The Minor

FOR CLASS 2023 AND BEFORE

 Minor Requirements

The Innovation & Entrepreneurship minor consists of six courses:  three required and three electives. 

Required Courses:

                INE 101  Introduction to Innovation & Entrepreneurship

                INE 201  Business Plan Development (Now called INE 201: New Venture Creation)

                INE 975  Innovation & Entrepreneurship (Now called INE 350 - The Practice of Entrepreneurship)

The electives consist of one area of innovation course, one business skills course, and one outside Innovation & Entrepreneurship course.  The area of innovation course can be any course that represents the primary area of interest and will often be a course in a student’s major or other minor.  The outside Innovation & Entrepreneurship course provides perspectives or skills not part of a student’s major(s) or minor(s).

To declare the Innovation & Entrepreneurship minor, a student must submit a written proposal that describes their area(s) of interest in innovation and entrepreneurship, and how their three chosen electives will support these interests.  The proposal may include a petition to include an outside Innovation & Entrepreneurship course that is not included in the list below.  The proposal will be reviewed by the Director of the minor, in consultation with other faculty in the minor and the student’s area of interest.

Business Skills Courses (choose 1)

• ACT 101  Financial Accounting
• ACT 201  Accounting Information Systems
• BUS 125, 126  Business & Society
• BUS 233  Operations & Information Systems
• BUS 236  Management
• BUS 239  Marketing
• BUS 263, 264  Sustainability in Business
• BUS 304  Electronic Commerce & the Internet
• BUS 311  Arts Administration
• BUS 315  Management of Not-for-Profit Organizations
• BUS 345, 346  Marketing Management
• BUS 352  Small Business Management
• ECN 245, 246  Environmental Economics
• ECN 251, 252  Development Economics
• FIN 237  Corporation Finance

Area of Innovation Course (1) 

- selected by the student and their minor advisor.  The area of innovation course can be any course that represents the primary area of interest and will often be a course in a student’s major or other minor.

Outside Innovation & Entrepreneurship Courses (choose 1)

• ARH  223  African American Art
• ARH 230  History of Photography
• ATH 262  Historical Ecology
• BIO 106  The Biotech Century
• BIO 107  From DNA to Cancer
• BIO 108  Plants & People
• BIO 109  Bubonic Plague to AIDS
• BIO 111 Crisis Earth
• BIO 114  Humanity & the Biological World
• BIO 115  Drugs & Drug Abuse
• BIO 118  Genes, Genomes, & Society
• BIO 120  Emerging Infectious Diseases
• CHM 101  Chemistry of the Environment
• COM 208  Communication in the Global Community
• COM 212  New Information Technologies
• COM 220, 221  Free Culture
• COM 251  Fundamentals of Visual Communication
• COM 312  Media Industries
• COM 341  Social Media & the Self
• COM 351  Video Production
• COM 361  Radio Production
• COM 467  CUE:  Advanced Video Production
• CSI 102  Computer Science I:  Introduction to Game Programming
• CSI 104  Computer Science I:  Introduction to Robotics
• CSI 106 Computer Science I:  Introduction to Multimedia Computing
• CSI 210  Software Engineering
• CSI 345  Web Software Development
• DNC 170  Dance & Society
• EDU 101  History & Politics of American Education
• ENG 373, 374  The Literary Marketplace
• ESC 113  Environmental Science I
• ESC 114  Environmental Science II
• FLM 201  Film History I:  1895-1950
• FLM 202, 204  Film History II:  1950-Present
• FRN 310  French for the Professions
• HST 325, 326  American Economic History
• HST 341  Environmental History of the United States
• HST 345  Disease & Medicine in American History
• HST 347  History of Public Health in America
• MTH 314  Applied Mathematics & Modeling
• MTH 318  Operations Research
• MUS 140  Introduction to Electroacoustic Music
• MUS 229  World Music
• MUS 233  Global Pop
• PHL 241  Biomedical Ethics
• PHL 245  Business Ethics
• PHL 246  Environmental Philosophy
• PSC 213  Public Health Policy
• PSC 216  Environmental Politics & Policymaking
• PSC 221  Government Regulation of Business
• REL 108  Mystical Encounters
• SPN 310  Spanish for the Professions
• SUS 350  Community Sustainability in Costa Rica
• SUS 355 Climate Change & Sustainable Development in Bangladesh
• SUS 365  Local Sustainability
• SUS 405  Sustainable Solutions
• THR 161  Creativity & Collaboration
• THR 164  State Management

FOR CLASS 2024 AND AFTER

Minor Requirements

The Innovation & Entrepreneurship minor consists of six courses:  three required and three electives. 

