Business and Entrepreneurship Programs
Technology continues to have a massive effect on every sector of our economy and society, and history has shown that innovation drives business cycles. Students can prepare themselves for a successful start to their careers by exploring and enrolling in one of the business and entrepreneurship minors offered at the University of Virginia, including the Engineering Business Minor.
There are 3 business and entrepreneurship minors offered at UVA including the Engineering Business Minor (EBM), the General Business Minor and the Entrepreneurship Minor. Please note that the Engineering Business Minor was recently updated. Information is provided on both the New EBM, which begins in Fall 2024, and the Previous EBM, which applies only to students who enrolled in that program prior to Fall 2023.
New Engineering Business Minor: This program will teach students to understand a company's financials and operations, evaluate market opportunities, develop products with winning value propositions and build professional skills. If you're interested in working in product management or engineering, as well as building businesses in technology-centric industries, this minor is for you. The skills you develop will help you whether you are working in a large company or emerging venture. The Engineering Business Minor is conferred by the Engineering School and designed with input from its accomplished alumni, including business leaders and recent graduates.
Previous Engineering Business Minor: This minor is no longer accepting applications. All EBM students enrolled in the minor prior to fall 2024 will continue to follow the requirements of the previous Engineering Business Minor and may find information below on curriculum and approved electives.
General Business Minor: This program offers a broad overview of fundamental business knowledge and skills that will prepare them to make a positive impact at work and in society. Designed for students from all academic backgrounds, the minor covers the basics of accounting, finance, marketing and digital skills for the workplace. The minor is conferred by the McIntire School of Commerce and intended for students who seek exposure to a broad array of business topics.
Entrepreneurship Minor: This program provides an education with the tools, techniques and transformations involved in new venture development. This experiential program is a great choice for students who are interested in founding or joining a startup, either now or later. It's also a good choice if you're interested in intrapreneurship, which involves starting new ventures in established firms or not-for-profit organizations. While conferred by the McIntire School, the program offers three concentrations, two in partnership with other schools: Technology Entrepreneurship with the Engineering School, Social Entrepreneurship with the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, and Innovation in Business.
Detailed information on each minor can be found below and by following the included links. Click here for more information about the new Engineering Business Minor and a comparison to the General Business and Entrepreneurship minors
Note: STS courses related to engineering business and technology entrepreneurship will be relabeled as EBUS courses starting in the 2024-25 academic year. The course numbers have remained the same. Courses with the same number can be used interchangeably, meaning a course taken with the STS code can be used to fulfill an EBUS requirement and vice versa.
Applying to the Engineering Business Minor
Students must apply to the Engineering Business Minor. The Fall application process will open on October 16, 2024, and close at 11:59pm on October 30, 2024. Decisions will be announced on October 31, 2024. There will be another application process opening in February 2025.
The New Engineering Business Minor
The new Engineering Business Minor, effective fall 2024, is designed for students interested in engineering, product management and working in technology-centric businesses.
Based on the dynamics between innovation and business, as well as student, alumni and faculty feedback, the UVA Engineering Business Minor will encompass business basics, product development and professional skills. The minor requires completion of 15 credits, including 9 credits of required courses and 6 credits selected from an approved elective list.
Click here for an overview of the new Engineering Business Minor.
- Develop an understanding of company structures, how functions work together to serve customers, and differences between early-stage ventures and established large companies.
- Be able to comprehend and create financial statements and evaluate businesses via basic financial analyses.
- Learn how to apply techniques to identify unmet customer needs, evaluate market opportunities, and define compelling value propositions.
- Acquire an understanding of product development and business building frameworks and learn how to apply them to achieve product-market fit.
- Appreciate the role innovation plays in business and learn how to look for and develop opportunities to leverage technology to create value.
- Build professional soft skills in communications, self-awareness, teamwork, and continuous learning.
The new Engineering Business Minor will require 3 courses (9 credits), which have been updated and improved over the last year.
