Undergraduate Certificate of Excellence
in Entrepreneurial Studies
Nearly 80% of all new job creation in the United States is produced by new ventures and emerging growth businesses. The Certificate of Excellence in Entrepreneurial Studies provides knowledge, understanding, and skills to create, organize, and manage new ventures or small- to medium-sized and emerging growth businesses as independent entities, or within corporate structures.
About the Certificate
Undergraduate students enrolled full-time at the Leeds School of Business must be junior level status, complete the three required entrepreneurship courses listed below with a minimum grade point average of 3.30 in those three courses, and complete a minimum approved 60-hour internship. Finally, candidates will have an oral exam with a panel of selected entrepreneurship faculty. Students who satisfactorily complete the courses, internship, and pass the exam will be awarded the Certificate of Excellence in Entrepreneurial Studies and it will appear on their transcript.
- ESBM 3700 Entrepreneurial Environments
- ESBM 4570 Entrepreneurial Finance
- ESBM 4830 Business Plan Preparation
About the Internship
Internships are required for those who wish to earn the Certificate of Excellence in Entrepreneurial Studies. The internship must be with an entrepreneurial company. Generally, that will mean the company is under $50 million in revenue and fewer than 200 employees. Any questions about whether a potential host company and/or internship qualify for the Certificate should be presented to the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship before the internship begins. Potential interns will need to determine the type of skills they would like to utilize in their internship, such as accounting, finance, information technology, marketing or management. Any/all of these skills may be applied in an entrepreneurial environment.
Students should have completed ESBM 3700 Entrepreneurial Environments prior to the internship. Internships may be done during the school year or summer and are not for academic credit. Compensation is negotiable between the intern and host company. Internships must be for a minimum of 60 hours (6 weeks at 10 hours/week); however, longer terms are encouraged and are negotiated between the host company and the intern. At the completion of the 60-hour internship, your employer must send a confirmation on company letterhead to the Deming Center, providing a brief description of your job and explaining why it was an entrepreneurial experience.
Getting Started
If you are a junior or senior full-time student at the Leeds School of Business and interested in completing the Certificate of Excellence in Entrepreneurial Studies, please fill out the Declaration of Intent Form and return to patty.graff@colorado.edu.