Entrepreneurship Classes Are On the Rise

2009 September 21
tags: , , ,
by Grace Boyle

Across the U.S. more than 5,000 entrepreneurship courses are offered at universities and colleges, which is up 250 from 1985 according to Kauffman Foundation’s Panel on Entrepreneurship Curriculum in Higher Education. In addition, programs that lead to an entrepreneurship degree or certificate have quadrupled during the past 30 years to more than 500.

Times sure have changed. “Twenty years ago students who dared to say they wanted to start their own companies would be sent for counseling,” says Jerome Katz, a professor of management at St. Louis University, who has studied the growing trend of college entrepreneurship. “Today entrepreneurship is the fastest-growing course of study on campuses nationwide.”

Doing it Right-BYOBiz:

My alma mater, Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont has an innovative entrepreneurship program called BYOBiz (good name, right?) The competitive program “encourages student entrepreneurs to bring the business you’ve started-or the business your’e thinking about starting-to college with you.”

picture-2

Successful entrepreneurs and experts in financial, legal, technical, operational and managerial matters coach the students along the way. They implement a strategic audit at the beginning of each school year and a simulated board of directors. They put you directly in touch with angel investors and venture capitalists who explain the process and if applicable, might invest. Classes simultaneously include early-stage business, marketing, small business management, foundation courses like accounting and eBusiness like internet marketing.

This means they provide resources, mentors, assistance and the encouragement to gain your degree, but foster your passion or business idea.

Keen Focus on Entrepreneurship:

“There is a keen awareness in entrepreneurship that didn’t exist 20 years ago,” said Rod Shrader, faculty director of the Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies and director of UIC’s Technology Ventures program.

Although many would argue entrepreneurship cannot be taught in the classroom (I believe this), but it doesn’t hurt to learn some of the tools and applicable knowledge in the classroom that you might have to learn the hard way (such as managing finances) if you didn’t have those resources.

A study from the University of Arizona showed that entrepreneurship graduates were three times more likely to form new companies. On average these businesses had annual sales of $50 million and employed 200. Furthermore, if you jump into entrepreneurship courses in college, it helps you to understand that you may not actually be cut out for the startup life. Therein lies a lesson learned early.

I think this is a fantastic growing trend. It is creative and allows students to step into their entrepreneurship role early and although college isn’t the end all be all, it can start to provide resources to different kinds of students and learners. Shrader believes, “The more we can train the very brightest of our students to think entrepreneurially, it’s going to benefit society as a whole.”

What do you think about the growing trend? Did you participate in an entrepreneurship program in college? Do you see the value?

 

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]
Related Posts with Thumbnails

from → Entrepreneurs

  • http://fiwk.blogspot.com/ Royce

    This was also the focus of an Economist special report back in March:

    http://www.economist.com/specialreports/display…

    I agree with you that it's an interesting trend and will probably allow a lot more creativity to flourish in traditional and non-traditional industries. The Economist points out that some of the biggest, most successful companies result from recessions such as this (Microsoft, Genentech, Gap, etc.) so it certainly seems a good time to forge out on your own.

  • http://fiwk.blogspot.com/ Royce

    By the way what's the syntax to add a hyperlink to text in your comments section?

  • http://www.smallhandsbigideas.blogspot.com Grace Boyle

    @Royce Cool link, thanks for sharing! I think it's particularly interesting with students because although young, they're ready for risk and usually have many pulsing ideas. I like to think colleges incubate these entrepreneurs and give them a medium to try and branch out on their own.

  • http://www.bossygirls.blogspot.com/ Caitlin

    I'm so glad to see entrepreneurship taking center stage (or at least more center stage-ish) in the academic world!
    I think creatives are really going to benefit from these types of classes. When I owned an art gallery a few years ago, I was shocked at the lack of marketing tools my artists were taught in art school. It's not enough just to have an idea or to make something. You have to know what to do with it.
    Plus, how cool would the people in those classes be? You could potentially have fashion, art, marketing, business, accounting, etc. students all in one class, how fun!

