If you’re eager to build your business skills, you’ve likely encountered a range of educational options.
Harvard Business School Online, for instance, provides certificate courses in seven subject areas, as well as Learning Tracks that enable you to take three courses and earn a Certificate of Specialization.
HBS Online also offers two multi-course credential programs to help you develop in-demand business skills: the Credential of Readiness (CORe) and the Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business (CLIMB).
While similar, these programs have distinct differences that may make one a better fit for you than the other.
To help you decide, here’s a comparison of CORe and CLIMB.
What Is the Credential of Readiness (CORe)?
CORe comprises three courses and concludes with a final exam. The courses you take are:
- Business Analytics: Taught by HBS Professor Jan Hammond, this course demystifies data and provides hands-on practice applying analytics to business problems. You not only gain the technical skills to analyze data but the perspective to use it to make better decisions.
- Economics for Managers: Taught by HBS Professor Bharat Anand, this course equips you with knowledge of demand creation, pricing strategy, and relative cost analysis to drive strategic business decisions.
- Financial Accounting: Taught by HBS Professor and Senior Associate Dean of HBS Online and Executive Education V.G. Narayanan, this course enables you to prepare and analyze financial statements and use your insights to understand your business’s financial health and make informed financial decisions.
CORe is offered on standard (10 or 12 weeks) and extended (17 weeks) schedules. If you’re an undergraduate student aiming to prepare for the business world or a master of business administration (MBA) program, you may be able to take CORe for academic credit.
“While I originally enrolled in CORe to determine if I wanted to pursue an MBA, I ended up using the knowledge I gained to interview for and land my current job,” said Kali Pfaff, an operations strategist at the University Hospitals of Cleveland.
Originally designed to prepare incoming HBS MBA students, CORe can help get you ready for business school, bolster your fundamental business skills, or jumpstart your career advancement.
What Is the Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business (CLIMB)?
CLIMB is HBS Online’s most comprehensive offering. Comprising seven courses, this yearlong program culminates in a capstone project to apply your learning.
CLIMB is broken into two learning paths—New and Experienced Leaders—to cater to where you are in your career.
Courses include:
- Dynamic Teaming, taught by HBS Professor and CLIMB Faculty Chair Amy Edmondson
- Leading in the Digital World, taught by HBS Professor Linda Hill
- Personal Branding, taught by HBS Senior Lecturer Jill Avery
- Leadership Principles (New Leaders) or Organizational Leadership (Experienced Leaders), both taught by HBS professors Joshua Margolis and Tony Mayo
- Business Strategy, taught by HBS Professor Felix Oberholzer-Gee (New Leaders), or Strategy Execution, taught by HBS Professor Robert Simons (Experienced Leaders)
- Finance elective of your choice from the finance and accounting subject area
- Open elective of your choice from HBS Online’s course catalog
“CLIMB is a transformational program that meets new and experienced leaders where they are to accelerate their careers and transform their organizations,” Edmondson said in an interview for the course.
If you want to gain the knowledge and perspective to lead in an ever-changing, digital world and develop foundational skills in strategy, leadership, and finance, CLIMB is the right program for you.
Key Differentiators: CORe vs. CLIMB
The credential programs’ differences boil down to three factors:
- Length: CLIMB is a yearlong program comprising seven courses, while CORe includes three courses and is held on a 10-, 12-, or 17-week schedule.
- Cost: Weigh each program’s cost against its potential return on investment and relevance to your career goals. Consider your budget, financial aid options, and whether your employer can help fund your education.
- Subject matter: While CORe teaches fundamental financial accounting, economics, and analytics concepts, CLIMB’s content centers on foundational and cutting-edge leadership skills.
The HBS Online Learning Experience
Whether you enroll in CORe, CLIMB, or a certificate course, you can experience what makes HBS Online unique, including:
- World-renowned HBS faculty
- Self-paced coursework with deadlines
- Engaging, interactive content
- Social interaction with fellow learners
- Examples of real business challenges faced by experts
- The HBS Online Community, a global network of business professionals
- Career growth and a positive return on investment
In a recent survey of HBS Online learners, 42 percent reported receiving a $17,000 average salary increase upon completing a course—a 10-times return on their investment. Additionally, 36 percent used their knowledge to change careers, 31 percent got a promotion, and 91 percent said their course positively impacted their career.
Related: 8 Real-World Outcomes You Could Experience After Taking an HBS Online Course
Choosing the Right Credential Program for You
To decide which HBS Online credential program is right for you, take stock of your logistical needs, professional goals, and experience level.
If you can dedicate a full year to your studies and want to gain the skills to navigate an ever-changing, digital world as a new or experienced leader, CLIMB is the best fit.
If you’re searching for a shorter option to gain fluency in the language of business, CORe is the better choice.
Whichever you select, remember that you’re investing in yourself, your organization, and your career.
Is the Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business (CLIMB) right for you? Download our CLIMB brochure to learn more about the program’s curriculum, admissions requirements, and benefits. Are you considering the Credential of Readiness (CORe) program? Download our free flowchart to decide which version fits your needs.