Entrepreneurship Certificate

 Entrepreneurship Certificate Highlights

• Entrepreneurship is more than starting a business – it's about recognizing opportunities, solving problems and creating value. The University of Louisville's Entrepreneurship Certificate prepares you to confidently navigate today's entrepreneurial landscape, whether your goal is launching a new venture, acquiring an existing business or driving innovation within an established organization.
• Designed for aspiring entrepreneurs, business owners and working professionals, the certificate combines foundational coursework in entrepreneurship and venture finance with flexible electives focused on startup creation, business acquisition, operational growth and ownership transition. Students can tailor the program to align with their career goals while gaining practical, real-world knowledge they can immediately apply.
• Available as a stand-alone graduate certificate or as an elective option within eligible MBA programs, the Entrepreneurship Certificate helps you develop the entrepreneurial mindset and strategic business skills needed to turn ideas into action and opportunities into lasting success. 
   

Academic Year Tuition

$800 per credit hour

$600 per credit hour active-duty rate

This program is NOT a Title IV federal financial aid eligible program. Tuition rate does not include costs associated with a specific course or program, such as textbooks. Tuition, fees and charges are subject to change and effective on the date enacted.

Be aware! Other fees apply – please check our tuition page for all applicable costs.

Tuition, Fees & Aid
 

 Entrepreneurship Certificate Outcomes

Graduates of the Entrepreneurship Certificate develop practical business skills that prepare them to identify opportunities, evaluate risk and create sustainable growth in a variety of settings. 

After completing the certificate, depending on the track you choose, you'll be prepared to: 

• Evaluate new business opportunities.
• Develop and validate business concepts. 
• Understand venture financing strategies.
• Purchase and transition existing businesses. 
• Lead growth in startups and established organizations.
• Navigate governance, ownership and operational challenges. 
• Think strategically like an entrepreneur regardless of industry.

Entrepreneurship Certificate Important Dates

Spring Start (online): January
Application Due: December 

Summer Start (seated): June
Application Due: May 

Admission Requirements and How to Apply

For more information on the admission and application process, please contact us.

To enroll in the Entrepreneurship Certificate offered by the College of Business at the University of Louisville, you must apply as a graduate non-degree seeking student and meet the following requirements:

• Submit a graduate school application as a non-degree seeking student. Start your application today: Graduate School Application
• $40 application fee
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university*
• Request official transcripts certifying an undergraduate degree earned from an accredited institution.
  • Electronic (recommended):
    gradadm@louisville.edu
  • Physical Mail:
    University of Louisville
    Graduate School
    2211 S Brook St, Houchens Bldg, Rm 105
    Louisville, KY 40292;
• Minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale)

NOTE: GMAT/GRE scores are not required for admission to the online Horse Racing Certificate program. The courses are offered in the spring semester. 

* See the UofL Transfer Credit Policy for more information.

Start Your Application 

Entrepreneurship Certificate Courses

The Entrepreneurship Certificate consists of 6 courses (9 credit hours) offered each spring online and summer in-person with enough flexibility to fit any schedule. Courses are delivered in 5-week terms. 

Required 

• IMBA 671 Intro to Entrepreneurship 
• IMBA 632 Venture Finance 

Choose from three certificate tracks: 

Track #1 – Traditional start-up courses 

• IMBA 621 Venture Launch I*  
• IMBA 631 Venture Launch II*  
• IMBA 652 Venture Accelerator I  
• IMBA 654 Venture Accelerator II 

*Completion of IMBA 621 and IMBA 631 qualifies students to seek NSF Launchpad program participation leading to $50k funding grant 

Track #2 – Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition courses  

• IMBA 672 Business Transitions and Continuity
• IMBA 673 Corporate Governance & Deal Structure  
• IMBA 674 Leading for Growth & Operational Excellence
• IMBA 675 Applied Business Management and Ownership Transition  

Track #3 – Custom program (Mix & Match)

Course Descriptions

IMBA 671 Intro to Entrepreneurship:

This course prepares students for the human and strategic realities of transitioning into business ownership, whether through starting up, family succession, internal buyout, or entrepreneurial acquisition (ETA). Students will explore their leadership readiness, learn to make sense of entrepreneurial opportunities, develop opportunity thesis, define acquisition criteria, evaluate seller profiles, and design strategies to build trust and credibility with exiting owners.

