Honors Thesis Pathways

Founders Lab is a 2-semester (6 credit) thesis pathway, hosted by the Center for Entrepreneurship & New Business Design at the W. P. Carey School of Business, designed to empower Barrett students to gain entrepreneurial confidence as they develop critical thinking, business writing, and communication skills by pursuing the launch of a new venture. This untraditional academic experience focuses on empowering students to engage with a specific opportunity, identify a distinct audience, and provide something of real value (that your target audience will exchange value to obtain).

Open to students of all majors, this year-long intensive program begins in the fall and continues through the spring semester. Applications are accepted each spring for fall admission. Due to the intensity of the program, students are strongly encouraged to carefully consider the time and commitment required before applying.

Program Logistics

• Approximately 100 students, in teams ranging from 1-5 participants, will design and launch a new user-centric venture, culminating in a semester 2 defense.
• Students who complete the required work will earn 3 credits (WPC 492) for semester one, and 3 credits (WPC 493) in semester two.
• Second committee members will be provided, and students will submit their prospectus during their first semester in this thesis pathway.
• Students are expected to fully commit and actively participate throughout both the fall and spring semesters.

To apply for participation, complete this application form. Participants will be accepted on a rolling basis.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to the Director of the W. P. Carey Center for Entrepreneurship, Jared Byrne.

Join one of Barrett's most sought-after thesis programs! The Women's Power & Influence Index team at The Difference Engine is accepting applications for our fourth cohort in this two-year pathway.

Year 1: Join as a junior researcher helping expand the nation's most comprehensive measure of workplace fairness. Year 2: Step into a leadership role while completing your honors thesis with built-in mentorship.

What You'll Experience:

• Work directly with corporate executives
• Present at national conferences
• Travel to Los Angeles for special events
• Join a community of 20+ Barrett's alumni who've graduated from this program

Open to juniors from all majors who want to make workplace equality more transparent and measurable. WPI graduates have gone on to present at ASU DataCon, work with executives from American Express and Intel, and help transform how companies approach equality.

Spots are highly competitive! Apply to join the Fall 2025 cohort.