Entrepreneurial Studies

Entrepreneurial Studies Major Requirements

(18 credits)

Business Core
See Business Core Requirements
Major Requirements
ENT 100Innovation and Entrepreneurship3
ENT 348Small Business Management3
Select three of the following, at least one of which must be an ENT-prefixed course:9
Intro to Law: Contracts
User Experience Design
Electronic Commerce
Sports Entrepreneurship
Inside The Entrepreneurial Mind
Family Business Management
Small Business Tax Planning 1
Entrepreneurial Finance
International Entrepreneurship
Student Venture Experience
Special Topics
Small Business Consulting Sem
Independent Research and Study
Intro to Human Resource Mgmt
Management Skills
Retailing Management
Consumer Behavior
One integrative experiential course:
ENT 410New Venture Planning3
Total Credits18
1

Accounting majors double majoring in Entrepreneurial Studies may substitute ACC 410 Fundamentals of Federal Taxation for the ENT 335 requirement.

Notes:

For graduation, students must achieve an overall 2.0 GPA in the major, with no course grade less than “C-”.

Students are also encouraged to take ENT 491 Internship and ENT 399 Co-Op as free electives.

4 Year Academic Plan of Study

The following educational plan is provided as a sample only.  Rider students who do not declare a major during their freshman year; who are in a Continuing Education Program; who change their major; or those who transfer to Rider may follow a different plan to ensure a timely graduation.  Each student, with guidance from his or her academic advisor, will develop a personalized educational plan.

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
Fall SemesterCredits
CBA 110 Business in Action 1 3
CIS 185 Information Systems Essentials 1 3
CMP 120 Seminar in Writing and Rhetoric 3
MSD 105 Quantitative Methods for Business 3 3
Social Science Elective 3
 Semester Credit Hours15
Spring Semester
CMP 125 Seminar in Writing and Research 3
ECO 200 Principles of Macroeconomics 3
ENT 100 Innovation and Entrepreneurship 1 3
MKT 200 Marketing Principles 3
MSD 205 Business Statistics 3
 Semester Credit Hours15
Year 2
Fall Semester
ACC 210 Introduction to Accounting 3
BDA 201 Introduction to Business Analytics 3
ECO 201 Principles of Microeconomics 3
MGT 201 Fund Management & Org Behavior 3
Humanities Elective 3
 Semester Credit Hours15
Spring Semester
ACC 220 Managerial Uses of Accounting 3
CBA 212 Business Communications 3
CBA 236 Career Planning 3
COM 290 Professional/Strategic Speech 3
FIN 220 Introduction to Finance 3
 Semester Credit Hours15
Year 3
Fall Semester
BUS 300 The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business 3
ENT 348 Small Business Management 6 3
ENT Major Elective 5 3
Leadership Elective 3
Natural Science Elective 3
 Semester Credit Hours15
Spring Semester
CIS 385
Management Information Systems
or Management Information Systems for Global Supply Chain Management
3
MSD 301 Operations Management 3
ENT Major Elective 5 3
International Free Elective 5 3
Free Elective 3
 Semester Credit Hours15
Year 4
Fall Semester
BUS 400 Strategic Management and Policy 7 3
ENT 410 New Venture Planning 7 3
International Business Elective 5 3
Free Elective 3
Free Elective 3
 Semester Credit Hours15
Spring Semester
ENT Major Elective 3
Liberal Arts Elective 3
Free Elective 3
Free Elective 3
Free Elective 3
 Semester Credit Hours15
 Total Credit Hours for Graduation120
1

CIS 185, CBA 110, ENT 100 can be taken in the Fall or Spring of year 1.

3

Students may be required to take MSD 104 Intro to Quantitative Methods based on placement. MSD 104 counts as a 3-credit Free Elective.

5

Students are required to take 6 credits of International Business Electives, one  which can be fulfilled as a major course (ENT 375 International Entrepreneurship) and the other as an elective courses.

6

ENT 348 Small Business Management can taken in the Fall or Spring of Year 3.

7

BUS 400 Strategic Management and ENT 410 New Venture Planning can be taken in the Fall or Spring of Year 4.

Notes: 

  • Business Honors students will have a different sequence.
  • For the Leadership Elective, choose from  LDP 200, LDP 220, LDP 398MGT 355, or MGT 363.
  • Students are strongly suggested to complete a credit-bearing experiential course (e.g., Internship, Co-op, Study Tour, study abroad, ENT 448, ECO 450.)

