Editorial: Tufts' expansion of Entrepreneurship Center benefits students

Tufts is expanding the scope and course offerings of its entrepreneurship minor. This expansion compensates for the lack of a formal business major program, while maintaining Tufts' status as a liberal arts school. The newly expanded minor, offered through the Tufts Entrepreneurship Center (TEC), allows students the flexibility to pursue a liberal arts education and experience in the business world. Tufts has expanded the program's reach by offering courses on a variety of topics, subcategories and industries.

Tufts has altered the curriculum requirements for the minor. Instead of Entrepreneurship and Business Planning (ELS 101), which was an old core requirement, students can take Management of Innovation (EM 153) or Special Topics: Biomedical Entrepreneurship & Strategy (BME 194). These courses make the minor more relevant for students in scientific programs.

The remaining three core courses, Entrepreneurial Finance, Marketing and Leadership, ground students in a theory of business.

TEC combines conventional coursework with outside-the-classroom initiatives and relevant experience, including drafting a full financial plan, working on marketing for an existing company or constructing a venture from scratch. By retaining the Entrepreneurial Leadership course, TEC stays true to its roots as an Entrepreneurial Leadership program and gives students opportunities to develop the skills necessary for leadership in an entrepreneurial setting.

The minor now has 20 course offerings, ranging from Entrepreneurial Business Law to Food and Entrepreneurship, alongside internships and other experiential opportunities. TEC has introduced courses that bridge isolated fields of study, increasing its relevance to broad swaths of the student body. 

Beyond coursework, TEC provides students with opportunities to accelerate their own ventures. Events like the $100K New Ventures Competition and Founder’s Workshops are unique opportunities for Tufts students to seek funding and mentorship as well as engage with the entrepreneurial community in Boston.

Entrepreneurship is the most popular minor at Tufts. TEC’s decision to rebrand and expand its course offerings is a step in the right direction for Tufts. The new entrepreneurship minor is accessible to a wider variety of students, and its relevance to careers and graduate school pursuits sets TEC and Tufts apart from competitors by offering practical business-oriented courses alongside our traditional liberal arts offerings.