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Credential of Readiness (CORe)
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Credential of Readiness (CORe)

Master Business Essentials with Harvard Business School’s Online CORe Program

The online Credential of Readiness (CORe) program will prepare you to contribute to business discussions and decision-making, whether you're looking to advance your career, considering graduate school, or exploring new career paths.

Apply Now

What You'll Learn

Overview

CORe consists of three courses—Business Analytics, Economics for Managers, and Financial Accounting —and a final exam. Immerse yourself in real challenges faced by seasoned leaders across a variety of industries, develop business intuition through interactive learning exercises, and join a global community of peers. As in the business world, you’ll be evaluated on the quality and timeliness of your work and your contributions to the learning community.

Play an Introduction to CORe Video
Play an Introduction to CORe Video
Go to Program Syllabus

Business Analytics

  • Develop a data mindset
  • Analyze and interpret data to inform business decisions
  • Progress from basic descriptive statistics to regression analysis
  • Implement analytical techniques in Excel
  • Apply course concepts through real-world examples, such as website A/B testing, using sampling to check warehouse inventory, predicting sales, and forecasting staffing needs
Play an Introduction to Business Analytics video
Play an Introduction to Business Analytics video
Download Full Syllabus

About the Professor

Professor Janice Hammond - Business Analytics

Professor Jan Hammond is the Jesse Philips Professor of Manufacturing and Senior Associate Dean for Culture and Community at Harvard Business School. She currently teaches Supply Chain Management in the MBA program and is program chair for the HBS Executive Education International Women’s Foundation and Women’s Leadership Programs. Her research focuses on speed and flexibility in manufacturing and logistics systems to respond to changing customer demand.

Economics for Managers

  • Develop effective pricing strategies
  • Understand powerful analytical tools like relative cost analysis and conjoint analysis
  • Identify sources of competitive advantage through differentiation
  • Apply course concepts in the context of a growing online retailer, an events ticket broker, a multi-national publishing company, and other firms
Play an Introduction to Economics for Managers video
Play an Introduction to Economics for Managers video
Download Full Syllabus

About the Professor

Professor Bharat Anand - Economics for Managers

Professor Bharat Anand is the Henry R. Byers Professor of Business Administration for Harvard Business School and Harvard University’s Vice Provost for Advances in Learning. He is an expert in digital and corporate strategy, and has studied how new technologies affect what we watch, read, and hear—which you can learn more about in his book, The Content Trap: A Strategist’s Guide to Digital Change. He is a two-time recipient of Harvard Business School’s “Best Teacher” award.

Financial Accounting

  • Unlock insights into business performance and potential through financial statements
  • Understand both US GAAP and IFRS accounting standards
  • Prepare and evaluate financial forecasts
  • Value a venture, project, or investment opportunity and perform a sensitivity analysis
  • See how managers, Wall Street analysts, and entrepreneurs use accounting to drive strategic decision-making
Play an Introduction to Financial Accounting video
Play an Introduction to Financial Accounting video
Download Full Syllabus

About the Professor

Professor V.G. Narayanan - Financial Accounting

Professor V.G. Narayanan is the Thomas D. Casserly, Jr. Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School and chair of the MBA program’s second-year elective curriculum. He has served as the course head for the first-year required accounting course for MBA students, Financial Reporting and Control, and chairs several executive education programs. His research in management accounting focuses on understanding how firms can use incentives and feedback to improve performance.

Who Will Benefit

Graduation Cap

College Students and
Recent Graduates

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.

Academic Building

Those Considering
Graduate School

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.

Briefcase

Mid-Career
Professionals

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

Fit CORe into Your Schedule

  • Complete online coursework on your own schedule while meeting weekly deadlines
  • Complete your final exam at a time convenient for you within a defined time period after the program concludes. 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. Due to changing circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the exam may be delivered in-person or online-proctored in the future. More details about exam delivery will be shared at the beginning of each cohort.
  • CORe offers the flexibility of different lengths of study that run throughout the year. Course content and program requirements are identical regardless of the program length. Choose the option that works best for you:
Dial pointing to the right of a timer, indicating a longer time period

Extended CORe

  • 17 Weeks

  • 8-10 hours per week
Dial pointed to the left of a timer, indicating a shorter time period

CORe

  • 10-12 Weeks

  • 12-15 hours per week
Extended CORe
March 2021
  • Program: 3/30/21 – 7/29/21
  • Exam Period: 8/12/21 – 8/17/21
  • $2,250
  • Course Platform
  • Credential Program

Detailed Calendar

Apply Now
Deadline: March 22
CORe
May 2021
  • Program: 5/18/21 – 7/29/21
  • Exam Period: 8/12/21 – 8/17/21
  • $2,250
  • For Credit ($3,760)
  • Course Platform
  • Credential Program

Detailed Calendar

Apply Now
Deadline: May 10
CORe
June 2021
  • Program: 6/22/21 – 9/2/21
  • Exam Period: 9/16/21 – 9/21/21
  • $2,250
  • Course Platform
  • Credential Program

Detailed Calendar

Apply Now
Deadline: June 14
Extended CORe
July 2021
  • Program: 7/20/21 – 11/18/21
  • Exam Period: 12/2/21 – 12/7/21
  • $2,250
  • Course Platform
  • Credential Program

Detailed Calendar

Apply Now
Deadline: July 12

Learn more about what Financial Aid options are available to you.