Three (3) INE core courses:

• INE 101 Introduction to Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• INE 201 New Venture Creation
• INE 350 The Practice of Entrepreneurship

One (1) business skill course:

• ACT 101  Financial Accounting*
• BUS 233  Operations & Information Systems*
• BUS 236  Management*
• BUS 239  Marketing*
• BUS 315  Management of Not-for-Profit Organizations*
• BUS 352  Small Business Management*

*INE 201 will count as a prerequisite for these courses

One (1) INE elective: Any course offered with INE prefix (special topic or catalog course) or course offered by another department with a specific entrepreneurial focus. Examples include:

• INE 285 - Arts Entrepreneurship
• INE 284 - Innovation & Entrepreneurship in the Global Renewal and Sustainable Energy Sectors
• INE 286 - The Booze Business: Entrepreneurship in the Craft Beverage Sector
• INE 280 - Designing Startup Schools
• SUS 405  Sustainable Solutions

One (1) Interdisciplinary Elective: Select from the following list, or propose another course with justification. Must be outside students major(s)/minor(s))]

• BUS 311  Arts Administration**
• BUS 315  Management of Not-for-Profit Organizations**
• BUS 263, 264  Sustainability in Business**
• CSI 109 Introduction to Data Analytics
• PSC 221  Government Regulation of Business*
• THR 161  Creativity & Collaboration*
• PHL 244, 245  Business Ethics*
• MTH 318  Operations Research
• MUS 233  Global Pop*
• SUS 350  Community Sustainability in Costa Rica*
• SUS 355 Climate Change & Sustainable Development in Bangladesh*
• COM 251  Introduction to Moviemaking*
• COM 349 Media Advocacy*
• COM 220, 221  Free Culture*
• COM 312  Media Industries*
• PSY 220 Social Psychology
• PSY 232 - Personality Psychology
• PSY 217 Cognitive Processes
• PSY 221 - Multicultural Psychology
• PSY 322 or 323 - Psychology of Women
• PSY 241 Interpersonal Psychology
• ENG 205 - Introduction to Creative Nonfiction Writing*
• ENG 373, 374  The Literary Marketplace*

*have no prerequisites

**INE 201 counts as a prerequisite

In addition to this list, there may be other courses that Muhlenberg offers, including special topics courses, that can be considered for this requirement, given the permission of the INE program director.

INE Course Decriptions

INE 101 - Introduction to Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Students explore the basic concepts in the continuing processes of creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Students will explore how entrepreneurs identify opportunities in the market and validate their ideas with customers using the business model canvas and lean methodologies. The course explores what it means to be an entrepreneur and how to develop the “entrepreneurial mindset”  In the context of the entrepreneurial enterprise, some fundamental concepts from economics, accounting, budgeting, management, marketing, finance, and operations will be introduced.  Students will also explore the role of teams and networks in venture creation.  The course may include readings, speakers, videos, and case studies.
Meets general academic requirement SL.

INE 201 - New Venture Creation (formerly Business Plan Development)

In this “entrepreneurial lab,” student teams will create a venture to produce a product or service that they deliver to the market. Students will investigate the competitive environment, conduct marketing analysis and surveys, develop requirements and/or prototypes, establish a supply chain and apply the components of successful strategies for marketing, production, finance, publicity, distribution, etc.  The practical components in this course will be supplemented by case studies and readings.  This course will enable students to gain a better understanding of team building and management through the creation of a functioning venture.
Meets general academic requirement SL. 

INE 350 - The Practice of Entrepreneurship (formerly INE 975 - Project Workshop)

As juniors or seniors, students will apply their knowledge and experience to fully develop a plan for a scalable venture opportunity. Topics covered will include advanced pitching, equity and ownership, legal structures and contracts, intellectual property, strategy and tactics, and financial statements and projections. Through the process of developing their venture plan students will subject their venture ideas to scrutiny and rigor to see if the business has a market and a niche, explore what short-, medium-, and longterm prospects for the business might be, discover, identify and contact appropriate allies and partners for the business’ success, and develop channels and customer development processes necessary for the success of the venture. Students will prepare a final portfolio showcasing their learning and plans for their venture.
Meets general academic requirement SL.

ELECTIVES:

INE 285 (INE 211 when offered as IL): Entrepreneurship in the Arts

“You can’t make a living as an artist!”  Now, more than ever, these “words-of-wisdom” given ‘round the dinner table by your elders no longer hold true. In the 21st century, the opportunities to live as an artist and maker are ever more available to those who choose to pursue them.

In this course, we will explore how an entrepreneurial mindset can help today’s artists see themselves as entrepreneurs who generate artistic, social, and economic value. Whether it’s setting yourself up for success in the gig-economy or developing an innovative venture with an artistic focus, this course will challenge you to use your creativity and adaptability to make the career you want for yourself in the arts.

INE 215 - The Business of Booze: Entrepreneurship in the Craft Beverage Industry 

The last 40 years have seen the birth and blossoming of a robust craft beverage industry in the united states. From brewpubs to urban wineries, from meaderies to wholesalers, from distilleries to cideries, the beverage space has exploded with opportunities and failures. This course will go into the nuts and bolts of this vibrant and chaotic industry, looking at a variety of business models and cases. We’ll explore the checkered American history of alcohol, and wrestle with the societal effects of selling a legal toxin that is old as human society itself. We will also explore equity issues within the industry.
Meets general academic requirement SL.

Many other electives are offered in the program on a one time or rotating basis.