The Entrepreneurship major focuses on identifying, evaluating and pursuing opportunities that create economic and social value. Programming is catered to support aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners, those seeking to work in and direct small or family businesses, and ambitious individuals aiming to lead innovation in larger organizations. Profit or nonprofit, no field or industry is immune to innovation. The curriculum and associated programming can help any student gain an edge and prepare for an impactful career leading organizations on the cutting-edge of a given industry.

The Entrepreneurship major includes courses and activities that train aspiring entrepreneurs to become business owners, work in small businesses or lead innovation in large businesses.

Curriculum

The curriculum develops skills in opportunity recognition, critical and creative thinking, problem-solving and resilience. A few major courses include:

• Entrepreneurship and Small Business Concepts
• Management of Innovation
• Entrepreneurial Finance

View the Curriculum

Micro-Business Funding

Students will experience the start-up process during their course work through micro-business funding. Thanks to the generosity of Brock School of Business friends Malcolm and Betty Miller, students are provided $100 to seed their venture and have a semester to launch and run a business. Connections are made with the local entrepreneurial ecosystem to provide additional resources for this experiential learning opportunity.

Scholarships

While business students pursuing this curriculum are eligible for a wide range of scholarship opportunities, here are several specific scholarships available for students specifically interested in studying entrepreneurship:

• Chuck and Pam Carson Scholarship for Entrepreneurs
• David Oakley Scholarship in Entrepreneurship
• The Blackerby Family Annual Scholarship
• Cook’s Pest Control Scholarship in Entrepreneurship

The Samford Startup student incubator program is a supportive community of like-minded student entrepreneurs who are actively seeking opportunities to learn more about business, enterprise, innovation and problem solving. A year-long program, residents have access to meeting spaces and conference rooms for appointments and consultations, as well as limited funding to support their business operations. Residents can connect with experts across campus, in the local community, and within the expanded Samford network to bring experience, insights, and opportunities for these proactive students. Regular discussions with professionals might focus on branding, pricing, financial modeling, customer service, leadership, or a variety of other topics in which students wish to concentrate.

Residency is open to Samford business and non-business majors. If residency is full, a limited number of affiliate memberships are available. Affiliate members gain access to the same meeting spaces, discussions and networking opportunities available to the resident members.

Student Incubator

The Samford Startup space in Cooney Hall provides a physical place for student entrepreneurs to launch and run their business without incurring large start-up costs. Students have access to personal workspaces, technologies and meeting spaces to operate their businesses and work through growth strategies. This inviting space allows resident members the opportunity to work independently and collaborate with other like-minded student entrepreneurs.

The Advisory Board for the Department of Entrepreneurship, Management and Marketing plays several important roles as a conduit to the business community. Board members provide guidance on course content so that our curriculum stays current with the needs of the profession. While some of the board members offer internships and jobs with their companies, the introductions our board members give us to other professionals in the business community are extremely valuable – both in terms of employment opportunities and mentorship for our students.

Meet the Board