Entrepreneurship

• Mission Statement

  The mission of the Entrepreneurship Program is to prepare and adequately train students to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and launch and grow new ventures.

• Student Learning Outcomes
  • Certificate 

    Students earning a Certificate in Entrepreneurship may take Entrepreneurship courses, including the 3-credit courses, on an á la carte basis. Students earning the certificate take 10 credit hours, which can be completed with a minimum of 6 courses, out of the 13 courses available in the program. In addition to being able to take any combination of courses to meet the credit requirements, students do not have to take the courses in sequence. The implication of this structure is that the Certificate program does not have program-level learning outcomes. While there are a number of course outcomes that are common across multiple courses (e.g., critical and creative thinking), the program structure and student choice mean that we cannot create program-level outcomes. Course-level outcomes for each of the courses in the Entrepreneurship program can be found in the curriculum grid.

  • Associate Degree 

    Students earning an Associates of Science in Entrepreneurship take General Education courses appropriate for the Associate of Science degree, 16 credits of Entrepreneurship courses, and 9 credits in one of 6 areas of emphasis - Business Administration, Communications, Computing, Outdoor Recreation, Product Design & Development, and Psychology. The structure of the program means that students must take all but one of the 1-credit courses in the Entrepreneurship program (there are a total of 17 credits in the entire program). Student Learning Outcome for the Associates of Science in Entrepreneurship are:
    
    1. Students will be able to identify issues and problems, gather and organize relevant data and information to analyze and validate issues and problems, and draw logical conclusion through analysis and reasoning, and posit viable alternative solutions. (Analytical and Critical Thinkers*)
    2. Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of key business and area emphasis disciplines (Knowledge of Key Concepts*)
    
    Students will demonstrate proficiency in these learning outcomes in the following ways:

    • Learn the process of market and product innovation
    • Gain an understanding of community resources available to entrepreneurs
    • Learning business scalability and exit strategies

    
    *Analytical and Critical Thinkers, and Knowledge of Key Concepts, are two of the main learning outcomes that the Goddard School focuses on as part of Assurance of Learning processes for AACSB accreditation. The numbered items above pertain to the Associates of Science in Entrepreneurship and map on to their respectively-listed AACSB learning outcomes, in parentheses. The bulleted items above are how we operationalize these outcomes in this particular program.

  • Bachelor Degree

     

  
   