3 Year Academic Plan of Study 

The following educational plan is provided as a sample only.  Rider students who do not declare a major during their freshman year; who are in a Continuing Education Program; who change their major; or those who transfer to Rider may follow a different plan to ensure a timely graduation.  Each student, with guidance from his or her academic advisor, will develop a personalized educational plan.

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
Fall SemesterCredits
CBA 110 Business in Action 1 3
CIS 185 Information Systems Essentials 1 3
CMP 120 Seminar in Writing and Rhetoric 3
ECO 200 Principles of Macroeconomics 3
MSD 105 Quantitative Methods for Business 3
 Semester Credit Hours15
JTerm
Liberal Arts Elective 2 3
 Semester Credit Hours3
Spring Semester
CMP 125 Seminar in Writing and Research 3
ECO 201 Principles of Microeconomics 3
ENT 100 Innovation and Entrepreneurship 1 3
MKT 200 Marketing Principles 3
MSD 205 Business Statistics 3
 Semester Credit Hours15
Summer Semester
ACC 210 Introduction to Accounting 3
Liberal Arts Elective 2 3
 Semester Credit Hours6
Year 2
Fall Semester
BDA 201 Introduction to Business Analytics 3
CBA 236 Career Planning 3
COM 290 Professional/Strategic Speech 3
FIN 220 Introduction to Finance 3
MGT 201 Fund Management & Org Behavior 3
Free Elective 3
 Semester Credit Hours18
JTerm
Free Elective 3
 Semester Credit Hours3
Spring Semester
ACC 220 Managerial Uses of Accounting 3
CBA 212 Business Communications 3
ENT 348 Small Business Management 5 3
ENT Major Elective 3 3
Leadership Elective 3
International Business Elective 4 3
 Semester Credit Hours18
Summer Semester
MSD 301 Operations Management 3
Free Elective 3
 Semester Credit Hours6
Year 3
Fall Semester
BUS 300 The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business 3
CIS 385
Management Information Systems
or Management Information Systems for Global Supply Chain Management
3
International Business Elective 4 3
ENT Major Elective 3 3
Free Elective 3
Liberal Arts Elective 2 3
 Semester Credit Hours18
JTerm
Free Elective 3
 Semester Credit Hours3
Spring Semester
BUS 400 Strategic Management and Policy 6 3
ENT 410 New Venture Planning 6 3
ENT Major Elective 3 3
Free Elective 3
Liberal Arts Elective 2 3
 Semester Credit Hours15
 Total Credit Hours for Graduation120

 Footnotes

1

CIS 185 Information Systems Essentials, ENT 100 Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and CBA 110 Introduction to Business can be taken in the Fall or Spring of Year 1.

2

Students must take four liberal arts electives; 3 credits must be in Natural Science, 3 credits must be in Social Science, 3 credits must be in Humanities, and 3 credits can be any course offered by the College of Arts and Sciences.

3

From the list of Entrepreneurial Studies Electives.

4

Students are required to take 6 credits of International Business Electives, one  which can be fulfilled as a major course (ENT 375 International Entrepreneurship) and the other as an elective courses.

5

ENT 348 Small Business Management can taken in the Spring of Year 2 or Fall of Year 3.

6

BUS 400 Strategic Management and ENT 410 New Venture Planning can be taken in the Fall or Spring of Year 3.

Notes: 

  • This accelerated plan assumes no AP or other credits were transferred into Rider University.
  • Business Honors students will have a different sequence.
  • For the Leadership Elective, choose from LDP 200, LDP 220, LDP 398MGT 355, or MGT 363.
  • Students are strongly suggested to complete a credit-bearing experiential course (e.g., Internship, Co-op, Study Tour, study abroad, ENT 448, ECO 450.)

Courses and Descriptions

ENT 100 Innovation and Entrepreneurship 3 Credits

This course provides students with an introduction to creativity, innovation, and the concept of an entrepreneurial mindset. Students explore the excitement and challenges faced by individuals and businesses as they create, develop, and evaluate innovative business opportunities. We also discuss the probable paths of career development for students pursuing entrepreneurship. In this course, students evaluate their own views of innovation and entrepreneurship within the framework of entrepreneurial thinking, and putting this mindset into action.

