^WSU _{Academic Programs}

Majors, minors & more

Entrepreneurship

Carson College of Business

Offered as:: Major; Minor

Overview

Entrepreneurs are creative thinkers and problem solvers who see opportunities and act upon them. The Entrepreneurship Major leverages your personal strengths and builds skills that prepares you for success in new and existing ventures. You might go on to launch your own startup, design or improve on a new product, lead a family business, or pursue a corporate position with an entrepreneurial mindset. The required coursework establishes a foundation in entrepreneurship, including the necessary tools in marketing and finance. Students will further enhance their skills through hands-on learning experiences such as the WSU Business Plan Competition.

The entrepreneurship minor is interdisciplinary in nature. The core of the curriculum provides a foundation in accounting, marketing, finance and other fundamentals of commercializing a product and creating a business. Students can select courses from other disciplines (e.g., engineering, communication, sciences), which allows students to tailor their program to their chosen discipline and career goals. The interdisciplinary nature of the minor also allows students to interact with other students and faculty from other colleges, providing more diverse perspectives and helping students learn to function in a multi-disciplinary environment that is similar to the professional environment many will encounter after graduation. Other benefits include the opportunity to participate in the Business Plan Competition, opportunities to work and network with industry experts, and opportunities to gain real world experience by working on real business challenges with real companies.

Strengths of the program

Washington State University and our surrounding community offer a wealth of resources for students and alumni who want to create impact, from speaking events to mentorship and seed funding – and The Center for Entrepreneurship is the starting point to discovering all of them!
Located in the Commons Building on the WSU Pullman campus, the Den Student Collaboration Center is the on-campus entrepreneurship collaboration space and information center. Students are encouraged to use the Den space for collaborative projects and new ventures.
If you’re a student entrepreneur or aspiring business owner, the Center for Entrepreneurship presents the WSU Business Plan Competition – an unparalleled opportunity to practice entrepreneurship in a real-world setting and receive guidance as you launch a new venture, plus a chance to win thousands of dollars in prize money!
Carson Business Solutions operates as a student consultancy, pairing student teams with small businesses and nonprofits to help them improve and grow. Students work under faculty supervision with the support and guidance of volunteer coaches.
The entrepreneurship program is committed to global outreach and students have opportunities to study abroad or work on international projects with partner schools such as Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology in Tanzania.

Scholarships and financial aid

A variety of state, federal, and university-sponsored programs are available to help students with educational costs.

For all students at WSU

Washington State University awards millions of dollars in financial aid and scholarships to students every year based on financial need, academic merit, or a combination of the two.

To get all the financial help WSU can provide, you'll need to do these two things:

Complete the University's general scholarship application so you can be eligible for scholarship consideration, including departmental awards.
Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) so WSU can consider you for aid (scholarships, grants, loans, etc.) based on financial need. Get started here.

Click here for more info about about WSU scholarships and financial aid

For students in entrepreneurship

Students qualify for scholarships from the Carson College of Business and the Center for Entrepreneurship.

Campus organizations and activities: The Entrepreneurship Club is a student-run organization that brings together students from all majors and programs at WSU and gives them a forum to network and share ideas in an inclusive and energetic environment. Entrepreneurship Club sponsors weekly meetings, workshops, trips, events and provides a community of support. Involvement in the Entrepreneurship Club is a great way to connect and network, hear about unique internships, scholarships and venture funding.
Website: https://entrepreneurship.wsu.edu/entrepreneurship-club
email: alec.cisneros@wsu.edu

Careers in entrepreneurship

Career opportunities for entrepreneurship majors are virtually unlimited. They are as boundless as a student's creativity, imagination, work ethic, and personal character.

Entrepreneurship majors learn skills and attitudes that are valuable not only in the creation of new ventures, but also in reinvigorating established organizations. Many recruiters ask for students who have an entrepreneurial mindset.

Salaries can vary greatly but depend largely on you. If you start your own business, the potential for wealth is unlimited.

Alumni are founders of companies in diverse industries such as ApnoMed, Crimson Medical Solutions, Dialtune Drums, NomadGo, Kamiak Coffee Company, Uncle Drew’z Sauces. Alumni also work for non-profit organizations and companies such as Microsoft, Databricks, Premise Data, Stonebridge Companies, Highspot, Revmade and CISOSHARE. Some graduates continue with graduate or professional education to become physicians or veterinarians.