Engineering Entrepreneurship Minor

Program Overview

Villanova University's Engineering Entrepreneurship minor equips engineers with an entrepreneurial mindset, fostering creativity, innovation, and business acumen. Through a combination of core courses and electives, students develop skills in opportunity analysis, product development, project management, and team development. The program's unique approach, involving real-world projects and mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs, prepares graduates for careers in entrepreneurship, business management, and innovation.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

Overview:

Villanova University's Engineering Entrepreneurship minor is designed to give engineers an entrepreneurial mindset to contribute to business success.

Objectives:

• Provide students with an understanding of the fundamentals of entrepreneurship.
• Develop students' creativity and innovation skills.
• Help students develop the skills needed to start and run a business.

Program Description:

The minor begins with an exciting course in Creativity and Innovation. Students then take courses in opportunity analysis, new product ideation and development, intellectual property, project management, prototyping, basic accounting and finance concepts, project funding, product launching, new product marketing, risk management, and team development. Students work in teams under the guidance of faculty members and experienced entrepreneurs to develop marketable products and services. They also benefit from the Engineering Entrepreneurship Mentor Network, a student-run organization comprised of engineering entrepreneurship program alumni with a focus on providing mentor support for current student teams, conducting networking events, and serving as a touchpoint for graduates.

Outline:

Content:

• Fundamentals of entrepreneurship
• Creativity and innovation
• Opportunity analysis
• New product ideation and development
• Intellectual property
• Project management
• Prototyping
• Basic accounting and finance concepts
• Project funding
• Product launching
• New product marketing
• Risk management
• Team development

Structure:

• The minor consists of 18 credits.
• Students must take the following core courses:
• - Creativity and Innovation (3 credits)
• - Engineering Entrepreneurship (3 credits)
• - New Product Development (3 credits)
• - Intellectual Property (3 credits)
• Students must also take three elective courses from the following list:
• - Project Management (3 credits)
• - Prototyping (3 credits)
• - Basic Accounting and Finance Concepts (3 credits)
• - Project Funding (3 credits)
• - Product Launching (3 credits)
• - New Product Marketing (3 credits)
• - Risk Management (3 credits)
• - Team Development (3 credits)

Course Schedule:

• The minor can be completed in two semesters.
• The following is a sample course schedule:

Semester 1:

• Creativity and Innovation (3 credits)
• Engineering Entrepreneurship (3 credits)
• Elective (3 credits)

Semester 2:

• New Product Development (3 credits)
• Intellectual Property (3 credits)
• Elective (3 credits)

Assessment:

Assessment Methods:

• Students are assessed through a variety of methods, including:
• - Exams
• - Quizzes
• - Projects
• - Presentations
• - Papers

Criteria:

• Students are evaluated on their:
• - Knowledge of the material
• - Ability to apply the material to real-world situations
• - Communication skills
• - Teamwork skills

Teaching:

Teaching Methods:

• The minor is taught using a variety of teaching methods, including:
• - Lectures
• - Discussions
• - Case studies
• - Projects
• - Simulations

Faculty:

• The minor is taught by a team of experienced faculty members who are experts in the field of entrepreneurship.

Unique Approaches:

• The minor includes a number of unique approaches to teaching entrepreneurship, including:
• - The use of real-world projects
• - The involvement of experienced entrepreneurs
• - The opportunity to pitch business ideas to investors

Careers:

Potential Career Paths:

• The minor can lead to a variety of career paths, including:
• - Entrepreneur
• - Business owner
• - Product manager
• - Marketing manager
• - Sales manager
• - Consultant

Opportunities:

• The minor can also open up opportunities for students to:
• - Start their own businesses
• - Work for start-ups
• - Join the corporate innovation team
• - Become investors