Innovate Within Organizations, Create Lasting Value

The NC State Innovation and Entrepreneurship Graduate Certificate prepares students to lead corporate innovation and create value within organizations of all sizes. Offered in collaboration with NC State Innovation and Entrepreneurship, this program leverages one of the nation’s most recognized university ecosystems for innovation.

Through coursework and hands-on experiences, students learn practical frameworks for identifying opportunities, developing solutions and managing corporate innovation initiatives that create measurable value within organizations.

This certificate program is best for: 

Early- to mid-career professionals, career changers and recent graduates who want to:

• Develop and implement innovative ideas within corporate and other complex organizational settings
• Strengthen leadership, team, communication and strategic design skills to drive innovation
• Gain practical, hands-on experience managing innovation projects in real-world environments
• Complement their technical or professional expertise with corporate innovation knowledge

What Makes this Program Unique?

• Corporate Innovation Focus: Learn how to foster creativity and innovation within established organizations — building the tools to design new products, improve processes and drive strategic growth.
• Hands-On Practicum Experience: Apply your knowledge by implementing an innovation in a partner organization through NC State’s Entrepreneurship Clinic.
• Interdisciplinary Approach: Explore innovation through perspectives in management, marketing, design, risk management and strategy, with the ability to tailor the program through electives that align with your career goals.

Powered by NC State Innovation and Entrepreneurship

As a university-wide ecosystem that connects students, faculty and industry partners, NC State Innovation and Entrepreneurship provides mentorship, resources and hands-on programs that help turn great ideas into real impact. This collaboration gives certificate students direct access to one of the nation’s top-ranked environments for innovation and entrepreneurship.

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Curriculum

To earn the NC State Innovation and Entrepreneurship Certificate, students need to complete 12 credit hours* as outlined in the Plan Requirements below.

*One credit hour represents approximately one hour of direct faculty instruction (delivered in person or online) and at least two hours of additional student work per week.

Required Courses (9 Credit Hours)

• MIE 570: Introduction to Innovation and Entrepreneurship. (3 cr.)
• MIE 573: Corporate Innovation (3 cr.)
• MBA 579: Entrepreneurship Practicum (3 cr.)

Elective Courses (3 Credit Hours)

Choose a course from the following list:

• MBA 555: Product Development (4 cr.)
• MAE 526: Elements of Product Design (3 cr.)
• EM 530: Project Management (3 cr.)
• MBA 518 Enterprise Risk Management (3 cr.)
• MBA 533 Negotiation and Conflict Management (3 cr.)
• MBA 536 Experience Innovation and Strategic Design (3 cr.)
• MBA 545 Decision Making Under Uncertainty (3 cr.)
• MBA 561 Consumer Behavior (3 cr.)
• MBA 562 Research Methods In Marketing (3 cr.)
• MBA 563 Product and Brand Management (3 cr.)
• MBA 566 Digital Marketing (3 cr.)
• MBA 582 B Corp Clinic Sustainability Practicum (3 cr.)

Student Resources

Students earning graduate certificates have access to many of the same resources as students in our degree programs, including:

• Wolfpack One Card: The Wolfpack One Card (student ID) provides access to student resources, including the university library. For more information, visit Wolfpack One Card Services. 
• Campus Resources: Certificate-only students have access to resources such as the Writing Center, wellness programs and entrepreneurship support.

Meet the Program Director

SM

Stephen Markham

Goodnight Distinguished Professor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Executive Director of NC State Innovation and Entrepreneurship

919.515.5592 skmarkha@ncsu.edu

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