Add entrepreneurial skills to your Waterloo degree
The Diploma in Business and Entrepreneurship (BEDip) is designed for undergraduate students who want to combine their disciplinary expertise with entrepreneurial thinking.
Whether you aspire to launch a venture, drive innovation within an organization, or develop the skills to bring ideas to life, the diploma provides practical business knowledge and hands-on entrepreneurial learning that complements any Waterloo degree.
Through courses offered by the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business, students learn how to identify opportunities, validate ideas, understand customers, and create meaningful impact in an increasingly innovation-driven world.
Entrepreneurship Beyond Startups
One common misconception is that entrepreneurship only means founding a company. Entrepreneurship isn't just about launching a startup.
Graduates apply entrepreneurial thinking in many ways:
- Creating new products and services
- Leading innovation projects
- Driving change within organizations
- Supporting social and environmental initiatives
- Building ventures and startups
- Pursuing entrepreneurial careers in industry, government, and the nonprofit sector
Who can take the BEDip?
The BEDip is open to students enrolled in degree programs or any non- or post-degree academic plan.
Whether you're studying engineering, science, health, environment, arts, or mathematics, the Diploma in Business and Entrepreneurship helps you complement your disciplinary expertise with entrepreneurial thinking and business acumen.
Why choose the BEDip?
Develop skills employers value and gain experience in:
- Opportunity recognition
- Innovation and design thinking
- Customer discovery
- Business model development
- Leadership and teamwork
- Venture creation and commercialization
- Communication and pitching
The BEDip is ideal for students who want to:
- Explore entrepreneurship without changing their major
- Develop business skills alongside a technical degree
- Build confidence in opportunity identification and problem-solving
- Learn how innovations move from idea to market
- Stand out to employers with entrepreneurial experience
Requirements
Minimum Average Required:
- A minimum cumulative diploma average of 70%.
Required Courses:
- Complete 2 additional BET courses
Exceptions to the requirements listed above require prior approval from the Conrad School's Associate Director of Undergraduate and Non-degree Programs.
Choose your entrepreneurial path
Add the Business Entrepreneurship Diploma, Minor in Entrepreneurship or Engineering Option in Entrepreneurship and addan entrepreneurial edge to your undergraduate degree at Waterloo.
Not sure which path is right for you? Connect with us!
Diploma in Business and Entrepreneurship
Minor in Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship Option in Engineering
Add business and entrepreneurial expertise to your degree.
For students who want a formal credential that develops practical business knowledge, innovation skills, and entrepreneurial thinking alongside their primary field of study.
- Build business fundamentals
- Complement any degree
- Earn a diploma credential
- Develop innovation and leadership skills
Go deeper into entrepreneurship and venture creation.
Designed for students who want extensive entrepreneurial training through a flexible pathway of BET courses and entrepreneurial experiences. The minor consists of eight courses and is open to students across most faculties.
- Eight-course specialization
- Flexible elective pathways
- Strong venture creation focus
- Open to most Waterloo faculties
Built specifically for engineers.
Engineering students combine six entrepreneurship courses with a hands-on entrepreneurial milestone, helping them move technical ideas from concept to commercial or social impact
- Designed for Engineering students
- Six courses plus experiential milestone
- Integrates with engineering studies
- Apply entrepreneurship to technical innovation