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Printed on 5/16/2025

Small Business Entrepreneurship

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10-145-1 Associate Degree (AAS) Part Time, Full Time 61 Credits Financial Aid Eligible Locations*: Appleton, Online

*If general education courses are required, they may be available at multiple locations.

Investigate the relationship between entrepreneurial thinking and opportunity, and learn how to turn that creative spark into a new business venture. You’ll learn the marketing, accounting and finance, customer service and human resource skills needed to start and grow your own successful business. A mentorship with local business owners will help you practice and hone your skills in a real-world business environment. Graduates find employment with existing firms as managers of enterprises or choose to start their own businesses.

COURSE LIST

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Course list for reference only. Current students please refer to your individualized program plan or see your advisor.
**Outside effort hours are an estimate based on state standards, and may vary from person to person.

    Technical Studies (43 Credits)

    Course Title
    Course Number
    Credits
    Instructional Hours
    Outside Effort Hours**
    Early College Credit Options
    Prior Learning Credit Eligibility
  • QuickBooks Accounting Online
    10-101-104
    2Credit
    72
    36

    • Instructional Hours: 72
    • Outside Effort Hours: 36
    • Course Number: 10101104
    • Credits: 2.00

    Lays the foundation for students to gain experience using QuickBooks Pro. Students practice creating a company using a chart of accounts, creating vendors and customers, demo payroll, record transactions, and generate and use financial reports. Being familiar with Windows, business experience or completion of an accounting course is helpful. Upon completion of this course, students are eligible to take the QuickBooks Certification exam.

    Coreq: Student has completed or is simultaneously enrolling in ANY of the following options:

    • ACCTG 10101107 - Accounting, Principles of

    • ACCTG 10101180 - Financial Accounting 1

    • Student is in progress in Office Coordinator (31-106-3) Program of Study

    • Student is not in progress in an Associate Degree, Apprenticeship, or Technical Diploma (31 or 32 level)
  • Financial Accounting 1
    10-101-180
    4Credit
    81
    135
    N/A

    • Instructional Hours: 81
    • Outside Effort Hours: 135
    • Course Number: 10101180
    • Credits: 4.00

    Prepares students to analyze, record, summarize and interpret accounting information. The course focuses on business transactions, financial statements, merchandising, inventory, special journals, internal controls, receivables, plant assets and payroll.

  • Payroll
    10-101-194
    2Credit
    45
    63

    • Instructional Hours: 45
    • Outside Effort Hours: 63
    • Course Number: 10101194
    • Credits: 2.00

    Presents payroll calculation and preparation of payroll. Topics include federal and state laws, calculation and payment of payroll taxes, completion of government forms. Proficiency with electronic calculators is recommended.

    Coreq: Student has completed or is simultaneously enrolling in ANY of the following options:

    • ACCTG 10101180 - Financial Accounting 1

    • Student is in progress in Human Resources (10-116-1) Program of Study

    • Student is not in progress in Associate Degree, Apprenticeship, or Technical Diploma (31 or 32 level)
  • Business Law 1
    10-102-103
    3Credit
    54
    108
    N/A

    • Instructional Hours: 54
    • Outside Effort Hours: 108
    • Course Number: 10102103
    • Credits: 3.00

    Introduces legal principles and standard business law concepts and their implications for business. It emphasizes contracts, sales, commercial paper, bailment, agency and real property, with references to the Uniform Commercial Code and recent consumer legislation.

  • Microsoft Office
    10-103-120
    2Credit
    54
    54

    • Instructional Hours: 54
    • Outside Effort Hours: 54
    • Course Number: 10103120
    • Credits: 2.00

    Gain technical skills employers are seeking, through hands-on coursework, using the features in Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. 

  • Sales Principles
    10-104-117
    3Credit
    54
    108
    N/A

    • Instructional Hours: 54
    • Outside Effort Hours: 108
    • Course Number: 10104117
    • Credits: 3.00

    Introduces and teaches the skills used by sales and marketing professionals to succeed in their careers. It includes concepts relating to customer relationship development, creating valuable business solutions, and professional sales behaviors. Explores written, verbal, and nonverbal communication best practices. Introduces the sales process and how it can be used to promote ideas in the work place.

  • Principles of Marketing
    10-104-151
    3Credit
    54
    108

    • Instructional Hours: 54
    • Outside Effort Hours: 108
    • Course Number: 10104151
    • Credits: 3.00

    Introduces students to the marketing function and process. Techniques for analyzing the marketing environment and understanding customers' needs and wants are explored. Students apply marketing principles to select target markets, develop positioning and create marketing programs to serve markets. Topics include product management and development, pricing, distribution and promotion strategies.

  • Human Resources, Introduction to
    10-116-193
    3Credit
    54
    108

    • Instructional Hours: 54
    • Outside Effort Hours: 108
    • Course Number: 10116193
    • Credits: 3.00

    Covers human resources planning and processes. Topics include human resource development, employee selection, performance appraisals, compensation, training, labor relations, motivation, teamwork and introduces employment related laws.

