Course coordinator
Dr Jonathan Staggs
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Business School
This course is designed to introduce students to foundational principles of entrepreneurship and the different contexts in which these principles can be applied. The course covers the core principles of entrepreneurship, including value propositions, business models, effectuation, decision making under uncertainty and business planning as well as different applications of these principles. Course assessment focuses on explaining core principles and applying these principles to cases. The core set of knowledge and skills that are the focus of this course form the necessary foundation for excelling in the applied nature of subsequent courses.
Foundations of Entrepreneurship is an introductory course intended to give students a solid understanding of the process of new venture creation. The course draws on current insights in the field of entrepreneurship to provide a framework for understanding how to identify, create, evaluate and execute entrepreneurial opportunities. The course focuses on identifying actionable business opportunities and their underlying business models. Topics include entrepreneurial teams, design thinking and ideation, business models and pitching. The course aims to provide theoretical insight and practical knowledge about the new venture creation process and foster an entrepreneurial mindset in students. The teaching approach is based on the principles of experiential learning.ﾠStudents are expected to read and prepare materials in advance so they can actively participate in lectures and tutorials.
Course requirements
Assumed background
This is an introductory course. There are no prerequisiteﾠcourses.
Course contact
Lecturer
Dr Jonathan Staggs
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Timetables are available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Please note: Teaching staff doﾠnotﾠhave access to the timetabling system to help with class allocation. Therefore, should you need help with your timetable and/or allocation of classes, please ensure you emailﾠbusiness.mytimetable@uq.edu.auﾠfrom your UQ student email account with the following details:
- Full name,
- Student ID, and
- the Course Code
Aims and outcomes
This course aims to develop an entrepreneurial mindset in students and to equip them with the knowledge and skills to act on their entrepreneurial aspirations. In doing so, this course provides students with an understanding of the foundational principles of entrepreneurship with a focus on understanding how to develop ideas that have the potential to succeed in the market.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Develop foundational knowledge in the area of entrepreneurship.
LO2.
Understand how to develop and evaluate actionable business opportunities, including how to identify, create, evaluate and bring to market such opportunities as an effective contributor to a startup team.
LO3.
Create viable and innovative Business Models to action entrepreneurial opportunities.
LO4.
Critically reflect how knowledge is created in the startup process.
LO5.
Recognise the inherent risks and uncertainties in the process of new venture creation.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Practical/ Demonstration |
Understanding the customer problem
|
30% |
4/04/2025 1:00 pm |
| Presentation, Poster |
Developing a Business Opportunity Pitch & Journey
|
40% |
24/05/2025 8:00 am |
| Examination |
Reflecting Upon the Theory and Practice of Entrepreneurship
|
30% |
End of Semester Exam Period 7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025 |
Assessment details
Understanding the customer problem
- Mode
- Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia, Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Practical/ Demonstration
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
4/04/2025 1:00 pm
- Other conditions
- Student specific.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02
Task description
Assignment: Understanding the customer problem
Understanding the customer problem is crucial in entrepreneurship as it helps to ensure that the entrepreneurial venture:
- is solving a pressing problem where customers are willing to pay for a solution. Understanding the customer problem helps startups validate if their product is solving a real problem and if there is a market for it. If a startup has a deep understanding of the customer problem, it can create a product or service that truly addresses their needs, which will result in better customer satisfaction and ultimately drive revenue.
- has a deep understanding of the problem they are trying to solve. Understanding the customer problem provides valuable insights into the customer's pain points and how they view the problem. This information can be used as a starting point for creating a unique value proposition and a proposed solution.
This assignment requires you to develop a 1200-word explanation of a customer problem and a tentative solution to this problem. This explanation of your customer problem should be based on customer discovery interviews which should aim to unearth unique information about the customer/ client. The assignment requires individual students to collect primary data through two (2) 15-,minute customer discovery in-depth interviews. These 15-minute interviews should be conducted with cameras on within Zoom or Teams (using UQ student account). The recording and transcript of the interviews as well as a written submission should provide a summary of insights obtained in the interviews. A template will be provided in Blackboard.
AI Statement:
Students are not allowed to to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the preparation or delivery of this assessment task.
Submission guidelines
Via Blackboard
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Developing a Business Opportunity Pitch & Journey
- Team or group-based
- Mode
- Oral, Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia
- Category
- Presentation, Poster
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
24/05/2025 8:00 am
- Other conditions
- Peer assessed.
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L03
Task description
Developing a business opportunity in the form of a Business Opportunity Pitch- TIMS1301 Pitch Day.
In teams of six (6), students are required to work towards developing and investigating a business opportunity that solves a customer problem and demonstrates inclusive entrepreneurship. The assessment takes the form of a pitch presentation e.g. Powerpoint to be delivered on campus (Terrace Room, Sir Llew Edwards building) on the Saturday at the end of Week 11.
The team should present a Powerpoint presentation and a fully-completed Business Model Canvas as a poster/handout to explain to an investor the journey taken to develop this business opportunity.
