Entrepreneurship at Emerson

The Emerson Experience in Entrepreneurship — or E³ as the program has become known — is a year-long immersion in learning how to build and launch a business venture. Completion of two semesters of program coursework leads to a minor in entrepreneurial studies.

E³ features a combination of applied and academic learning experiences that take students from the classroom into the world of entrepreneurship. Students examine the many aspects of entrepreneurship — the role of the entrepreneur in our society, recognizing and assessing opportunities, crafting business plans, making business presentations, implementing efficient operations, and engaging business partners and resources for their ventures. The skills learned in the program will benefit students whether involved in building their own businesses, or working for another company as entrepreneurial thinking is not confined to start ups.

Students completing the minor, register for eight credits (two courses) each semester. These courses are uniquely constructed as a series of modules, building blocks, each addressing a specific aspect of entrepreneurship. These modules – covering such topics as communication, law, finance, leadership, management, marketing, and sales – are integrated across both semester courses.

Students learn from experienced professionals skilled in the various module topics. In addition to the primary course instructor, visiting lecturers known in the program as “tutors” contribute to teaching the various modules. The tutors are all working professionals with entrepreneurial experience, as well as advanced academic backgrounds, thus bringing a broad viewpoint to the entrepreneurship program.

The 16-hour program is open to all upper division students, across all departments at Emerson College. The entrepreneurship program encompasses an academic year and enrollment in the program is limited. (With permission of the instructor, students intending to study abroad or in the Los Angeles Program may complete the Fall semester modules alone).

MH472 Entrepreneurship I (Fall) Topics Include:

• Introduction to Entrepreneurship
• Ethics and the entrepreneur
• The craft of business planning
• Creative Problem Solving
• The Processes of innovation
• Marketing and creating a brand
• Selling and sales management
• Money and the entrepreneur
• Operations, process and project management
• Leadership

MH473 Entrepreneurship II (Spring) Topics Include:

• Strategic Planning
• Law and the entrepreneur
• The design of corporate collateral
• Human capital management
• Fine-tuning business plans and operations
• Effective presentations and presentation skills
• Diversity and entrepreneurship
• Business etiquette
• Lessons learned along the way
• Preparation for the E³ Symposium