Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation (GCEI)
Overview
The graduate certificate in entrepreneurship and innovation (GCEI) provides a comprehensive curriculum designed to equip individuals with the skills necessary to thrive in the dynamic world of business creation and innovation. Students will learn to construct feasibility analyses for scalable new ventures, ensuring they possess the analytical tools to assess the viability of entrepreneurial endeavors. Moreover, they will develop investor-quality business plans capable of adapting to evolving opportunities. This will allow them to navigate changing contexts with agility and foresight.
Five Reasons to Get a Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ
- Comprehensive Skill Development: Gain expertise in ideation, market research, strategy formulation, financial planning, and business model design. Whether you seek to launch a startup or contribute to innovative ventures, you'll develop practical and transferable skills.
- Experiential Learning: You will participate in team-based projects, fieldwork, and competitions judged by seasoned investors and successful entrepreneurs.
- Expert Guidance and Real-World Exposure: Respected faculty, guest speakers, and field trips to events like StartUpNV pitch sessions ensure that you connect with industry leaders and gain practical insights.
- Innovation-Focused Opportunities: Projects from the program and courses have led to real business launches, with student teams securing funding and winning prestigious competitions. The program also provides pathways to participate in national business plan competitions and the I-Corps program.
- Accessible: The program is offered in a hybrid mode, welcomes graduate students with a 3.0 GPA or higher from any academic discipline, and offers pathways for advanced undergraduate students with approval.
Fuel the Entrepreneurial Mindset
The Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation (GCEI) program at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ is your launchpad to turn big dreams into reality. Here, we challenge you to embrace bold ideas, tackle real-world problems, and refine your entrepreneurial instincts through hands-on experience.
Whether you're aspiring to build your own venture, innovate within an organization, or understand the entrepreneurial mindset, the GCEI program empowers you to:
- Dream Big: Identify opportunities that inspire change and solve real problems.
- Experiment Boldly: Learn through trial and error, hypothesis testing, and feedback from industry leaders.
- Explore Limitlessly: Collaborate with peers from diverse disciplines, attend pitch events, and engage with the entrepreneurial community.
Join us to master the art and science of entrepreneurship, and let your journey redefine what's possible. This program is not just about starting ventures—it's about discovering your potential to experiment, innovate and lead in any field.
The GCEI provides the concepts and skills necessary to successfully develop new products and services. Entrepreneurship is not just about starting a business. It is also about identifying opportunities and creating, communicating, and capturing value from them, including corporate innovation.
You will gain skills to analyze business opportunities, articulate them as a compelling business description, and pitch to an audience of investors, customers, or business partners through various business competitions.
Turn Ideas Into Reality
Get the entrepreneurial business skills you need to create opportunities. Through experiential learning, this program equips promising entrepreneurs with the skills and savvy to plan, launch, and sustain innovative ventures on their terms.
Receive Mentorship from Industry Experts
The graduate faculty at the Lee Business School are world-recognized experts in numerous business sectors, conduct cutting-edge research on various business topics, and are actively engaged in the academic and business communities.
MGT 709 & MGT 710, Fall 2023
StartUpNV Pitch Visit, Fall 2023
This is a great program for someone who is planning on starting their own business. It takes you through all the necessary steps from an initial idea to complete development into a business. It also provides you with more confidence along the way with a set of tools to finally start your own business if you have been thinking about one but were not sure about it.Mahsud Reimbayev, GCEI Degree Recipient
Career Options
Upon graduation, our students have the most versatile tools and helpful information to start new ventures, develop corporate innovations, and enhance organizations from within. With your graduate certificate in entrepreneurship and innovation, you'll have the knowledge and skills to succeed in a variety of roles, including
- Entrepreneur and business owner
- General manager/CEO
- Business/management consultant
- Business/financial analyst
- Project/marketing manager
- Business development executive
- Investment specialist
- Brand specialist
Admission Requirements
The graduate certificate in entrepreneurship and innovation is open to graduates from all fields and designed for those wishing to gain or update their knowledge in entrepreneurship and innovation. Students in the GCEI who are also admitted to the master of business administration (MBA) program can apply and transfer all courses with a "B" or better into the MBA program at any time during the certificate program.
This certificate can be done by itself or added to an existing degree. It can equip students with essential entrepreneurial skills and knowledge complementing their primary field. This diversification enhances their marketability and fosters creativity, adaptability, and innovation. With the ability to navigate uncertainty, identify opportunities, and build valuable networks, students can significantly enhance their career prospects, whether within established organizations, startups, or as entrepreneurs.
To be considered, applicants must have the following:
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year institution in the United States or an approved equivalent.
- A resume/CV.
- A statement of intent explaining the reason for applying.
- Two letters of recommendation.
- Submit all post-secondary official transcripts
- GMAT and/or GRE scores (optional).
Program Structure
To earn this certificate, students must complete four courses. The certificate is structured to provide students with a robust foundation in entrepreneurial theory and practice.
- Requires 12 credit hours (four courses), which may be finished in one year.
- Most of our students work full-time and attend classes in the evening. To accommodate the needs of working professionals, all of our classes are offered after 5:30 p.m.
- Our first course begins at 5:30 p.m. and ends at 6:45 p.m., either Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday. Other classes are offered once per week, on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, from 7-9:45 p.m.
- Courses are offered in a flexible format, allowing students to complete the courses in-person, remotely, or hybrid.
The core GCEI curriculum includes courses in:
- New venture feasibility
- New venture creation
Complete three to six credits from the courses below:
- New service and product development
- Technology and innovation management
- Market opportunity analysis
- Technology innovation and feasibility analysis
Students in the GCEI who are also admitted to the master of business administration (MBA) program can apply and transfer all courses with a "B" or better into the MBA program at any time during the certificate program.
This program is invaluable for anyone considering entrepreneurship. The hands-on learning, insights, and practical tools provided a journey from idea to business development. The involvement of community members adds a unique perspective, instilling confidence along the way. Even if entrepreneurship wasn't on my radar initially, the principles discussed are widely applicable.Stacy Carrier, MBA Candidate
Application Deadlines
Spring Term:
Aug. 1 – Domestic or permanent resident applicants
Spring Term:
Nov. 15 – Domestic or permanent resident applicants
Summer Term:
This certificate program does not admit students for the summer term.
Note: International students are not eligible to apply to this certificate program unless they are enrolled in a post-secondary degree program or above at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ.
Program Advisors Contact
Lee Business School
Management, Entrepreneurship, and Technology
Yong Li
Lee Professor of Entrepreneurship
702-895-1286
yong.li@unlv.edu
Prospective Student Contact
Lee Business School
Graduate Student Services
702-895-3655
LEEogss@unlv.edu
Catalog Information
Visit our Degrees Directory to view our catalog information.
