Business Fundamentals Course

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Introduction to Credential of Readiness (CORe)

CORe INCLUDES

Business Analytics, Economics for Managers, Financial Accounting, + final exam

Save $1,700 with this 3-course bundle

3 Courses

$2,500

Next 10-week session starts May 21st

Next 17-week session starts March 26th

Apply

Designed to help you achieve fluency in the language of business, CORe is a business fundamentals program that combines Business Analytics, Economics for Managers, and Financial Accounting with a final exam.

10-17

weeks

8-15

hours per week

3 Courses

plus exam

Self-Paced

with regular deadlines

This course earns you a Credential of Readiness from HBS Online. What you earn.

Overview

Syllabus

Enrollment

Stories

FAQs

Apply Now

Key Concepts

Analyze and interpret data to inform business decisions

Implement analytical techniques in Excel

Develop effective pricing strategies

Identify sources of competitive advantage through differentiation

Evaluate the financial health of a business using financial statements

Prepare and evaluate financial forecasts

Who Will Benefit

Add value to your organization and take your career to the next level with a deeper understanding of essential business concepts.

Participating in a Harvard Business School Online course enabled Sheneka to gain greater clarity about her professional future and advance her career.

Sheneka Balogun
Director of Recruitment and Project Accountability at Greater Memphis Alliance for a Competitive Workplace (GMACW)

Get ready for your MBA or other graduate program with the online courses that Harvard Business School offers to incoming students to prepare for the MBA classroom.

While I originally enrolled in CORe to determine if I wanted to pursue an MBA, I ended up using the knowledge I gained from CORe to interview for and land my current job.

Kali Pfaff
Operations Strategist at University Hospitals of Cleveland
BA, Communications, Kent State University

Get ready for the real world. Stand out from the crowd and impress during interviews as you prepare for your next opportunity. You can also earn undergraduate academic credit for CORe in select course starts.

By learning these essential business skills, I now feel more prepared to advance scientific discoveries; raising capital, leading a team, developing strategic partnerships with established pharmaceuticals, and other crucial activities are now even clearer to me because of CORe.

Enrique Garcia-Rivera
Pursuing a PhD in Chemical Biology in Boston
BSc, Interdisciplinary Sciences (Chemistry, Biology & Mathematics), University of Puerto Rico
PhD candidate, Chemical Biology, Harvard University

What You Earn

Credential of Readiness

Prove your mastery of business fundamentals

Syllabus

3 Courses (with Exam), 10–17 Weeks

Download full syllabus

hrs

Course – 5 Modules

Business Analytics

Beginning with basic descriptive statistics and progressing to regression analysis, you’ll implement analytical techniques in Excel and apply fundamental quantitative methods to real business problems—from performing A/B testing on a website to using sampling to check warehouse inventory.

Highlights

Learn about the basics of population sampling. Start with the question you are trying to answer first before determining what population needs to be sampled.

Explore how Walt Disney Studios uses data to recognize trends and inform business decisions in the movie industry.

ShowHide Details

Modules

Describing and Summarizing Data
Sampling and Estimation
Hypothesis Testing
Single Variable Linear Regression
Multiple Regression

Featured Exercises

Determine sample size based on population
Design and perform hypothesis tests with P-value

hrs

Course – 5 Modules

Economics for Managers

Economics for Managers will enable you to drive critical business decisions. Explore how businesses approach pricing strategy, evaluate market demand, and differentiate their offerings, and how you can apply those learnings to successfully compete in a variety of business environments.

Highlights

How do managers determine demand to inform pricing strategy?

Step into the shoes of Jim Holtzman, CEO of Ace Ticket, and learn about pricing strategy for super bowl tickets.

ShowHide Details

Modules

Customer Demand: Foundations
Strategies for Assessing and Increasing Demand
Suppliers and Cost
Markets
Competition and Differentiation

Featured Exercises

Develop effective pricing strategies
Apply conjoint analysis to understand what customers value most
Indentify sources of competitive advantage

hrs

Course – 7 Modules

Financial Accounting

Learn key accounting concepts and principles to illuminate financial statements and unlock critical insights into business performance and potential. Explore how managers, Wall Street analysts, and entrepreneurs leverage accounting to drive strategic decision-making.

Highlights

Learn about the basic accounting equation organizations use to gauge performance.

Examine how Green Mountain Coffee evaluates business performance and potential using financial statements.

ShowHide Details

Modules

The Accounting Equation
Recording Transactions
Financial Statements
Adjusting Journal Entries
The Statement of Cash Flows
Analyzing Financial Statements
Accounting for the Future

Featured Exercises

Discover how balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements are developed
Predict future revenue, expenses, and cash flow
Understand key metrics in valuation like time value of money, terminal value, net present value, internal rate of return, and payback period

hrs

2 weeks

Exam

The CORe final exam is a three-hour, multiple-choice, closed book assessment created by HBS faculty and delivered via the HBS Online course platform. The exam is offered to participants after successful completion of the program during defined time periods following the last module deadline.

