Undergraduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship: Venture Creation

What will I be studying?

This is the first course of the Certificate of Higher Education in Entrepreneurship and can be studied as a standalone undergraduate certificate, or combined with the Undergraduate Certificate in Entrepreneurial Practices, which we are expecting to run in 2023-24

The programme aims to:

• provide you with fundamental knowledge in understanding entrepreneurship, its role in society and the economy, and its contribution to innovation and change.
• prepare you to engage in entrepreneurial activity through the acquisition of knowledge associated with venture creation processes.
• enable you to acquire behaviours, skills and competencies designed to enhance your entrepreneurial capacity.

The Undergraduate Certificate in Venture Creation consists of three modules:

1. Introduction to Entrepreneurship
2. Ideation and Business Models
3. Business Planning and Launch

For further information on the individual modules, see 'Teaching and Assessment' tab.

By the end of the course you will be able to:

• identify, define and describe the concepts, ideas, and language associated with entrepreneurship.
• identify techniques for ideation and business model generation for new venture ideas
• describe the elements of a business plan and develop a plan in practice.
• understand the skills associated with the entrepreneurial process such as pitching, presentations and reports
• implement techniques for ideation and business model generation for new venture ideas
• develop a business plan in practice.
• demonstrate skills associated with the entrepreneurial process such as pitching, presentations and reports

Dates of study

The course begins on 6 October 2023 and will finish on 14 June 2024. 

Each module will have 4 synchronous teaching days per term, with additional online interactive activities and resources on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) throughout the year. 

What can I go on to do?

In addition to the knowledge and skills gained through the course you will gain a host of transferable skills, which you can take forward in your career or further study. These include:

• communication skills aligned with entrepreneurship, including elevator pitches, pitch presentations, written business plans and consulting reports.
• the ability to work in teams with people from a range of different backgrounds.
• self-management, a readiness to accept responsibility and flexibility, to be resilient, a self-starter and appropriately assertive in planning and organizing personal learning/time management.

How will I be taught?

Teaching and learning in the programme will be delivered online in 2023-24 through a combination of methods, including both asynchronous and synchronous delivery. Delivery will include formal presentations by tutors, a range of interactive and participative methods, through reading and assignments that students undertake individually and in groups. Such interactive and participative methods may include small and whole group exercises, projects, structured seminar discussions, oral presentations and consulting projects. Each module will deploy this combination of teaching methods as is relevant for the specific module.

Module details

Unit 1: Introduction to Entrepreneurship

An introduction to the opportunities and challenges of creating and managing a new venture.

The emphasis in this unit is on how to manage a new venture and operate it profitably.

Indicative topics include:
The unit covers topics studied in several business classes including management, marketing, and finance. Topics studied will include conducting internal company and external
environmental analyses, developing effective marketing and cash flow strategies, securing financing, and managing new venture operations. Additional topics include franchising, family business issues, innovation, corporate entrepreneurship, and ethical decision-making.

Unit 2: Ideation and Business Models

This unit is designed to build individual courage to create, and to risk making mistakes, in innovations aimed at new products, services or processes. You will be engaged in solving problems in uncertain and dynamic environments through ideation, idea screening and business model creation.

Indicative topics include:
Creativity and creativity techniques are the central focus, defined as applying cognitive skills and curiosity to discover something new, through organized ideation techniques designed for entrepreneurial efforts. The unit also introduces the business model framework to manage and consider entrepreneurial opportunities and aids students in idea screening methods.

Unit 3: Business Planning and Launch

Provides an understanding of the elements and uses of a business plan. You will build a business plan from the concept stage through a final document that could be presented to financial investors, venture capitalists or loan sources in starting up a new venture.

Indicative topics include:
This unit will focus on business plan design and launch. It will include an overview of business plans and include the individual components including description; market research; sales and marketing plan; operations plan; financial and funding plan and contingency planning. You will also learn about the lean launch process.

How will I be assessed?

You will be awarded a course grade on the basis of summative assignments totalling 9,000-12,000 words or their equivalent.

It is anticipated that assignments may include (but are not limited to): presentations, reflective writing, literature review, essays, podcasts, business plans and reports.

Assignments will be submitted at the end of each term and formative assessment will take place over the duration of the course.

Course timeline

• Course (Unit 1) Start Date:  6th October 2023
• Unit 1 submission deadline:  3rd January 2024
• Unit 2 start date: Week commencing 1st January 2024
• Unit 2 submission deadline: 20th March 2024
• Unit 3 start date: Week commencing 1st April
• Unit 3 submission deadline: 14th June 2024

What is the status of this qualification?

The course is taught and awarded at first-year undergraduate level (FHEQ 4) and offers 60 credits within the Higher Education Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS). This is equivalent to half of the first year of full-time undergraduate study.

The fee for this course is £2,750.00 and covers the course tuition.

You can pay in two ways:

• in full on enrolment by credit or debit card
• in three equal instalments (credit/debit card): the first on enrolment, with the second and third instalment being taken on 1 January and 1 April. The exact dates will be confirmed in the student’s individual booking details.

Please note your place on the course is not secured until payment is received by the Institute of Continuing Education and any necessary documentation, i.e. proof of English language proficiency.

ICE Cancellations and Refunds policy 

Information on sources of funding, bursaries and Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs) 

This course will require a minimum number of students in order to run. Applicants for this course will be notified one week after the application deadline if the course is not going to be running at which point students will be offered to transfer their application to another course or receive a refund of the fees they have paid so far (please see our ICE Cancellations and Refunds policy). 

Applications are submitted online (the link to the online application form is at the top of this page).

Applications for this course can be received until midday (12 noon) on Monday 4 September 2023. If you are offered a place on the course, we will ask you to complete your booking within a limited time and to pay the fees (£2,750) or if paying by installments, the first installment of fees to secure your place.

This course will require a minimum number of students in order to run. Applicants will normally be notified one week after the application deadline if the course is not going to run and offered to transfer their application to another course or receive a refund of the fees they have paid so far (please see our ICE Cancellations and Refunds policy).