Massive Open Online Courses are free classes available online for anyone to enjoy. MOOCs provide an easily accessible, flexible, and affordable way to learn new skills, advance a career, and feature high-quality educational experiences at scale. Millions of people worldwide take advantage of the best business schools with MOOCs. Students enroll for various reasons, including
- corporate eLearning & training,
- career development,
- college prep,
- career changes,
- supplemental learning,
- lifelong learning,
- and more.
If you are considering attending business school, consider enrolling in a four-to-six-week MOOC at one of the nation’s best business schools. It is an excellent way to gain exposure to business leadership training. Here are some of the best business schools with MOOCs.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Business students enrolled at UNC Kenan-Flagler learn to lead today for a better world tomorrow. The business school’s commitment to real-world learning experiences, values-driven culture, and deep expertise in the increasingly unpredictable business dynamics prepare students for long-term career success. To date, Kenan-Flagler graduates number more than 40,000. These high-achieving alumni live and work in all states and nearly 90 countries. They are ambitious and principled business leaders keenly focused on the bottom line and the greater good. The business school’s mission is to build and inspire business leaders who make the world a better place. UNC-Chapel Hill leaders challenge and prepare students to be the best in and for the world.
One business strategy MOOC course from UNC is “What’s Your Big Idea?” Whether a student’s interest lies in solving the world’s most significant issues, creating subsequent marketing success, or addressing an issue closer to home, this free course will give online learners a toolbox to vet their ideas and test them in the real world. This course is not directly taught out of the Kenan-Flagler business school, but it is an excellent business-centered MOOC to pursue.
The University of Washington
UW Foster is a world-renowned business school in a pioneering city sitting on the Pacific Rim. Some of the world’s best and brightest study there, applying ingenuity to serve humanity. Business school leaders celebrate their rich and uniquely Foster partnerships with iconic organizations as they collaborate, innovate, and call them neighbors. You will discover Foster alumni working to create the most significant impact, from forward-thinking companies to entrepreneurial ventures. Community is the heart of who Foster is – it is why it starts its purpose statement with “together.” The business school is committed to fostering an inclusive environment that inspires all leaders to be better together. The business school’s approach encourages innovation, imagination, and curiosity to solve unstructured, real-world issues. Leadership models community by gathering insights through listening and genuinely hearing each other.
One excellent business essentials course is “Introduction to Public Speaking.” This free MOOC course gives learners a reliable model for preparing and delivering effective presentations in all business settings.
The University of Florida
The Warrington College of Business at the University of Florida houses three schools. The Heavener School of Business is one of the nation’s best undergraduate public business schools. Heavener features bachelor’s degrees in Marketing, Finance, Management, Information Systems & Operations Management, and General Business for over 4,500 students. The Fisher School of Accounting is one of the country’s few free-standing accounting schools. It provides a detailed emphasis on the complex skill of accounting. Accounting students in the program enjoy a curriculum dedicated to growth in the field and success in their careers. Finally, the Hough Graduate School of Business offers specialized programs tailored to a graduate student’s strengths and interests. Hough Hall features nationally recognized programs. The blending of motivation and competitiveness fosters a unique atmosphere.
One MOOC Warrington offers online learners is “Personal & Family Financial Planning.” This free course addresses critical personal financial management topics to help students learn prudent habits in school and throughout their lifetime. This free MOOC only takes fifteen hours to complete.
Indiana University
Indiana University is one of the excellent research universities of the 21st century. It is a world-class institution of higher learning. The university offers more than 500 academic programs. They have top 10 programs in business, education, public affairs, health sciences, information systems, and the arts.
One excellent MOOC found at the Kelley School of Business is “Developing Your Personal Leadership Style.” This free program’s curriculum reveals the most effective management starts from the inside. Only those who know themselves and can manage themselves can effectively manage others. Another free MOOC is “Becoming a People Manager: Taking Charge with Care.” Since there is never a second chance to make a first impression, getting off to a good start is vital to an effective manager’s journey. The business school also features “Introduction to Business Negotiations.” Students enrolled in this course learn the skills needed to negotiate complex business transactions while developing the framework to apply what they have learned in online negotiations of a transaction.
