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Which HBS Online Finance & Accounting Course Is Right for You?

Businessman taking online finance course
  • 21 Jul 2022
Catherine Cote Author Staff
tag
  • Accounting
  • Alternative Investments
  • Finance
  • Financial Accounting
  • Leading with Finance
  • Sustainable Investing

Finance has been called the “language of business,” and for good reason: Its principles are foundational for how any organization—regardless of industry—makes money. Similarly, accounting is crucial for recording and reporting financial information and provides insights that drive important business decisions.

While finance and accounting knowledge is foundational to business literacy, finance is ever-evolving and requires a lifelong-learning mindset.

Whether you’re a beginner trying to break into the field, a non-finance professional who wants to learn the basics, or a seasoned finance professional striving to stay on the cutting-edge of the investment space, taking an online course can be an effective way to gain the skills and knowledge you need.

Harvard Business School Online offers four finance and accounting courses: Leading with Finance, Financial Accounting, Alternative Investments, and Sustainable Investing. Here’s a breakdown of each to help determine which best fits your needs and goals.


Free E-Book: A Manager's Guide to Finance & Accounting

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Which Finance and Accounting Course Is Right for You?

While all HBS Online courses offer instruction from world-class faculty, edge-of-your-seat engagement, and examples of business challenges faced by real professionals, each has a specific set of learning outcomes.

Learn or Refresh Yourself on the Basics

Leading with Finance is a six-week course designed to help you understand the key financial levers that drive your organization's performance in a competitive market.

Taught by HBS Professor Mihir Desai, this course is perfect if you want to prepare for the financial aspects of leadership and management, including budgeting, assessing value and performance, and communicating decisions’ financial implications.

Jason Bender, president of Lomont Molding LLC, explains why he chose to take the course: “I decided to sign up for Leading with Finance because I not only wanted a refresher on the principles of finance but wanted to take a more proactive and deeper approach to my company’s financial positioning."

Financial Accounting, taught by HBS Professor V. G. Narayanan, is right for those who want to understand their business’s financial health as told by its financial statements.

This eight-week course will equip you with the skills to prepare and analyze financial statements—such as the balance sheet, cash flow statement, and income statement—and use those insights to make financial decisions.

In the video below, Professor Narayanan explains why you should further your financial knowledge, even if you're in a non-finance role:

View Video

Get Involved in the Investment Space’s Cutting-Edge Future

Alternative Investments is a five-week course that will give you the tools to assess investment opportunities beyond traditional stocks and bonds.

HBS professors Victoria Ivashina, Randolph Cohen, and Arthur Segel provide an in-depth foundation in alternative investment types—such as real estate, private equity, and hedge funds—and teach you how to evaluate and leverage them to create diversified portfolios.

Sustainable Investing, a six-week course taught by HBS professors Shawn Cole and Vikram Gandhi, is a good fit if you aim to positively impact the environment, social equity, and community development while driving long-term financial success.

You’ll gain the skills to assess opportunities, measure impacts, and implement sustainable investment strategies.

Which HBS Online Finance & Accounting Course Is Right for You? | Download Your Free Flowchart

Achieve Your Goals by Leveling Up Your Skills

To determine which course is right for you, start by defining your goals. Ask yourself questions like:

  • What skills do I want to learn or improve?
  • Where would these skills fit into my existing skill set?
  • What will these new skills enable me to do professionally?

Because each course offers different learning outcomes, leading with your goals empowers you to take control of your education, select the best option for you, and level up for success.

If you still aren’t sure which HBS Online finance and accounting course is the right fit, download our free course flowchart to determine which best aligns with your goals. If multiple programs interest you, consider pursuing a Learning Track, which enables you to take three courses within the finance and accounting subject area.

About the Author

Catherine Cote is a marketing coordinator at Harvard Business School Online. Prior to joining HBS Online, she worked at an early-stage SaaS startup where she found her passion for writing content, and at a digital consulting agency, where she specialized in SEO. Catherine holds a B.A. from Holy Cross, where she studied psychology, education, and Mandarin Chinese. When not at work, you can find her hiking, performing or watching theatre, or hunting for the best burger in Boston.
 
All FAQs

Top FAQs

How are HBS Online courses delivered?

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We offer self-paced programs (with weekly deadlines) on the HBS Online course platform.

Our platform features short, highly produced videos of HBS faculty and guest business experts, interactive graphs and exercises, cold calls to keep you engaged, and opportunities to contribute to a vibrant online community.

Are HBS Online programs available in languages other than English?

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We expect to offer our courses in additional languages in the future but, at this time, HBS Online can only be provided in English.

All course content is delivered in written English. Closed captioning in English is available for all videos. There are no live interactions during the course that requires the learner to speak English. Written English proficiency should suffice.

Do I need to come to campus to participate in HBS Online programs?

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No, all of our programs are 100 percent online, and available to participants regardless of their location.

How do I enroll in a course?

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All programs require the completion of a brief application. The applications vary slightly from program to program, but all ask for some personal background information. You can apply for and enroll in programs here. If you are new to HBS Online, you will be required to set up an account before starting an application for the program of your choice.

Our easy online application is free, and no special documentation is required. All applicants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the program.

After submitting your application, you should receive an email confirmation from HBS Online. If you do not receive this email, please check your junk email folders and double-check your account to make sure the application was successfully submitted.

Updates to your application and enrollment status will be shown on your Dashboard. We confirm enrollment eligibility within one week of your application.

Does Harvard Business School Online offer an online MBA?

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No, Harvard Business School Online offers business certificate programs.

What are my payment options?

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We accept payments via credit card, wire transfer, Western Union, and (when available) bank loan. Some candidates may qualify for scholarships or financial aid, which will be credited against the Program Fee once eligibility is determined. Please refer to the Payment & Financial Aid page for further information.

We also allow you to split your payment across 2 separate credit card transactions or send a payment link email to another person on your behalf. If splitting your payment into 2 transactions, a minimum payment of $350 is required for the first transaction.

In all cases, net Program Fees must be paid in full (in US Dollars) to complete registration.

What are the policies for refunds and deferrals?

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After enrolling in a program, you may request a withdrawal with refund (minus a $100 nonrefundable enrollment fee) up until 24 hours after the start of your program. Please review the Program Policies page for more details on refunds and deferrals. If your employer has contracted with HBS Online for participation in a program, or if you elect to enroll in the undergraduate credit option of the Credential of Readiness (CORe) program, note that policies for these options may differ.

 

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