Students in the School of Business Administration can earn a Concentration in Entrepreneurship & Innovation in which they will learn skills related to the entrepreneurial mindset. From idea generation to opportunity-seeking behavior, the program takes students through the entrepreneurial process and prepares them for a variety of careers: creating a new enterprise, buying or expanding an existing enterprise, franchising, generating a family business, and engaging in corporate or social entrepreneurship. There is a strong emphasis on experiential learning and networking with entrepreneurs from the community.
Entrepreneurship and Innovation Concentration: 12 credits |
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| BENT 490 Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship | 3 credits |
| BENT 491 Creating New Ventures | 3 credits |
| One of the following: |
3 credits |
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BENT 492 Technology Entrepreneurship
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BENT 493 Social Entrepreneurship
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| One of the following: | 3 credits |
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BUSN 470 Multidisciplinary Action Projects
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BUSN 491 Startup Accelerator
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BUSN 494 Small Business Consulting
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BMIS 443 Technology for Web/Mobile-Based Business
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Lower Division
Every entrepreneur begins at the same starting point - the idea. In this course, students will start with an idea and build it to a potential solution. Major topics will include: identifying opportunities, creating value, identifying and connecting with the customer, understanding markets and the competition, measuring return on investment, and understanding the purpose of the venture.
A solution is only valuable if you can make it a reality. In this course, students will take a potential solution and build in the processes and structure required to define and execute it. Major topics will include: business models, feasibility analysis, forecasting demand, budgeting and financing, and organizational structure.
Prerequisite:
ENTR 201 Minimum Grade: D
Upper Division
Success as an entrepreneur requires the ability to get people behind your idea and your organization. In this course, students will explore what leadership means, how to be a good leader, and how to inspire trust and commitment in others. Major topics will include: team dynamics, managing people, trust, leading by example, managing projects, shared goals, and setting expectations.
Prerequisite:
ENTR 201 Minimum Grade: D
and ENTR 202 Minimum Grade: D
Many of the challenges of starting a venture come after it has begun. In this course, students will learn how to create or build a venture that is sustainable, scalable, and provides lasting value to their communities. Major topics will include: strategic analysis, venture scaling, goal-setting, measuring success, diversification and growth, and exit strategies.
Prerequisite:
ENTR 201 Minimum Grade: D
and ENTR 202 Minimum Grade: D
Entrepreneurship is an active experience- we learn best by doing. In this course, students will focus on integrating the entrepreneurial tools they have developed in the context of a venture launch. Major topics will include: enterprise launch, legal issues, financing, investor relationships, and negotiation.
Prerequisite:
ENTR 201 Minimum Grade: D
and ENTR 201 Minimum Grade: D
The value we create as entrepreneurs is more than economic. In this course, students will explore how to create ventures that provide lasting value to society and serve as examples of Jesuit and humanistic leadership. Major topics will include: ethical and moral development, Magis, the responsibility of leaders, and building an ethical organization.
Prerequisite:
ENTR 201 Minimum Grade: D
and ENTR 202 Minimum Grade: D
and ENTR 301 Minimum Grade: D
Course content to be determined by the instructor.
This experiential course provides hands-on experience in developing ideas for new commercial and/or social enterprises. Students work on teams to develop their own or other entrepreneurs' ideas. Projects typically include feasibility analysis, market research, and business planning. Students receive one credit for each 60 hours worked in the New Venture Lab. Course requirements include keeping a journal, completing assigned project tasks, and submitting a final report detailing learning outcomes. Open to any major at the university (for Hogan Program students and those not in the Hogan Program).
An approved internship is required for completion of the concentration in entrepreneurial leadership. The ideal internship allows the student to apply concepts and analytical tools from the curriculum in an entrepreneurial context. Approved internships consist of a minimum work requirement of 180 hours and completion of a written report summarizing the learning experience. Instructor approval required.
Lower Division
Upper Division
Small and medium sized businesses play a major role in the Italian economic system. Students will Interact with the business community as they learn fundamental management and marketing principles as well as the unique organization structures, legal considerations, and operational issues associated with business enterprise in Italy. Florence only. On sufficient demand.
Prepares students with the fundamentals of idea generation, feasibility assessment, team building, and assembly of resources for the creation of a new venture. The class includes guest speakers, case studies, and a team project. Any major at the university can enroll.
