encountered in the development, validation, and utilization of employee recruitment, selection, training, and career development. Legal defensibility, and organizational effectiveness of staffing and development will be discussed.
Prerequisite: MGMT 3320.
A study of management processes and their application across different cultural, economic and legal environments. The course focuses on differences among values, beliefs, perceptions, attitudes and behaviors across national and cultural boundaries that affect the employee work and performance.
Prerequisite: MGMT 3310.
A study of traditional and contemporary leadership models, styles, and practices. Focuses on self-assessment and the characteristics of leaders important to effective leadership outcomes.
Prerequisite: MGMT 3310.
Examines the entrepreneurial aspects and the ongoing management of a small and family business enterprises, with a focus on achieving and sustaining competitive advantage. Additional topics include the unique aspects of family business, leadership, decision-making, management, marketing, financial controls and other mission-critical processes.
Prerequisite: MGMT 3310.
New venture creation teaches students how to analyze the feasibility of a new product, service or innovation within the entrepreneurial organization. Students learn to develop business plans necessary for the creation of start-up enterprise to include specific business practices, finances, and obligations of the firms created and maintained by entrepreneurs. Factors inside and outside the entrepreneurial enterprise are researched and analyzed as they affect successful new venture business decisions.
An examination of the issues important to human resource planning. Emphasis is on the processes and activities used to develop human resource objectives, practices, and policies to meet the needs and opportunities of an organization and improve organizational effectiveness.
Prerequisite: MGMT 3320.
Analytical process and methodology for policy-strategy formulation, approached as a multi-level, integrative process. Analysis focused on integration of skills and competencies acquired through the BBA program.
Selected topics for special study related to management functions, processes or issues. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.
Individual supervised study and a final report.
Supervised full-time or part-time, off-campus training in business or government organization. Oral and written reports required.