Free E-Book

Your Guide to Preparing for Business School

Gain the knowledge and tools to decide whether an MBA is right for you, how it could impact your career, and how to prepare for business school.

Access your free e-book

Free E-Book

Advance Your Career with Essential Business Skills

Learn how to contribute to key business discussions and drive strategic decision-making with this free guide.

Access your free e-book

Free CORe Flowchart

Which Version of HBS Online's Credential of Readiness (CORe) Program Is Right for You?

By using this flowchart, you’ll determine which version of HBS Online's CORe program best aligns with your career level and experience, learning objectives, and schedule.

Access Your Free Flowchart

Our Difference

The Most Engaging, Interactive Way to Master Business Essentials

Get hands-on practice interpreting Analytics and implementing analyses to solve real business problems.

Get hands-on practice interpreting Analytics and implementing analyses to solve real business problems.

Description of silent animated video above: People walking on the street transitions into data points on a map

Learn how to craft successful business strategy through the power of Economics.

Learn how to craft successful business strategy through the power of Economics.

Description of silent animated video above: Bar graph transitions into prices associated with sweaters and songs on iTunes

Explore key Accounting concepts and principles to unlock critical insights into business performance and potential.

Explore key Accounting concepts and principles to unlock critical insights into business performance and potential.

Description of silent animated video above: Assets equals liabilities and owner's equity

Immerse yourself in real-world business scenarios alongside a global community of peers through our Active, Social, Case-Based learning model. Learners who successfully complete an HBS Online program will be added to the HBS Online Community's Official Networking Group and gain exclusive access to events and other networking opportunities.

Immerse yourself in real-world business scenarios alongside a global community of peers through our Active, Social, Case-Based learning model. Learners who successfully complete an HBS Online program will be added to the HBS Online Community's Official Networking Group and gain exclusive access to events and other networking opportunities.

Description of silent animated video above: User types a question into peer help to be answered by fellow students

About the Professors

V.G. Narayanan
Financial Accounting

Thomas D. Casserly, Jr. Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School

“Financial Accounting covers the fundamentals of accounting and the application to business management. Its goal is to give you a sound understanding of basic accounting, which is essential to successfully communicate in the business world, regardless of the job function you’re performing.”

Bharat Anand
Economics for Managers

Henry R. Byers Professor of Business Administration for Harvard Business School and Harvard University’s Vice Provost for Advances in Learning

“Economics for Managers is a course that we hope will give you much more confidence and a lot more fun in applying some deep economic principles to fascinating problems in business and management.”

Jan Hammond
Business Analytics

Jesse Philips Professor of Manufacturing and Senior Associate Dean for Culture and Community at Harvard Business School

“In this world of big data, basic data literacy—the ability to analyze, interpret, and even question data—is an increasingly valuable skill. Business Analytics is designed to help you develop that expertise.”

Dates & Eligibility

All Standard10-12wks Extended17wks For credit10-12wks

Starting

Mar

17 Weeks + Exam $2,500 + applicable international taxes

Exam Period: 8/11/24 – 8/15/24

Application deadline March 18

View weekly calendar

Apply Now

Starting

May

10 Weeks + Exam $2,500 + applicable international taxes

For credit ($4,080)

Exam Period: 8/18/24 – 8/22/24

Application deadline May 13

View weekly calendar

Apply to CORe

Starting

Jun

10 Weeks + Exam $2,500 + applicable international taxes

Exam Period: 9/15/24 – 9/19/24

Application deadline June 10

View weekly calendar

Apply Now

Starting

Jul

17 Weeks + Exam $2,650 + applicable international taxes

Exam Period: 12/1/24 – 12/5/24

Application deadline July 8

Apply Now

Scholarships available
Free application
No documentation required
Confirmation within one week

All applicants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the course.

Learn about bringing this course to your organization.

Learner Stories

94%

increased knowledge of business terminology

My MBA was great, however, in five weeks we did not cover nearly as much content as with CORe, so this was a quintessential supplement.

Anastassia Nefedova
Working on a cloud-based product expansion in Central and Eastern Europe for Microsoft and based in Munich, Germany
BSc,International Hospitality Management, Marketing Major Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne
MBA, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Concentration, SDA Bocconi School of Management

I had never experienced such an immersive platform online, and could argue that it was more effective at building and solidifying knowledge than some of the in-class courses I took in college.

