Program Overview

Program Overview

The BSBA Entrepreneurship and Innovation major at Xavier University is a four-year program that is a minimum 120-hour undergraduate degree. It is designed to help prepare students to seek opportunities, act resourcefully, think creatively, and lead ethically to make a difference in their organizations and the world.

Program Description

The strength of our free enterprise economy depends heavily on an entrepreneurial mindset in those individuals who identify new product or service opportunities, and develop workable plans for capitalizing on those opportunities. Ranked #14 nationwide for entrepreneurship in 2025, our program equips students with the skills to identify market opportunities, develop workable plans, and navigate the risks and rewards of starting their own business.

Curriculum

The sample course sequence for the Entrepreneurship and Innovation major includes:

• First Year:
  • Fall:
    • CORE 100 First-Year Seminar
    • MATH 140 or 170: Calculus
    • ENGL 101: English Composition
    • Second Language Elective
    • MKTG 300: Principles of Marketing
    • CORE 101: GOA First Year Experience
    • BUAD 101: The Business Profession I
  • Spring:
    • THEO 111: Theological Foundations
    • Historical Perspectives
    • Second Language Elective II
    • BAIS 220: Management of Business Technology
    • ECON 200: Microeconomics
    • BUAD 102: The Business Profession I
    • CORE 102: GOA First Year Experience 102
• Sophomore Year:
  • Fall:
    • PHIL 100: Ethics as an Introduction to Philosophy
    • MGMT 200: Organizational Management
    • BAIS 210: Quantitative Methods
    • ACCT 200: Introductory Financial Accounting
    • ECON 201: Macroeconomics
    • BUAD 201: The Business Profession II
  • Spring:
    • Scientific Perspectives & Lab
    • Theological Perspectives
    • ACCT 201: Introductory Managerial Accounting
    • BAIS 211: Introduction to Business Analytics
    • MGMT 201: Business & Professional Communication
    • BUAD 202: The Business Profession II
• Junior Year:
  • Fall:
    • PHIL 200: Philosophical Perspectives
    • Creative Perspectives
    • FINC 300: Business Finance
    • ENTR 305: Creativity & Innovation
    • MKTG Elective for Entrepreneurship Major
    • BUAD 301: The Business Profession III
  • Spring:
    • ENTR 311: New Venture Planning
    • ENGL 205: Literature & Moral Imagination
    • ECON 300: International Trade & Business Environment
    • ENTR 303: ENTR Internship for Credit
    • Business Elective or Internship for Credit
    • BUAD 302: The Business Profession III
• Senior Year:
  • Fall:
    • Natural Science Elective and Lab
    • MGMT 302: Quality & Productivity in Operations
    • Business Core Capstone
    • ENTR Elective
    • General Elective
    • BUAD 401: The Business Profession IV
  • Spring:
    • Humanities Elective
    • BLAW 300: Legal Environment
    • ENTR 495: Entrepreneurship Capstone
    • ENTR Elective
    • General Elective
    • BUAD 402: The Business Profession IV
    • CORE 499: Reflection on the Core Curriculum

Outcomes

98% of Xavier students, including those in the entrepreneurship and innovation major, are working, volunteering, or in graduate school within six months of graduating (Class of 2023). Top employers of Xavier graduates include Macy’s, Inc., Fifth Third Bank, Total Quality Logistics, Ernst & Young, U.S. Bank, Medpace, and Deloitte.

Sample Courses

• Co-Op Experience (ENTR 303): Gain practical experience through a co-op. Earn academic credit while working in an entrepreneurial-related role.
• Creativity and Innovation (ENTR 305): This course teaches techniques and processes for developing new businesses, whether independently or within existing organizations.
• New Venture Planning (ENTR 311): Learn how to identify and evaluate business opportunities. Through hands-on projects, students experience the messiness of entrepreneurship firsthand and apply mindsets, tools, and processes to identify problems and test potential solutions.
• Contemporary Issues in Entrepreneurship (ENTR 494): Stay up-to-date on the latest trends in entrepreneurship. This course explores current issues that are relevant to entrepreneurs and innovators.

Clubs

• Business Leaders for Tomorrow: Join this student organization to explore business processes firsthand and network with various business leaders in the Cincinnati area and beyond.
• Delta Sigma Pi: With more than 100 members on campus, this fraternity welcomes everyone and connects business students with professional leaders and other business students nationwide.
• Minorities in Business (M.I.B): M.I.B.’s mission is to create a vibrant and supportive community that fuels members' professional growth.
• Xavier Women in Business (XWIB): XWIB strives to prepare and empower women to be tomorrow’s leaders through professional training, personal development workshops, mentoring, and service.

Related Programs

• Related Majors: BSBA in Management, BS in Computer Science, BSBA in Business Analytics, BSBA in Marketing
• Related Minors: Business Analytics, Strategic Human Resource Management, Economics
• Related Graduate Programs: Master of Business Administration

Accreditation

The Williams College of Business at Xavier University is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Additionally, Xavier University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

FAQ

• What career paths can I pursue with an entrepreneurship major? An entrepreneurship major can prepare students for a variety of careers, including entrepreneur, small business owner, startup founder, business consultant, venture capitalist, and innovation manager.
• Can I combine the entrepreneurship and innovation major with another field of study? Yes, students can combine the entrepreneurship and innovation major with another field of study. Double majoring allows students to gain expertise in both entrepreneurship and another area that interests them.
• How does this program rank against other entrepreneurship programs? U.S. News & World Report ranks Xavier University’s undergraduate entrepreneurship and innovation program #14 in the nation for Best Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Programs.
• Are Xavier’s business programs accredited? Yes, the Williams College of Business at Xavier University is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
• Does Xavier offer an honors program for entrepreneurship and innovation majors? Yes, the Smith Scholars Honors Program offers entrepreneurship and innovation students a more innovative, challenging curriculum in a cohort setting.