Shape Your Future
Agastya Sharma, Molecular Genetics & Microbiology PhD
“The I&E classes I’ve taken are nothing like my PhD classes—I&E is hands-on and a lot of project-based learning."
Jeffrey Allen, Biology PhD
“Interacting with people from different backgrounds is very valuable—it helped me learn the important skill of translating complex science into market opportunities.”
Sinja Kueppers, Classical Studies PhD
“I’m interested in questions of social equity and innovation and wanted to learn more about the fundamentals of business and open design thinking.”
This experiential Certificate program pairs with your primary degree to let aspiring innovators, entrepreneurs, and founders from across Duke’s graduate and professional programs gain the skills and mindset to turn ideas into reality.
Build business Skills
Gain foundational business, leadership, and communication skills to support your future career in industry or academia.
Supercharge Your Network
Interdisciplinary courses let you benefit from diverse teammates' and faculty's backgrounds in engineering, business, medicine, and beyond.
Take It to Market
Learn what it takes to start a company, commercialize a technology, or innovate within a larger organization.
Make an Impact
In experiential, collaborative courses, you’ll develop innovative solutions based on your chosen fields of study or areas of interest and then turn those innovations into actionable ideas that impact society.
What’s Involved?
To complete the certificate, students take three courses plus a 1 credit seminar by the time they graduate from their primary degree program.
Build Your Business Foundation
I&E 800: Business and Organizational Fundamentals for Entrepreneurial Action
Learn the essentials of organizational structures, leadership, accounting, and finance.
Tell Your Story
I&E 745: Narrative Design Seminar
Develop your communication and presentation skills to make the best case for yourself and your ideas across audiences.
Customize Your Certificate
Choose two elective courses
Select courses that complement your personal and professional goals.
Eligibility
The Certificate is open to all graduate and professional students enrolled in a full time, in-person program at Duke University that allows elective courses. Students enrolled in online or hybrid programs are not eligible for the Certificate at this time.
The Certificate can be completed in one year, or over several years, and at no additional tuition cost. Students must complete the certificate by the time they graduate from their primary academic program.
Application
Before applying, please be sure you understand the Certificate requirements and you have room in your schedule to complete the Certificate prior to graduating.
Applications are processed on a rolling basis during the following application periods:
- Spring Enrollment: November 12, 2024 - March 23, 2025
Students must apply for the Certificate by the deadline that occurs in the term before the semester they plan to graduate. For example, if you plan to graduate in December, you must apply by the March deadline. If you plan to graduate in May, you must apply by the October deadline.
Once your application is processed, the Certificate will appear on your record in DukeHub and on your official Duke Graduate School transcript.
General inquiries – certificate-entrepreneurship@duke.edu
Please contact your primary academic coordinator to determine how the I&E Certificate can work with your degree program’s requirements.