Center FAQ
Tuck is uniquely positioned to support aspiring entrepreneurs—whether they want to found or join a startup—given our tight-knit community and focus on creating well-rounded leaders.
The six Centers at Tuck forge pathways of learning and application for our MBA students. Centers provide a diverse set of experiences, opportunities, engagement, and experiential learning both on and off campus through a suite of courses, programs, and offerings with faculty, staff, practitioners, alumni, and community members. While there are six individual Centers, our cross-center opportunities and collaboration provide even more ways to engage across many of our programs. While at Tuck, you are encouraged to take advantage of any of our individual or cross-Center opportunities to truly customize your learning and experience.
We've included below answers to some of the questions we receive from prospective and current students, including questions that are relevant to all of the Centers at Tuck.
Questions About the Center for Entrepreneurship
- How many courses do I need to take to major in Entrepreneurship?
Students at Tuck receive a general MBA. Centers provide opportunities for you to customize your time and learnings while at Tuck but we do not offer a designated degree in entrepreneurship.
- If I start a company while at Tuck, how much equity does the school keep?
Tuck does not take equity in your company. Note, if you are developing a technology which was developed at Dartmouth, you will be working with the Technology Transfer Office on any commercialization of that technology.
- How can I get into the Tuck Startup Incubator?
There is an application process before the start of each term. As a base, deep customer discovery must be completed. This is often done as part of either Entrepreneurial Thinking or an eFYP, but can be done independently.
View Center opportunities for students - What opportunities does the Center for Entrepreneurship offer students to customize their learning experience while at Tuck?
From elective courses and Entrepreneurship First Year Projects to the Center’s Startup Incubator and other co-curricular events and programs, Tuck students can individualize their program of study based on their own interests.
Questions About Tuck's Centers
- Are Centers the equivalent of a "major" at Tuck?
No, majors aren’t part of the Tuck MBA curriculum, but Centers do offer students a unique opportunity to personalize their Tuck experience and create their own unique career pathway—no previous experience required.
Centers often work in tandem as their fields of focus are multidisciplinary. For example, if you’re interested in autonomous vehicles, becoming involved with both the Revers Center for Energy and the Center for Digital Strategies could be useful. Centers also offer fellowship opportunities for students who wish to work even more closely with a particular Center (or Centers) throughout their second year at Tuck. Involvement with a center usually begins with interest or experience in that topic and flourishes from there.
- Do I have to be accepted or choose a Center to work with at Tuck?
The Centers are resources you can consult for industry-specific exploration but you do not have to be accepted or formally enroll with them. Each Center operates independently but they often co-sponsor events and speakers. You can attend a talk by a speaker, join a workshop, or attend an industry trek organized by a Center to tailor your specific pathway without getting formally involved. Many students will self-identify with a Center in one way or another but not always exclusively and through a variety of different opportunities.
- How does a Center differ from a student club?
Centers at Tuck serve the entire Tuck community of students, faculty, and alumni. Tuck student clubs are led by students, for students. Their focus ranges from career support clubs to cultural affinity groups to volunteering in the local community. Each student club offers a distinct set of benefits and opportunities to those students who elect to join. Centers partner closely with the clubs to build community and offerings on campus.
- Do I need to apply or interview separately for this program?
There are some Center programs, such as the fellows programs, that include an application process for selection. However, every Center offers a range of programming that is non-selective and available to all Tuck students.
“ The Tuck Startup Incubator has been the top experience I’ve had at Tuck. It’s an incredible opportunity to apply the core concepts from the classroom in real-world situations and an extremely good networking opportunity. In addition to guiding you through the process of building a venture-backed business, the Center constantly facilitates connections with investors, legal support, and industry experts. The weekly meetings are a great avenue to work through the challenges I’m facing while running my business. The one-on-one coaching from Daniella Reichstetter, Jim Feuille, and Trip Davis, as well as many others, helped me grow my company from a few people with a prototype to a 10-person business during my first year at Tuck. "
Robert Sewell T'21 | Founder, VesprSolar