Family Business Certificate
This fourteen credit hour certificate is designed to prepare students to achieve their entrepreneurial dream by owning and operating a family business, joining an existing family owned business, and/or taking over leadership roles in an existing family business. The certificate will prepare the student to develop, grow and sustain their entrepreneurial family business by studying both the opportunities and challenges that face family businesses. By definition, a family business is defined as one in which more than one family member either owns or works in the business and there is intent to keep the business in the family. The Family Firm Institute reports that the leadership of 39% of family-owned businesses will change hands in the next five years. The future success and sustainability of these family-owned business throughout the nation will be enhanced with academic knowledge acquired by the family's next generation leaders. It is recommended that students also complete the 7-credit hour Business Plan Certificate (Major Code 4810).
Suggested/Sample Course Sequence
The sequence taken by the student may vary depending on prerequisites, course availability, and personal/ professional responsibilities.
(Family Business - Major Code 4640; State CIP Code 52.0799 and Business Plan - Major Code 4810; State CIP Code 52.0710)
Required Courses
| ENTR 225 | Family Business | 3 |
| ENTR 160 | Legal Issues for Small Business | 2 |
| BUS 175 | Business Professional Skills | 3 |
| BUS 243 | Human Resource Management | 3 |
| PSYC 121 | Applied Psychology | 3 |
| Total Hours | 14 | |
Total Program Hours: 14
Additional Certificate
This certificate is designed for students who are interested in opening their own service business providing administrative assistance to businesses. Coursework focuses on fundamental knowledge necessary to own and operate an entrepreneurial venture, evaluating the feasibility of the business idea, and concludes with writing a business plan to start, grow and sustain a business venture. The business plan certificate is recommended for students to add to their Family Business certificate.