Innovation and Entrepreneurship Certificate
UC Santa Cruz’s Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E) combines academic training with hands-on experience in developing solutions to real-world problems.
This certificate is offered by Crown College in partnership with UCSC’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurial Development, Cowell College, and the Departments of Biomolecular Engineering and Economics. The goal is to equip students with practical, transferable skills in collaboration with employers and community organizations.
While the I&E certificate will not appear on students’ transcripts, students who earn recognition of completion are encouraged to list the I&E certificate on their resumés. For more information, visit the program's website or contact cied@ucsc.edu.
The I&E certificate is open to students from any major and it is modular, requiring the completion of four elements in any order: (1) introductory classes, foundational courses in ideation, prototyping, finance, and customer discovery; (2) operational classes, which focus on the practical aspects of launching and managing ventures; (3) experiential learning opportunities—including internships, consulting projects, and roles beyond the founder track; and (4) participation in a public-facing business pitch competition.
Certificate Level Learning Outcomes
As a result of completing the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurial Development (CIED) I&E certificate program, students will be able to:
● identify and evaluate new business opportunities in any area of economic or social development;
● work collaboratively in teams;
● design a business plan;
● pitch an idea;
● lead and manage a project effectively;
● understand how to set up and grow an organization, including the basics of hiring, management and commercialization; and
● gain practical experience addressing real-world problems.
Academic Advising for the Program
Undergraduate advising for the I&E certificate program is supported by the CIED. CIED staff offer specific information about navigating through the program and curriculum and assist students with academic planning, requirements, and extra-curricular opportunities related to the program. CIED staff also have the discretion to approve courses not listed below that may fulfill the I&E requirements on an individual basis. Please contact CIED staff at CIED@ucsc.edu.
Students are not required to declare their intent to complete the certificate program in advance. They are strongly encouraged to arrange a meeting with CIED staff early in their academic career, however, and must notify the CIED via email (CIED@ucsc.edu) once their requirements are completed in order to verify their milestones and receive the certificate.
Transfer Information and Policy
Students transferring to UC Santa Cruz are strongly encouraged to pursue the I&E certificate. Transfer students may consult with CIED’s staff about transferring credits to count toward the completion of the I&E certificate program; requests will be evaluated on a course-by-course basis.
Faculty
The faculty of the I&E program can be found here.
Requirements
The I&E certificate is awarded on completion of 20–25 credits in I&E courses and participation in a public-facing business pitch competition.
The requirements are explained in detail in the table below, which includes, the four categories of requirements and in the case of classes, the class number, title, # of units, whether the class concurrently satisfies a general education requirement, whether it is an elective for a major or minor and additional notes.
Introductory Classes
Two classes: (CRWN 90 or CRWN 92) and COWL 52
| Class Number |
Class Title |
No. of Credits |
Gen. Ed. Satisfaction |
Elective Major Requirement |
Notes |
| CRWN 90 |
Start-Up Academy |
5 |
PR-E |
|
|
| CRWN 92 |
Social and Creative Entrepreneurship |
5 |
PE-H |
|
|
| COWL 51 |
Personal Finance and Investing |
5 |
|
|
|
Operational Classes
One class: CRWN 100 or BME 175
| CRWN 100 |
Building and Scaling Ventures |
5 |
|
Economics |
|
Practical Classes
One of the following options: CRWN 152 or (CRWN 91 & CRWN 191) or CRWN 194 or CRWN 195
| CRWN 152 |
Deal Sourcing and Investing |
5 |
|
|
Focu on finance |