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Entrepreneurial Maker Certificate

Chart your course with Harper's entrepreneurship program

Program facts  business icon

  • Credit hours: 16
  • Stackable to degree: Yes
  • Potential job outcomes: Small business owner, franchisee, product developer, analyst

Bring your idea for a business or product to life with the Entrepreneurial Maker program. This 16-hour certificate is ideal creative, motivated students looking to start a small business, develop and prototype new products, or apply an entrepreneurial mindset to their careers. Throughout the program, you’ll focus on leadership, creativity, innovation and funding sources.

This program is available in an accelerated Fast Track format, giving you added flexibility. Through additional coursework, you can continue toward an A.A.S. degree in Business Administration. 

Harper College is an ideal place to study entrepreneurship. In 2017, the College was a NACCE Presidential Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award Finalist. You may qualify for Harper’s Educational Foundation’s Dream Big - Angel Grant program, which supports emerging and active student and community entrepreneurs. Harper is also home to the Makerspace and Entrepreneur Center, featuring high-tech equipment used for prototyping and production. Harper has an advisory board of regional entrepreneurs and business leaders who infuse real-world perspectives and opportunities into the academic curriculum. You can also get additional experience by participating in the active business and entrepreneurship clubs.

Certificate program requirements

Program Overview
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This 16 credit-hour certificate is designed for those individuals who are exploring entrepreneurial product ventures, want to apply the entrepreneurial mindset to their careers and/or want to start small businesses. Focus will be on leadership, creativity, innovation and funding sources. The Associate in Applied Science in Business Administration includes a specialized study area for Entrepreneurship. Please refer to Business Administration in this section of the catalog if you are interested in pursuing a degree in this discipline.

Required:

Number Course Title Credits
ENT 110 1

Description: Provides practical experience in product production using up to three (3) varieties of equipment and software at the MakerSpace and Entrepreneurship Center. This is a project-based course where students build skill sets over time from beginner, intermediate, advanced and expert. This course may be repeated up to a maximum of four credit hours.

Class Schedule:  Fall 2021 | Spring 2021 | Summer 2021
ENT 154 3

Description: Investigates positives and negatives of entrepreneurship and the process of concept to new venture. Analyzes typical venture errors and focuses on strategic management. Evaluates business ownership and franchising, pricing strategies, financing, location selection and human capital management. Discovers personal leadership traits. Assesses the personal entrepreneurial mindset.

Class Schedule:  Fall 2021 | Spring 2021 | Summer 2021
ENT 254 3

Description: Investigates the importance of promoting and managing innovation and creativity in start-ups and existing firms. Explores successful frameworks, strategies, risks, profit-making and barriers when introducing break-through products and services. Masters the techniques for improving creativity, intellectual flexibility and leadership approaches used by managers and organizations to create and sustain innovation. Evaluates innovations and ideas for profit-making possibilities.

Class Schedule:  Fall 2021 | Spring 2021 | Summer 2021
ENT 255 3

Description: Investigates a variety of available resources for new venture and growth funding. Examines opportunities for capital including options of debt, equity, crowdsourcing, angel investors, friends, family plans, and grants. Designs the start-up pitch for funding. Creates the financial statements for a business canvas or plan.

Class Schedule:  Fall 2021 | Spring 2021 | Summer 2021
ENT 257 3

Description: Uses current technologies in 2D and 3D design. Students will create and execute entrepreneurial product ideas. Products will be developed and fabricated from ideation to consumer prototypes.

Class Schedule:  Fall 2021 | Spring 2021 | Summer 2021

Electives: Select a minimum of three credit hours from the following courses:

Number Course Title Credits
MKT 180 3

Description: Introduces the fundamental skills needed to develop Web-appropriate written content that can be leveraged for strategic marketing purposes on multiple digital platforms. Evaluates platform requirements and explains the nuances of multimedia writing. Presents techniques to identify success metrics, assess and report content performance and make data-driven recommendations. Recommended preparation: ENG 101 or placement options into ENG 101. ENG_Placement_Grid.pdf

Class Schedule:  Fall 2021 | Spring 2021 | Summer 2021
MKT 252 3

Description: Presents techniques on how to design, maintain, and market effective digital storefronts. Focuses on communicating, selling, and providing content to Web-based stores and other Internet businesses.

Class Schedule:  Fall 2021 | Spring 2021 | Summer 2021
WEB 140 3

Description: Introduces students who are new to coding, to build mobile apps for Apple mobile devices using the language and tools, Swift and Xcode. With MobileMaker.edu technologies, students will build an app, analyzing error in code, and problem solve. Students complete the class with a portfolio of apps and collection of skills that align with a professional workplace.

Class Schedule:  Fall 2021 | Spring 2021 | Summer 2021
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Resources

Next steps

For more information about the Entrepreneurship Certificate program, contact Admission Outreach at 847.925.6700, or submit a request information form. You can also apply online.