12 Harvard Business School online courses to know about

Online courses have become a viable alternative to traditional education since the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of web-based learning. They are especially suitable for those with a busy lifestyle, who can study in the comfort of their own home. Lately there has been a rise in the number of short online courses, which give learners the opportunity to upskill flexibly without having to commit to full-time education.

When it comes to business school, Online MBA programs, which teach the fundamentals of business through an in-depth curriculum covering areas ranging from human resources to financial accounting, are a common route for distance learners. More recently, however, many of the world’s top institutions have begun offering specialized online short courses that give you access to their insight and expertise. Today, Harvard Business School offers a wealth of courses on its online learning platform. They cover topics such as entrepreneurship, digital transformation, sustainability, analytics, and finance—any one of which could prove useful in helping you advance to the next step in your career.

Here are 12 of the most beneficial Harvard Business School online courses you can currently enroll in:

12 Harvard Business School online courses

1. Core Business Essentials

Price: $2,799

Duration: 17 weeks, 5-8 hours per week

Access:: up to 60 days after the final deadline

Formerly known as the Credential of Readiness (CORe) program, HBS’ flagship online course has been reimagined. Core Business Essentials, as it is now called, offers a full introduction to business from arguably the most famous business school in the world. It consists of three elements: Business Strategy, Financial Accounting, and Business Analytics.

The final exam has been replaced with a multi-part capstone project that calls on students to apply the program’s lessons.

This course is marked by its flexibility. Five different start dates throughout the year and 17 weeks in which to complete the course mean you can join when it suits you and work at your own pace.

The course is aimed at recent college graduates, those considering an MBA, career changers, and career advancers, as well as entrepreneurs.

2. Entrepreneurship Essentials

Price:  $1,949

Duration:  24-32 hours overall, 6-8 hours per module

Access:  90 days

For anyone looking to get a head start in building their own business, the Entrepreneurship Essentials course from HBS is the perfect way to begin.

You’ll learn how to identify business opportunities, assess the market, validate ideas, raise capital, and refine a business strategy.

The course is aimed at students, aspiring entrepreneurs, and early-stage entrepreneurs.

3. Sustainable Business Strategy

Price:  $1,949

Duration:  4 weeks, 7-9 hours per week

Access:  up to 60 days after the final deadline

This innovative course is tailor-made for anyone considering a career in sustainable business—a key area for companies across the globe.

Taught by Rebecca M. Henderson, an HBS professor and research fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research, this course examines change-driven business models, industry disruption, business as a catalyst for change, and purpose-driven leadership.

Case studies include the likes of Walmart and Unilever, and weekly deadlines help to ensure that all participants advance through the course at a similar pace.

It’s ideal for purpose-driven professionals, CSR and consulting professionals, as well as leaders and entrepreneurs.

4. Alternative Investments

Price:  $1,949

Duration:  30-35 hours overall, 6-7 hours per module

Access:  90 days

With a global economic downturn affecting workers across almost all industries, people everywhere are looking for ways to make their money go further.

The HBS Alternative Investments program is the ideal starting point for exploring the world of investing. On it, you’ll study areas as diverse as venture capital, private equity, and private debt.

Its aim is to give people the skills needed to jump-start their career in one of the fastest-growing fields in finance.

The course is taught by three professors at HBS—an indication of its rigor—and it can be started at any time.

5. Negotiation Mastery

Price:  $1,949

Duration:  32-40 hours overall, 8-10 hours per module

Access:  90 days

This short course offers budding managers the chance to explore negotiation strategies with Michael A. Wheeler, a Harvard alumnus who has taught negotiation at HBS since 1993.

Each of the four modules focuses on a different aspect of negotiation, with company leader interviews complementing the syllabus.

Your personal goals, which you’ll set at the beginning, will influence the direction of the course, which concludes with reflection on how you will apply your skills in future negotiation opportunities.

6. Management Essentials

Price:  $1,949

Duration:  5 weeks, 5-6 hours per week

Access:  60 days after conclusion of course

The perfect introduction for anyone considering a move into graduate business education, Management Essentials aims to turn students into skilled management professionals.

