Entrepreneurship

Career potential

Facebook, Google, Napster: all were founded by college students. You could be the next entrepreneur who develops a product, service or technology that impacts the world.

It's no coincidence that many of today's most successful entrepreneurs began their journey on a university campus. Colleges offer a thriving environment packed with resources and talented people that often provide fertile ground for entrepreneurial innovation. A strong network of businesses, nonprofit and government agencies, and influential individuals who are interested in sponsoring research, recruiting talent, and investing in new ideas already exists at the University of North Texas.

In studying entrepreneurship at UNT, you will gain the practical tools needed to start your own business or to work with others to identify business opportunities. Growth-oriented companies are always looking for individuals who possess entrepreneurial vision and problem-solving abilities. Whether you want to start your own business or just be an outstanding employee, you will learn valuable entrepreneurial skills such as how to recognize and take advantage of an opportunity, evaluate risks, exercise your creativity and develop innovative solutions.

From home-based businesses to venture capital start-ups, entrepreneurs work in virtually all types of jobs and industries and are a key driving force behind economic growth.. Building a wide range of interdisciplinary skills can give you maximum flexibility and preparation to chart your own future.

UNT's comprehensive program offers a major in entrepreneurship as part of a bachelor of business administration degree administered by the Department of Management in the College of Business. The college is accredited by AACSB International — The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (777 South Harbour Island Blvd., Suite 750, Tampa, Fla. 33602-5730, 813-769-6500). This accreditation means that the college has passed strict academic standards for excellence in education.

Course work will include real-world topics such as how to develop a strategic business plan, obtain resources, manage finances, select managers and employees, organize and design the business, identify and capitalize on international opportunities, manage technology, and deal successfully with managerial challenges. Examples of potential employment for entrepreneurship majors include:

• general managers/supervisors – setting goals and direction and ensuring effective implementation of plans
• management training generalists – designing training sessions in areas such as developing business models, innovating business processes or increasing efficiency
• consultants – providing support on how to write business plans, make business projections or identify opportunities
• business analysts – investigating business environments, opportunities, market trends and expansion and growth options
• business development specialists – investigating ways to initiate programs for enhancing innovation, efficiency and performance

UNT's Career Center can help you prepare to pursue your career. The center has information about jobs and employers, and the staff can help you with resume and letter writing, job search strategies, and interview preparation.

Majoring in entrepreneurship

As an entrepreneurship major, you will take courses that provide an overall understanding of business such as accounting and finance, basic management, marketing, and information technology and decision sciences. In addition, you will focus on courses in entrepreneurship (both theory and practice), international management, business ethics, and organizational design and technology management, among others.

Entrepreneurship faculty consists of highly qualified full-time educators known for innovative teaching and outstanding research and service to the profession and community. Faculty members are committed to high-quality teaching, and many have received awards and recognition for their teaching achievements.

The Department of Management also offers you numerous opportunities to participate in college and national competitions, activities through the Murphy Center for Entrepreneurship, and professional organizations such as the Strategic Management Society or Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE).

Scholarships are available at the college and department level, with several scholarships reserved for entrepreneurship students. They are awarded based on individual criteria of academic excellence, professionalism and need. For scholarship information, call 940-565-3140 or visit www.cob.unt.edu/mgmt.

Our new Business Leadership Building will heighten your learning experience. Scheduled for completion in 2011, the 180,000 square-foot facility will contain 24 classrooms, team study rooms, and a state-of-the-art general access computer lab. This building will help distinguish UNT as a leader in business education for students and executives.

Getting hands-on experience

As an entrepreneurship major, you will have opportunities to apply your learning in actual business settings and to interact with a variety of successful entrepreneurs from the Dallas-Fort Worth region.

Upon completion of 12 semester hours at UNT with at least a 2.5 GPA, you may work in a job related to your major through UNT's Cooperative Education and Internships office. You may earn academic credit and money and gain valuable work experience.

Preparing for UNT: High school students

If you are a high school student, we suggest you prepare for college by becoming computer proficient and taking:

• English … 4 years
• Math … 4 years
• Social science – economics, geography, government, history … 4 years
• Science … 3 years
• Foreign language … 3 years
• Fine arts … 1 year

It's also a good idea to take communications and other courses that will help you develop interpersonal skills, as well as finance and accounting courses. You will need to take courses in most of these subjects under the university core curriculum required of all undergraduates, in addition to courses for your major. Talk with your high school counselor about preparing for college, including which entrance exams (SAT or ACT) you should sign up for during your junior year.

Preparing for UNT: Transfer students

As a benefit for transfer students, UNT participates in the Texas Common Course Numbering System. This system makes it easier to transfer credits for general academic courses from one Texas institution to another.

If you're attending a Texas community college, you should consult the UNT Transfer Guide, the UNT Undergraduate Catalog and an academic counselor/ advisor to discuss your degree plan. Proper planning will help you receive the maximum amount of transfer credits.

UNT's Transfer Center will help you make a successful transition to college life at UNT by connecting you to a peer mentor and other valuable campus resources. Each year, we welcome more transfer students than any institution in the state. The center is in the University Union, Room 320. More information is at www.unt.edu/transferprograms.

Charting your path with academic advising

Staff advisors in the College of Business are available to help you select courses necessary to earn your degree. In addition, the department's student advisor can provide you with answers specific to your degree, and your professors are available for advice and mentoring. The Department of Management office is in the Business Building, Room 315.

Curious about courses and other features of this major?
See the current catalog.