This course covers the fundamentals of creating and growing new commercial or social enterprises. Course content provides an overview of the world of entrepreneurship including an introduction to economics, the role of society and government, legal and ethical issues, creating and managing new ventures, and the various functional areas of business. Students are required to complete a business plan and investor presentation for a commercial or non-profit organization as part of the course requirements. In addition to receiving support from Gonzaga faculty and experienced entrepreneurs, students interact with attorneys, financiers, and other professional service providers. Any major at the university can enroll.
Prerequisite:
BENT 490 Minimum Grade: D
This class develops a framework to study, analyze and understand the formation and creation of new ventures with an emphasis on organizations specializing in product innovation and technology as their main source of competitive advantage. This course introduces students with a technical background to the inherent risks, issues and hurdles faced by both independent and corporate entrepreneurs. The course objectives include: identifying and evaluating market opportunities, investigating intellectual property issues, creating a management team, funding start-ups, evaluating business models, and the growth of new ventures. Open to any major at the University.
Prerequisite:
BENT 490 Minimum Grade: D
This course provides students with an introduction to social entrepreneurs (those who create new ventures to address unmet societal needs), the ventures they create, how these ventures create social value, and to provide students with the tools they need to pursue their own social enterprises. Students will address each of the key components of this emerging field: problem identification, solution identification, concept development, venture creation, value assessment, and the communication of the idea and venture goals. Students will explore examples of current social enterprises, leading thinkers in the field of social entrepreneurship, and core entrepreneurial theory focused on social enterprises. This course counts towards the integrative requirement for business majors. Any major in the university can enroll.
This is an experiential course that provides 'hands-on' experience in developing ideas for new commercial and/or social enterprises. Students work on teams to develop their own or other entrepreneurs' ideas. Projects typically involve feasibility analysis, market research, and business planning. Students receive one credit for each 60 hours worked in the New Venture Lab. Course requirements include keeping a journal, completing assigned project tasks, and submitting a final report detailing learning outcomes. This course counts towards the experiential requirement for business majors. Open to any major in the University. Instructor approval required.
Equivalent:
ENTR 495 - Taken before Fall 2009
Topics to be determined by department
Topic to be decided by faculty.
In addition to their major and minor areas of study, all undergraduate students follow a common program designed to complete their education in those areas that the University considers essential for a Catholic, Jesuit, liberal, and humanistic education. The University Core Curriculum consists of forty-five credits of course work, with additional designation requirements that can be met through core, major, or elective courses.
The University Core Curriculum is a four-year program, organized around one overarching question, which is progressively addressed through yearly themes and questions. Hence, core courses are best taken within the year for which they are designated. First year core courses encourage intellectual engagement and provide a broad foundation of fundamental skills. Second and third year courses examine central issues and questions in philosophy and religious studies. The fourth year course, the Core Integration Seminar, offers a culminating core experience. Taken at any time throughout the four years, broadening courses intersect with the core themes and extend students’ appreciation for the humanities, arts, and social and behavioral sciences. Finally, the designation requirements (writing enriched, global studies, and social justice) reflect important values and reinforce students’ knowledge and competencies.
Overarching Core Question: As students of a Catholic, Jesuit, and Humanistic University, how do we educate ourselves to become women and men for a more just and humane global community?
Year 1 Theme and Question: Understanding and Creating: How do we pursue knowledge and cultivate understanding?
- The First-Year Seminar (DEPT 193, 3 credits): The First-Year Seminar (FYS), taken in the fall or spring of the first year, is designed to promote an intellectual shift in students as they transition to college academic life. Each small seminar is organized around an engaging topic, which students explore from multiple perspectives. The FYS is offered by many departments across the University (click here [PDF] for list of FYS courses).
- Writing (ENGL 101, 3 credits) and Reasoning (PHIL 101, 3 credits): The Writing and Reasoning courses are designed to help students develop the foundational skills of critical reading, thinking, analysis, and writing. They may be taken as linked sections. Writing (ENGL 101) carries one of the three required writing-enriched designations (see below).
- Communication & Speech (COMM 100, 3 credits): This course introduces students to interpersonal and small group communication and requires the application of critical thinking, reasoning, and research skills necessary to organize, write, and present several speeches.
- Scientific Inquiry (BIOL 104/104L, CHEM 104/104L, or PHYS 104/104L, 3 credits): This course explores the scientific process in the natural world through evidence-based logic and includes significant laboratory experience. Students pursuing majors that require science courses will satisfy this requirement through their major.
