Northern Kentucky University

What you'll study

This degree combines core business fundamentals with specialised coursework and experiential projects designed for small-business contexts. Typical modules cover:

• Foundations of Entrepreneurship — opportunity recognition, idea validation and the entrepreneurial mindset.
• Small Business Management — day-to-day operations, resource constraints and growth strategies for smaller organisations.
• Marketing for Entrepreneurs — lean marketing, customer discovery, digital channels and social media for limited budgets.
• Financial Management and Accounting — small-business accounting, cash-flow management, budgeting and finance for startups.
• Business Law and Ethics — legal structures, contracts, regulatory considerations and ethical decision-making.
• Innovation and Product Development — design thinking, prototyping and bringing new products or services to market.
• E‑commerce and Technology for Small Firms — online business models, platforms and technology tools that support scale and efficiency.
• Operations and Supply Chain for SMEs — inventory, vendor relationships and process optimisation in small-scale operations.
• Family Business and Succession Planning — issues specific to family-owned firms, governance and transition planning.
• Capstone Project / Business Plan — a culminating applied project such as a real business plan, venture practicum or client-based consulting project.

Students also typically take general business courses in management, statistics and economics, and have opportunities for internships, practicum experiences and participation in entrepreneurship competitions or applied consulting projects with local businesses.

Entry requirements

Admission is at undergraduate level and normally requires a completed secondary-school qualification comparable to a U.S. high-school diploma. Typical expectations include satisfactory academic standing in prior study; mature applicants with relevant work experience may also be considered. International applicants must demonstrate English proficiency through recognised tests or equivalent qualifications. Applicants transferring from community colleges or other universities should provide transcripts and meet any college-specific transfer criteria for business majors.

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared for a range of roles in small and growing organisations, as well as for founding their own ventures. Common career paths include:

• Founder / small business owner
• Business development or growth manager in startups and SMEs
• Operations manager or office manager in small firms
• Franchise manager or franchise owner
• Small-business consultant or advisor
• Roles in community economic development, incubators and accelerators
• Commercial lending or relationship management focused on small-business clients

The programme emphasises practical skills—business planning, pitching, financial management and customer development—that employers and investors value in small-business contexts.

Why study at Northern Kentucky University

Northern Kentucky University combines a regionally engaged business education with access to a vibrant metropolitan economy across the river in Cincinnati. Students benefit from applied learning opportunities such as internships with local small businesses, client projects and entrepreneurship competitions, enabling direct experience in starting and running ventures. Class sizes and faculty accessibility support mentoring, while partnerships with the local business community and alumni network help with internships, experiential projects and post-graduation employment in the region and beyond.