Completion time | 12 weeks |
Tuition | $2,500 total |
Delivery | Asynchronous with optional live sessions |
Next start date | September 25, 2023 |
Type | Noncredit, up to 3 CEUs available |
“We’re one square mile from any resources you would ever need to get a business started.”
Upon completion of the certificate program, you will have the knowledge and skills to:
Whether you have a business idea to explore and refine, are just beginning to consider launching a business or are interested in bringing innovative ideas to your company, the certificate in entrepreneurship provides tools and lessons you can apply to any industry.
While it’s helpful to have a general understanding of business terminology, the program is open to individuals who have at least a high school education.
The DePaul Online Entrepreneurship Certificate consists of three, four-week modules. Rather than jumping straight into the business plan, the program starts by laying the groundwork to help you envision what it takes to be an entrepreneur and find your reason for entrepreneurship. It then progresses into examining the feasibility of your business idea and culminates in the development and delivery of your own well-conceived business plan that can be taken to market.
Module 1: Entrepreneurship My Way
The first module allows you to examine your purpose for entrepreneurship and to understand how starting a business will affect your life.
By the end of the module, you will have completed a multi-page document that covers the customer problem you are interested in solving, your proposed solution to the problem and an explanation of how this business idea matches your previous experiences, personal values and goals in life.
Module 2: Testing My Business Idea
In the second module, you’ll refine or broaden your potential business idea and solicit feedback. This includes creating a document that explains your business model.
Module 3: Planning for Success
The third module prepares you to successfully launch and grow your business. You will leave the module with a pitch deck for your business idea.
The Online Entrepreneurship Certificate program is developed and designed by instructors Maija Renko, who is a professor, Coleman chair of entrepreneurship and director, MS in Entrepreneurship program, and Bruce Leech, senior instructor and director of the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center. A facilitator from the Driehaus College of Business will monitor the program and serve as a resource for participants.
The program features asynchronous activities, as well as optional live sessions that will be recorded. Along with videos from instructors, guest lectures will be delivered from members of the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center advisory board—all practicing entrepreneurs from the Chicagoland area. You can also expect discussion board posts, readings, quizzes, surveys, podcasts and project work as part of the certificate.
Participants will have access to the program materials for up to five years. They will also be invited to join in refresher training and meet-up opportunities hosted by the school.
Participants and alumni of the entrepreneurship certificate program will have access to the Coleman Entrepreneurship Center and its many workshops, events, competitions and resources, including:
DePaul is also a member of:
Review registration requirements and costs
Start your registration
To learn more about the Online Entrepreneurship Certificate offered by the Driehaus College of Business at DePaul University and download a brochure, please fill out the form. You can also get in touch with a program advisor directly by calling (877) 646-9594.