Entrepreneurship Minor

Are you a problem solver, innovator, or change-maker?

ISU Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship

ISU Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship

Iowa State’s entrepreneurship minor is an interdisciplinary curriculum that provides opportunities for students to learn about entrepreneurship – the process of creating value by recognizing and developing opportunities. The entrepreneurship minor serves to complement the student’s major area of study in any college discipline at Iowa State. The minor consists of 15 credits with no prerequisites, and more than 100 elective courses to choose from.

Students in the entrepreneurship minor will develop skills and knowledge in the entrepreneurial process, business feasibility analysis, customer discovery, business planning, innovation, opportunity recognition, technology transfer, industry analysis, and startup strategy. Students will learn to develop an entrepreneurial mindset that applies to business creation or employment within an existing firm or organization.

The ISU Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship enhances the classroom experience by providing opportunities to collaborate with other entrepreneurial-minded students across campus, and offers a variety programs for the entrepreneurial-minded student. Students have the opportunity to pitch their ideas, receive feedback, and network with successful entrepreneurs. They may also participate in the CYstarters student accelerator.

Iowa State ranks #11 in undergraduate entrepreneurship programs.

~The Princeton Review

Required Courses (6 cr):

  • Entrepreneurship/Management 310 (3 cr) Entrepreneurship and Innovation

CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING THREE COURSES*:

  • Entrepreneurship/Management 313 (3 cr) Feasibility Analysis and Business Planning
  • Entrepreneurship/Management 320 (3 cr) Corporate Entrepreneurship
  • Management 410 (3 cr) Social Entrepreneurship

*Choose either Management 313, 320 or 410. Management 310 is required.

Elective Courses (6 cr):

Electives from an approved list of entrepreneurship-related courses or other choices under required courses above. Students are encouraged to take electives within their major college.

2020 – Present Elective List

2017 – 2019 Elective List

2011 – 2017 Elective List

Experiential Learning (3 cr):

Students will engage in the process of entrepreneurship to earn experiential learning credits.  The required three credits of experiential learning can be earned by either taking a course that has been designated as an experiential learning course or using some other experiential learning activity as the basis to receive credits through a graded independent study. Three options are explained in more detail below.

Students in catalog 2019 and older.

Courses that are pre-approved to meet the experiential learning requirement are indicated on the 2017 – 2019 Elective List . Approval” will say “NO.” If you select one of these courses, simply include it on your “request for minor” form and indicate that it meets the experiential learning requirement with an (E) behind the course number on the form.

Students in catalog 2020 and newer.

Some project courses have been designated on the 2020 – Present Elective List as appropriate for experiential learning credits if prior approval has been obtained from the Entrepreneurship Supervisory Committee (both the “Designated for Experiential Credits” and the “Experiential Content Requires Approval columns say “YES”). Approval must be obtained before registering for the designated course and will be based on the extent to which the nature and scope of the course content specifically relate to entrepreneurial processes. To seek approval, students fill out the college specific Independent Study form below and obtain the signature of the course instructor to verify the course content. Follow the directions on the form for obtaining approval. Students who follow this option would list the appropriate college course number on the “request for minor” form indicating that it meets the experiential learning requirement.

Students in catalog 2020 and newer.

Students may earn three credits of experiential learning through an independent study. The independent study may be based on an internship, co-op, starting a business, running a business, writing a business plan, etc. Note that some courses are listed on the 2020 – Present Elective List that may count toward experiential learning credits but must be approved by the Entrepreneurship Supervisory Committee (both the “Designated for Experiential Credits” and the “Experiential Content Requires Approval columns say “YES”). Approval must be obtained before registering for the independent study and will be based on the extent to which the nature and scope of the independent study specifically relate to entrepreneurial processes. To seek approval, students must identify a faculty member willing to supervise the study and complete the entrepreneurship independent study form (choose link below for home college). Follow the directions on the form for obtaining approval and registering for independent study credits. Students who follow this option would list the appropriate college course number for their independent study on the “request for minor” form.

How to apply for the entrepreneurship minor:

  • Complete the Curriculum Change Form.
  • Indicate the courses you plan to take to fulfill the minor requirements.
    • This will include the two required courses—Mgmt 310 and either Mgmt 313 or Mgmt 410; how you intend to complete your 3 cr of experiential learning; and 6 credits of electives from the approved course matrix.
    • Please note that 9 credits out of the 15 credits required for a minor must not be used to meet any other department, college or university requirement except the credit requirement for graduation.
  • Obtain required signatures:
    • Department offering the minor (2200 Gerdin Business Bldg.)
    • Student’s academic advisor
    • College of the minor—because this is a university-wide minor, your home college is the college of the minor.
    • College of major/curriculum—your home college
  • Turn in the completed form to the undergraduate advising office in your home college.

For assistance during this process, consult either with your undergraduate advisor or the entrepreneurship faculty in your college for the minor.