Innovation, Leadership & Engineering Entrepreneurship (ILEE) B.S. Dual Degree
The Innovation, Leadership and Engineering Entrepreneurship (ILEE) B.S. dual degree in The Grainger College of Engineering isn’t just for students who want to create a startup—it helps create entrepreneurial-minded leaders who are in demand by companies of all sizes.
ILEE adds impact to your primary degree by accelerating your understanding of the innovation ecosystem and the processes involved in identifying complex technical problems, and then leading efforts to develop value-creating solutions.
Benefits of ILEE
- Develop the skills employers want most, including leadership, teamwork, creativity, communication and problem-solving.
- Learn how to turn ideas into impact — whether launching a startup, leading projects or driving innovation within established companies.
- Gain a competitive edge through a curriculum designed specifically for engineers and computer scientists — not adapted business courses, but innovation, leadership and entrepreneurship taught from an engineering perspective.
“ILEE is probably the best decision I made in college. It's more of a time commitment than an RSO, but it's worth it becuase of the connections you make, the opportunities you have, and the self-development you achieve.”
Alec Thompson, Computer Engineering & Innovation, Leadership and Engineering Entrepreneurship (ILEE)
Eligibility & Requirements
Innovation, Leadership and Engineering Entrepreneurship students must have a desire to develop or build upon existing innovation, leadership or entrepreneurial skills. With a little extra investment, students graduate uniquely poised to solve problems through innovation.
-
Students newly admitted to a Grainger Engineering major may apply beginning in their first semester and no later than the semester before their final year of study.
-
ILEE is open to all engineering majors - this includes ABE and ChemE.
-
Applicants must have taken (or be currently taking) at least one TE course.
- Applicants must be in good standing and have a minimum cumulative Illinois GPA of 2.25.
- Applicants must be confident that their graduation will be certified within 10 semesters of starting their primary degree.
- Applicants must have worked with their advisor to determine a plan that allows them to complete both their primary degree and the ILEE degree in a timely fashion.
The ILEE degree requires 31 credit hours in addition to your primary degree, resulting in a minimum of 158 credit hours overall. All ILEE credit hours must be completed on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus and be completed within two additional semesters (10 semesters to complete both degrees).
ILEE Courses
| Course # | Course Title | Credit Hours |
| TE 100 (offered FALL and SPRING) or TE 200 (Innovation LLC only; only FALL is guaranteed) |
Introduction to Innovation, Leadership & Engineering Entrepreneurship (Orientation Course) | 1 |
| TE 230 (FALL) | Design Thinking/Need-Finding |
3 |
| TE 250 | High-Tech Ventures: From Idea to Enterprise |
2 |
| TE 333 | Creativity, Innovation, Vision |
4 |
| TE 360 | Lectures in Engineering Entrepreneurship |
1 |
| SE 361 (FALL) | Emotional Intelligence Skills |
3 |
| TE 390 (SPRING) | Innovation & Engineering Design (previously TE 398 IED) |
2 |
| TE 401 | Developing Breakthrough Projects - Learn more about TE 401 |
4 |
| TE 450 | Startups: Incorporation, Funding, Contracts, & Intellectual Property |
3 |
| TE 461 | Technology Entrepreneurship |
3 |
| TE 462 (SPRING) | Leading Sustainable Change (previously TE 498-GS) |
3 |
| TE 466 | High Tech Venture Marketing |
2 |
| TOTAL |
31 |