- EBUS 1800 Business Fundamentals:
This course introduces students to key business topics relevant to high technology companies. Students will learn how to understand and interpret financial statements and frame financial decisions, including building a business case. The course will explore typical organizational structures and the roles of business functions. Students will be introduced to business models and other concepts in marketing and business strategy. - EBUS 2830 Innovation & New Ventures:
An introduction to concepts innovators use to solve problems and create value by addressing unmet needs. Learn how to identify and evaluate opportunities and use proven entrepreneurial frameworks to create new products and businesses for companies of all sizes. Through class activities, projects, and presentations you will learn how storytelling, teamwork, and leadership skills are essential for starting, funding, and building your business. - EBUS 4810 New Product Development:
Students will learn the fundamentals of product management. Topics include identifying unmet needs, understanding markets, implementing product development frameworks and processes, building businesses, and working with multi-functional teams. The application of these concepts to different phases of the product lifecycle will be explored. Students will build technical, professional, and soft skills necessary for success in product management.
Note: EBUS courses previously taken under the STS code with the same number can be used to fulfill the EBUS requirements.
The new Engineering Business Minor will also include additional 2 elective courses (6 credits) to be selected from a curated list including:
- EBUS courses (formerly STS): Engineering Business and Tech Entrepreneurship
- In addition to the three required courses, the school currently supports four to five EBUS electives per year
- All catalog-listed EBUS courses are approved electives but some may not be offered due to lack of instructor
- 2/3/4000 level special topics courses also in catalog
- COMM courses
- Selected courses, directly applicable to engineering business, that meet the EBM’s elective criteria
- Note that many 4000-level COMM courses that may meet the criteria are restricted to McIntire students
- SEAS technical electives
- Selected departmental courses that are closely related to product development and key business capabilities (e.g., innovation, design and commercialization)
- Courses also satisfy technical elective requirements, helping students with accessibility of the minor
- Other courses
- Selected courses that meet the EBM’s elective criteria; expect very few in this category
Note: EBUS courses previously taken under the STS code with the same number can be used to fulfill the EBUS credits.
Initially, students following the new Engineering Business Minor curriculum will be able to choose from the following approved electives.
EBUS Electives (formerly STS)
- EBUS 2730 Engineers & the Art of the Deal
- EBUS 2840 Entrepreneurial Finance
- EBUS 2850 Government & Entrepreneurship
- EBUS 2890 Driving Business Growth Through Innovation: Past to Present
- EBUS 3570 Special Topics in Eng Business: Leadership in the Tech Sector
- EBUS 4580 Special Topics in Eng Entrepreneurship: Innovation Garage
COMM Electives
- COMM 2600 Leadership Across Disciplines
- COMM 3200 Project & Product Management
- COMM 3230 Managing Innovation
- COMM 3410 Commercial Law I
- COMM 3845 Foundations in Int’l Business
- COMM 3880 Global Sustainability
- COMM 4822 Investing in Sustainable Future
- ENTP 1010 Intro to Entrepreneurship
SEAS Departmental Electives
- APMA 3150 From Data to Knowledge
- BME 3030 Innovation & Design in Medicine
- CE 2030 Mgt of Eng & Constr Project
- CE 3010 Project Business Planning
- CS 4260 Internet Scale Applications
- ENGR 4880 Business & Tech Leadership in Engr
- MAE 4502 Special Topics: The Business of Engineering
- SYS 2/3054 Systems case Studies (Int’l)
- SYS 4000 Financial Aspects of Engineering
- SYS 4044 Engr Economic Systems
Other Electives
- ECON 2010 Prin of Econ: Microeconomics
Notes:
- EBUS offerings dependent on instructor availability. Additional courses are listed in the catalog but not currently offered.
- Plan is to expand SEAS departmental electives, as available and appropriate.
- Elective list will evolve over time.
The Previous Engineering Business Minor
Students enrolled in the Engineering Business Minor as of the start of the 2023-24 academic year (now known as the previous Engineering Business Minor) may complete the minor by following the requirements below. Please note that this program is no longer accepting applications.
The previous Engineering Business Minor requires the successful completion of three required courses and three electives.
STS course requirements can be fulfilled by taking the EBUS course with the same number.
All students, regardless of graduating class, must take these 3 courses in the following recommended sequence:
COMM 2010: Introduction to Financial Accounting
(Recommended for either spring, second year or spring, third year)
ECON 2010: Principles of Economics: Microeconomics
(Recommended for either fall or spring, first year)
EBUS (or STS) 4810: New Product Development
(Recommended for either fall or spring, fourth year)
Be sure to check SIS for courses offered for a particular semester.