    Coreq: Student has completed or is simultaneously enrolling in ALL of the following:

    • CAREER 10890100 - College Success: On Course

    • Student is in progress in Human Resources (10-116-1) Program of Study
  • Entrepreneurship, Introduction to
    10-145-104
    3Credit
    54
    108

    • Instructional Hours: 54
    • Outside Effort Hours: 108
    • Course Number: 10145104
    • Credits: 3.00

    Provides students with opportunities to investigate, understand and apply the process of choosing entrepreneurship as a career path. Explores the entrepreneurial experience by focusing on an awareness of entrepreneurship, opportunity recognition, business concept development and preliminary feasibility testing. Students gain the knowledge, skills, concepts and strategies relevant for start-up and early-stage entrepreneurs. The practical hands-on approach encourages students to immerse themselves in the entrepreneurial experience.

  • Small Business Management
    10-145-105
    3Credit
    54
    108
    N/A

    • Instructional Hours: 54
    • Outside Effort Hours: 108
    • Course Number: 10145105
    • Credits: 3.00

    Focuses on the knowledge and insights needed to lead and manage a small business including managing small business operations, building a team, choosing a location, risk management, product development & supply chain management, financial forecasting, and growth strategies. The course is designed for those who may eventually have their own business or who desire to upgrade their skills in their present business.

  • Building Your Business Model
    10-145-107
    2Credit
    36
    72
    N/A

    • Instructional Hours: 36
    • Outside Effort Hours: 72
    • Course Number: 10145107
    • Credits: 2.00

    Evaluating and modeling potential new business ventures is the focus of this course. Students will explore and map how a business intends to make money through the four main areas of a business: customers, offer, infrastructure, and financial viability. Through a hands-on, experiential approach students gain a better understanding of how to transform a start-up into a repeatable and scalable business venture.

  • Business Start-up & Launch Experience
    10-145-108
    3Credit
    54
    108
    N/A

    • Instructional Hours: 54
    • Outside Effort Hours: 108
    • Course Number: 10145108
    • Credits: 3.00

    Create and launch a business start-up as a capstone to your entrepreneurship studies. In the Business Start-up & Launch Experience course the student will work one-on-one with the Instructor and a local business mentor to finalize their business model and open a revenue producing venture. This course is an alternate to the Business Management Internship course.

    Prereq: Student has completed or is in process of completing ALL of the following:

    • BUSINESS 10145104 - Entrepreneurship Introduction

    • BUSINESS 10145107 - Building Your Business Model
  • Small Business Mentorship
    10-145-109
    1Credit
    18
    36
    N/A

    • Instructional Hours: 18
    • Outside Effort Hours: 36
    • Course Number: 10145109
    • Credits: 1.00

    Engages entrepreneurial students one-on-one with a small business owner to learn the process of entrepreneurship and experience small business ownership. This supervised mentorship exposes students to real-world small business situations related to their passion, and helps them develop the knowledge and confidence to be a successful future small business owner.

    Prereq: Student has completed or is in process of completing ALL of the following:

    • BUSINESS 10145104 - Entrepreneurship Introduction
  • Entrepreneurial Thinking
    10-145-115
    3Credit
    54
    108
    N/A

    • Instructional Hours: 54
    • Outside Effort Hours: 108
    • Course Number: 10145115
    • Credits: 3.00

    Engages participants in fundamental aspects of an entrepreneurial mindset as an essential life skill. Course draws upon concepts of entrepreneurial thought/process, and features real-world unlikely entrepreneurs who overcame challenges by embracing an entrepreneurial mindset. Experiential learning is obtained through identifying problems, finding solutions, and making connections beyond the classroom.

  • Financial Intelligence for Entrepreneurs
    10-145-116
    3Credit
    54
    108
    N/A

    • Instructional Hours: 54
    • Outside Effort Hours: 108
    • Course Number: 10145116
    • Credits: 3.00

    Targets prospective and existing entrepreneurs who are not financial managers. Its objective is to help entrepreneurs understand the fundamentals of financial management and analysis that will enable them to better manage the financial resources of their business.

    Prereq: Student has completed or is in process of completing ALL of the following:

    • BUSINESS 10145104 - Entrepreneurship Introduction
  • Supervision
    10-196-191
    3Credit
    54
    108

    • Instructional Hours: 54
    • Outside Effort Hours: 108
    • Course Number: 10196191
    • Credits: 3.00

    Uses a practical approach to training people in the basics of supervision and management. This course emphasizes the application of theory and covers management functions, the skills needed to perform those functions, the history of management, contemporary management trends, ethics, communication and total quality management.

    General Studies (15 Credits)

    Course Title
    Course Number
    Credits
    Instructional Hours
    Outside Effort Hours**
    Early College Credit Options
    Prior Learning Credit Eligibility
  • Written Communication
    10-801-195
    3Credit
    54
    108

    • Instructional Hours: 54
    • Outside Effort Hours: 108
    • Course Number: 10801195
    • Credits: 3.00

    Develops writing skills which include prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing. A variety of writing assignments are designed to help the learner analyze audience and purpose, research and organize ideas, and format and design documents based on subject matter and content. Also develops critical reading and thinking skills through the analysis of a variety of written documents.

