Guides · By Victor Hardt · · 3 min read
How the Entrepreneurship and Innovation minor works
The Entrepreneurship and Innovation minor is six courses, or five if you major in Economics, plus a reflection paper of 1,250 to 1,500 words. Chicago Booth leads it, it is open to every College major, and it started in 2025-26.
Polsky announced the minor in August 2025 as Chicago Booth's first undergraduate minor, built with the College and the Polsky Center. BUSN 20330 Building the New Venture is the one course every student in it takes.
The requirements
| Not an Economics major | Economics major | |
|---|---|---|
| BUSN 20330 Building the New Venture | Required | Required |
| BUSN 20340 Developing a New Venture (College New Venture Challenge) or BUSN 20350 Entrepreneurial Discovery | One of the two | One of the two |
| ECON 10000 or ECON 19000 | One of the two | Not needed |
| Electives | Three | Three |
| Reflection paper | Required | Required |
| Total | Six courses | Five courses |
From the 2026-27 College catalog, checked October 2026.
The foundational courses have no prerequisites. A course you count as foundational can't also count as an elective.
Electives
You take three. At least one has to come from the minor's standard electives list. That list includes Entrepreneurial Discovery, Financial Accounting, Entrepreneurial Selling, Operations Management and Application Development. Up to two of the three can come from other departments by petition, or from the pre-approved optional list without one. A committee of Booth faculty and Polsky staff decides petitions.
Some BUSN courses need the instructor's consent before you register, so check the Booth course listing early.
2-for-1 12 oz açaí bowls at Deep Purpl (from October 3) and 2-for-1 subs at Subway 53rd Street, plus deals at 12 more Hyde Park restaurants (one from September 29, one from September 30, four from October 1 and one from October 8). Free for verified UChicago students, live Monday, September 28.
Get PoolThe reflection paper
It is 1,250 to 1,500 words on how the coursework changed the way you think about your major. It has to name at least three specific concepts, frameworks or projects from the courses. It is due by the end of week 3, Friday at 5 pm, in your final quarter. The minor's senior instructional professor reviews it.
How to declare it
Fill out the Minor Interest Form and get approval from the program advisor before your final quarter starts. The advisor then helps you prepare the Consent to Complete a Minor Program form for your College adviser.
The downside
Nothing double counts. Courses in the minor can't count toward your major, another minor or general education. If you're in business economics, a Booth course you already used there can't also count here, so the minor is extra courses on top of your plan. You also have to take every course for a quality grade.
Where the College New Venture Challenge fits
BUSN 20340, one of the two courses you can pick in the foundational set, is the College New Venture Challenge course. The College New Venture Challenge guide covers how the competition and its application work.
Clubs next to the minor
If you want a club alongside the coursework, I'd start with LTF Ventures. I'm a general partner there, so I'm not neutral about it. It gives student startups non-equity grants, generally $500 to $3,000. The startup and VC clubs guide covers the others, and the business options guide covers the rest of business at UChicago.
About Pool
Pool is a food deals app for UChicago students, free and open only to verified students. This quarter that means 2-for-1 12 oz açaí bowls at Deep Purpl (from October 3) and 2-for-1 subs at Subway 53rd Street, plus deals at 12 more Hyde Park restaurants (one from September 29, one from September 30, four from October 1 and one from October 8), live from Monday, September 28.
On Pool this quarter. The app is free right now.
- 2-for-1 12 oz açaí bowls at Deep Purpl
- 2-for-1 subs at Subway 53rd Street
- 2-for-1 half chicken plates at Nando's PERi-PERi
- 2-for-1 Philly sandwiches at B'Gabs Comfort Cafe
- 2-for-1 jerk or honey wings at Ja' Grill
- 2-for-1 Wagyu Steak Frites at Chemistry
- 2-for-1 wraps, salads and bowls at Litehouse Whole Food Grill
- 2-for-1 chicken shawarma wraps at Cedars
- a free refresher with any treat at StruggleBeard Bakery
- a free third taco or a free drink with a Taco Dinner at 5 Rabanitos
- 2-for-1 Indian combo meals at Rajun Cajun
- 2-for-1 chicken and waffle bites at Dawn A.M. Eatery
- 2-for-1 lattes at Sweet Drip
- 2-for-1 sushi, pizza and smoothies at The Sit Down Café & Sushi Bar
Live Monday, September 28. StruggleBeard Bakery starts Tuesday, September 29. B'Gabs Comfort Cafe starts Wednesday, September 30. Rajun Cajun, Dawn A.M. Eatery, Sweet Drip and The Sit Down Café & Sushi Bar start Thursday, October 1. Deep Purpl starts Saturday, October 3. Nando's PERi-PERi starts Thursday, October 8.
Questions people ask
- How many courses is the UChicago entrepreneurship minor?
- Six courses, or five if you major in Economics, plus a reflection paper. Economics majors skip the ECON 10000 or ECON 19000 requirement.
- Can the Entrepreneurship and Innovation minor double count with my major?
- No. The catalog says courses in the minor can't double count with your major, another minor or general education requirements.
- When did UChicago start the Entrepreneurship and Innovation minor?
- In the 2025-26 academic year. Polsky announced it in August 2025 as Chicago Booth's first undergraduate minor, built with the College and the Polsky Center.
- When is the minor's reflection paper due?
- By the end of week 3, Friday at 5 pm, in your final quarter at UChicago. It is 1,250 to 1,500 words.