Yes! We encourage students to start taking entrepreneurship courses as early as you are interested. This will get you introduced to the entrepreneurship and innovation resources around Penn State and your campus as soon as possible. Also, the earlier you start taking entrepreneurship courses or start working on a new product or start-up, the longer you'll have access to free Penn State resources...and free is good!
There are benefits to taking even one or two entrepreneurship courses: you'll be developing valuable knowledge, skills, and attitudes to help you in any career path. If you need suggestions on what courses to take, contact Jamey Darnell at jad961@psu.edu. If you're at Penn State Abington, contact Dr. Gary Calore at gsc1@psu.edu. If you're at Penn State Berks, contact Dr. Sadan Kulturel at sxk70@psu.edu.
Before jumping into an entrepreneurship course, attend some entrepreneurship events. An entrepreneurship calendar for Penn State University Park is under development, and will be listed here ASAP. Penn State Global Entrepreneurship Week happens every fall, with over a week of entrepreneurship activities. Each Spring is IST Start-up Week, with featured speakers and workshops.
If you're enrolled at another Penn State campus, check out what's happening near you. There are six entrepreneurship centers located at Commonwealth campuses:
Drop in any of these locations and introduce yourself to the staff to get started!
No. Many students in the ENTI Minor enter the courses without an idea and very few have a business underway. Our goal is to help students develop their opportunity recognition skills to find a problem, need, or "pain" that they want to solve.
The minor will help you develop skills that are important to move an idea to a solution, product, or venture. There are very, very few entrepreneurs who have all the skills and knowledge needed to be successful, so taking the entrepreneurship courses can be key to success.
Both are good minors. The BUS/LA minor includes traditional business coursework in economics, accounting, finance, marketing, and management. The ENTI approach is more focused on mindset, leadership, innovation, and the start-up process. There are no traditional business courses in ENTI. If you want business skills, major in business or minor in BUS/LA. If you want enterprising skills, ENTI might be right for you.
This question has multiple answers. The general guideline is simple: if there are courses in your major listed as technical electives or out-of-college electives or support of option, ENTI Minor courses may be able to be counted for both completion of the ENTI Minor and your major. For example, for engineering students, ENGR 407 is a required course in the Technology Based Entrepreneurship cluster and can be counted as a technical elective in most engineering majors. Another example: Journalism majors who choose the New Media cluster may count up to 6 credits toward their major and ENTI. Arrange to meet both your major adviser and a cluster director to make sure all the courses you are planning to take meet minor and/or major requirements.
Yes. At least eight SHC theses have been written with an entrepreneurship or innovation focus over the past decade. You should contact your potential thesis supervisor as early as possible and start the dialogue on your thesis topic.
Take MGMT 215, Entrepreneurial Mindset and ENGR 310, Entrepreneurial Leadership. These two courses are required core courses in the ENTI Minor and are action-based learning courses. While taking these courses, you'll have the chance to consider which ENTI cluster best matches your interests.
Yes, this prerequisite is strictly enforced. The good news is that these courses can count toward your General Education requirements.
Technology Based Entrepreneurship: Primary focus on physical products that may include firmware as part of the offering, referred to as "technology-based" products. Emphasis on business models best suited for creating technology-based start-ups (i.e., entrepreneurship) or for creating new ventures within established companies (i.e., intrapreneurship). Makes extensive use of lean startup philosophy and methodology.
Digital Entrepreneurship & Innovation: Primary focus on virtual products that leverage the Internet, mobile devices, and information as a core component of the business model. Emphasis on digital business models and impact of IT-driven innovation as part of new start-up companies (i.e., entrepreneurship) or as part of new ventures within established companies (i.e., intrapreneurship). Makes extensive use of lean startup philosophy and methodology.
Starting Spring 2016, ENGR 310, Entrepreneurial Leadership will be offered online for the first time. Plans are underway to offer more ENTI core and cluster courses online.
Probably not, but you can talk to your cluster director to present your case for a substitution.
Check out the Social Entrepreneurship cluster and meet with John Gershenson, the Social Entrepreneurship cluster director. Check out www.facebook.com/PSUHESE and www.sites.psu.edu/khanjanmehta to view current and past projects.
Yes. In co-operation with the ENTI course instructor, any course can be made into an honors option course. Talk with the instructor during the first week of the semester about your request and follow the guidelines on the Schreyer Honors College website.
Yes! Student entrepreneurship clubs exist or are getting started at a number of campuses. Innoblue is the Penn State University Park student organization for student entrepreneurs. Penn State Berks and Penn State Abington are offering the full ENTI Minor and have, or are starting, entrepreneurship student groups. Penn State Altoona has the ENTR Minor and an active student entrepreneurship group. For more information, contact these faculty:
Three suggestions:
You have some great options.
I have an idea for the new product or service, but I'm worried about sharing the idea because someone might steal it. What do I do?