MASTER SYLLABUS

Course number & title: BUS 245 - Introduction to Entrepreneurship

Department(s): Management Department

Credit hours: 3

Prerequisites: No Prerequisites

Fees and charges: There will be a $50 per student lab fee charged to students and used to purchase inventory and material for a micro enterprise project.   

Effective catalog date for this master syllabus: Fall 2006/2007

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1. Catalog description:
This course will introduce students to the fundamental concepts of entrepreneurship. Special emphasis will be placed on learning how to develop an idea into a commercial opportunity. Students will learn how to write a feasibility plan for a real product or service and perform a market test of the proposed product or service.

2. Course content:
The course will focus on the following major areas of study:

            Entrepreneurial characteristics

            Creative problem solving and idea creation

            Discovering commercial opportunities

            Validating commercial opportunities

            Target markets and marketing strategies

            Business models of operation

            Micro enterprise operation

            Feasibility plans

3. Student learning objectives:
Students will learn the following in this course:

            1. Understand the personal and behavioral characteristics of successful entrepreneurs.

            2. Develop successful techniques in applying entrepreneurial skills in a new venture.

            3. Utilize creativity in problem solving for developing innovative ideas.

            4. Explain a successful process in developing ideas for a commercially viable product/service.

            5. Apply research techniques in validating a commercial opportunity in a new venture.

            6. Describe the principles of identifying target market(s) for a product or service.

            7. Examine and assemble a proven business model for a product or service. 

 4. Student assessment criteria:
   Students will be assessed as follows:

            Examinations covering textbook and lecture topics

            In-class projects

            Out of class projects

            A micro enterprise project

            A feasibility plan

5. Additional information (optional):
The Kauffman Foundation has developed a textbook and various accompanying resources for teaching entrepreneurship including web site support. The textbook suggested for the course is Planning and Growing a Business Venture ( 2004) Kauffman Foundation along with the workbook.        

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