The internet offers a wealth of resources for entrepreneurs and business professionals, but it can be tough to sift through the noise and find the information you need to start or grow your business.
That’s where online courses come in. Online business courses give you the opportunity to learn from experts in the field, giving you access to their years of experience and knowledge. In addition, online courses offer a flexible learning schedule, so you can learn at your own pace and on your own time.
I’ve reviewed and ranked the best online business courses based on a variety of factors, including content, instructor credentials, price, and student satisfaction (click here to learn about our entire Editorial Process & Methodology for product reviews).
What are the Best Online Business Courses?
Here are our picks for the top online courses in business worth trying today…
1. Business Analytics Nanodegree (Udacity)
Business Analytics Online Course (Udacity)
Master essential data fundamentals relevant across various industries and learn how to make informed, data-driven decisions.
Price
$249/month, but there’s a discounted package of 4-month access too.
Duration
3 months if you can spend 10 hours/week.
With highly qualified instructors, this Business Analytics Nanodegree program teach you in-demand skills and help you take your profile to another level. With the skills you learn in this program, you’ll be able to make smarter, data-driven decisions for your business.
SQL, Excel, and Tableau will be introduced to you in a manner that will help build your professional skills.
If you’ve been eyeing a job requiring data skills, enroll in this online business course immediately.
What You Will Learn
- Fundamental data skills.
- How to analyze data and create models using Excel. This will involve the practice of data validation tools.
- How to use SQL to create query databases.
- How to use Tableau to create interactive data visualizations such as dashboards.
- Important business metrics used by business analysts.
2. AI for Business Leaders (Udacity)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Business Leaders | Udacity
Develop and review plans based on basic principles when looking at ways to incorporate machine learning and artificial intelligence into a business strategy.
Price
$249/month, but there’s a discounted package of 4-month access too.
Duration
About 2 months
AI and machine learning are changing the business landscape, and this program will get you ahead of the curve.
This course is essential for business leaders who want to understand the complex landscape of digital transformation driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).
You’ll gain not only a foundational understanding of these technologies but also the necessary vocabulary to effectively communicate about AI and ML within your teams.
As the course progresses, it gets deeper into the technical aspects, helping you understand the full scope of what it takes to build and manage AI-driven projects, including considerations for data infrastructure and the complexities of data labeling.
What You Will Learn
- Basic concepts, potential applications, and appropriate terminology related to AI and machine learning
- The technical aspects that enable machine learning models to learn from data, providing a critical understanding necessary for overseeing AI/ML projects.
- How to build and understand the architectures of AI systems
- The ethical implications and potential biases in AI applications to ensure responsible deployment
3. Digital Transformation for Business Leaders (Udacity)
Digital Transformation Training Course for Business | Udacity
Enjoy a customized learning journey for business leaders to define digital transformation for your organization, assess the value of emerging technologies, and fine-tune organizational strategies for your digital transformation roadmap.
Price
Duration
7 hours
The great thing about this series of courses is it teaches both the theoretical aspects of digital transformation and its practical application tailored to each learner’s specific organizational context.
This program is designed to guide business leaders through a personalized learning journey, enabling you to define what digital transformation means for your specific organization, understand how emerging technologies can add value, and develop strategic plans to implement these technologies effectively.
What makes this program particularly valuable is its comprehensive approach that covers everything from the basics of digital transformation to in-depth discussions on transformative technologies such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, and cybersecurity.
Each course within the program is structured to build on the previous one, so you have a truly cohesive learning experience that enhances your ability to execute a digital transformation strategy successfully.
What You Will Learn
- What digital transformation means for your specific organization and its impact on your business strategy.
- How to use transformative technologies like AI, machine learning, and cloud computing to improve your business operations
- How to develop a comprehensive digital transformation roadmap tailored to your organizational needs
- Techniques for managing organizational change, building a digital culture, and ensuring your team is aligned and equipped for transformation.
4. Online Business Acumen Training for Everyone – Acumen Learning
Price
Individual access for $295/year, but corporate packages include a volume discount. Good news! You can even apply for a scholarship. Check all the pricing details here.
Duration
5 hours on average.
When it comes to business education, this training can help you grow your credibility, career, and company by building your knowledge of the customer, commercial, operational, financial, and personal dimensions of your business.
Simply put, this in-depth training will equip you with the essential tools and resources needed to make your brain function like a CEO.
These include the Executive Alignment tool, Quarterly Earnings Call workbook, Action Plan, and more.
The teachings will enable you to excel in all aspects of your professional life throughout, and you will also be eligible to receive credits upon course completion that you can share on platforms like LinkedIn to increase your credibility.
What You Will Learn
- All about the 5 Business Drivers.
- The fundamentals of a financial statement, including its usage and recognition of major items.
- You’ll easily be able to calculate the 10 primary financial metrics.
- You’ll be able to make use of the business drivers during the decision-making process.
- With the aid of a senior financial consultant, you’ll be able to learn to listen to the earnings calls.
