Entrepreneurship and Innovation (BA)

Ready to turn your ideas into reality? Our Entrepreneurship and Innovation BA is all about helping you unleash your creativity and become a leader in the business world—whether you want to launch your own startup or innovate within established companies.

In this program, you'll dive into the exciting world of innovation. You’ll learn how to brainstorm and develop fresh ideas, understand the ins and outs of business, and tackle everything from marketing to finance. Here’s what you can expect:

What You'll Learn To Do:

  • Leverage Your Creative Thinking: Master the skills to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions.
  • Navigate the Business World: Understand the legal and ethical sides of entrepreneurship.
  • Make Smart Money Moves: Learn how to read financial statements and make decisions that keep your venture thriving.
  • Market Like a Pro: Discover effective strategies to sell your ideas and products.
  • Champion Diversity: Infuse principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion into all your business decisions.
  • Solve Problems With Confidence: Build your decision-making and problem-solving skills to tackle any challenge.

Program Breakdown

To graduate, you'll need to complete 45 credits. Here’s a sneak peek at some of the courses you’ll take:

  • Introduction to Marketing
  • Creativity and Innovation Strategies
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Law for Creative Industries
  • Launching and Operating a Successful Business
  • Digital Media Strategies
  • Leadership

Plus, you’ll have the chance to get hands-on experience with a capstone project through one of these exciting courses:

  • Digital Business Development: Practicum
  • Entrepreneurship: Practicum

Faculty

Columbia College Chicago faculty members bring their expertise into the classroom every day. They not only study how management works, they’re active entrepreneurs, producers, agents, board members, and administrators. They know what you need to learn to get ahead and will shape your understanding of what’s next in the creative industries.

Chicago: A Cultural Hub

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At Columbia, Chicago is our campus. You’ll explore and engage with all the city has to offer: iconic museums and concert venues, artist collectives, theaters, a booming tech industry, and countless galleries, festivals, and events.

All Columbia College Chicago students have free access to the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Art Institute of Chicago.

Internships

We encourage juniors and seniors to take advantage of Chicago’s business, arts, entertainment, and cultural institutions through internships. The hands-on experience you gain through internships will give you an edge as you enter the professional landscape.

Study Away Opportunities

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Columbia offers many opportunities to study away for a week, a semester, or an entire year.

Semester in LA (SiLA) is a 15-week immersion program where you’ll intern 20 hours a week in the field and learn from industry professionals in classes taught on a historic Hollywood studio lot. Learn more about SiLA.

Other study away opportunities include a week-long trip to the South-by-Southwest (SXSW) conference and festival in Austin; a creative industries trip to Miami; an exhibition management trip to Rome; a global marketing trip to Prague; and international exchange programs all over the world. 

Alumni Success

Columbia College Chicago alumni are on the forefront of rapidly changing creative industries. They work at theatre companies, talent agencies, and world-class museums, galleries, and concert venues. They produce festivals and theatrical productions. They’re shaping not only the future of their fields but the very role of art in our society. And they’re always looking for Columbia grads to join their teams.

  • Alexandra Field ’13 is assistant director of annual giving at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium.
  • Jessica Valerio ’11 is assistant principal at KIPP Academy in Chicago.
  • Bryan Reid ’17 is an account manager for Match Marketing Group.
  • Dana Ontiveros ’18 is a J.D. candidate at UCLA School of Law.

Jobs in Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Wondering what you can do with a degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation? Here are just a few of the professions and entrepreneurial ventures where our graduates succeed: 

  • Company founder
  • Start-up consultant
  • Customer experience manager
  • Business development manager
  • Innovation consultant

Check out other programs in Business and Entrepreneurship:

Entrepeneurship and Innovation majors also pursue a minor, such as: