Andrea Johnson/MDN Tracey Mays, assistant professor of entrepreneurship and management, center, with MSU students Garrett Weishaar, right, and Casara Tessendorf, left. The university will hopefully soon offer a major and a minor in entrepreneurship.

Minot State University has been training entrepreneurs in its College of Business and, if everything goes to plan, the university will soon offer a major and a minor in entrepreneurship as well as a certificate.

Tracey Mays, assistant professor of entrepreneurship and management, has developed the program. She said the Higher Learning Commission must still approve the major and minor.

Students in the entrepreneurship certificate program learn how to get a business started and how to manage it once it is running and to reap its benefits. The certificate offered by the university is not just for full-time students, but for people who are exploring the idea of starting a business and hoping to gain more skills. Eighteen credits are required for the certificate, including introduction to entrepreneurship, introduction to web site design, fundamentals of management, entrepreneurship and small business management, marketing and projects in entrepreneurship. Graduates of the program will have produced their own business website, a plan for their business and a portfolio as well as pitch for the business. Students also do consulting for local businesses.

Students will be familiar with different types of entrepreneurship, such as small business, corporate entrepreneurship and small venture entrepreneurship. They will study creativity and how to manage innovations in both the public and private sectors, according to Minot State.

They will complete the program with the entrepreneurial mindset and a knowledge of what it takes to launch a successful business.

Mays said it is open to anyone from the community.

MSU seniors Garrett Weishaar and Casara Tessendorf both have found the courses valuable. Tessendorf is working on a business selling and marketing plus size women’s lingerie in the region. Weishaar is involved in a marketing internship program.

The Severson Entrepreneurship Program will also partner with the new entrepreneurship degree and offer opportunities for students in the program.