The course covers process-based approaches for everyday management, how to lead through dialogue, and how to identify misalignments. Students will explore how AI-enabled work is reshaping organizations, and consider how managers must adapt.

Whether you’ve just entered a management role or you aspire to be a CEO one day, this course will provide the necessary foundation for a management career.

7. AI Essentials for Business

Price:  $1,949

Duration:  16-24 hours overall, 4-6 hours per module

Access:  90 days

Get acquainted with artificial intelligence and its impact on modern businesses with this streamlined HBS course.

You’ll study AI’s ever-shifting landscape, its diverse range of potential applications, and its uses within an organization, as well as the ethical issues it raises.

Aspiring business leaders and those simply curious about how AI is shaping business will find this course a solid introduction to a rapidly evolving world.

8. Business Analytics

Price:  $1,949

Duration:  20-24 hours overall, 4-6 hours per module

Access:  90 days

With more data than ever at our fingertips, learning how to interpret the flood of information is proving to be a massive challenge for businesses. This Business Analytics course will introduce you to data analysis techniques and explore how they can drive better decision-making.

Led by one of Harvard’s professor emerita, Janice H. Hammond, this course teaches concrete skills such as exploring datasets, analyzing variables, and implementing analytical skills in Excel.

With the ability to study at your own pace, enrolling in this course means you’ll learn mainly through practical analysis and case studies.

9. Global Business

Price:  $1,949

Duration:  24-32 hours overall, 6-8 hours per module

Access:  90 days

Pandemics, wars, economic downturns—the factors affecting global businesses in the past few years are many and varied. Understanding how these events can shape your business will be key to its survival.

The Harvard Global Business course examines these issues in detail. It’ll help you build a solid foundation in macroeconomics, including areas such as fiscal and monetary policy, labor productivity, and the role of governments in business.

You’ll learn in part through watching interviews with company leaders, exploring how business is affected by environmental change, political risks, and government spending.

10. Winning with Digital Platforms

Price:  $1,949

Duration: 30-35 hours overall, 6-7 hours per module

Access:  90 days

As some of the biggest businesses in the world today are digital platforms, knowing the secrets behind their success can give you a huge competitive advantage.

On this course, which is part of HBS Online’s Digital Transformation & AI portfolio, you’ll learn what digital platforms actually are, how they create and capture value, how to launch a successful platform business of your own, and how to compete against platform companies.

Whether you’re an aspiring leader, a mid-career professional, or a budding entrepreneur, this course will give you invaluable insight to a vital part of the modern business landscape.

11. Launching Tech Ventures

Price:  $1,949

Duration:  25-30 hours overall, 5-6 hours per week

Access:  90 days

It might surprise you to learn that for every successful tech startup, there’s a tried-and-tested framework and various tools behind it. That’s one of the many things you’ll study during the Launching Tech Ventures course at HBS Online.

Built for founders as well as investors and those working at tech startups, the course will set out how to put together a profitable business model and how to boost your chances of raising valuable capital. You’ll also get a peek behind the curtain at the world of venture capital.

It is offered via a flexible, self-paced format, with one enrollment available at any time.

12. Sustainable Investing

Price:  $1,949

Duration:  30 hours overall, 5 hours per module

Like Alternative Investments, this course focuses on how to maximize investment opportunities. Here, however, that is done through the lens of sustainable impact.

Students will learn about the ESG factors that influence investment decisions, how to measure impact as well as profit, and how to avoid issues such as greenwashing.

The course is designed for investment professionals, leaders in government, business and nonprofit spaces, as well as financial advisors and early-career professionals.

Applying for HBS online Courses

To join a certificate program with HBS Online, you must complete a brief enrollment form before payment, and also set up an account. You do not need to supply any documentation to enroll, but you must be at least 18 years of age and proficient in English.

To join the Core Business Essentials program, you will need to answer some personal background questions; however, most, if not all, applications are accepted.

How to showcase your HBS online course

Each course page has templates for participants to use to spotlight their successful completion of the course on their résumé and their LinkedIn profile. Displaying the course credential on both showcases your newfound skill set and experience with a world-renowned business school to potential employers.

This article was originally written by Abi Lister in 2023 and updated in August 2026 by Daisy Culleton.