Entrepreneurship and Innovation Graduate Certificate

Certificate Overview

Organizations in every industry seek professionals who can use their entrepreneurial mindset to empower innovation and action, whether as part of a new business venture or working within an existing organization.

Put your ideas to work as you develop crucial entrepreneurial skills

Start exploring new ways to create and enhance value by implementing highly innovative and entrepreneurial ways of thinking. This program will also help you understand how to take ideas from concept to completion in a more efficient, strategic, and creative way. Topics of study can include:

Building value through creativity and innovation
Integrative applications for business impact
IT project management
Social benefit cost analysis
Building and leading exceptional teams

Customize your educational experience

Participating in this graduate certificate program will allow you to expand your professional skills as you create a program of study that fits your specific career goals. Completing a graduate certificate with CSU will help you stand out in a competitive job market.

Option to earn your master’s

All credits earned apply toward the College of Business Master of Business Administration (MBA) program after formal admission per University transfer policies. Successful completion of the courses or certificate does not guarantee admission to the degree program.

Tuition Benefits

The Colorado State University College of Business offers special tuition benefits for the following:

Colorado residents are eligible for a 5% tuition benefit.
Active military, honorably discharged veterans, military spouses, and military dependents are eligible for a 15% tuition benefit.
Corporate partners may qualify for 10% off the cost of tuition. Reach out to CSU’s admissions team to learn if your company offers a corporate partner tuition benefit.
Alumni of CSU Fort Collins are eligible for a 15% tuition benefit.

Curriculum

Choose 4 credits from the following:

Choose 5 credits from the following:

AREC 572– Social Benefit Cost Analysis
BIOM 750– Grant Proposal Writing and Reviewing
BUS 602– Dynamic Decision Making
BUS 623– Building and Leading Exceptional Teams
CIS 600A– Project Management: Information Technology
CIVE 574– Civil Engineering Project Management
ENGR 525– Intellectual Property and Invention Systems
FTEC 570– Food Product Development
IDEA 510– Processes of Human-Centered Design Thinking
JTC 660– Communication and Innovation
LEAP 500– Leadership in the Arts
MKT 662– Strategic Selling for Business Customers
MKT 667– Services Marketing Management
SYSE 710– Leadership/Innovation in Systems Engineering

Program total credits: 9

Note: Additional coursework may be required due to prerequisites.

This certificate may have courses in common with other graduate certificates. A student may earn more than one certificate, but a given course may be counted only in one certificate.

How to Apply

Application Deadlines

Fall:	July 31
Spring:	January 1

Start your application online and upload materials directly into the online system. You can save your progress and return any time.

Apply Now

1Review Admission Requirements

Graduate certificate applicants generally must meet or exceed the following criteria:

An undergraduate degree from an accredited four-year institution in any field
A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher from your most recent degree completed^†
International applicants: minimum TOEFL or IELTS scores^‡

Note: Although the Graduate School prefers that applicants meet the minimum admission criteria, failure to meet one may be offset by strengths in other areas, as determined by the Graduate Program Committee.

†Please submit an academic performance explanation if your GPA was lower than 3.0.

‡A minimum Internet-based TOEFL score of 86 or a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 or a minimum of PTE score of 58 is required for all certificates except Accounting Ethics and Auditing, which requires a minimum Internet-based TOEFL score of 95 or minimum IELTS score of 7.0.

2 Complete Online Application

Complete the online graduate application and pay the nonrefundable application processing fee (payable online). As soon as you have completed the required information, please submit your application. Your application will not be reviewed until it is complete and all required materials have been received.

Choose "Entrepreneurship and Innovation (Certificate) – Distance" when choosing the Program of Study. (Note: You must first select "Certificate" at the top.)

3 Request Transcripts

Request one official transcript of all collegiate work completed from all institutions attended. Transcripts from Colorado State University are not required. Transcripts must be received directly from the originating institution to be considered official.

Electronic (preferred):
Digital Transcripts must be submitted by the originating institution using a secure service such as parchment, eScrip-Safe, the National Student Clearinghouse, or e-Quals. Transcripts received via emails are considered unofficial.

Use institution code 4075 for Colorado State University or gradadmissions@colostate.edu if the secure service requires an email address.

Mail (if necessary)
Graduate Admissions
Colorado State University – Office of Admissions
1062 Campus Delivery
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1062

Check Your Application Status

View your application status at any time to ensure your application checklist is complete or to check on updates.

Once your complete application, including supporting materials, is received, the department admission committee will review your application and notify you of their decision.

Information for International Students

Official transcript translation

Ensure official copies include a certified translation into English (only one set of transcripts is required).

Official test scores

Colorado State University requires that proficiency in English language be demonstrated either by the TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE academic tests prior to admission. Please submit one of the official scores from the list below. Tests must be taken within two years prior to admission and submitted directly from the Educational Testing Service (select institution code: 4075).

The minimum TOEFL score for admission without condition is 550 (paper-based), or 80 (internet-based).
The minimum IELTS score for admission without condition is 6.5.
The minimum PTE Academic score for admission without condition is 58.

All applicants who are citizens of countries in which English is not the official language, and who do not have an undergraduate degree from the U.S. must submit TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE scores.