Business in Practice Program

Business in Practice Program
Two students working on product concepts as part of the Paul College Business in Practice program

Inspiring students to put academics to work.


With industry professionals as our partners, Paul College's Business in Practice (BiP) program is dedicated to creating the business experiences you should have.

BiP is an experiential learning program where industry professionals co-design and deliver one-of-a-kind courses that guide students through current business tool applications and processes. It's an approach that challenges Paul College students to become active participants in their education through experiential learning, real-world scenarios, or client projects. We offer over 60 courses per year for 2,300+ undergraduate students, partnering with professionals from companies such as Amazon Web Services, DOMO, Facebook, Fidelity, HubSpot, Morgan Stanley, Vera Bradley, Wolverine, and Zillow. 

How it started

Officially launched in the fall of 2019, the Business in Practice program aimed to transform business education and the entire student experience. BiP courses are designed to “sit on top” of the core curriculum and be the bridge between business practice and foundational knowledge. Students learn what is currently required for professional success from professionals in the thick of their careers, and are taught how core academic concepts can be applied in real-world settings.

Real clients. Real problems. Academics at work.

The Courses

Paul College students are required to take four two-credit BiP courses as part of their degree program, organized within core business intelligences: social, analytical, competitive, and professional. They are offered as both 7- and 14-week experiences.

Each BiP course is designed around the passion, interests and work history of the industry professional leading it. BiP goes  beyond case studies, guest speakers, and internships and allows students to access a higher level of experiential learning.

THE FORGE

Collaboration and innovation reach their peak in the Forge, a learning space dedicated to BiP courses. It's a work environment, board room, incubator, client lounge, professional presence, cross-functional team room and project hub. Everything in the space is modular - from the furniture to the white boards and video screens. 

A front lounge and conversation area welcome students and guests, with two collaboration booths for casual meetings. The Forge even has an OWL unit for 360-degree responsive video conferencing with remote clients - or even instruction from remote professionals.

  • Students gathered in the forge for a class
  • Students laughing in the more casual study area in the forge
  • Students gathered in the forge for a class
  • A student presenting on tiktok marketing techniques
  • Students using the collaboration booths
    BiP: Gain new perspectives