Small business owner outside of shop

Undergraduate Minor inEntrepreneurship

Program summary

Gain valuable training applicable to starting a business or managing entrepreneurial programs for organizations. This undergraduate minor would be a great enhancement to a wide range of programs, particularly those related to business or economics.

Credits and costs

19 Credits$626/$671 per credit

Enhance Your Penn State Degree

Add a minor to get even more value out of your education.

Gain Specialized Knowledge

Earning a minor enables you to complement your major, pursue a personal interest, or explore a different field of study.

Do you see yourself starting a business or leading the development of new products for larger organizations? If so, the entrepreneurship minor may be the ideal program to complement your undergraduate degree.

With the undergraduate Minor in Entrepreneurship, you can learn to play a crucial role in the way new ideas, opportunities, inventions, and technologies are created and introduced into the global marketplace. Whether you are a business owner or a member of an existing organization, the skill set you can gain as a student in the entrepreneurship minor will make you a valuable resource in developing new products.

The 19-credit entrepreneurship minor introduces you to a broad range of concepts, including problem-solving, teamwork, and communication, to help you succeed in any business setting. The course work spans many topics, such as finance and accounting for new ventures, the marketing of a start-up or new product, microeconomics, business writing, and more. This program will inspire you to succeed as an entrepreneur, as you learn how to:

  • generate concepts to patent
  • turn unique ideas into opportunities
  • launch a successful business
  • purchase an existing company or franchise
  • develop as a leader, manager, and innovator

This minor is open to all interested undergraduate World Campus students who meet the prerequisites. Students in business or economics programs may find this minor particularly useful.

Courses

This 19-credit minor can provide a foundation of knowledge to help you take advantage of entrepreneurial opportunities. The core courses enhance what you are learning in your major field of study and give you an understanding of the financial forces that affect business ventures.

The Minor in Entrepreneurship is composed of four prescribed courses, plus two supporting courses. A grade of "C" or better is required in all courses that you take to fulfill requirements for the minor.

Prescribed Courses (13 credits)

  • 4
    credits

    Introduction to the role of accounting numbers in the process of managing a business and in investor decision-making.

    • Prerequisite

      MATH 021 or 1.5 units of high school algebra

    • C or better

      A student enrolled in this course must receive a grade of C or better.

  • 3
    credits

    Methods of economic analysis and their use; price determination; theory of the firm; distribution.

    • GS

      This course can be used to satisfy the Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS) requirement.

  • 3
    credits

    Overview of the fundamental principles and processes of entrepreneurship, including idea generation and opportunity analysis.

    • Prerequisite

      ACCTG 211, ECON 102

  • 3
    credits

    Explores the process for starting and growing a new venture, including the development of a business plan.

    • Prerequisite

      ENTR 300

Supporting Courses and Related Areas (6 credits)

  • Select 3 credits at the 400-level from ENTR
  • Choose any 400-level Business or Economics course instead of ENGL 419 OR select
  • 3
    credits

    Preparing and editing reports and presentations common to business, industry, and government.

    • Prerequisite

      ENGL 202A, ENGL 202B, ENGL 202C, ENGL 202D

Course Availability

If you're ready to see when your courses will be offered, visit our public LionPATH course search (opens in new window) to start planning ahead.

Costs and Financial Aid

Undergraduate Tuition

Undergraduate tuition is calculated based on the number of credits for which you register and the number of total credits you have accrued at or transferred to Penn State.

Tuition is due shortly after each semester begins and rates are assessed every semester of enrollment.

2023–24 Academic Year Rates

Tuition rates for the fall 2023, spring 2024, and summer 2024 semesters.

How many credits do you plan to take per semester?If you have 59 or fewer creditsIf you have 60 or more credits
11 or fewer$626 per credit$671 per credit
12–19$7,602 per semester$8,206 per semester

Undergraduate students taking more than 19 credits will be charged the flat tuition rate plus the regular per credit hour rate for each credit above 19. 

2024–25 Academic Year Rates

Tuition rates for the fall 2024, spring 2025, and summer 2025 semesters.

How many credits do you plan to take per semester?If you have 59 or fewer creditsIf you have 60 or more credits
11 or fewer$632 per credit$678 per credit
12–19$7,678 per semester$8,288 per semester

Undergraduate students taking more than 19 credits will be charged the flat tuition rate plus the regular per credit hour rate for each credit above 19. 

Financial Aid and Military Benefits

Some students may qualify for financial aid. Take the time to research financial aid, scholarships, and payment options as you prepare to apply. Military service members, veterans, and their spouses or dependents should explore these potential military education benefits and financial aid opportunities, as well.

How to Apply

Admissions Help

Please work with your adviser if you have questions about adding a minor. You can find your adviser's contact information in your student portal or by calling advising at 814-863-3283.

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for admittance into the entrepreneurship minor, you must:

  • be a current Penn State undergraduate student in your fifth semester and be in a bachelor's degree major
  • maintain a grade of C or better in all courses for the minor
  • confirm that you do not have a matching minor code and major code 

Adding a Minor

If you have achieved fifth-semester standing (60 credits completed), you can apply for admission to the minor. To begin, please follow these steps:

  1. Talk with your academic adviser about incorporating the minor into your major and to develop a semester-by-semester plan for meeting requirements.
  2. You can apply for the minor by adding it in LionPATH. You should do this as early as possible, but you can apply up to the late drop deadline of your graduating semester.
  3. You will receive a confirmation email once you declare the minor in LionPATH.

Technical Requirements 

Review the technical requirements for this program.

Contact Us

To learn more about the Undergraduate Minor in Entrepreneurship, offered in partnership with Penn State Altoona, please contact:

World Campus Advisers
Phone: 814-863-3283
Email: [email protected]

Faculty

  • Deborah K. Hommer

    • Degree
      MBA, Information Systems focus, George Washington University
    • Degree
      B.S., Business Management, Penn State

    Deborah K. Hommer joined the business faculty at Penn State Altoona in August 1998. She is the coordinator of the Business degree program, a position she has held since May 2000. She has designed and taught classes in information systems, team-building, business statistics, and project management. 

  • John Paul Weber

    • Degree
      Ph.D., Organization and Management, Capella University
    • Degree
      MBA, Finance, LaSalle University
    • Degree
      B.A., Communications, Temple University

    Dr. John Paul Weber is an associate teaching professor who teaches various business-related courses for both Penn State Berks and Penn State World Campus. Dr. Weber maintains a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Broker of Record real estate license. His research interests include real estate, higher education course delivery methods, and the employer/employee relationship.