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Entrepreneurship Minor

Are you a problem solver, innovator, or change-maker?

Iowa State University’s entrepreneurship minor is an interdisciplinary curriculum that provides you with opportunities to learn about entrepreneurship – the process of creating value by recognizing and developing opportunities. The entrepreneurship minor serves to complement your major area of study in any college discipline at Iowa State. The minor consists of 15 credits with no prerequisites, and more than 100 elective courses from which to choose.

With this minor, you will develop skills and knowledge in the entrepreneurial process, business feasibility analysis, customer discovery, business planning, innovation, opportunity recognition, technology transfer, industry analysis, and startup strategy. You will learn to develop an entrepreneurial mindset that applies to business creation or employment within an existing firm or organization.

The Iowa State University Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship enhances the classroom experience by providing opportunities to collaborate with other entrepreneurial-minded students across campus, and offers a variety of programs. You have the opportunity to pitch your ideas, receive feedback, and network with successful entrepreneurs. You may also participate in the CYstarters student accelerator.

Iowa State ranks #14 in undergraduate entrepreneurship programs

— 2025 The Princeton Review

Required Courses (6 credits):

  • Entrepreneurship 3100 (3 credits) Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

Choose one of the following three courses*:

  • Entrepreneurship 3130 (3 credits) Feasibility Analysis for New Ventures.
  • Entrepreneurship/Management 3200 (3 credits) Corporate Entrepreneurship.
  • Entrepreneurship 4100 (3 credits) Social Entrepreneurship.

*Choose either Entrepreneurship 3130, Entrepreneurship/Management 3200, or Entrepreneurship 4100. Entrepreneurship 3100 is required.

Elective Courses (6 credits):

Electives from an approved list of entrepreneurship-related courses or other choices under the required courses above. You are encouraged to take electives within your major college.

2020 – Present Elective List

2017 – 2019 Elective List

Note: Beginning fall 2024, all course numbers listed in the catalog will be 4-digit. Any undergraduate elective course listed in the catalog will have an additional zero at the end of the number found on this page.

Experiential Learning (3 credits):

You will engage in the process of entrepreneurship to earn experiential learning credits. The required three credits of experiential learning can be earned by either taking a course that has been designated as an experiential learning course or using some other experiential learning activity as the basis to receive credits through a graded independent study. Three options are explained in more detail below.

Experiential learning option 1

Students in catalog 2019 and older.

Courses that are pre-approved to meet the experiential learning requirement are indicated on the 2017 – 2019 Elective List. “Approval” will say “NO.” If you select one of these courses, simply include it on your “request for minor” form and indicate that it meets the experiential learning requirement with an (E) behind the course number on the form.

Experiential learning option 2

Students in catalog 2020 and newer.

Some project courses have been designated on the 2020 – Present Elective List as appropriate for experiential learning credits if prior approval has been obtained from the Entrepreneurship Supervisory Committee (both the “Designated for Experiential Credits” and the “Experiential Content Requires Approval” columns say “YES”). Approval must be obtained before registering for the designated course and will be based on the extent to which the nature and scope of the course content specifically relate to entrepreneurial processes. To seek approval, students fill out the college specific Independent Study form below and obtain the signature of the course instructor to verify the course content. Follow the directions on the form for obtaining approval. Students who follow this option would list the appropriate college course number on the “request for minor” form indicating that it meets the experiential learning requirement.

Experiential learning option 3

Students in catalog 2020 and newer.

Students may earn three credits of experiential learning through an independent study. The independent study may be based on an internship, co-op, starting a business, running a business, writing a business plan, etc. Note that some courses are listed on the 2020 – Present Elective List that may count toward experiential learning credits but must be approved by the Entrepreneurship Supervisory Committee (both the “Designated for Experiential Credits” and the “Experiential Content Requires Approval columns say “YES”). Approval must be obtained before registering for the independent study and will be based on the extent to which the nature and scope of the independent study specifically relate to entrepreneurial processes. To seek approval, students must identify a faculty member willing to supervise the study and complete the entrepreneurship independent study form (choose link below for home college). Follow the directions on the form for obtaining approval and registering for independent study credits. Students who follow this option would list the appropriate college course number for their independent study on the “request for minor” form.

How to apply for the entrepreneurship minor:

  • Complete the Curriculum Change Form.
  • Indicate the courses you plan to take to fulfill the minor requirements.
    • This will include the two required courses—Entrepreneurship 3100 and either Entrepreneurship 3130, Entrepreneurship/Management 3200, or Entrepreneurship 4100; how you intend to complete your 3 credits of experiential learning; and 6 credits of electives from the approved course matrix.
    • Please note that 9 credits out of the 15 credits required for a minor must not be used to meet any other department, college or university requirement except the credit requirement for graduation.
  • Obtain required signatures:
    • Department offering the minor (2200 Gerdin Business Bldg.).
    • Student’s academic advisor.
    • College of the minor—because this is a university-wide minor, your home college is the college of the minor.
    • College of major/curriculum—your home college.
  • Turn in the completed form to the undergraduate advising office in your home college.

Need assistance?

Consult your undergraduate advisor or the entrepreneurship faculty in your college for this minor.

Connect with us

Judi Eyles

Director, Iowa State University Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship
1805 Collaboration Place, Suite 1300
Ames, Iowa 50010
515 296-6532
eyles@iastate.edu

 

Iowa State University Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship

The ISU Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship provides business assistance for students, faculty, staff, and entrepreneurs from all disciplines, and experiential learning opportunities for students.

ISU Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship

For more information and additional resources, please visit isupjcenter.org.