ETA Certificate Program

The Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) Certificate program offers an accelerated pathway from employee to business owner. Open to both degree and non-degree students, the ETA Certificate is ideal for those with established managerial or business experience looking to jumpstart their ETA journey.

The program consists of three courses, usually completed over two semesters (September–May) through evening and online sessions. Courses can be taken in any order and at a pace that fits your schedule. 

If you are earlier in your career or do not yet have significant managerial experience, consider the Weatherhead MBA with ETA concentration, which provides foundational business training alongside specialized ETA preparation.

Weatherhead’s ETA faculty are accomplished entrepreneurs and investors who bring real-world experience, hands-on learning, and frequent guest speakers from the ETA community, including investors, entrepreneurs, and advisors.

Who Should Attend

The ETA Certificate is designed for professionals and managers interested in owning a business or applying entrepreneurial leadership strategies in their careers.

Certificate Coursework

Earn the ETA Certificate by completing three MBA elective ETA courses.

Alternatively, the Weatherhead ETA Intensive: Buyer Preparation course, offered September 17-19, 2026 and April 2-4, 2027, through Weatherhead Executive Education—may be substituted for any of the three electives.

All courses feature experiential learning, including guest speakers who are active ETA entrepreneurs and case studies from the broader ETA community, such as Promise Partners ETA Accelerator members and Weatherhead alumni. Coursework prepares students for every stage of the ETA journey and develops skills valuable for both business ownership and entrepreneurial leadership within larger organizations.

Core Courses

• ETA Fundamentals – The Acquisition Entrepreneur Lifecycle (DESN 421)
  • Reid Tileston, PhD, Online, Tuesdays 6-8:30 p.m., August 25 - October 6, 2026
  • View the syllabus.
• ETA Investor-Backed Search and Small Business Leadership (DESN 420)
  • GJ King and Jake Stoller, On campus, Tuesdays, 6-8:30 p.m., January 12 - February 27, 2027
  • View the syllabus.
• ETA Funding and Credibility – ETA Funding Models & Credible Buyer Strategies (DESN 419)
  • Scot Lowry, On campus, Tuesdays, 6 - 8:30 p.m., March 2 - April 20, 2027
  • View the syllabus.

Courses can be taken in any order. On-campus courses are held in the Peter B. Lewis Building on the Case Western Reserve University campus in Cleveland, Ohio.

Cost

The following is the cost for non-degree students enrolling in all three MBA ETA elective courses to receive the Weatherhead ETA Certificate.

• Individual participant: $7,245
• Nonprofit and CWRU Alumni Participants: $5,411

The price varies if the Weatherhead ETA Intensive course is substituted for any of the core ETA courses.

Receipt of Certificate

Participants receive their Weatherhead ETA Certificate upon successful completion of all three courses. Learn more about our Digital Badge Program.