Fostering the Innovative Mindset: Entrepreneurship Clinic Model for Computer Science Students

Abstract

Graduates distinguish themselves by being creative, innovative, and showing leadership, but such instructional topics are usually formally emphasized in business curricula. Computer Science students could minor in entrepreneurship or other business-related fields in order to foster their innovative mindset and obtain a business acumen that complements the technical expertise they obtain in their majors, but such minors usually require at least five additional courses. We discuss the formal incorporation of entrepreneurship in the computer science curriculum as part of a clinic model that includes real-world experiences, at the expense of two 1-credit hands-on clinics that can be embedded into the number of credits required for the computer science degree. After experimenting with various models and activities over a period of several years, we present our current iteration that was successfully deployed for the past four years as a course framework that combines both entrepreneurial and technical aspects into a two-semester software engineering course sequence with assigned clinic experience during the junior year. Students learn how to find and evaluate ideas, build rapid prototypes, test hypotheses, use different types of business models and financial analysis, market their software products, and understand how to start a business. Students are able to pitch and refine their ideas with various audiences and compete in entrepreneurship competitions. From dreaming ideas to creating and managing teams, computer science students are guided through the process by faculty, entrepreneurs, and potential investors. We present the steps and activities that complement our framework, with case studies and lesson learned.