Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Undergraduate | Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
Undergraduate
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
Overview
Turn your ideas into reality with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) in Entrepreneurship and Innovation from Xavier University.
Ranked #14 nationwide for entrepreneurship in 2025, our program equips you with the skills to identify market opportunities, develop workable plans and navigate the risks and rewards of starting your own business. Through a blend of rigorous coursework, co-op experience and insights from industry experts, you graduate ready to put your entrepreneurial expertise into action and excel in an ever-changing business world.
Curriculum

Fall

  • CORE 100 First-Year Seminar............ 3cr.
  • MATH 140 or 170: Calculus............ 3cr.
  • ENGL 101: English Composition............ 3cr.
  • Second Language Elective............ 3cr.
  • MKTG 300: Principles of Marketing............ 3cr.
  • CORE 101: GOA First Year Experience............ 0cr.
  • BUAD 101: The Business Profession I............ 0cr.

Spring

  • THEO 111: Theological Foundations............ 3cr.
  • Historical Perspectives............ 3cr.
  • Second Language Elective II............ 3cr.
  • BAIS 220: Management of Business Technology............ 3cr.
  • ECON 200: Microeconomics (Social Science)............ 3cr.
  • BUAD 102: The Business Profession I............ 0cr.
  • CORE 102: GOA First Year Experience 102............ 0cr.

Fall

  • PHIL 100: Ethics as an Introduction to Philosophy............ 3cr.
  • MGMT 200: Organizational Management............ 3cr.
  • BAIS 210: Quantitative Methods............ 3cr.
  • ACCT 200: Introductory Financial Accounting............ 3cr.
  • ECON 201: Macroeconomics............ 3cr.
  • BUAD 201: The Business Profession II............ 0cr.

Spring

  • Scientific Perspectives & Lab............ 3cr.
  • Theological Perspectives............ 3cr.
  • ACCT 201: Introductory Managerial Accounting............ 3cr.
  • BAIS 211: Introduction to Business Analytics............ 3cr.
  • MGMT 201: Business & Professional Communication (OC/WRIT flags)............ 3cr.
  • BUAD 202: The Business Profession II............ 0cr.

Fall

  • PHIL 200: Philosophical Perspectives............ 3cr.
  • Creative Perspectives............ 3cr.
  • FINC 300: Business Finance (QR flag)............ 3cr.
  • ENTR 305: Creativity & Innovation............ 3cr.
  • MKTG Elective for Entrepreneurship Major............ 3cr.
  • BUAD 301: The Business Profession III............ 0cr.

Spring

  • ENTR 311: New Venture Planning............ 3cr.
  • ENGL 205: Literature & Moral Imagination............ 3cr.
  • ECON 300: International Trade & Business Environment............ 3cr.
  • ENTR 303: ENTR Internship for Credit............ 3cr.
  • Business Elective or Internship for Credit............ 3cr.
  • BUAD 302: The Business Profession III............ 0cr.

Fall

  • Natural Science Elective and Lab............ 3cr.
  • MGMT 302: Quality & Productivity in Operations............ 3cr.
  • Business Core Capstone............ 3cr.
  • ENTR Elective (FINC 388: Entrepreneurial Finance, recommended)............ 3cr.
  • General Elective............ 3cr.
  • BUAD 401: The Business Profession IV............ 0cr.

Spring

  • Humanities Elective............ 3cr.
  • BLAW 300: Legal Environment (ERS/DCR flags)............ 3cr.
  • ENTR 495: Entrepreneurship Capstone............ 3cr.
  • ENTR Elective............ 3cr.
  • General Elective............ 3cr.
  • BUAD 402: The Business Profession IV............ 0cr.
  • CORE 499: Reflection on the Core Curriculum............ 0cr.
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).
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 you 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, you'll 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. You'll learn about the latest developments in the field and gain insights into emerging trends.

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. Our past events have included trips to Silicon Valley and Chicago, job shadowing days and hearing from guest lecturers.

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. Our meetings promote closer affiliation between the commercial world and students of commerce and further a higher standard of commercial ethics.

Minorities in Business (M.I.B)

M.I.B.’s mission is to create a vibrant and supportive community that fuels our members' professional growth. We aim to position Xavier as a target school for Fortune 500 diversity recruitment programs, sustaining the long-term success of our business community.

