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Dr. Reuben Burch at burch@ise.msstate.edu
This program has been designed for engineering students who plan to pursue a career combining technical and business skills. This could include a business startup or working for an entrepreneur in the early years of the business. The certificate/endorsement also enhances the engineering program for students interested in corporate management.
The Entrepreneurship Certificate/Endorsement Program is comprised of three major parts:
The coursework can be accomplished with a maximum, in most engineering disciplines, of six hours or less of additional coursework over the degree program by utilizing electives. Also, much of the coursework will apply toward the prerequisites for an MBA degree at a later time should the student decide to pursue that path. A GPA of 2.25 on all coursework and no grade less than a "C" can be applied toward the certificate. At most two courses can be online courses.
The completion of 15 hours of coursework from the following business and engineering classes is also required.
In addition, 3 semesters of GE 3011-Engineering Entrepreneurship Seminar must be completed with a grade of "C" or higher.
The "company" or project experience is a real-world engineering experience developing a marketable product or service. In most cases, the certificate candidate can get academic credit through the senior design course or a technical elective. For example, electrical engineering and computer engineering majors can get credit for the senior design project requirement (ECE 4512/4522 and ECE 4521). The "company" experience may be a project proposed by one of the participating companies or by students or faculty members. To complete the requirements for the project experience, the candidate submits a report to the associate dean, which has been approved by both mentors. The project report will include an oral and written presentation of the project. It should include a business plan as well. The business plan may also serve to fulfill the partial course requirement of MGT 3323, Entrepreneurship, which is one of the core courses of the certificate program.
Project Examples