The new certificate management system is now live!
You will use this system to register for the Entrepreneurship Certificate and track your progress through certificate completion. Registration is now available through the myKU Portal. You can access this system by logging in to your myKU portal and selecting the “Undergraduate Certificates” link under “Academics” in your myKU Portal. Note: this is for undergraduate students only, graduate students please see below for certificate application instructions.
The KU Center for Entrepreneurship offers a series of four courses designed to help you start, finance, plan and launch your own business in your major or favorite subject. Take just one course to learn the basics, or take all four and earn a Certificate of Entrepreneurship.
The program is open to all undergraduate and graduate students at KU. The first three courses are offered by the School of Business, and the fourth is taken through the student's school of origin, selected to provide an experiential application of the skills acquired in earlier courses. All four courses can be completed in just two semesters.
Required Courses
ENTR 301/701 Starting Your Own Business
Learn the entrepreneurial process - the approach successful entrepreneurs use to find a new business opportunity and determine its viability. Using videos, guest speakers, case studies and step-by-step presentations, the course provides a foundation to help you discover your entrepreneurial strengths, identify a solid new business opportunity and determine the resources necessary to bring that idea to market.
- ENTR 301 Starting Your Own Business
- In this course the student examines the disciplines which comprise the critical success factors in entrepreneurship and develops a fundamental understanding of the basic skill set required to manage his/her own business. The course will emphasize the Entrepreneurial Process in which each of the following disciplines will be introduced so that the student understands meaning, interrelationship and the application of the subject matter. First the student will be introduced to entrepreneurship and the personal attributes which historically have produced successful entrepreneurs. Further, the student will learn how to evaluate business opportunities via Feasibility Analysis which encompasses industry and competitor analysis, developing an effective business model, building a new venture team, developing an effective marketing plan, assessing the new ventures financial strengths and preparing the proper ethical and legal foundation for the new business. Finally, on completion of the course the student will possess a beginning comprehension for getting financing for the new venture and preparing for the challenges of business growth. Prerequisite: Goal 1, Outcome 2 and Goal 2, Outcome 1. LEC.
Spring 2019 Type Time/Place and Instructor Credit Hours Class # LEC Meyer Jr, Wallace
MW 11:00-12:15 PM CAPF 1020 - LAWRENCE3 67101
- ENTR 701 Entrepreneurship
- Entrepreneurs are uniquely critical thinkers, they have distinguished themselves by not accepting the status quo, asking the why not questions, developing innovative answers to many challenging issues in science, technology, social issues and commerce. This course will allow students to become rigorous, versatile and agile thinkers by flexing their own critical thinking muscles through an examination of the entrepreneurial mindset and learn how to apply that capability to starting a new business, either their own business or a new business opportunity for a larger organization. This will be accomplished by learning the entrepreneurial process including a lean startup approach, validating the opportunity and the business model via direct customer feedback, projecting the market value of the opportunity with sales, profits forecasting and preparing a commercialization plan that provides a comprehensive opportunity development roadmap. Prior business knowledge is not required; however an open mind that embraces innovative problem solving is essential. Not open to KU School of Business students. LEC.
Spring 2019 Type Time/Place and Instructor Credit Hours Class # LEC Meyer Jr, Wallace
MW 11:00-12:15 PM CAPF 1020 - LAWRENCE3 71462
ENTR 302/702 Financing Your Own Business
This course introduces the fundamentals of accounting and finance to non-business students. To run a new business, you need to be able to keep score. We’ll teach you how to track your business growth, how to talk the language of business to your bankers and investors, and how to make smart financial decisions.
- ENTR 302 Financing Your Own Business
- This course introduces the non-business student to the language of business, accounting, and its applications in the financial management of new and small business environments. Students will learn how to account for the various activities of the start-up and early stage new venture as well as the importance, utility and construction of financial statements. Further, students will acquire the ability to construct financial projections for a start-up firm and monitor the financial performance of the growing business with a focus on cash flow management. Finally, students will be introduced to various remedies in the event that performance does not meet expectations. Prerequisite: Goal 1, Outcome 2 and Goal 2, Outcome 1. LEC.
Spring 2019 Type Time/Place and Instructor Credit Hours Class # LEC Bergeron, Lisa
TuTh 01:00-02:15 PM CAPF 3015 - LAWRENCE3 67102
- ENTR 702 Financing Your Own Business
- This course introduces the non-business student to the language of business, accounting, and its applications in the financial management of new and small business environments. Students will learn how to account for the various activities of the start-up and early stage new venture as well as the importance, utility and construction of financial statements. Further, students will acquire the ability to construct financial projections for a start-up firm and monitor the financial performance of the growing business with a focus on cash flow management. Finally, students will be introduced to various remedies in the event that performance does not meet expectations. Not open to students in the School of Business. LEC.
Spring 2019 Type Time/Place and Instructor Credit Hours Class # LEC Bergeron, Lisa
TuTh 01:00-02:15 PM CAPF 3015 - LAWRENCE3 67765
ENTR 303/703 Marketing Your Own Business
Understand how to plan an entrepreneurial marketing program, implement it and evaluate its performance. This includes market analysis, segmentation, the marketing mix (product, price, promotion and distribution) and marketing strategy, all within the constraints of a small new venture budget.
