Minor in Entrepreneurship
Minor in Entrepreneurship
A minor in entrepreneurship requires completion of 18 credits. With the exception of students majoring in accounting or business administration, students with any other major may also complete this minor. In meeting the requirements of this discipline-based minor, a student may not use more than nine credits that are also used to meet the requirements of another major or minor.
- Required courses: BUS 160, 397
- Entrepreneurship Electives: Two courses chosen from the following: BUS 376, 381, 383, 392
- Business Electives: Two courses chosen from the following: BUS 211, 217, 221, 310, 317, 321, 325, 345, 346, 349, 365, 370, 371, and, when appropriate to entrepreneurship with advance approval, BUS 301, 303, 304, 453
Students in the minor are strongly encouraged to participate in Connolly Entrepreneurship Society, Student Pitch Competition, and Entrepreneurship Internship Program or to attend two or more Entrepreneurship Summits.
Required Courses for the Minor
BUS 160: Foundations of Entrepreneurship and Business (3). Prerequisites: Open only to students who have not taken a 200-level business administration course and who are not BSADM, ACCB, or PACC majors, or by instructor consent. This interdisciplinary course is designed for students from across all parts of campus who are interested in entrepreneurship and in perhaps someday starting, owning or running their own businesses, or pursuing an entrepreneurial career inside of others' organizations. Although entrepreneurship is a creative process, it also requires specific skills, knowledge, and tools to enhance the probability of success. In this course, you will begin to learn about and explore all aspects of developing your own ideas for new business ventures (including non-profits or social entrepreneurship). You will get started on the actual process of pursuing ideas for a new venture and work with others in small teams to explore doing so. Through this lens of entrepreneurship, students will receive an introduction to all of the primary aspects of business. (Note: students who completed BUS195A: Foundations of Management and Entrepreneurship prior to fall 2019 are considered to have completed this requirement.)
BUS 397: Entrepreneurship Minor Capstone (3). Prerequisites: Senior standing and completion of 6 credits of Entrepreneurship Electives and 6 credits of Business Electives designated for the minor. This capstone course, specifically for Entrepreneurship Minors, is designed to expose students to a strategic perspective on business challenges in the context of entrepreneurial firms. Integrating concepts and analytical tools from functional disciplines (e.g., finance, marketing, accounting) in the diagnosis, analysis, and resolution of complex business situations, students develop the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to excel in new ventures or in today's increasingly entrepreneurial corporate environments. Among other activities, students learn from case studies, class discussions, and working together to develop and present a business plan. Students also have the opportunity to explore their own business startup ideas by writing a comprehensive business plan. Students participating in this course will participate in W&L's Business Plan Competition.
Entrepreneurship Electives for the Minor (must take two courses)
BUS 376: Design Thinking (3). Open to both majors and non-majors. This course focuses on how to use design thinking to analyze problems and opportunities. The course is rooted in human-centered and ethical design considerations. The content draws heavily from creative writing, studio art, psychology, theater, and branding to help students engage in empathetic design solutions. The course follows the design thinking process developed by IDEO and follows through empathy, definition, ideation, prototyping, and testing.
BUS 381: Social Entrepreneurship (3). Prerequisite: At least sophomore standing. Social entrepreneurship is an approach to creating system-level change through the application of entrepreneurial thinking and problem solving to social ventures, non-profit organizations, government institutions, and non-governmental organizations to create economic, environmental, and social value for multiple stakeholders. The purpose of this class is to (a) introduce students to the strategic thinking that forms the foundation of successful entrepreneurial ventures, (b) engage students in the application of these strategic tools and frameworks through case analyses and discussion, and (c) to encourage students to change the world in a meaningful way by thinking about a social venture of their own.
BUS 383: Technology and Entrepreneurship (3). Prerequisite: At least sophomore standing. The purpose of this course is to provide students with an understanding of process through which technological inventions are transformed into innovations. Key works from scholars in the field will guide class discussions on understanding why managing innovation is complex, cross-functional, and a historically-dependent endeavor. By the end of the class, students will have an appreciation for the entrepreneurial mindset, key actors in the start-up process, and the means through which technology is commercialized. In addition to these discussions, students will travel to Silicon Valley to not only meet individuals who are a part of the recent start-up/technology scene but also visit key locations that capture the history and context of innovation in the San Francisco/Bay Area.
BUS 392: Layered Berlin and the Social Market Economy (4). Prerequisite: GERM 262 and instructor consent. A four-week course taught abroad that offers students a true immersion in German language, culture, and business environment. In order to give students a complete understanding of contemporary Germany, we integrate a literary-historical analysis of the country's rich history from 1848 to the present day with an introduction to German social and economic system that focuses on stakeholder-centric business and sustainability principles. Through an exciting mix of literary fiction, historical readings, and cases, film screenings, along with corporate and cultural site visits, students gain an understanding of the interdependence between "big C" Culture and business culture.
Business Electives for the Minor (must take two courses)
BUS 211: Marketing Management
BUS 217: Management and Organizational Behavior
BUS 221: Managerial Finance
BUS 310: Management Information Systems
BUS 317: Data Mining for Sales,
BUS 321: Multimedia Design and Development
BUS 325: E-Commerce Design and Development
BUS 345: Business Ethics
BUS 346: Foundations of Business Law
BUS 349: Negotiations and Dispute Resolution in a Business Environment
BUS 365: Modern Professional Presentations
BUS 370: Integrated Marketing Communication
BUS 371: Creative Strategic Planning
and, when appropriate to entrepreneurship with advance approval, BUS 301, 303, 304, 453