• Curriculum Grid

  Entrepreneurship Curriculum
  Course Name	Course Number	Course-level Learning Outcomes	Assessment Tools	AS Mapping	AACSB Mapping
  Startup Innovation	ENTR 1002	Individual development - resiliency, vision, goal setting, change, creative confidence Fundamentals - entrepreneurial mindset & models, evaluation of new venture ideas, value proposition	Signature Assignment - one-page landing website, 60-second marketing video, established pre-sales and/or sales	Market & Product Innovation; Community Resources	Analytical & Critical Thinking; Knowledge of Key Concepts
  Marketing Strategy	ENTR 2002	Marketing - strategy, differentiation, branding, consumer targeting	Signature Assignment - a written marketing audit	Market & Product Innovation	Analytical & Critical Thinkers; Knowledge of Key Concepts
  Marketing Execution	ENTR 2003	Marketing execution - differentiation, branding, consumer targeting	Signature Assignment - a complete written marketing plan	Market & Product Innovation	Knowledge of Key Concepts
  Branding	ENTR 2004	Business model design, opportunity analysis	Comprehensive Module Exams (2 modules)	Market & Product Innovation; Scalability & Exit	Analytical & Critical Thinkers; Knowledge of Key Concepts
  Product to Market	ENTR 2005	Business analysis - operationalization of idea to product, product to customer	Comprehensive Module Exams (4 modules)	Market & Product Innovation; Scalability & Exit	Analytical & Critical Thinkers
  E-Commerce	ENTR 2006	Marketing execution - consumer targeting, pricing, web design, Supply Chain, Scalability	Signature Assignment - fully functioning live website linked to Google Analytics, CRM functions, advertising	Market & Product Innovation; Community Resources; Scale & Exit	Analytical & Critical Thinkers; Knowledge of Key Concepts
  Product Design & Prototyping	ENTR 2007	Product design and development - prototyping, concept development, the development cycle	Signature Assignment - a complete and comprehensive product design and development plan and presentation	Market & Product Innovation; Community Resources	Analytical & Critical Thinkers; Knowledge of Key Concepts
  Legal Foundations	ENTR 2008	Legal environment of business, ethical business practices	Comprehensive Module Exams (10 modules)	Community Resources; Scale & Exit	Analytical & Critical Thinkers; Knowledge of Key Concepts
  Money Management	ENTR 2009	Financial accounting - balance sheet, income statement, financial projections	Signature Assignment - a comprehensive financial model and plan and presentation	Community Resources; Scale & Exit	Analytical & Critical Thinkers; Knowledge of Key Concepts
  Funding	ENTR 2010	Managerial finance - new venture financing, financial evaluation and projections	Signature Assignment - a research paper covering entrepreneur, lender, and investor perspectives on financial models and plans	Community Resources; Scale & Exit	Analytical & Critical Thinkers; Knowledge of Key Concepts
  Results-Focused Leadership	ENTR 2011	Leadership - motivation, persuasion Teams - leading teams, team problem solving	Comprehensive Module Exams (2 modules)	Market & Product Innovation; Community Resources	Analytical & Critical Thinkers; Knowledge of Key Concepts
  People Management	ENTR 2012	Leadership - essentials, leadership development, ethical leadership	Comprehensive Module Exams (4 modules)	Market & Product Innovation; Community Resources	Analytical & Critical Thinkers; Knowledge of Key Concepts
  Scale & Exit	ENTR 3002	Innovation - market and product innovation Scalability and Exit	Cumulative assignments merging course content with customer/potential customer interactions	Market & Product Innovation; Community Resources; Scale & Exit	Analytical & Critical Thinkers; Knowledge of Key Concepts

   

  Area Emphasis Curriculum (these are folded into AS in Entrepreneurship program learning outcomes)
  Business (choose 9 credit hours)	ACTG 2010 - Survey of Accounting I ACTG 2020 - Survey of Accounting II ECON 2010 - Principles of Microeconomics ECON 2020 - Principles of Macroeconomics QUAN 2600 - Business Statistics I
  Communication (choose 9 credit hours)	COMM 1020 - Principles of Public Speaking COMM 1140 - Writing for Workplace Communication COMM 2110 - Interpersonal and Small Group Communications COMM 2250 - Essentials of Digital Media COMM 2400 - Social Media for Communicators COMM 2550 - Communication in Professional Settings
  Computing (one required; choose 6 credit hours from remaining)	CS 1030 - Foundations of Computing (required) CS 1400 - Programming I NET 2200 - Microcomputer Operating Systems WEB 1400 - Web Design and Usability CS 2550 - Introduction to Database Design and SQL
  Outdoor Recreation (all required)	REC 1535 - Leave No Trace Trainer OCRE 2500 - Introduction to Outdoor Pursuits OCRE 2550 - Leadership and Safety Management for Outdoor Pursuits
  Product Design & Development (all required)	PDD 1030 - Introduction to Product Design and Development PDD 1010 - Introduction to Engineering & Technical Design (SolidWorks) PDD 1160 - Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerance Using 3D CAD
  Psychology (all required)	PSY 1010 SS - Introductory Psychology PSY 2000 SS - The Psychology of Human Relationships PSY 2250 - Learning & Memory

   

• Program and Contact Information

  The Entrepreneurship programs at Weber State University are unique in two key ways that affect establishment and assessment of learning outcomes. The first relates to the broader curricular structure of the programs, and the second relates to the purpose for which individual courses are structured and delivered. These features are common to all of our Entrepreneurship programs; here, we provide information on the Certificate and Associates programs.
  