IMBA 632 Venture Finance

By focusing on entrepreneurship from the investor's perspective, this course teaches funding strategies with a particular focus on equity investments. Students will build on material learned in previous courses and complete with a finance model, and a presentation to a panel of venture investors.

IMBA 621 Venture Launch I

This experiential course introduces Lean LaunchPad and Value Proposition Canvas. Student teams identify an initial entrepreneurial concept, and use techniques of customer discovery to get out of the classroom and talk to users in order to validate product-marker fit.

IMBA 631 Venture Launch II

This experiential course builds on earlier courses by expanding Lean LaunchPad methodology and introducing the Business Model Canvas. Student teams continue to get out of the classroom and talk with individuals representing all components of their product/service value chain in order to validate all components of their Business Model Canvas.

IMBA 652 Venture Accelerator I

This course supports the development and growth of early stage teams through coverage of advanced entrepreneurship topics, mentoring by venture experts, identification of and application for non-dilutive seed funding, and connections with business mentors.

IMBA 654 Venture Accelerator II

This course provides further support for the development and growth of early stage teams through coverage of advanced entrepreneurship topics, mentoring by venture experts, identification of an application for non-dilutive seed funding, and connections with business mentors. Opportunity to participate in the regional and national new venture competitions.

IMBA 672 Business Transitions and Continuity

This course examines the execution of business ownership transitions through a wide lens, including family succession, entrepreneurial acquisition (ETA), management buyouts (MBOs), ESOPs, and third-party sales. Students will develop the tools to evaluate and prepare for transitioning as buyers, sellers, or advisors. Through interactive cases, guest experts, and practical tools, students will learn to assess valuation, structure deals, secure financing, manage due diligence, plan for continuity, and actively conduct their acquisition search.

IMBA 673 Corporate Governance & Deal Structure

This course bridges the transition from business acquisition to long-term leadership and sustainability. It explores how ownership and deal structure choices shape governance, strategic control, and operational decision-making. Students will gain practical tools to design equity and control structures aligned with their leadership goals, implement sustainable governance systems, and navigate the complexities of post-acquisition leadership. Topics include cap tables, control rights, operating agreements, fiduciary responsibilities, boards and advisory structures, legal entity choices, and role management for owner-operators.

IMBA 674 Leading for Growth & Operational Excellence

This course prepares students to take operational control of a business post-acquisition or transition and lead it into a phase of performance and growth. Students will learn to define strategy, align teams, manage inherited systems, and build a scalable, accountable operating structure. Designed for new owner-operators or leaders transitioning into key executive roles, the course equips participants to balance culture preservation with performance improvement. Weekly sessions focus on operational leadership tools, strategy design, risk mitigation, and building a business poised for sustainable growth or future exit.

IMBA 675 Applied Business Management and Ownership Transition

This capstone course challenges students to apply the full spectrum of their learning across leadership, search, evaluation, governance, and operational strategy. Structured as a hands-on practicum, students will work individually or in small teams to assess a real or simulated business facing a potential ownership transition. They will develop a strategic transition or acquisition plan that incorporates deal rationale, leadership readiness, governance recommendations, and a plan for sustainable value creation. The course emphasizes strategic communication, real-world risk assessment, and working within the interpersonal dynamics of family- or founder-led businesses. Final deliverables will be presented to a panel of practitioners representing lenders, investors, operators, and transition advisors.

IMBA 660 Corporate Entrepreneurship

This course introduces entrepreneurship in the corporate setting and how it differs from the activities of the individual entrepreneur. Course activities include the development of a team model to support entrepreneurial activities in an established organization.