Engineering Business Minor students may choose three courses from the following list of approved electives:
CE 2030: Management of Engineering and Construction Projects
CE 3010: Projects Business Planning
COMM 2020: Introduction to Management Accounting
COMM 2600: Leadership across Disciplines (best for SEAS students in spring)
COMM 2610: Startup
COMM 3200: Project and Product Management
COMM 3410: Commercial Law I
COMM 3420: Commercial Law II
COMM 3600: Principles and Practices of Arts Administration
COMM 3660: Business of Consulting (J-term not currently offered)
COMM 3800: Business, Government, and Society
COMM 3810: Business Ethics
COMM 3845: Foundations of International Business (requires 4th year status)
COMM 4230: Information Technology in Finance
COMM 4240: Electronic Commerce
COMM 4570: Topics in Finance: Investing in a Sustainable Future
COMM 4650: Business, Politics, and Culture in the European Union (offered May term)
COMM 4660: The Advice Business: The Basics of Strategic Consulting
COMM 4821: Managing Sustainability Development
COMM 4822: Investing in a Sustainable Future
CS 4753: Electronic Commerce Technologies
CS 4260: Internet Scale Applications*
* By special permission. Contact minor administrator.
ECON 2020: Principles of Economics: Macroeconomics
ECON 2060: American Economic History
ECON 3030: Money and Banking
ECON 4210 International Trade: Theory & Policy
ECON 4350 Corporate Finance
ENGR 4599: Special Topics in Engineering: Business Intelligence
ENGR 4880: Business and Technical Leadership in Engineering
ENTP 1010: Startup: An Introduction to Entrepreneurship
LPPS 3440 Introduction to Management Consulting and Strategic Decision-Making
MAE 4502 Special Topics: The Business of Engineering
STS 1800: Business Fundamentals for Engineers
STS 2730: Engineers & the Art of the Deal
STS 2830: Innovation and New Ventures
STS 2840: Entrepreneurial Finance
STS 2850: Government and Entrepreneurship
(and any other STS 27XX or 28XX series course - check SIS for listings)
STS 3020: Science and Technology Policy for Interns
STS 3570 Special Topics in Engineering Business: Leadership in the Technology Sector
STS 4580 Special Topics for Engineering Entrepreneurship: Innovation Garage
Note: STS course requirements can be fulfilled by taking the EBUS course with the same number.
SYS 2057: Management of E-Commerce Systems
SYS 2054 or 3054: Argentina or Dubai (both J-Term) or Sweden (May term)
SYS 4000: Financial Aspects of Engineering
SYS 4044: Economics of Engineering Systems
SYS 5044: Economics of Engineering
Get In Touch
Questions about the Engineering Business Minor? Get in touch with us.
Doug Garland
Doug Garland is a technology executive and entrepreneur, a veteran of the waves of innovation in Silicon Valley and a pioneer in mobile. He is a Professor of Practice in Systems and Information Engineering focused on entrepreneurship, innovation and business and the faculty lead of the Entrepreneurship Program and Engineering Business Minor.
Robert Riggs
McIntire School of Commerce General Business Minor
The General Business Minor is administered by the McIntire School of Commerce. Information related to this program can be found on General Business Minor page from the McIntire School website.
If you have questions about General Business Minor, please contact the McIntire School of Commerce.
The Entrepreneurship Minor
The entrepreneurship minor is administered by the McIntire School of Commerce. Information related to this program can be found on the Entrepreneurship Minor page on the McIntire website.
If you have questions about the Entrepreneurship Minor, please contact the McIntire School of Commerce. Questions specifically related to courses required for the Technology Concentration can be directed to Engineering School Entrepreneurship Lead.
Please also note that a lot of information regarding cocurricular activities, competitions, student organizations, and the alumni network can be found on UVA's Entrepreneurship homepage. These activities are open to all students, regardless of school or minor affiliation.
The information contained on this website is for informational purposes only. The Undergraduate Record and Graduate Record represent the official repository for academic program requirements. These publications may be found here.