Enabling Undergraduate Student Entrepreneurs to Structure Their own Experiential Learning Course

Abstract

The one-semester undergraduate course “Applied Entrepreneurship” allows student entrepreneurs to investigate their own business idea while following a course structure that they design for themselves under the mentorship of an entrepreneurship professor. The course is available to all students across campus, regardless of degree program or year of study. No prior courses in entrepreneurship are required (indeed the only students excluded are those already enrolled in the Management School Entrepreneurship Major). The course is based on a widely held teaching principle for entrepreneurship education -- getting the students out of the classroom and into the real world. Students bring their own business idea to the course, which can be at any stage of development from ideation, through launch, operation and even sale of their business. Each student develops a personal course workplan of eight modules including a mix of structured learning and primary and secondary research appropriate for their own personal development as entrepreneurs and about their business idea. A short write-up is prepared by the student for each module, including evidence of the work they have done. They conclude the course by presenting a summary of the work they have done and a personal reflection. As the course progresses, the instructor provides individual feedback and counselling to each student as they submit their modules. Student feedback on the course is highly positive, on the education experience, improvement of their business idea and on their personal development.