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.

#14
Entrepreneurship Program, U.S News & World Report
98%
Student Success Rate

Program Features

Discover your leadership potential

Our nationally recognized, AACSB-accredited business programs equip you with the knowledge, skills and ethical foundation to succeed in today's dynamic business landscape.

Immerse yourself in experiential learning

Gain hands-on experience through real-world projects and case studies, applying your entrepreneurial knowledge to identify market opportunities.

Mentorships that shape your future

Connect with entrepreneurs at startups, incubators and accelerators through our mentorship program. Gain skills and networking experience for personal and professional success.

Located in a city of opportunity

Cincinnati provides a rich environment for you to network with professionals, gain practical experience through internships and explore various career paths.

Alumni Making a Difference

David Constantine (Entrepreneurial Studies, '21)
Co-Founder, Clean Earth Rovers

"Immerse yourself in new opportunities and explore diverse clubs. Xavier provides countless ways for students to grow—spiritually, personally, and professionally—but the key is seizing what’s available. Maximizing your time here is something you’ll always appreciate."

Kelsey Murphy, (Entrepreneurial Studies, '17)
Senior Brand Manager at Procter and Gamble

"Push past your fears and chase what intimidates you - whether it’s tackling that tough class, applying for that internship, exuding confidence in the interview, or negotiating for a raise. In the end, you’ll be feeding your dreams, and you may just surprise yourself by how much you can achieve."

Colby Jones (Entrepreneurial Studies, '24)
Professional Basketball Player, Sacramento Kings

"Xavier is a special place filled with great people in all areas. Don't be afraid to try new things and meet more people. Everyone there has one common goal to help others, and you have to take full advantage of every moment you have there."

Virtual Tour
Tour Smith Hall

This state-of-the-art building is the heart of Xavier's Williams College of Business, offering modern classrooms, collaborative spaces and access to industry-leading resources.

Experiential Learning
Real World Projects

Xavier entrepreneurship students built a first-of-its-kind generative AI tool called "D'Artagnan" to help students and faculty use AI ethically and academically honestly.

FAQ

An entrepreneurship major can prepare you for a variety of careers, including:

  • Entrepreneur: Start and manage your own business, turning your ideas into reality.
  • Small business owner: As a small business owner, you'll operate and manage a small-scale business, focusing on growth and profitability.
  • Startup founder: Launch and lead a new, innovative company, often focused on a technology or disruptive idea.
  • Business consultant: Provide expert advice and guidance to businesses on a variety of areas, such as strategy, operations, or marketing.
  • Venture capitalist: Invest in early-stage companies with high growth potential, providing funding and mentorship.
  • Innovation manager: Lead and oversee innovation initiatives within an organization, driving new product development and process improvement.

Yes, you can combine the entrepreneurship and innovation major with another field of study! Double majoring allows you to gain expertise in both entrepreneurship and another area that interests you, such as marketing, finance, business analytics or international business. This can make you a highly sought-after candidate in the job market.

U.S. News & World Report ranks Xavier University’s undergraduate entrepreneurship and innovation program #14 in the nation for Best Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Programs (5). Additionally, Xavier University has been ranked the #8 Top Business School in Ohio by Niche (2025) and has been named a Business School of Distinction by Colleges of Distinction.

Yes. The Williams College of Business at Xavier University is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). With this distinguished accreditation, our business degree programs guarantee an unparalleled education that prepares you for a globalized business world. Receive high-quality instruction and mentorship from our expert faculty members so you can thrive in your post-graduate endeavors.

Additionally, Xavier University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

Yes. The Smith Scholars Honors Program offers entrepreneurship and innovation students a more innovative, challenging curriculum in a cohort setting. This highly-selective program emphasizes experiential learning through funded global travel, work-study opportunities and close connections and support from professors and peers.

AACSB Accredited Logo

Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program at Xavier University

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. 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.

Xavier University's Williams College of Business is accredited by the AACSB. AACSB-accredited schools offer students a relevant and challenging curriculum, the highest quality faculty and career opportunities that are not found at other business schools.

Xavier University is a private university located in Cincinnati, Ohio, providing a liberal arts education in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. Founded in 1831, the University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation. It has been ranked among the top 10 master's-level universities in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for the past two decades. The Princeton Review names it one of the "Best 385 Colleges in America."