  • http://www.smallhandsbigideas.blogspot.com Grace Boyle

    @Caitlin I am too! It's a great trend. You bring up a great point about the variety of each class involving different kinds of entrepreneurs, all zesty with creative passion.

  • http://fiwk.blogspot.com/ Royce

    Or more generally colleges grow your personal/professional network extremely well, giving you that much greater a chance to succeed. Like Caitlin said, one big benefit is the mixing of all different types of people and passions which can be a huge boost to creativity.

  • jackieadkins3

    I think some people when they think of entrepreneurship they still think of someone starting up their own local store or something, so it doesn't really carry much weight in “Academia.” But really with so many start up agencies, tech companies, etc. the value of entrepreneurial skills is really being made apparent to more people.

    One of my biggest regrets from college is that I took ZERO entrepreneurship courses. I realized during my last semester that I may actually be interested in entrepreneurial endeavors at one point during my career and, at that point, it was too late to get into a class. I'm still pretty bummed I missed out on that and am hoping when I go back for graduate school some day I'll be able to take some great ones.

  • http://www.smallhandsbigideas.blogspot.com Grace Boyle

    @Jackie That's a good story … sometimes we don't even realize in college what we want. I like that those classes are offered and I know that the general Business Management course at my college just had one entrepreneurship class that was offered. It gave students a taste and if they liked it, they could take more or change their track/direction. Again, it doesn't really matter what happened in the classroom or even what your degree is in for that matter…so it's never too late for you to make the leap :)

  • http://twitter.com/cassie_holman Cassie

    I love reading posts about entrepreneurial ventures :) I imagine it makes it so much easier to do what you love if you are in control of it.

    I have similar sentiments to some of the others, though, wishing I would have taken advantage of some of the opportunities in college. I noticed a lot of courses and seminars trending towards entrepreneurship my last few year at UW-Madison. They started an annual “Entrepreneurial Deli” where Gen Y small business owners could showcase their work and give interested UW-Madison students business advice. Pretty cool event.

  • Pingback: Valuable Internet Information » Entrepreneurship Classes Are On the Rise | Small Hands, Big Ideas

  • http://www.smallhandsbigideas.blogspot.com Grace Boyle

    @Cassie That event sounds so interesting! I think more events and collaborative efforts such as the “Entrepreneurial Deli” should be available to students. Thanks for stopping by :)

  • http://costoflivingblog.com/ Jim

    I agree that this an encouraging trend, and hope to be able to take an MBA-level entrepreneurship class next semester. Entrepreneurship classes not only give students hands-on experience with the skills needed to start their own companies, but also help to develop key critical thinking skills that are invaluable. Even if the student ultimately decides against starting their own venture and takes a job in a corporate setting, they will be more likely to think outside the box, or identify new business opportunities for the company, based on their entrepreneurial background. Not everyone is cut out to run their own business, but everyone can benefit from learning to look at things from a different perspective.

  • http://www.smallhandsbigideas.blogspot.com Grace Boyle

    @Jim I really like how you bring up that even if the student takes a corporate job, they still have the backbone for entrepreneurial ideas and classes which may help them even if they aren't starting their own business. Maybe everyone should take a look at an entrepreneur class, even if it doesn't interest you? Simply because of how much you can learn from the person running the company, the nitty gritty and maybe if you're in those shoes someday.

  • Pingback: A Fatherly Guest Post: What Do I Want To Be When I Grow Up? | Small Hands, Big Ideas

  • Pingback: Changing the Way Teachers Teach To Help Students Learn | Small Hands, Big Ideas

  • http://smallbusinessgrant.info/ Alena

    I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

    Alena

    http://smallbusinessgrant.info

  • http://smallbusinessgrant.info/ Alena

    I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

    Alena

    http://smallbusinessgrant.info

  • http://discountbuyonline.com/electronics Discountbuyonline

    I took an entrepreneurship class in college and the professor told us the first day that our grade in the class would be no indication of how we would do as entrepreneurs. A valid point, but an interesting way to start off a class.

    Sam

    http://discountbuyonline.com/

  • Pingback: How's the Living, UT?