  The broader curricular structure is comprised of a group of 1-credit courses that cover a wide variety of topics that prepare entrepreneurs for specific functions and activities as they launch their small businesses. Two exception are ENTR 1002, Startup Innovation and ENTR 3002 (now ENTR 2550), Scale and Exit. The former is a broad introductory course and the latter, while not a capstone, does require a deeper dive into key areas of study.
  
  Individual courses were developed for the purposes of highly focused and applied study in a specific functional area or activity related to planning, launching, growing, and maintaining a small business. The curriculum grid, provided below, illustrates the nature of the courses. The courses were originally developed this way for the Certificate program to ensure maximum flexibility for both matriculated students and community adult learners who are currently developing small businesses. The Associates of Science in Entrepreneurship was developed to give matriculated students a more comprehensive program anchored in Entrepreneurship and complemented by one of 6 areas of emphasis. Certificate students must earn 10 credit hours in Entrepreneurship courses to earn their certificate. Program and course structure drive assessment at the course level for the Certificate in Entrepreneurship program.
  
  The Associates of Science in Entrepreneurship was developed for matriculated Weber State University students, and includes 16 credit hours in Entrepreneurship courses and 9 credit hours in the student's choice of one of 6 areas of emphasis, in addition to General Education requirements for the Associates degree. 
  
  Contact Information:
  Dr. Dave Noack
  Associate Professor and Hall Endowed Chair in Entrepreneurship
  (801) 436-7749
  davidnoack@weber.edu
  
  Brandon Stoddard
  Director, Hall Global Entrepreneurship Center
  (801) 243-0663
  brandonstoddard@weber.edu
  
  Dr. Jennifer S. Anderson
  Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Business Administration and Marketing
  (801) 332-9706
  janderson2@weber.edu

• Assessment Plan

  Certificate:
  For the certificate program, assessment occurs at the course level. Learning outcome assessment is aligned with the Assurance of Learning cycle required for AACSB accreditation, which is every two years. The Goddard School completed AACSB reaccreditation in Spring 2023, and assessment of learning outcomes for the certificate will be measured in the 2024-2025 and 2026-2027 academic years. Because certificate learning outcomes are at the course level, data is gathered for each course, each year, even though the assessment of that data occurs every two years. Data is collected from Canvas and house on secure university servers (e.g., Box) for review. For the biennial review period (2021-2023; covered in our latest AACSB review), program faculty used graded assignments in each course to evaluate achievement of course-level learning outcomes. The majority of courses utilize a comprehensive signature assignment to evaluate learning outcomes.
  
  Associates:
  For the Associates program, assessment occurs at the program level. The Associates degree was launched in Fall of 2023, and thus falls in step with current AACSB Assurance of Learning processes and timing. The Goddard School completed AACSB reaccreditation in spring 2023, and assessment of learning outcomes for the Associates will be measured in the 2024-2025 and 2026-2027 academic years. Data will be gathered every two years, and will be drawn from a combination of online modules (Canvas) and applied learning activities. Online modules will include outcome-based assignments and worksheets focusing on the three areas of proficiency they will be expected to demonstrate as listed in Section B below. Applied learning activities will consist of preparations for, and participation in, juried pitch competitions and pitch events that students engage in, as part of their program of study. Pitch competitions and events are judged by a panel of community business leaders (e.g., entrepreneurs, businesspeople, Chamber of Commerce members, Goddard School leadership). Documents associated with pitch preparations will be matched with judges' feedback on pitches in competitions and events, and this information will be compared to the areas of proficiency listed in Section B below.
   

• Assessment Report Submissions

  2023-24

• Program Review

  
   

This information is part of the cyclical program review process. Details such as mission statements, learning outcomes, etc., are updated as part of the biennial assessment reporting process, an integral component of program review.