- You’ll be able to have an insight into the useful measures required by an executive.
- You’ll be able to communicate the company’s overall strategy effectively.
5. Business Foundations Specialization (Coursera)
Price
Coursera PLUS subscription allows you to discover 7000+ courses for $59/month or $399/year.
Duration
7 months
This specialization program containing 6 courses will equip you with the foundational skills in areas including but not limited to Accounting, Marketing, Human Resources, Decision-Making, and essential P’s of Marketing such as Positioning and other Business tactics.
It also includes a hands-on project that will train your mind in a practical approach. The skill of solving real business challenges will be taught in an organized manner. These courses have a high rating as well.
What You Will Learn
Upon completing this specialization successfully, you’d be able to learn the following:
- Lead and supervise a group of people with motivation and a reward system.
- Be able to analyze the key financial statements such as Income Statement, Statement of Financial Position, and Cash Flow statement.
- Be able to upgrade service and production processes in an organization.
- Learn the art of various marketing strategies, including branding.
- Brush up on some basics to understand the theoretical concepts of introductory Business courses.
6. Professional Certificate in Corporate Finance (edX)
Price
$607.50 for the full program experience.
Duration
3 months, if you spend about 3-4 months per week.
The three essential courses, including Introduction to Corporate Finance, Free Cash Flow Analysis, Risk & Return, and an experienced professor from Columbia University as the instructor, make it an all-in-one package to help you get started.
What You Will Learn
This certificate has a lot to offer, but the major parts will involve the following:
- Key concepts of the principles of finance, including the practical dimension.
- The application of the Free cash flow method for firm evaluation.
- How to value both the stock and bond.
- How to calculate the return on a project.
- Using different formats for valuation and discounting.
- The crucial steps involved in making investment decisions.
- How the capital structure influences the risk on equity and debt of a company.
- Keeping the risk factor under consideration, how to arrive at the risk and return of an asset.
- The computation of a firm’s value with the projection of cash flows and residual value calculation.
7. Art of the Start: Turning Ideas into High-Growth Businesses (SkillShare)
Price
Skillshare offers a One Month Free Trial. After that, the Skillshare price is $99 per year or $29 a month. See our Skillshare review for more info.
Duration
1 hour and 31 minutes.
There are 14 short lessons in this powerful online business course. They are all focused on developing your interest in investment and clear your conceptual knowledge with respect to a recipe for success, especially for startups.
At the end of the course, you’d be required to submit your own business idea in the form of a PowerPoint presentation.
What You Will Learn
- How to start a business successfully backed by a solid fool-proof plan.
- How to implement your business idea and put your plan into action.
- How to raise an adequate amount of funds by attracting investors.
- The art of pitching your business and stimulating communication.
- To advertise your business on social media and increase its social media presence by gathering followers.
8. Build A Stand-Out Business (CreativeLive)
Price
Plans starting around $11/month to access 2000+ courses.
Duration
18 hours and 7 minutes.
This course has been designed keeping in mind the market competitiveness and how challenging it has become for businesses to remain in the limelight.
The lessons will allow you to polish your skills with respect to the establishment of targets, social media, how to build your customer base, analysis, product development, sales and a lot of fine details to bring your A-game into the business.
What You Will Learn
In this detailed course, you will be able to learn a variety of things.
- Include your unique strength to build your business.
- Make use of your passion for creating customized marketing campaigns to target the potential audience.
- Set one core goal and build your dream business around it.
- Communicate your vision to your desired community and potential customers so that they may remain involved.
- How to have a unique selling point so that your business stands out.
9. Key Technologies for Business Specialization (Coursera)
Price
Coursera Plus subscription allows you to access 7000+ courses for just $59/month. If unsure, you can even sign up for their 7-day free trial. See our Coursera pricing guide and Coursera Plus review for more info.
Duration
3 months if around 3 hours/week given to this program.
This specialization program will enable the learners to dive into the world of innovation and endless opportunities. As the global market has been moving towards IT systems, related skills have become the need of the hour.
Artificial Intelligence (IA), Data Science and Cloud Computing are the three main technologies that will be taught to you.
What You Will Learn
Here’s what you should expect to learn by the end of the program.
- Get familiar with the core technologies and how they’ve become integral to growing businesses. Learn about the related buzzwords.
- Learn the fundamentals of Cloud Computing, all three kinds of Clouds (Private, Public and Hybrid), IaaS/PaaS/SaaS, Cloud storage and DevOps.
- All about Data Science, the Job description of a Data Scientist and how it has been changing the current market dynamics.
- Gain knowledge about Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Neural Networks and how the world is going to change with AI’s heavy influence.
A Final Word
You can’t underestimate how important continuous learning is to business success.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur running your own venture or a professional seeking to enhance your career prospects, taking online courses to learn about business can drive your success to new heights.
Online business courses provide a flexible and accessible way to acquire new skills and knowledge without disrupting your existing commitments.
Have any questions about our guide to the best online business courses? Let us know by commenting below.