Students' teams are expected to enrol into and present at one (1) of three (3) 2-hour sessions held on Saturday, 17th may. A Padlet will be provided in the Assessment folder to facilitate sign-up. The presentation sequence will be decided on the day. Each member of the team is expected to be in attendance as each individual student will be assessed on their verbal and non-verbal communication during the pitch and in the Q&A.
Full details of the assignment, including pitch duration, will be provided on Blackboard. Course workshops will actively support the development of this assignment so students are strongly encouraged to make workshop attendance a top priority.
Please Note: The presentation will be recorded for marking purposes per UQ Policy.
AI Statement:
Students are not allowed to to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the preparation or delivery of this assessment task.
Submission guidelines
Student teams will be expected to upload their presentation slides by 8am on the Pitch Day. A link will be made available via Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Extensions or deferrals are not available for this presentation due to availability of industry experts. An extension may be available for the submitted material only.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
10% Late Penalty applies to submitted material only. Late submissions are not accepted for in-class presentations. Failure to present at the scheduled time will result in a mark of zero for the presentation portion of this assessment.
Reflecting Upon the Theory and Practice of Entrepreneurship
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025
- Learning outcomes
- L04, L05
Task description
Over the course of the semester, students will be expected to engage in entrepreneurial processes, to use concepts and theories that support ideation, and to develop an entrepreneurial mindset that can respond to setbacks and challenges. At the end of the semester, students will be asked to sit an examination and demonstrate their understanding of the theory of entrepreneurship as well as the practical nature of their own entrepreneurial journey in the course. More details will be provided in class.
AI Statement:
Students are not allowed to to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the preparation or delivery of this assessment task.
Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - specified written materials permitted |
| Materials | One A4 sheet of handwritten notes, double sided, is permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 29 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30 - 46 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 47 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
Grades will be allocated according to University-wide standards of criterion-based assessment.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 |
Lecture |
What is Entrepreneurship? - How entrepreneurs are different from managers How start-ups are different to other organisations Learning outcomes: L01 |
Week 2 |
Workshop |
Introduction to Entrepreneurship Learning outcomes: L01 |
Lecture |
Building High Performing Entrepreneurial Teams - Advantages of being a team Learning outcomes: L01 |
|
Week 3 |
Workshop |
Building High Performing Entrepreneurial Teams This week students are encouraged to make a team around some shared core interests in entrepreneurship Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Lecture |
Developing an Entrepreneurial Mindset Introduction to effectuation, ideation, and design thinking Learning outcomes: L01, L04, L05 |
|
Week 4 |
Workshop |
Developing an Entrepreneurial Mindset Effectuation, Ideation, and Design Thinking Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
Lecture |
Customer Discovery - Sources of customer value Learning outcomes: L02, L04 |
|
Week 5 |
Workshop |
Customer Discovery - Introduction to the 9 sources of customer value Learning outcomes: L02 |
Lecture |
Creating Ideas with Potential - Ideas and opportunities Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Week 6 |
Workshop |
Creating Ideas with Potential - Ideas and opportunities - Defining the entrepreneurial opportunity - Market and technology trends Learning outcomes: L03 |
Lecture |
Business Models & Multi-sided Platforms Exploring the different ways to deliver value Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
|
Week 7 |
Workshop |
Business Models & Multi-sided Platforms Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
Lecture |
Lean Startup Approach Minimal Viable Products and Product market fit. Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L05 |
|
Week 8 |
Workshop |
Minimal Viable Products and Multi-Sided Platforms Lean start-up (MVP), ideas with potential, and the intermediary role of a new venture. Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
Mid-sem break |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
In-Semester Break No scheduled classes this week |
Week 9 |
Workshop |
Customer Discovery and Lean Start -up Students are encouraged to use the workshop to appraise their in-depth customer discovery interviews and collate key emerging insights to develop a lean start up Learning outcomes: L01, L03 |
Lecture |
Organisational Support & Financing Focus on capturing value Different forms of financing Bootstrapping Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L05 |
|
Week 10 |
Workshop |
Organizational Support and Financing Focus on capturing value and bootstrapping Due to the King's Birthday public holiday, Monday students are encouraged to attend an alternative workshop helpd on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Learning outcomes: L02, L03 |
Lecture |
Building Legitimacy & Pitching - Creating the narrative Learning outcomes: L01 |
|
Week 11 |
Workshop |
Pitch Finalisation The workshops are aimed to finalise their pitch presentations and select who in their team will deliver their elevation pitch according to pitching concepts Learning outcomes: L02 |
Lecture |
Entrepreneurship and Ethics Exploring ethical dilemmas in entrepreneurship including Indigenous perspectives on entrepreneurship Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L05 |
|
Week 12 |
Workshop |
Entrepreneurship and Ethics Learning outcomes: L01, L05 |
Lecture |
Research trends in entrepreneurship Come to the lecture to learn about the world of entrepreneurship research and how this connects with practice of entrepreneurship Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
|
Week 13 |
Workshop |
Synthesising practical and conceptual approaches to entrepreneurship Students are encouraged to come to the workshops to help prepare for their final assessment which will require both practical and theoretical approaches to entrepreneurship Learning outcomes: L01, L04 |
Lecture |
Course overview This lecture will provide an overview of the course from a theoretical, practical and philosophical perspective Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.