- Mathematics (above Math 100, 3 credits): Mathematics courses promote thinking according to the modes of the discipline—abstractly, symbolically, logically, and computationally. One course in mathematics, above Math 100, including any math course required for a major or minor, will fulfill this requirement. MATH 100 (College Algebra) and courses without the MATH prefix do not fulfill this requirement.
Year 2 Theme and Question: Being and Becoming: Who are we and what does it mean to be human?
- Philosophy of Human Nature (PHIL 201, 3 credits): This course provides students with a philosophical study of key figures, theories, and intellectual traditions that contribute to understanding the human condition; the meaning and dignity of human life; and the human relationship to ultimate reality.
- Christianity and Catholic Traditions (RELI, 3 credits). Religious Studies core courses approved for this requirement explore diverse topics including Christian scriptures, history, theology, and practices as well as major contributions from the Catholic intellectual and theological traditions (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses) .
Year 3 Theme and Question: Caring and Doing: What principles characterize a well lived life?
- Ethics (PHIL 301 or RELI, 3 credits): The Ethics courses are designed to help students develop their moral imagination by exploring and explaining the reasons humans should care about the needs and interests of others. This requirement is satisfied by an approved ethics course in either Philosophy (PHIL 301) or Religious Studies (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).
- World/Comparative Religion (RELI, 3 credits): Religious Studies courses approved for this core requirement draw attention to the diversity that exists within and among traditions and encourage students to bring critical, analytical thinking to bear on the traditions and questions considered. These courses carries one of the required two global-studies designations (see below) (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).
Year 4 Theme and Question: Imagining the Possible: What is our role in the world?”
- Core Integration Seminar (DEPT 432, 3 credits). The Core Integration Seminar (CIS) offers students a culminating core experience in which they integrate the principles of Jesuit education, prior components of the core, and their disciplinary expertise. Some CIS courses may also count toward a student’s major or minor. The CIS is offered by several departments across the University (click here [PDF] for list of CIS courses).
The Broadening Courses
- Fine Arts & Design (VART, MUSC, THEA, 3 credits): Arts courses explore multiple ways the human experience can be expressed through creativity, including across different cultures and societies. One approved course in fine arts, music, theatre, or dance will fulfill this requirement (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).
- History (HIST, 3 credits): History courses are intended to develop students’ awareness of the historical context of both the individual and the collective human experience. One course in History (HIST 101, HIST 102, HIST 112, HIST 201, HIST 202) will fulfill this requirement.
- Literature (3 credits): Literature courses foster reflection on how literature engages with a range of human experience. One approved course in Literature (offered by English, Classics, or Modern Languages) will fulfill this requirement (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).
- Social & Behavioral Sciences (3 credits): Courses in the social and behavioral sciences engage students in studying human behavior, social systems, and social issues. One approved course offered by Criminal Justice, Economics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, or Women and Gender Studies will fulfill this requirement (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).
The Designations
Designations are embedded within already existing core, major, minor, and elective courses. Students are encouraged to meet designation requirements within elective courses as their schedule allows; however, with careful planning students should be able to complete most of the designation requirements within other core, major, or minor courses.
- Writing Enriched (WE; 3 courses meeting this designation): Courses carrying the WE designation are designed to promote the humanistic and Jesuit pedagogical ideal of clear, effective communication. In addition to the required core course, Writing (ENGL 101), which carries one of the WE designations, students must take two other WE-designated courses (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).
- Global-Studies (GS; 2 courses meeting this designation): Courses carrying the GS designation are designed to challenge students to perceive and understand human diversity by exploring diversity within a context of constantly changing global systems. In addition to the required core course, World/Comparative Religion (RELI 300-level), which carries one of the GS designations, students must take one other GS-designated course (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).
- Social-Justice (SJ; 1 course meeting this designation): Courses carrying the SJ designation are designed to introduce students to one or more social justice concerns. Students must take one course that meets the SJ designation (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).
Major-specific adaptations to the University Core Curriculum
All Gonzaga students, regardless of their major, will complete the University Core Curriculum requirements. However some Gonzaga students will satisfy certain core requirements through major-specific programs or courses. Any major-specific adaptations to the core are described with the requirements for the majors to which they apply.