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Who is eligible to apply?
The undergraduate I&E Certificate is open to undergraduate students currently enrolled at Duke University and is earned upon graduation in conjunction with their major degree. Second-semester first-years, sophomores, and first-semester juniors are eligible to apply. Students may apply as early as the spring semester of their freshman year. The deadline to apply is the end of the drop/add period in the fall semester of a student’s junior year.
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When are the application deadlines?
Deadlines for 2022
February 14, 2022 – first years and sophomores
March 23, 2022 – first years and sophomores
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When should I apply?
You are encouraged to apply as soon as you are eligible and feel ready to complete the application. The benefits of applying earlier are that you will have a longer period of time over which to complete the requirements and you will have earlier access to the advising and enrichment opportunities that accompany the program.
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Do you reject any students from the Certificate?
No, students are not rejected or denied from the Certificate. At each application deadline, we review all submitted applications. If you have sufficiently answered all questions and clearly articulated your Certificate plan, we will send you an acceptance confirmation. If we have questions about your application, we will return it to you and request additional information and offer to meet. If your application is returned, you will not need to reapply; rather, you will simply need to address the questions we have. We are here to help you be successful in creating your own Certificate pathway and learning goals.
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Is there a limit to the number of students you admit to the program?
There is no limit to the number of students we will admit to the program. The I&E Certificate is available to all eligible Duke undergraduates who, through their application, demonstrate a good fit with the program and can put together a cohesive and thoughtful pathway through the requirements. If there is any concern about a student’s application, the student will be counseled to determine if the I&E Certificate is the right fit for their Duke experience.
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How do the course and experience requirements work with those of my major, minor, or other certificate program?
No more than one course and one experience that is used to satisfy the requirements of any major, minor, or other certificate program may count toward the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Certificate.
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WHAT IF I DON’T YET KNOW WHAT I WANT MY PATHWAY TO BE, OR NONE OF THE PATHWAYS ALIGN WITH MY INTERESTS?
You should apply to the Certificate with a clear set of your goals for the program as well as a general interest area you would like to focus on through your coursework and experiences (e.g., technology, energy, social innovation, etc.). The self-designed pathway enables you to shape your Certificate in whatever way best serves your interests and goals and also allows your plan to evolve.
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What other resources or opportunities are open to me as part of the program?
As a member of the I&E Certificate program, you will become part of a community of Duke students dedicated to innovation and entrepreneurship. Certificate students will also have individual advising as well as special access to workshops, speakers, mentorship, and networking opportunities.
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Do I need to know what my specific experiences will be when I apply?
You do not need to know what your specific experiences will be at the time you apply to the I&E Certificate. However, you should be able to broadly identify the type of experiences you want to undertake as part of the certificate, and justify why they are a good fit for your overall pathway through the program.
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May I change my plan for my courses and experiences after I am accepted into the program?
You may change the selection and timing of your courses and experiences after you are accepted into the program. We understand that your plan may evolve as you progress through your undergraduate career and accumulate more experience. Regardless, the courses and experiences you end up completing must together form a cohesive pathway and coherent story.
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I have already taken one of the electives prior to applying. Will it count toward my certificate requirements?
Yes. If you complete one of the approved Gateway Elective courses, it will count toward your certificate requirements, regardless of when it was taken.
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I have found an elective I want to take for the certificate that is not on the approved list. Will it count toward the certificate?
Once you are enrolled in the Certificate, you can request that a course be approved to meet the Certificate elective requirement; there is a form on our
Current Students page to guide you in this process. We review submitted courses for their relation to I&E, as well as how they support a student’s individual learning goals and pathway.
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I have already completed a relevant experience prior to applying. Will it count toward my certificate requirements?
The experiences should occur within the context of the undergraduate career and be aligned with your area of focus. Because the e-portfolio is intended to capture your experiences in real time and be a vehicle for reflection as you progress through the certificate, your experiences will be better maximized if you are part of the program when undertaking them. However, if you believe your case warrants an exception, please provide justification for this on the application in the relevant text box for describing your anticipated experience. Upon admission to the program, you will then need to complete an experience proposal in order to get official approval. At most, the program will be able to accept one experience that was completed prior to starting the program.
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How do I know if an experience I identify will count toward the certificate?
After you are admitted into the program, you will fill out a form that will be used to determine if an experience meets the criteria for the certificate. The general criteria for an experience are that it is hands-on and practical, is innovative and entrepreneurial in some way (meaning at some level, you are helping identify and solve problems), and helps further your individual objective(s) for completing the certificate.
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Will courses, internships, or independent studies I have taken that count toward the requirements of my major/minor/certificate also count toward the I&E certificate?
One course and one experience used to satisfy the requirements of your major, minor, or other certificate program may “double count” toward the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Certificate.
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Do the experiences have to be completed over the summer?
The experiences are not time-bound. You may choose to do them at any time and over any period of time, as long as they meet the minimum hour requirements and are both completed prior to taking the Capstone.
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What are the requirements of the portfolio?
After you are admitted into the program, you will be provided a comprehensive set of guidelines for completing the portfolio. This will provide clear instructions for everything from how to set up your portfolio to the specific content that it should contain and how it is assessed.
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May I earn both the Markets & Management and the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Certificate?
No. You may earn either the I&E Certificate or M&M Certificate.
