Certificate in Entrepreneurship

Introduction

You want to grow your existing business or start a new one. You realize that eight in every ten small businesses fail in the first year of operation. They fail for a variety of reasons: e.g., underfunding; poor planning; poor management; and lack of commitment by the owner/manager of the business. You are aware that many of these problems can be overcome with training, education and mentoring. It is precisely for this reason that the UWI Open Campus has developed three levels of certification in Entrepreneurship: to give you the tools and confidence necessary to start and grow your own business.

 

Who is this programme for?

The Level-I certificate (9 credits) targets persons wishing to familiarize themselves with, and gain entrance into, the field. Level-II (18 credits) targets persons who plan to establish a micro, small or medium size business, are employed in or own an existing small business and wish to enhance their entrepreneurship skills and knowledge to help them better grow and manage their business, or entry-level professionals, first-line supervisors, and mid-career professionals who wish to renew or update their entrepreneurship skills. The Level-III certificate (24 credits) targets mid-, to upper-, level supervisors, managers, heads of organizations, and self-employed individuals who wish to fine tune their managerial and accounting skills.

 

Programme Structure

The programme is offered entirely online. That means you may arrange your study to fit your life style: you can work from your home, office, hotel room, wherever there is Internet connection. The Level-I certificate, consisting of 3 courses (two general education courses (in English and Math) and one introductory Entrepreneurship course) may be completed in one semester (4 months). Building on Level-I, the Level-II certificate adds three more Entrepreneurship courses, and may be completed in 2 semesters (8 months). Level-III adds to Level-II, two (2) courses that explore specialized Entrepreneurship topics. It may be completed in 3 semesters (12 months).

 

When will the programme start?

The programme starts in August of the academic year.

 

Entry Requirements

Persons seeking entry into the programme must, prior to enrolment, be able to use the computer for word processing, to store and retrieve information, as a communication device (e.g., emailing), and to surf the web. Applicants must also be able to read and write at a level necessary to complete a UWI Open Campus application form.

Proficiency testing will not be conducted. The decision about proficiency in computer usage is left up to the applicant. Applicants who believe they are not sufficiently computer literate should gain such proficiency before applying to the programme. Such proficiency may be attained, for instance, by taking the appropriate course of study offered by the Open Campus IT Academy. For information on such courses applicants are advised to contact their nearest Open Campus center.

Two general education courses (Math Essentials for Tertiary Level Study and Reading and Writing Essentials for Tertiary Level Studies) form part of the core requirements of this programme (waivers are granted, see below). These two courses meet the literacy and numeracy requirements necessary for success in other courses making up the programme. Persons enrolled in the programme are required to complete the general education courses before enrolling in the field-specific courses.

The general education requirements may be waived for applicants who possess at least the equivalent of a Grade III CSEC General Proficiency qualification in English A and Mathematics (circa 1998 or later). Below is a sample of equivalent qualifications that may be used as general education waivers. Note: the list is not exhaustive.

1. Grade A - C passes in GCE ‘O’Level Mathematics and English,
2. Grades I - V passes in CAPE Mathematics and English,
3. Passes in Level-1Mathematics and English courses offered by UWI,
4. Passes (at the UWI Level-1 equivalent) in Mathematics and English from a tertiary level institution recognized for normal matriculation at UWI, and
5. A tertiary level qualification from UWI or from a tertiary level institution recognized for normal matriculation at UWI.

 

Academic Preparation

Prior to the start of the programme all new participants must take part in an orientation programme held in August of an academic year.  This orientation introduces learners to online study and prepares them for the demands of a UWI Open Campus Associate Degree programme.

OOL1001     Orientation to Online Learning

IYSS1001     Improving Your Study Skills