Entrepreneurship

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Entrepreneurship at a glance

North Central’s entrepreneurship degree is an innovative, action-based learning experience where students pursue their dreams and take their education outside of the classroom. You’ll develop your business ideas, spend time in a business incubator in downtown Minneapolis, form a one-on-one mentor relationship with an experienced entrepreneur, and pitch your idea to venture capitalists to get start-up capital. You’ll also have a chance to travel overseas and share your education.

REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE

North Central students are getting real-career experience through their business classes with opportunities to network and present to local corporations. Read this story of students who were able to pitch their marketing plans for Chex cereal to executives at General Mills.

What sets us apart

Students from the Entrepreneurship program working on building a start-up.

Build your own start-up

We guide students through the process of transforming an idea into a business.

Build Your Start-Up in a Business Incubator

The School of Business at North Central University partners you with current successful entrepreneurs to understand and learn the indispensable practice of growing a business in a business incubator located in downtown Minneapolis.

Business incubation is a business support process that accelerates the successful development of start-up by providing entrepreneurs with an array of targeted resources and services. Simply stated: you will work side by side with other entrepreneurs.

We guide students through the process of transforming an innovative idea into a viable business. Did you know that most start-ups begin with less than $10,000?

With technological advancements and economic incentives, starting a business with less beginning capital has become more common.

You have the option to develop your business in the for-profit, non-profit, or social sector. We cater your business incubator experience to your dreams. Students who want to establish a business overseas in partnership with missions will also greatly benefit from the incubator model.

Take advantage of all that a business incubator has to offer at North Central University.

A student in the Entrepreneurship program travels overseas.

Student travel overseas

Travel to Uganda to teach lessons on leadership and entrepreneurship.

NCU Student Entrepreneurs Travel Overseas

Years of prayer, planning and partnership come together as NCU students prepare to take their education outside of the classroom.

Students spend the semester prior to travel researching and developing modules on topics including financing, market differentiation, financial management, leadership, and other necessary topics for small business success.

In a co-curricular initiative, Student Development partnered with the School of Business to create a unique opportunity for students to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to develop business training modules for those most in need in Uganda.

Attendees range from current business owners to villagers living off of a few dollars a month.

Led by Greg Leeper, Dean of Student Engagement & Experiential Learning, and Bill Tibbetts, Director of the School of Business, students from multiple majors facilitate various business and leadership seminars (module style) in front of hundreds of nationals in townships and remote villages.

North Central president Dr. Gordon Anderson speaks at a gathering of graduate students.

Degree Plus (+)

We offer supporting programs depending on your business interests.

Gain all the advantages of a degree from the NCU School of Business

Project Management Certification

One of the primary needs conveyed by our professional partners is project management skills—the ability to execute a project effectively and efficiently. All business majors take a project management course and have the option of completing a proficiency exam to earn your Project Management Certification from the world-class Project Management Institute. Our school is the only institution in the Twin Cities that is currently offering this!

4+1 Program

NCU has an amazing Masters in Strategic Leadership program [1.1.2] and we’ve specifically designed it so that business students can earn it with just one extra year of education. As an undergraduate business student, you automatically take two of the ten required courses for the master’s program. That means with just one additional year you could enter the marketplace with an undergraduate degree in Business Administration and a graduate degree in Strategic Leadership!

Pre-Law Minor

The business world has seen its fair share of corporate failures and executive blunders (Enron, Tyco, WorldCom). Employers are daily feeling the pressure from key stakeholders and regulatory agencies. The NCU School of Business is helping students prepare for this environment by making it easy to pick up a minor in Pre-Law without the addition of any classes.

Potential careers
The innovative, hands-on education you’ll get in the Entrepreneurship program will prepare you for a variety of jobs and careers, including:
- Business ownership
- Business consulting
- Management
- Sales and fundraising
- Recruiting
- Business journalism
- Research and development
Entrepreneurship news
Take a look at some articles on entrepreneurship. These might help you decide if Entrepreneurship is the right program for you.
Minors & supporting programs
We want you to be well-rounded and well-prepared when you graduate, so you’ll have the opportunity to choose a minor or supporting program so you can explore another area of interest. Here are some possibilities:
- Accounting & Finance
- Business Administration
- Marketing
- Media Production
- Public Relations and Advertising
- Intercultural Studies
- International Development
- Leadership Development
- Pre-law
- Urban Studies
See the full list of minors and supporting programs.

Current Student

Shayna Fowler '18
Columbus, OH

"NCU's School of Business does an incredible job of providing students with the tools and support we need. As a transfer student, I have experienced collegiate academics elsewhere. Though I have never worked harder than I do in my classes at NCU, I have also never had more intentional, encouraging, and supportive professors."

Requirements

All students must complete the General Education Core and Christian Studies Core. General electives may be added or an optional minor may be selected. You need 124 total credit hours to complete the Entrepreneurship degree.

View course listing

Meet the dean

Bill Tibbetts

Dean of the College of Business and Technology; Professor

Bill has been teaching at North Central since 2008. He graduated from Purdue University with intentions to be the next Bob Woodward of business journalism. The Lord redirected his journey, leading him to Washington DC, where he became an executive of a multi-million dollar international nonprofit. He later relocated to the Midwest to be closer to family and transitioned into executive leadership for a $35 billion finance company.

WHAT ARE YOUR AREAS OF EXPERTISE?

Business Strategy and Marketing, with a concentration in organizational development and marketing analytics. Because God calls us to be stewards of his creation, we are all, therefore, called to be strategists. Impact is significantly increased when an organization can properly align their internal capabilities and resources with an understanding of what their specific market is demanding.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT TEACHING AT NORTH CENTRAL?

North Central fosters the opportunity to engage with students on relevant knowledge, Christian character, and professional skills unlike any other university. I thrive on mentoring students to discover God’s will for their future and then preparing them to lead organizations that innovate, grow, and deliver world-class results.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE CLASSES TO TEACH?

One of my favorite classes to teach is Introduction to Business, a place for most students’ introduction to the subject matter.