    Prereq: Student has completed or is in process of completing ALL of the following:

    OR ALL of the following:

    • Student is not in progress in Associate Degree, Apprenticeship, or Technical Diploma (31 or 32 level)
  • Oral/Interpersonal Comm
    10-801-196
    3Credit
    54
    108

    • Instructional Hours: 54
    • Outside Effort Hours: 108
    • Course Number: 10801196
    • Credits: 3.00

    Focuses on developing effective listening techniques and verbal and nonverbal communication skills through oral presentation, group activity, and other projects. The study of self, conflict, and cultural contexts will be explored, as well as their impact on communication.

    Prereq: Student has completed or is in process of completing ALL of the following:

    OR ALL of the following:

    • Student is not in progress in Associate Degree, Apprenticeship, or Technical Diploma (31 or 32 level)
  • Math w Business Apps
    10-804-123
    3Credit
    54
    108

    • Instructional Hours: 54
    • Outside Effort Hours: 108
    • Course Number: 10804123
    • Credits: 3.00

    This course integrates algebraic concepts, proportions, percents, simple interest, compound interest, annuities, and basic statistics with business/consumer scenarios. It also applies math concepts to the purchasing/buying and selling processes.

    Prereq: Student has completed or is in process of completing ANY of the following options:

    • Accuplacer Arithmetic 250+ OR HS GPA 2.75+ OR ACT Math 16+ OR Arithmetic Level 1 Coursework

    • Student is not in progress in Associate Degree, Apprenticeship, or Technical Diploma (31 or 32 level)
  • Economics
    10-809-195
    3Credit
    54
    108

    • Instructional Hours: 54
    • Outside Effort Hours: 108
    • Course Number: 10809195
    • Credits: 3.00

    This course is designed to give an overview of microeconomics, macroeconomics, and international economics. Concepts include scarcity, resources, alternative economic systems, growth, supply and demand, monetary and fiscal policy, inflation, unemployment and global economic issues.

    Prereq: Student has completed or is in process of completing ALL of the following:

    OR ALL of the following:

    • Student is not in progress in Associate Degree, Apprenticeship, or Technical Diploma (31 or 32 level)
  • Intro to Psychology
    10-809-198
    3Credit
    54
    108

    • Instructional Hours: 54
    • Outside Effort Hours: 108
    • Course Number: 10809198
    • Credits: 3.00

    This science of psychology course is a survey of multiple aspects of behavior and mental processes. It provides an overview of topics such as research methods, theoretical perspectives, learning, cognition, memory, motivation, emotions, personality, abnormal psychology, physiological factors, social influences, and development.

    Prereq: Student has completed or is in process of completing ALL of the following:

    OR ALL of the following:

    • Student is not in progress in Associate Degree, Apprenticeship, or Technical Diploma (31 or 32 level)
×

Expected Competencies

For more information visit our Credit For Prior Learning page.
×

Eligible Dual Credit Course

What is Dual Credit?

FVTC courses taught at the high school by certified high school teachers. These teachers receive mentorship from FVTC faculty to ensure alignment in competencies, curriculum, and assessments.


  • Students earn both high school and college credits, with grades applying to both transcripts.
  • There is no cost to the school district or family.
  • Dual Credit course availability varies by high school based on factors such as lab space, equipment, and teacher qualifications.

Process:

As part of the annual course planning, students and families should meet with their High School Guidance Counselor to discuss future college and career goals. This conversation will help identify Dual Credit courses that best align with specific pathways.

×

Recommended Start College Now Course

What is Start College Now?

Qualified public-school juniors and seniors may enroll in college level classes at FVTC or online, if a comparable course is not offered within their district.

Student Eligibility Requirements:

  • Must have parent/guardian approval.
  • Must meet all course entry requirements.
  • Must be in good academic standing with an acceptable disciplinary record.

Application Process:

Interested students should consult their High School Guidance Counselor to explore course options and complete a “Start College Now” application. Applications must be submitted to High School Counselors by March 1st for fall courses and October 1st for spring courses. If approved by the school board, the cost is covered by the high school.

×

Eligible Dual Credit & Recommended Start College Now Course:

What is Dual Credit?

FVTC courses taught at the high school by certified high school teachers. These teachers receive mentorship from FVTC faculty to ensure alignment in competencies, curriculum, and assessments.

  • Students earn both high school and college credits, with grades applying to both transcripts.
  • There is no cost to the school district or family.

**Dual Credit course availability varies by high school based on factors such as lab space, equipment, and teacher qualifications.

What is Start College Now?

Qualified public-school juniors and seniors may enroll in college level classes at FVTC or online, if a comparable course is not offered within their district.

Student Eligibility Requirements:

  • Must have parent/guardian approval.
  • Must meet all course entry requirements.
  • Must be in good academic standing with an acceptable disciplinary record.

Application Process:

Interested students should consult their High School Guidance Counselor to explore course options and complete a “Start College Now” application. Applications must be submitted to High School Counselors by March 1st for fall courses and October 1st for spring courses. If approved by the school board, the cost is covered by the high school.

×

N/A

This course is not available for Dual Credit or Start College Now due to factors such as course rigor, necessary equipment, and prerequisite requirements.