Entrepreneurship

Undergraduate Major

Entrepreneurship at USF St. Petersburg Campus

The Entrepreneurship and Innovation program is part of the new Nault Center for Entrepreneurship. Named after alumnus Jay Nault who has provided a generous  $10 million gift to solidify the multi campus experience and one of the most unique and celebrated across the nation. 

Jay Nault

Entrepreneurship and Innovation is the practice of transforming ideas into value in the marketplace. These innovative ideas can evolve into products, services, processes, or benefits to society. Products used on a daily basis were created and developed by someone (or a team) acting entrepreneurial.

The Entrepreneurship and Innovation program is unique in preparing students in three main ways:

  1. Developing students to create their own businesses.
  2. Developing students to be creatives, innovators, and leaders within a firm.
  3. Developing students to define careers they define themselves, not what others define for them. 

Where other programs prepare you for a job that is standardized today, the entrepreneurial and innovation skills you learn in this program position students for dynamic careers today and in the future.

DEGREE OPTIONS

The Muma College of Business offers a B.S. in Entrepreneurship and Innovation on the St. Petersburg campus.

View more information about options on the USF Tampa campus.

Entrepreneurship AT USF ST. PETERSBURG

Entrepreneurship is more than starting a business and can be seen as a spectrum of activities.

An image with the title "The Spectrum of Entrepreneurship" above an arrow pointing right. On the left side of the arrow is Entrepreneurship (starting a business) and on the right side of the arrow is Innovation (creating new products, services, processes, and value-within a firm)

On the left side, entrepreneurship is starting a business. This is the traditional view of entrepreneurship. As the field has grown, these same activities and roles are utilized within a firm. Known as innovation (or corporate entrepreneurship), firms employ similar processes to develop products, services, processes, and activities to grow their revenue and better compete in the marketplace. 

Students majoring in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the USF St. Petersburg campus participate in active project-driven learning that help students engage all the senses and has led to past students creating their own products and businesses and becoming leaders in corporate innovation. This includes learning through: prototyping, creative problem solving, design sprints, market research and field work, pitching, and competitions. This form of education provides a variety of engaging learning experiences that emphasize individual and group work. Students also get to collaborate with diverse industry stakeholders from local to international companies to build their portfolio.

A group of students in a garden holding vegetables

Along with gaining real-world experiences through project-driven classroom learning, students enhance their knowledge and skills through a variety of internships and research opportunities. Students in the program have gone on to participate in such outside-the-classroom learning with Apple, Spotify, The Dali Museum, the Orlando Magic and many more.

Faculty research covers a wide range of issues in the field of entrepreneurship and innovation, including:

  • Grand Challenges - Solving significant problems the world faces.
  • Open Innovation - Understanding the new paradigm of how organizations innovate.
  • Sustainability - How best to implement strategies for sustainable outcomes and businesses.
  • Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) - Web3 organizations.
  • Innovation Jams - Models for innovating. 

Students graduating with a degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation are prepared to succeed in a wide range of companies and leadership positions, from starting a business to working on products and services within an established firm. Most entrepreneurs first work for someone before starting their own venture. Previous graduates hold positions at high-growth firms such as Amazon and Uber, consulting companies such as McKinsey and Deloitte and have started their own successful companies.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR IN Entrepreneurship And Innovation

Always refer to the Undergraduate Catalog for degree requirements. Students will normally begin progress toward the major by taking at least one course from the major core, as these often serve as prerequisites for the electives. Students are urged to consult with the entrepreneurship advisor to create the most beneficial set of courses.

QUESTIONS?

For questions about this program, contact an Academic Advisor