The Driehau
s College of Business welcomes high school students to participate in the Driehaus Summer Business Institute, a program that immerses students in the foundations of business.
Each week, the Driehaus Summer Business Institute presents foundational business concepts and activities spanning the core functional areas of business. Learn about entrepreneurship through developing and pitching an original business idea. Hone your marketing or leadership skills; learn the finance, economics, and accounting principles that keep the economy running; or go behind the scenes of Chicago's thriving food, entertainment, and sports scenes.
The program offers four weeklong sessions, with two topics available each week. Note that students can sign up for multiple weeks, but can only choose one topic per week.
Whichever program(s) you choose, you'll learn hands-on at one of the nation's oldest colleges of business, setting you up for success in college and beyond.
Questions? Contact
dsbi@depaul.edu.
Course Descriptions and Registration
All sessions take place at the DePaul Center, located at 1 East Jackson Blvd. Sessions take place 9 a.m.–4 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
Week One: Introduction to Business
June 9–13
The course introduces students to the functional areas of business - economics, marketing, finance, management, accounting/MIS, and hospitality - and explains how and why businesses form to create value. Students learn the fundamental skills and key ideas of each discipline and then practice applying them in a practical, meaningful way by proposing their own original business. Students also learn the Entrepreneurial Mindset, a tool/framework that helps students identify opportunities to create value and generate new business ideas. The class culminates in a pitch competition among the newly minted businesspeople and their teams!
Register here
Week Two: Finance OR Marketing
June 16–20
As a cohort-based program, students will either be enrolled in the Finance OR Marketing track and will remain in that track throughout the week.
What is Finance and How Does It Work?
The course will provide an intuitive introduction to finance and will cover important concepts underlying investments and valuation of stocks, bonds, and businesses. The course will also highlight several applications to both personal and business situations. It will include hands-on activities, guest speakers, and site visits.
Marketing Masterminds
Students will discover the field of marketing while launching their own new candy brand! From conducting original marketing research to designing a creative marketing campaign, students will learn the ins and outs of marketing via a hands-on, experiential class. Students will also get to visit some candy companies, retail stores, and ad agencies!
Register here
Week Three: Accounting OR Management
June 23–27
As a cohort-based program, students will either be enrolled in Accounting OR Management track and will remain in that track throughout the week.
Accounting Fundamentals and Career Paths
Students will learn basic accounting concepts and practices such as the accounting cycle and financial statements. Students will learn to apply the concepts to analyze and solve business problems. Students will be exposed to various career paths in accounting and gain a fundamental understanding in the accounting professions such as auditing, tax and forensics.
Leadership Skills for School, Work, and Life
You don’t have to be a CEO (yet) to be a leader! In this course, you’ll develop essential leadership skills to motivate yourself and inspire others. In an engaging and collaborative environment, you’ll define your leadership vision and values, strengthen your network, and experiment with creative ways to achieve your goals. You’ll undertake innovative leadership challenges while developing friendships, gaining self-awareness, and strengthening your leadership skills.
Register here
Week Four: Economics OR Hospitality
June 30–July 3
Note that this week's courses are abbreviated due to the July Fourth holiday.
As a cohort-based program, students will either be enrolled in Economics OR Hospitality track and will remain in that track throughout the week.
Everyday Economics: Your World Explained
Have you ever wondered how decisions are made about money, resources, and opportunity? In this course, you'll dive into the fascinating world of economics, where choices shape everything from your own decisions to global markets. Through fun, real-life examples, games, and hands-on activities, you'll explore the hidden forces driving the economy—both at home and around the world. Discover how businesses and governments make decisions, and learn how you, too, can think like an economist to navigate everyday life. By the end, you’ll see how economics is not just about money but about understanding people and making better decisions!
The Global Business of Sports, Travel and Hospitality
This course introduces students to the global business of the tourism, hospitality and sports industries, including current trends and future career opportunities. Students will be exposed to many industry scenarios in travel, hospitality and sports business. This will include guest speakers and field trips around the great tourism, hospitality and sports city of Chicago!
Register here
Frequently Asked Questions
Each full-week session costs $900. The fourth weeklong session, which runs June 30–July 3, costs $720.
Register by March 31 for an early-bird discount of 10%!
The Summer Business Institute welcomes high school students of any age or grade who want to learn more about the world of business, sharpen their business acumen, and gain hands-on experience at one of the nation's oldest business schools. No prior experience necessary!
There are no prerequisites! This program is designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of business.
Our program offers four weeklong sessions, with two topics available each week. Students can only choose one topic per week, but they’re welcome to sign up for as many weeks as they’d like — anywhere from one to four weeks total.
Contact Us
Questions? Contact dsbi@depaul.edu.