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2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Bachelor of Arts in Entrepreneurship

The Bachelor of Arts in Entrepreneurship offers you a practical, hands-on understanding of what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur in today’s competitive marketplace. You’ll learn about leveraging business opportunities into viable business entities as you study idea generation, marketing, management, operations, capital funding, and the legal aspects of beginning a new venture. This bachelor’s degree program is ideal if you want to gain knowledge about starting your own venture, taking over a family-owned company, or working within a startup organization.

This program has been designed in consultation with industry business leaders and is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP®).

ACBSP® is a registered trademark of the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.

Degree Program Objectives

In addition to the institutional and degree level learning objectives, graduates of this program are expected to achieve these learning outcomes:

  • Identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in the product, service, or nonprofit environments.
  • Design an appropriate business strategy to support an entrepreneurial business based on research, critical thinking, and leadership skills.
  • Evaluate analytical skills necessary to operate a business efficiently and effectively that meet strategic planning and goals.
  • Interpret concepts of contract, tort, Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), regulations, and employment law to entrepreneurial business enterprises.
  • Recommend various methods necessary to grow an entrepreneurial venture through financial analysis and capital funding options.

Degree at a Glance

Degree Program Requirements

General Education (30 semester hours)

Major Required (39 semester hours)

Students must choose a concentration for this degree program and may select from a General Concentration, Concentration in Business Analytics, Concentration in Food and Beverage Industry, Concentration in Small Business, or Concentration in Sports Fitness.

General Concentration (12 semester hours)

This concentration is designed to equip graduates with a practical, hands-on understanding of what it takes to run a successful business in today’s business environment. Students will learn about leveraging and a variety of business opportunities into viable business entities. Studies include marketing, management, operations, finance, accounting, and the legal aspects of running a business. This concentration is applicable for any student who has a desire to start his/her own business, plans to take over a family owned business, or otherwise currently works in an entrepreneurial enterprise.

Objectives

Students who successfully complete this program will be able to:

  • Discuss economic factors associated with government, business, and consumer environments and apply theoretical techniques to analyze markets.
  • Apply concepts of contract, tort, Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), and property law to entrepreneurial business enterprises.
  • Compose an entrepreneurial business strategy based on in depth analysis of internal and external factors and competitive and environmental forces.
  • Apply critical thinking and decision-making skills by collecting data through various research tools in order to develop alternatives and solve problems objectively.
  • Practice quantitative skills necessary in to grow an entrepreneurial business through work in accounting, finance, and statistics.
  • Develop a marketing plan to support an entrepreneurial business that leverages its overall business strategy.
  • Practice analytical skills necessary to operate a business efficiently and effectively.
Concentration Requirements (12 semester hours)

Concentration in Business Analytics (12 semester hours)

This concentration provides the student with an array of study and course work in business analytics, tools to use for analytics, decision-making, and applied analytics.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:

  • Compare operational statistical theories and software options for objective decision-making.
  • Use managerial level statistical methods to integrate into objective decision-making processes.
  • Apply analytical concepts to support decision-making.
Concentration Requirements (12 semester hours)

Concentration in Food and Beverage Industry (12 semester hours)

The restaurant industry is the second largest private-sector employer in the United States and it adds jobs at a stronger rate than all other industries combined. By 2023, the restaurant industry is projected to add 1.3 million jobs (National Restaurant Association, 2015). In 2015 alone, restaurants are expected to add over 300,000 jobs. Further, restaurant industry sales account for 4% of the U.S. gross GDP. Starting and owning their own food and/or drink establishment is one of the top three goals of our current entrepreneurship students.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:

  • Describe food service industry trends in nutrition and health and explain how food service operations may incorporate these trends into menu development
  • Design and implement cost control systems as they relate to foodservice operations.
  • Develop menus, and analyze recipes, their structures and conversion properties.
  • Incorporate industry standards to inform decisions related to safe and efficient food service operations
Concentration Requirements (12 semester hours)

Concentration in Small Business (12 semester hours)

This concentration is designed for students who want to focus on possibly being a small business owner. Graduates examine leadership, customer service, operations, social media, and marketing specific to a small business. Developed to bring specialized knowledge to entrepreneurs, this program will expose students to key concepts and principles to be a successful small business owner.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:

  • Summarize employment practices for small business owners.
  • Recommend a customer service model for a new small business.
  • Conduct appropriate marketing functions for your business venture.
  • Assess relevant areas for cost improvement for a small business.
Concentration Requirements (12 semester hours)

Concentration in Sports Fitness (12 semester hours)

The fitness industry is growing and many individuals express an interest in being an entrepreneur in this field. Research shows growth estimates ranging from 9.76 billion dollars in 2008 to a $24 billion industry today. The fitness industry services some 51 million Americans of all ages and income levels. The fitness industry has been forecasted to grow 23% by 2025 and encompasses different types of gyms. Sports fitness is a growing industry due in part to increased awareness of health and wellness. In this concentration, students will focus on wellness, conditioning, trends and culture.

Objectives

Students who successfully complete this program will be able to:

  • Discuss factors affecting endurance training and methods for developing endurance.
  • Examine the body's responses to weight training, training and conditioning, and strength training exercises.
  • Analyze the health benefits gained from strength training.
  • Apply concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention.
  • Design a functional training program.
  • Examine the issues and trends associated with fitness and wellness.
Concentration Requirements (12 semester hours)

Final Program Requirement (3 semester hours)

Elective Requirements (36 semester hours)

  1. All literature courses require successful completion of ENGL101-Proficiency in Writing or ENGL110-Making Writing Relevant.

  2. All literature courses require successful completion of ENGL101-Proficiency in Writing or ENGL110-Making Writing Relevant.

  3. Prerequisite: Senior Standing and completion of all major courses prior to enrollment. Must be taken as the last course before graduation.

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