- ENTR 303 Marketing Your Own Business
- This course focuses on the marketing development of new business ideas for small businesses including creating an environment conducive to innovation, recognizing business opportunities, assessing the industry and its potential customer segments, barriers to entry and competitive set. In addition, students will acquire an understanding of the primary marketing tools available to the entrepreneur to drive customer awareness, initial and repeat purchase and the ability to fully integrate each of those tools into a cohesive, integrated marketing plan, all on an extremely limited budget as typifies start up businesses. Upon successful completion of the course, students will understand how to plan an entrepreneurial marketing program, implement it and evaluate its performance. This includes market analysis, segmentation, the marketing mix of product, price, promotion and distribution and marketing strategy, both long term and annually. Prerequisite: ENTR 301 and ENTR 302. LEC.
Spring 2019 Type Time/Place and Instructor Credit Hours Class # LEC Tritch, Charlotte
MW 01:00-02:15 PM CAPF 3011 - LAWRENCE3 67103
- ENTR 703 Marketing Your Own Business
- This course focuses on the marketing development of new business ideas for small businesses including creating an environment conducive to innovation, recognizing business opportunities, assessing the industry and its potential customer segments, barriers to entry and competitive set. In addition, students will acquire an understanding of the primary marketing tools available to the entrepreneur to drive customer awareness, initial and repeat purchase and the ability to fully integrate each of those tools into a cohesive, integrated marketing plan, all on an extremely limited budget as typifies start up businesses. Upon successful completion of the course, students will understand how to plan an entrepreneurial marketing program, implement it and evaluate its performance. This includes market analysis, segmentation, the marketing mix of product, price, promotion and distribution and marketing strategy, both long term and annually. Not open to students in the School of Business. LEC.
Spring 2019 Type Time/Place and Instructor Credit Hours Class # LEC Tritch, Charlotte
MW 01:00-02:15 PM CAPF 3011 - LAWRENCE3 67766
Final Capstone Course (Choose One Option)
Option A (preferred)
Take the fourth course through your school of origin. Speak with your advisor to find a suitable course that the Center for Entrepreneurship can approve or choose from our list of pre-approved options.
- ABSC 606: Special Projects in Community
- ADS 560: Topics in Design
- ARCH 577: Marketing Architectural Services
- C&PE 623: Chemical Engineering Design II
- C&PE 628: Petroleum Engineering Design
- COMS 496: Communication Studies Capstone
- COMS 499: Directed Study in Communication Studies
- COMS 530: Internship in Communication Studies
- DANC 475: Career Preparation in the Arts
- ECON 609: Sports Economics
- ENVD 413: Portfolio & Professional Practice
- EVRN 615: Capstone Project in Environmental Studies
- FMS 585: Capstone in Film & Media Studies
- HSES 487: Personnel Management in Sport
- ILLU 535: Promotion & Marketing Illustration
- INDD 581: Senior Industrial Design Studio II
- JOUR 507: Practicum in Journalism
- JOUR 617: Multimedia Management and Leadership
- JOUR 690: Media Innovation-Advanced Media
- ME 760: Biomedical Product Development
- METL 520: Advanced Metals
- MUS 586: Business of Music
- PHMD 500: Photo Media Portfolio
- PHPR 614: Pharmacy Management
- PUAD 640: Public Service Practicum
- VISC 520: Designing for Change
- VISC 525: Senior Problems
Option B
ENTR 490: Social Entrepreneurship
Requires permission code. Email Charlotte Tritch - ctritch@ku.edu.
MW 11:00-12:15pm
Option C
Take an independent study course through the School of Business. Contact ctritch@ku.edu for more information.
Optional Course
ENTR 480: Management of Small Business
Requires permission code. Email Jana Fitchett - jfitchet@ku.edu.
Does not count towards certificate.
Additional Requirements
Business Plan
Each student must complete a business plan that builds upon what has been taught in the certificate courses. The completed plan should be uploaded to the myKU Portal no later than stop day of the student's graduating semester. Students should use the Business Plan Format template, found on the resources overiew page.
Apply for Certificate Graduation
Undergraduate students are required to apply for graduation from the certificate through Enroll & Pay, just as you apply for graduation from your degree program. Deadlines to apply for graduation align with the University Registrar’s graduation application deadlines (i.e if graduating in Spring 2016, deadline to apply for the certificate graduation is March 1, 2016).
Grade Requirements
All courses must be completed with a grade of C or higher to count toward the certificate and an overall GPA of 2.2 or higher is required to earn the certificate.
For Graduate Students Only
Following the successful completion of all four courses and the business plan, graduate students must submit a Certificate application form to Charlotte Tritch via email (ctritch@ku.edu), in person (Capitol Federal Hall, 1030E) or via US mail to the address on the application. Once approved, the Certificate of Entrepreneurship will be mailed to the student's permanent address and the Certificate will be recorded on the student's transcript through the KU Registrar's Office.