Ryan Dumlao
Electrical Engineer in Pharmaceuticals, pursuing an MBA in the fall of 2016
BS, Electrical Engineering, University of California, San Diego
MS, Electrical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles

CORe FAQs

What kind of time commitment is required for CORe? +–

CORe is offered with multiple durations of study—ranging from 10-week cohorts to extended 17-week cohorts. However, the course content and program requirements are identical regardless of the program length. Our goal in offering different program lengths is to give learners different options to balance the program’s rigors with their particular lifestyle and responsibilities.

The median time required to complete the program is approximately 150 hours, though this learning time varies widely. Some participants spend more time on the platform to enhance their understanding of course concepts and share insights with peers. This time includes all coursework on the platform, including written reflections and quizzes, as well as engagement with peers. This does not include review work outside the platform or preparing for and taking the three-hour CORe final exam.

In the standard versions of CORe—10-week and 12-week cohorts—you should be prepared to spend more time per week on the program. Although we have smoothed out the workload as evenly as possible, you should expect that some weeks will require more work than others.

What is the difference between the undergraduate credit and noncredit versions of CORe? +–

During the January, May, and September CORe cohorts, we offer an undergraduate credit option through the Harvard Extension School. When you start your application, you can select whether you are seeking admission for the for-credit or non-credit option of CORe. The course content, deadlines, and grading process are all the same whether you choose to enroll in the undergraduate credit ($4,080) or credential-only ($2,500) version of CORe.

By enrolling in the undergraduate credit option of CORe, you will be enrolled at Harvard Extension School (January or September CORe cohorts) or Harvard Summer School (May CORe cohort) and eligible for student privileges like a Harvard University ID number (to access online library resources), free career and academic webinars, a Harvard Gmail account, and education tax credit and loan deferments.

Upon successful completion of CORe, undergraduate credit option participants will earn eight undergraduate credits from Harvard Extension School (January or September CORe cohorts) or Harvard Summer School (May CORe cohort). Harvard Extension School and Harvard Summer School are fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges—the same accreditation as all other schools at Harvard. Harvard transfer credit is accepted by institutions around the world, but it is always up to the accepting university to determine transferability. Successful undergraduate credit option participants will also receive a Credential of Readiness certificate from Harvard Business School Online, and an official transcript will be made available to verify your mastery of the program’s content.

The Harvard Extension School graduate program in the field of management or finance offers an accelerated admission pathway for students who pass CORe (in the for-credit or non-credit offering).

Financial aid and financing options available for CORe program participants also vary depending on whether participants have elected the undergraduate credit option or have enrolled in the non-credit version of the program. More information is available on the .

Are there scholarships for CORe? How do I qualify? +–

CORe participants may be eligible for financial aid based on demonstrated financial need. To receive financial aid, you will be asked to provide supporting documentation. Please refer to our page.

Will my performance in CORe factor in to my admission to HBS? +–

Successful completion of CORe will help you prepare for an MBA program. While applicants to the MBA Program at HBS will have an opportunity to inform the Admissions Board of non-degree preparatory coursework (including CORe), this is one of many application elements and will be considered in the larger context of a holistic selection process.

Will my participation in CORe factor in to my admission to other graduate programs? +–

The Harvard Extension School graduate program in the field of management or finance offers an accelerated admission pathway for students who pass CORe (in the for-credit or non-credit offering).

What are the policies for refunds, deferrals, and withdrawals? +–

Please refer to our Policies page.

What materials will I have access to after completing the Credential of Readiness program? +–

You will have access to the materials in every prior module as you progress through the program and prepare for the final exam. Access to course materials and the course platform ends 60 days after the final deadline in the program. At the end of each course module, you will be able to download a PDF summary of the module’s key takeaways. At the end of the program, you will receive a PDF compilation of all of the module summary documents.

How should I list my credential on my resume? +–

Once you've earned your Credential of Readiness, list it on your resume along with the date of completion like this:

Harvard Business School Online
CORe: Credential of Readiness, [Grade]
[Cohort Start Month and Year]

List your credential on your LinkedIn profile under "Education" with the language from the Credential Verification page:

School: Harvard Business School Online
Dates Attended: [The year you participated in the program]
Degree: Other; CORe Credential of Readiness
Field of Study: Leave blank
Grade: "Pass," "Pass with Honors" or "Pass with High Honors" as applicable
Activities and Societies: Leave blank

For the program description on LinkedIn, please use the following:

Description: CORe (Credential of Readiness) is a 150-hour certificate program on the fundamentals of business from Harvard Business School. CORe is comprised of three courses—Business Analytics, Economics for Managers, and Financial Accounting—developed by leading Harvard Business School faculty and delivered in an active learning environment based on the HBS signature case-based learning model.