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Entrepreneurship and Innovation Major Option

Entrepreneurship and
Innovation Major Option

PROGRAMS

Choosing the Entrepreneurship and Innovation option in the management major will teach you to tackle real-world challenges, think creatively and solve problems in innovative ways. Many of the courses in this major option offer connections to successful entrepreneurs, investors and community leaders. These relationships can provide invaluable guidance, support and networking opportunities for future ventures or career paths. Entrepreneurship gives students the tools to create their own business or carve out a unique niche in the market. It fosters independence and self-reliance.

Benefits

The job market is evolving, with a growing emphasis on innovation and self-starting individuals. Entrepreneurship and Innovation majors are equipped to thrive in this fast-changing environment, whether by founding their own companies or driving innovation within larger organizations.

Entrepreneurship is not just about starting a business—it's about learning to manage uncertainty, bounce back from failure and adapt quickly to change. These are key traits for long-term success in any career.

Entrepreneurs have the potential to make significant contributions to society by creating jobs, fostering innovation and solving pressing problems. By majoring in entrepreneurship students can position themselves to make a meaningful impact.

Career Outcomes

Graduates have gone on to start their own ventures, lead growth at established companies or startups, build entrepreneurship ecosystems, manage small businesses and more.

  • Entrepreneur/Business Owner: Pursue the ultimate entrepreneurial goal—start and run your own company, whether it’s a small business, a tech startup or a social enterprise.
  • Corporate Innovator: Apply entrepreneurial thinking to lead innovation with larger companies, helping them to innovate, develop new products or services, and stay competitive.
  • Consultant: Use skills learned in the Entrepreneurship and Innovation major option to advise businesses on growth strategies, help businesses identify opportunities, solve complex problems and scale effectively.
  • Venture Capitalist: Evaluate startups, provide funding and mentor new businesses through growth phases.
  • Franchise Owner: Leverage the support of an established brand while still running your own business.
  • Startup Accelerator Manager: Work with startup accelerators or incubators, providing mentorship, resources and strategic advice to help new businesses grow.

Coursework and Program Structure

Explore our curriculum through the 4-year plan. To earn your bachelor’s degree in Management with the Entrpreneurship and Innovation option, you’ll take 120 credit hours of classes. That’s four to five classes a semester, on average. Some of the courses that students have the opportunity to take through the Entrepreneurship and Innovation option are listed below:

Identifying and Exploring Entrepreneurial Opportunities (ENTR 421)

Covers the creative skills fundamental to the process of identifying and exploiting entrepreneurial opportunities and the analytical toolkit needed to explore the feasibility of an entrepreneurial opportunity.

Business Plan Development and Decision Making (ENTR 423)

Takes an in-depth look at the business planning process. By the end of the class, students produce their own business plans. Learn through their own business plan writing, through in-depth cases studies, by engaging in role plays and by interacting with business executives.

Managing Rapid Growth and Change in Organizations (ENTR 422)

Addresses financial, human resource, operations and marketing issues that face entrepreneurs whose businesses are confronted with significant growth. In addition, will learn change management concepts that are targeted towards managing an organization in extremely turbulent times.

Entrepreneurial Creativity (ENTR 327)

Develop your creativity by examining it within the context of entrepreneurship. Learn how entrepreneurial processes can develop our creative abilities in a variety of contexts, including (but not limited to) the new business context.

Franchising (ENTR 425)

Introduction to franchising, how it relates to the entrepreneurial journal, and the differences compared to the traditional business model. Explores how to choose between buying an independent business and joining a franchise network and what makes a successful franchisee compared to another.

How to Pitch Yourself and Your Ideas (ENTR 328)

Introduction to the basic concepts of how to present yourself and ideas in a compelling manner. Explore how to prepare, design, and deliver a persuasive presentation. Utilize lectures, readings, discussions, reflection papers, and presentations to develop presentation or 'pitch' skills

How to Enroll

Students interested in enrolling in the Entrepreneurship and Innovation option in management should do so through MyRed.

If you are applying to the university, you can apply directly to the management major to later declare the Entrepreneurship and Innovation major option.
Enroll in MyRed

Contact

Center for Entrepreneurship

entrepreneurship@unl.edu
HLH 315
402-472-3353