Program Contact: Robert Yawson​    203-582-5023

This is a 12-credit certificate program designed for non-business majors at QU and non-QU students or external parties. The three required courses provide students with the fundamental language, knowledge, leadership and communication skills related to entrepreneurship and innovation. The option course provides students with discipline or industry-specific depth in areas relevant to entrepreneurship and innovation. They are offered through departments across the university.

Goals

To promote the growth of the entrepreneurial ecosystem at QU and to support the interdisciplinary initiatives that exist at the university. This certificate enables non-business students at QU to add an Entrepreneurship & Innovation certificate to their core program or a non-QU student or external party to take 3-4 courses in E&I. 

Learning Objectives
  • Learn the entrepreneurial process and mindset.
  • Learn the process in evaluating whether their idea is desired by customers.
  • Learn how to evaluate customer interest in their product or service.
  • Learn the steps in how to take an idea to business creation.
  • Learn how corporate innovation works and how to develop ideas within an organization or apply to oneself.

Business students who are interested in entrepreneurship & innovation should add a minor. Non-business students who want more depth of entrepreneurship & innovation can also add a minor.

The Entrepreneurship & Innovation certificate for non-business students includes three (3) required courses and a choice of one of three elective courses or the substitution of a course in the student’s major area or other discipline of interest.

The certificate courses draw from a large set of interdisciplinary fields in the social sciences and scientific methods such as psychology, sociology, economics, creativity theory, experimental research, etc. In addition, the elective list from the other schools includes courses that address the culture or environment of decisions, types of problems, or other innovative or entrepreneurial topics. (See Curriculum for illustrative list, subject to changes and additions.) The fourth course will be approved by the certificate adviser or Chair of the Entrepreneurship, International Business and Strategy Department.

Entrepreneurship & Innovation Certificate Curriculum

Required Courses
ENT 210Introduction to Entrepreneurial Thinking and Practice3
ENT 250Idea Validation and Business Model Development3
ENT 310Creativity and Innovation Management3
Electives - Choose one from the following list:3
Opportunity Recognition and Negotiation
Social Entrepreneurship
Business Launch
Or the substitution of a course in the student’s major or another discipline of interest.
Below is a representational sampling of the types of courses from different areas that could count as the fourth course in the certificate.
Sustainable Development
Introduction to the Biological Aspects of Science and Society
Human Health and Disease
Infrastructure Engineering
Data Visualization
Rapid Application Development
Visual Design
Storytelling
Public Speaking: Principles and Practice
Social Media and Society
Introduction to Programming for Engineers
Improvisational Acting
Negotiating Internationally
Total Credits12