ENT 210 Sports Entrepreneurship 3 Credits

Sports Entrepreneurship will introduce students to entrepreneurship in the sports industries as they explore opportunities and challenges for new ventures in this sector. Using an industry's business model, students will identify competitive advantages and understand what is required for startup success.

ENT 220 Inside The Entrepreneurial Mind 3 Credits

Inside the Entrepreneurial Mind is not just for Entrepreneurship majors! Whether you're starting your own business or want to succeed in running a division for another firm, you will need to adopt an entrepreneurial mindset. This mindset takes a holistic approach to running a business, realizes that failure is part of the journey and that resilience in overcoming obstacles are necessary skills for success. In this course, students will hear from entrepreneurs and industry leaders as they share their personal experiences, the challenges they've overcome and the paths they've taken to arrive at success in their businesses and careers. Through these entrepreneurial stories, students will be introduced to the skills and strategies that will help them overcome challenges in both their careers and personal lives. Available to undergraduate Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors.

ENT 260 Family Business Management 3 Credits

This course is directed at understanding the family-owned and managed firm. Topics included are the strengths and weaknesses of a family firm, the dynamics of the family and business interactions, conflict resolution, succession planning and ownership transfer. The course will help individuals involved with a family firm, regardless if they are a family member.

Prerequisite(s): MGT 201 and junior standing.

ENT 335 Small Business Tax Planning 3 Credits

This course provides an understanding of the key tax issues faced by small businesses and their business implications. It also familiarizes prospective business owners with various tax filing requirements so that they can use the expertise of tax professionals more effectively.

Prerequisite(s): ACC 210.

ENT 348 Small Business Management 3 Credits

This course provides students with an introduction to ownership/management in the world of small business as well as an understanding of what is needed to start/buy/sell a small business. In addition, the course endeavors to help students move from a consumer orientation to a producer orientation, and to learn project management and research skills through participation in a hands-on project. The project has students investigate the market potential of an innovative business concept, and then use this research to evaluate the business concept as an entrepreneurial opportunity.

ENT 350 Entrepreneurial Finance 3 Credits

This course covers the techniques for acquiring financial resources as a firm advances through successive business stages: seed, start-up, struggling, growing, and stable. In addition, it examines recent trends in credit markets and the latest financial innovations as they impact the process of financing the venture’s growth.

Prerequisite(s): FIN 300.

ENT 375 International Entrepreneurship 3 Credits

Students will learn how new or small ventures enter international markets. Requirements include developing a case about starting or running a venture in a single country of the student’s choice.

Prerequisite(s): MGT 201 and junior standing.

ENT 399 Entrepreneurship Co-Op 6 Credits

This course provides students with a semester-long supervised employment with an entrepreneurial firm/organization. Students are required to maintain a journal, complete a reflection paper and are evaluated by the participating firm/organization. Eligible students are entrepreneurial studies juniors or seniors with a 3.0 GPA or better. Co-op credits count as free electives. Grading is on a pass/fail basis.

Prerequisite(s): ENT 348 or permission of program director.

ENT 410 New Venture Planning 3 Credits

This course will require students to select a business and prepare a complete new venture plan for it. This plan would identify the product and its target market, analyze its market potential, choose the location, scale of operation, layout, staffing, type of financing, estimate the revenues and profits, and present the income statement, balance sheet, and the cash flow projections.

Prerequisite(s): ENT 348 or permission of instructor.

ENT 420 Student Venture Experience 3 Credits

Students will start and run a small business while under the supervision and guidance of faculty. Students will take a business plan developed through New Venture Planning (ENT 410) and execute it. Students will experience the launch process and learn, hands on, how to adapt to the marketplace. Some businesses started in this class may also be eligible for seed venture funding from Rider.

Prerequisite(s): ENT 348, ENT 410, and permission of instructor.

ENT 444 Special Topics 3 Credits

ENT 448 Small Business Consulting Sem 3 Credits

This course utilizes student teams to assist existing small businesses in solving problems or researching opportunities. Students will spend the majority of time in the field utilizing an experiential learning approach. Weekly activity logs, proposal development, and project completion are required. Restricted to seniors.

Prerequisite(s): ENT 348 and permission of instructor.

ENT 490 Independent Research and Study 3-4 Credits

Topic to be approved by professor and program chairperson. Available to juniors and seniors.

ENT 491 Internship 3 Credits