This fall, the University will launch a new entrepreneurship and innovation minor, giving undergraduates a structured academic pathway into the field.
The program combines interdisciplinary coursework with hands-on experience, drawing from fields such as economics, computer science, public policy, and the humanities. The minor will provide opportunities to test ideas and develop ventures, while also connecting with existing programs and offerings within the Polsky Center and the Booth School of Business, such as the College New Venture Challenge.
“Undergraduate interest in entrepreneurship has grown dramatically over the past several years,” said Emanuele Colonnelli, the faculty director of the new minor and assistant professor of economics at Booth. “Until now, students haven’t had a formal academic path to pursue this interest. The minor is designed to fill that gap.”
Colonnelli said, “The Polsky Center has long been the hub for entrepreneurship at UChicago. This minor creates an academic bridge into that ecosystem and enhances the entrepreneurial support available to undergraduates.”
The minor is open to students from all majors and is intentionally interdisciplinary. “We expect a diverse group of students to be interested in this minor,” Colonnelli said. “The possibilities are wide-ranging: computer science students building software companies, chemistry majors exploring biotech, public policy students focused on social innovation, and humanities students launching creative ventures.”
The entrepreneurship and innovation minor is one of several new academic programs launching in the 2025–26 academic year. Other additions include a new Core writing course called Inquiry, Conversation, Argument, which is part of a broader redesign of the Writing Program, and a new major in archaeology.