By enrolling in the CORe program, participants will be ineligible to enroll in Business Analytics, Economics for Managers, or Financial Accounting as individual certificate programs. By enrolling in the Business Analytics, Economics for Managers, or Financial Accounting certificate programs, participants will be ineligible to enroll in the CORe program.

Syllabus

The Credential of Readiness (CORe) is a rigorous online program consisting of three courses—Business Analytics, Economics for Managers, and Financial Accounting—designed to help you achieve fluency in the language of business. You will develop deep-seated problem solving skills and the confidence to contribute to business discussions and decision making.

Learning requirements: In order to earn the Credential of Readiness, participants must do the following:

  • Thoughtfully complete all modules by stated deadlines
  • Satisfactorily participate in courses through reflections and cold calls, for example
  • Demonstrate content mastery through satisfactory completion of module quizzes
  • Earn a passing score on the final exam of all three component courses

Final 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.

Download CORe Syllabus

Course Modules Case Studies Takeaways
Business Analytics
  • Describing and Summarizing Data
  • Sampling and Estimation
  • Hypothesis Testing
  • Single Variable Linear Regression
  • Multiple Regression
  • Amazon
  • Walt Disney Studios
  • Caesars Entertainment
  • Interpret data to inform business decisions
  • Recognize trends, detect outliers, and summarize data sets
  • Analyze relationships between variables
  • Develop and test hypotheses
  • Implement regression analysis and other analytical techniques in Excel
Economics for Managers
  • Customer Demand: Foundations
  • Strategies for Assessing and Increasing Demand
  • Suppliers and Cost
  • Markets
  • Competition and Differentiation
  • Ace Ticket
  • The New York Times
  • Penguin Random House
  • Amgen
  • Bonobos
  • Develop effective pricing strategies
  • Benchmark costs compared to competitors through relative cost analysis
  • Apply conjoint analysis to understand what features customers value most
  • Understand the power of network effects to drive demand
  • Identify sources of competitive advantage through differentiation
Financial Accounting
  • The Accounting Equation
  • Recording Transactions
  • Financial Statements
  • Adjusting Journal Entries
  • The Statement of Cash Flows
  • Analyzing Financial Statements
  • Forecasting and Valuation
  • Cardullo's Gourmet Shoppe
  • Apple Inc.
  • Bikram Yoga Natick
  • Hipzone
  • Green Mountain Coffee Roasters
  • PepsiCo
  • Morgan Stanley
  • American Red Cross
  • Metropolis Healthcare
  • Discover how balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements are developed and how each interact
  • Appreciate the role of managerial judgment in choosing accounting estimates and methods
  • Evaluate business performance and potential using financial statements
  • Understand both US GAAP and IFRS accounting standards
  • Prepare and evaluate financial forecasts to make strategic decisions
  • Value a venture, project, or investment opportunity and perform a sensitivity analysis

The HBS Online Advantage

Play an Introduction to the HBS Online Platform video
Play an Introduction to the HBS Online Platform video
  • World-class faculty
  • Edge-of-your-seat online learning
  • Global peer collaboration and networking
  • Real-world case-based learning

Developed by Harvard Business School faculty to bring the dynamism of the HBS classroom online, CORe immerses you in a series of multimedia case studies. You will step into the role of a business leader and learn concepts in the context of real business issues—actively challenging you to think on your feet—while sharing your ideas with fellow learners from around the world. You will walk away from CORe with a new perspective on the world and how businesses work.

Play Natacha explains her experience taking CORe Video
Play Natacha explains her experience taking CORe Video

Stories from Our Learners

  • CORe was much more than a tripod of rigorous courses. The sense of community that developed from all the various social platforms that were unique to Harvard Business School Online that provided me the platform to interact with other students from all over the world in various industries were instrumental in my application and understanding of the concepts.
    Sheneka Balogun,
    Higher Education Professional
  • CORe goes well beyond the basics, but it isn't overwhelming. The classes are structured in a way that each lesson builds on the lessons before to reinforce everything you've learned. CORe also provides you with real world examples that illustrate the concepts. It's one of the most impressively organized programs I've ever been a part of.
    Liz Taylor,
    Advertising Account Director
  • Not only was I able to expand my network so that I know someone in every major city around the world, but it also helped me land a job at a company that I absolutely love.
    Carlvin Dorvilier,
    Client Solutions Manager at LinkedIn
  • I enjoyed being able to interact with motivated, ambitious students from all over the world. Furthermore, the course content and platform were extremely engaging, combining the best of pedagogy and technology.
    Armin Rezaiean-Asel,
    Computer Engineering Student


information

Costs & Financial Aid

Everything you need to know about CORe program fees, institutional need-based scholarships, and financing options.

Learn More

Learn More


question mark

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to log in at a set time? How does the grading process work? At this point, you probably have a few questions, and we’ve got answers.

Learn More

Learn More


application

Enrollment Eligibility

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. We confirm enrollment eligibility within one week of your application.

Apply Now

Apply Now


HBS Online Credential of Readiness
Earn Your Credential

Enroll today in Harvard Business School Online’s world-class business fundamentals CORe program.

Apply Now
 
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.

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

+–

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

How do I enroll in a course?

+–

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 hbsonlinesupport@hbs.edu. 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?

+–

No, Harvard Business School Online offers business certificate programs.

What are my payment options?

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We accept payments via credit card, 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.

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

 

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