The tracks
One semester at a time, and a business you actually build.
The program runs as two independent tracks. Each is one semester and two paired courses — one from Business, one from Computer Information Systems — taught in coordination so the work stacks instead of competing. Take the Fall track, the Spring track, or both.
Why two tracks
Because a full year is a lot to promise before you know what you're getting.
We started this as a single year-long cohort. Talking to students during recruitment, we kept hearing the same thing: real interest in the program, real hesitation about signing up for four courses across two semesters sight unseen.
So we split it. One semester is a commitment you can actually evaluate. If it works for you, the Spring track is right there and you finish with the whole thing — four courses, twelve units, two judged pitches.
- Each track stands on its own. Completing one does not obligate you to the other.
- The Spring track is open to Fall students continuing and to students starting fresh.
- Both tracks end in front of an outside panel of judges.
- Students who complete both finish with four CSU-transferable courses and two pitches on their record.
Course sequence
What you take, and when.
All four courses are CSU-transferable and count toward existing LBCC Business and CIS certificates and degrees. Courses run in short late-start blocks rather than spanning the full term.
| Track | Course | Title | What you do in it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall track Begins Oct 26, 2026 8 weeks | MGMT 80 | Small Business Entrepreneurship | Identify a real problem, research the market, and build a business model you can defend. |
| Fall track Begins Oct 26, 2026 8 weeks | AI 45 | Fundamentals of Generative AI | Prompting, evaluation, and fact-checking — applied directly to your own venture. |
| Spring track Spring 2027 | MKTG 47 | Essentials of Marketing | Positioning, pricing, channels, and a marketing plan aimed at real customers. |
| Spring track Spring 2027 | AI 40 | Foundations of AI | How these systems work, where they fail, and the ethics of putting them in front of customers. |
Six units per track, twelve if you complete both. Exact section numbers and meeting times are on the LBCC class schedule.
AI touchpoints
Where the two sides meet.
Four per track, roughly every other week. These are not separate AI exercises. Each one is a business deliverable you owe your course anyway — done with AI in the workflow, then checked by you. Small Business Development Center advisors join these sessions to work on your actual project.
Touchpoint 1
Market research
Use AI to scan an industry and size an opportunity, then verify what it told you against real sources. You'll find at least one thing it got wrong. That's the assignment.
Touchpoint 2
Competitor analysis
Map who else is solving this problem and where the gap is. Build the visual analysis your pitch will lean on.
Touchpoint 3
Financial projections
Revenue model, cost structure, and a cash flow you can explain line by line. AI can build the model; you have to own the assumptions.
Touchpoint 4
Pitch deck
Turn a plan into a five-minute story. Draft, cut, rehearse, cut again.
The same four-part arc runs again in the Spring track through a marketing lens — positioning research, competitive positioning, pricing and channel planning, and a campaign-ready pitch. Exact touchpoint dates go out to enrolled students before the term begins.
Tools
What you'll be working in.
- ChatGPT Enterprise — provided through LBCC's institutional license. No personal subscription required.
- Canva Pro — already available to LBCC students, used for visual analysis and pitch decks.
- Survey and analytics tools — for customer research and validating your assumptions.
On academic integrity: AI use is expected here, not hidden. You'll be asked to document how you used it, what you changed, and what you rejected. Learning to disclose your process is part of the professional skill.
The commitment
What we ask of you.
Stay for the semester
The Fall track is eight weeks. It moves fast and the group works because people stay with it. Plan on finishing the track you start.
Show up for the touchpoints
Four sessions per track where the business and AI work come together, with SBDC advisors in the room. They're part of the experience, not optional extras.
Present at the end
Every enrolled student pitches at their track's event — December for the Fall track, May for the Spring track. That's the finish line everything points at.
There's an optional Zoom meet-and-greet before the Fall track starts. Drop in if you want to meet the group and the faculty first — it isn't required.
Questions
Before you sign up.
Can I do just one track?
Yes — that's the point of the structure. Each track is a complete experience with its own courses, its own project arc, and its own judged pitch event. Doing the Fall track does not obligate you to the Spring track, and you can join in the spring without having done the fall.
What if I already signed up for the year-long version?
You're still in, and you don't need to do anything to re-register. We'll email you directly about the new structure and ask which track or tracks you want. Nobody who already registered has to start over.
Do I need experience with AI or business?
No. Both course pairs start from the beginning. What you need is willingness to work on one idea for a semester.
Does this cost extra?
No. You pay standard LBCC enrollment fees for the courses you take, and any fee waiver you already qualify for still applies. There is no additional program fee, and course materials are provided.
Do these courses count toward my degree?
Yes. All four are CSU-transferable and apply to existing LBCC Business and Computer Information Systems certificates and degrees — six units per track, twelve if you do both. Check with a counselor for how they map to your specific plan.
Can I work while I'm in this?
Yes — it's designed for that. The Fall track runs in an eight-week late-start block rather than the full term, and assignments are coordinated across the two courses so you aren't doing the same research twice. Tell us on the interest form if you need advance notice for scheduling.
What's the deadline?
The Fall track interest list closes Friday, October 16, 2026 at 10:00 AM. You'll get full details — touchpoint dates, pitch event date, registration steps — the week of October 19, and classes begin October 26. Spring track information follows later in the fall.
Do I need my own business idea to start?
No. Some students arrive with one. Others find theirs in the first couple of weeks. Teams form early in the track.
If I do the Fall track, do I have to keep the same idea in the spring?
No. You can carry your venture forward and take it to market, or start something new. Both work.
