Online learning is on the rise. According to Forbes, most students in the United States take at least some classes online, with 30 percent studying exclusively online.
Online courses offer flexibility and can teach valuable skills that lead to positive, real-world outcomes.
For example, Harvard Business School Online’s certificate and credential programs can enable you to further your professional development, change industries, or prepare for a master of business administration (MBA).
If you’re ready to advance your career but unsure about the next steps, here’s an overview of HBS Online’s offerings and how they can help you achieve your goals.
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Your Guide to Online Learning Success
If you’re interested in exploring online education but aren’t sure where to start, this guide is for you.
What Courses Does HBS Online Offer?
No matter your professional background, goals, and experience, you can benefit from an HBS Online certificate course.
HBS Online’s offerings span seven subject areas:
Entrepreneurship and innovation: Assess business opportunities, harness innovation, and transform your idea into a viable venture.
Finance and accounting: Develop an intuitive knowledge of financial principles and statements to unlock critical insights into business performance.
Leadership and management: Develop the leadership and management skills to get things done and bring out the best in your team.
Strategy: Develop the perspective, background, and problem-solving skills to take your strategy from formulation to execution.
Business in society: Understand what it takes to combine purpose and profit and how businesses can face today's global challenges.
Marketing: Gain the latest tools, frameworks, and trends to develop data-driven marketing strategies.
Digital transformation and AI: Build vital skills and strategies that enable you and your organization to stay competitive in the digital economy.
By completing an HBS Online course, you can acquire the business skills and knowledge to enhance your job performance. Here’s a breakdown of what you can earn.
Certificate of Completion
A Certificate of Completion indicates that you’ve successfully finished an HBS Online course.
You receive a Certificate of Completion for each individual course you finish, but you can also take multiple courses to pursue a Certificate of Specialization.
Certificate of Specialization
Earning a Certificate of Specialization requires completing a Learning Track—three courses in a specific subject area—within 18 months.
By earning a Certificate of Specialization, you can deepen your business expertise and gain valuable business skills to bolster your resume.
Core Business Essentials
Core Business Essentials is a 17-week program that combines three HBS Online courses—Business Analytics, Business Strategy, and Financial Accounting—with curated workplace dynamics lessons and a capstone project. It's designed to help you learn and become fluent in the language of business.
Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business
Whether you’re a new or an experienced leader, the Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business (CLIMB) can equip you with forward-looking business skills through an immersive, cohort-based experience.
CLIMB is a yearlong program that provides unique perspectives from business experts on topics including leadership, personal branding, digital transformation, dynamic teaming, finance, and strategy.
Credential of Digital Innovation and Strategy
If you want to develop the digital mindset and toolkit to navigate transformation, explore the six-month Credential of Digital Innovation and Strategy. The program features four courses—Leading in the Digital World, AI for Leaders, Digital Marketing Strategy, and Design Thinking and Innovation—and a capstone project to equip you with the tools to stay competitive in a rapidly changing business environment.
No matter what option you choose, HBS Online courses can enable you to chart your professional development and advance your career. Here’s how.
4 Ways HBS Online Courses Can Help Advance Your Career
1. Develop Your Skills
One of the primary reasons to pursue an online business certificate is to develop your skills. According to a Lorman report, 74 percent of workers want to learn new skills or re-train to remain employable.
Through HBS Online courses, you can hone your skills in areas such as:
Leadership: If you want to advance to a leadership position, prioritizing skills such as communication, self-awareness, and emotional intelligence is crucial.
Design thinking: By developing design thinking skills, such as creative problem-solving, you can engage in and facilitate innovation within your organization.
Sustainability: With sustainability becoming a pressing business concern, the ability to communicate purpose effectively can set you apart.
Finance: As you progress in your organization, finance skills like financial forecasting and analysis become increasingly important.
Business analytics: You must thoroughly understand data literacy, collection, and visualization to make sense of the vast amounts of information your organization monitors and measures.
Business strategy: If you hope to take an active role in your organization's strategic decision-making, you can benefit from learning how to develop a value-based strategy.
Global business: In an increasingly global business landscape, it’s crucial to understand the impacts of climate change and politics.
Beyond developing these in-demand skills, you can jumpstart your career advancement through HBS Online courses.
According to a recent survey of HBS Online learners by City Square Associates:
Ninety-one percent said they gained immediately applicable skills after completing an HBS Online course
Twenty-four percent received a salary increase, with an average of $20,466
Ten percent received a bonus, with an average of $9,571
Twenty-seven percent transitioned to a new industry or field
66 percent enhanced their qualifications for a new job
For example, Aranzazú Martínez Galeana, a senior project coordinator at ERM, was promoted shortly after completing Leadership Principles.
“I got promoted to a senior project coordinator role just weeks after finishing the course,” Galeana said. “So I've had the chance to apply many of the topics covered, such as the model of team effectiveness. I've also had the opportunity to motivate and unleash others' potential in some of my recent projects.”
2. Build a Global Professional Network
Pursuing a certificate also provides the opportunity to join the HBS Online Community and build a global network.
With more than 30 Chapters worldwide, the Community enables you to connect with peers who can aid your career advancement.
You can ensure you get the most out of the Community and stay involved by:
Joining your local Chapter or the Global Chapter
Attending events such as webinars, panel discussions, and the annual Connext conference
Participating in the annual Community Challenge to develop a viable solution for a nonprofit organization
Data from City Square Associates shows that 74 percent of HBS Online learners said they feel like part of a global network or business community, and 67 percent said the ability to network with peers during and after their program was better than other online business courses they took.
For Patrick Sabineza, who took Entrepreneurship Essentials and serves as the New York City Chapter Organizer, being part of the Community has been a highlight of the HBS Online experience.
“The Community fosters an environment of collaboration, where members are always willing to share their knowledge, experiences, and insights to help others succeed,” Sabineza said. “The support and encouragement I’ve received from fellow Community members has been invaluable in my personal and professional development. It’s truly a dynamic and inclusive space where lifelong connections are formed.”
Learn more about the HBS Online Community in the video below, and subscribe to our YouTube channel for more.
At Harvard Business School Online, you join a global network of business professionals and establish real-world connections that support you wherever life takes you next. Join the Community today: https://hbs.me/4as6838m
3. Learn from Real-World Cases
HBS Online's use of real-world cases creates a unique learning experience that sets it apart from other options.
Based on the tenets of HBS’s signature case method, HBS Online courses present real-life challenges that business leaders have faced and prompt you to determine what you would do in their positions. By analyzing their problems and determining how you would proceed, you can apply your knowledge and improve your decision-making.
Shalini Agarwal, a professor of radiodiagnosis at the Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, was intrigued by this aspect of HBS Online courses. It ultimately led her to enroll in Strategy Execution.
“I loved the mixture of academic teaching, case-based review, interaction with peers who had their own experiences to recount, and application in my place of work,” Agarwal said. “To me, it was a complete package.”
A recent survey of HBS Online participants found that 80 percent agreed that HBS Online offers a better overall experience than competitive online business programs. In addition, 74 percent said HBS Online's real-world examples were better than cases featured in other online business courses.
Learn more about HBS Online's approach to the case method in the video below.
At Harvard Business School Online, we bring the classroom to you. In this video, you'll meet three types of people who help bring HBS's signature case method to life online: renowned HBS faculty, experienced business experts, and a global network of peers.
4. Gain Confidence in the Workplace
Confidence is critical in business. A survey by Indeed indicates that 98 percent of employees feel they perform tasks better when they're confident, and 99 percent believe confidence is critical to securing a new job.
Data collected by City Square Associates shows that, as a result of taking an HBS Online course:
Ninety percent of learners are more self-assured at work
Eighty-four percent have more confidence making business decisions
Ninety-five percent feel better about themselves in the workplace
These outcomes can result from honing your business skills and knowledge. According to the same data:
Ninety-four percent of HBS Online learners have increased their knowledge of business terminology
Ninety-two percent have strengthened their analytical skills
Ninety-four percent have improved their knowledge to grow or start a business
Ninety-eight percent have improved their negotiation skills
“I use what I learned on a daily basis," says Paul Accornero, an executive who took Leading with Finance. “Even though I’m not in a finance role and operating in a general management position, I need to make decisions utilizing the principles we learned on a daily basis. The course empowered me to do that with confidence.”
Free E-Book
Your Guide to Online Learning Success
If you’re interested in exploring online education but aren’t sure where to start, this guide is for you.
Advance Your Career with HBS Online
If you're ready to begin your online learning journey, HBS Online is an effective way to start. You can network with peers, learn from esteemed faculty, and be immersed in a learning experience that features real-world cases and produces transformational outcomes.
Are you interested in discovering how HBS Online can help advance your career? Explore our course catalog, and download our free guide—complete with interactive workbook sections—to determine if online learning is right for you and which course to take.
This post was updated on May 20, 2026. It was originally published on October 17, 2023.