The University of Maryland, College Park
A Maryland Smith School of Business degree prepares business leaders to adapt, innovate, and lead confidently in a constantly evolving world. Their master’s degree programs teach on-campus and online students to analyze data and think critically while solving business problems. Business students develop advanced knowledge of a specialized business focus. It helps them stand out to employers and make an impact in the workplace. The business school’s Ph.D. Program shapes the future of business scholarship by inspiring students to discover and disseminate knowledge via exciting careers in teaching and research at top universities worldwide. Executive education at the business school includes a broad range of expertise; from data analytics and finance to leadership training and executive coaching. Business school leaders empower current and future leaders to reach their potential and transform their organizations.
One of the business school’s online MOOCs is “New Venture Finance: Startup Funding for Entrepreneurs.” This free course is for entrepreneurs who want to understand how to secure funding for their idea. The course will demystify key financing concepts to give entrepreneurs a guide to securing funding.
Babson College
Business students enrolled at Babson College’s F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business are encouraged to embrace the mindset of a business leader. A business leader is a professional who takes action, solves problems, navigates uncertainty, and embraces ambiguity. This is the lifeblood and the spirit of Babson.
Babson’s graduate business programs give ambitious achievers the fundamental skills, increased self-awareness, and expanded mindsets needed to achieve their full potential. They develop leaders who address the most significant issues of business and society, whether in new ventures or established organizations. Babson College is one of the nation’s top-ranked colleges for entrepreneurship education. It believes that entrepreneurship is the planet’s most positive force for generating sustainable social and economic value.
The business school offers a MOOC called “Rise to Leadership: Become a CEO.” The course teaches that if you’re ambitious, it’s natural to become the leader of an organization. Many people in business want to be CEOs, to shape and lead an organization. This four-week course shows you how. It is self-paced. This means you can progress at your speed. This is just one of the excellent free MOOCs currently available at Babson.
The University of California, Davis
The UC Davis Graduate School of Management prepares inspired, innovative, and collaborative leaders for the next generation of business. UC Davis grads are committed to making a positive impact. The business school employs over seventy-five internationally renowned research visiting professors, guest lecturers, and faculty. There are over one-thousand graduate business students enrolled in six programs. The business school supports an alumni network of over five-thousand business professionals who are catalysts for change in all types of industries worldwide.
“Professional Skills for the Workplace Specialization” is a free MOOC course series through the business school. This online specialization is intended for working professionals early in their careers. It is also great for corporations desiring to improve interpersonal relationship skills among employees, clients, and customers. Through four free courses, online learners
- explore the use of social and emotional intelligence,
- practice a formula for decision making,
- cultivate a growth mindset, and
- form skills related to resilience and adaptability in an ever-changing environment.
The University of Michigan
Program leaders at Michigan Ross are researchers, educators, and lifelong learners. They create innovative solutions to the world’s most complicated business issues. Ross is a highly-ranked business school offering action-based education to prepare its graduates for today’s ever-changing world. The business school’s impact extends beyond the classroom, aiming to set a new standard in business education. There are nearly 60,000 Michigan Ross alumni worldwide. The Michigan Business School was founded in 1924, so there are almost 100 years of business know-how in the organization. There are currently over 4,300 students enrolled in degree programs at Ross.
One of the business school’s MOOC courses is “Leading People and Teams.” Enrolled students learn
- essential leadership skills,
- how to inspire and motivate individuals,
- manage talent,
- influence without authority, and
- lead teams.
In this free MOOC, distance learners learn from Michigan faculty and exceptional leaders, including John Beilein, Head Coach of Michigan’s Men’s Basketball Team, and Jeff Brodsky, Global Head of HR for Morgan Stanley. Program leaders share research on how to lead people and teams effectively while working with students to apply these insights to their teams and leadership.
Duke University
Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business nurtures a new kind of leader who has the power to reveal the strength in others and move teams forward with a common purpose. The business school’s community comprises students and faculty from all over who thrive in an environment with unique viewpoints. These programs bring people together to inform a leadership style that inspires organizations to do better while doing what is best for everyone. Fuqua enrolls over 2,000 students annually across ten degrees and eleven non-degree programs. Some programs help working professionals and full-time students push their limits and try new things. The business school campus is based in North America, but it is known for providing opportunities for engagement and learning worldwide.
One free MOOC offered at Duke for business students is “Blockchain Business Models.” Blockchain is a highly disruptive technology that has yet to be fully understood. In this course, MOOC students learn about blockchain and how it can create value in cryptocurrencies and other practical applications.
The University of Virginia
The UVA Darden School of Business‘s mission is to improve the world by training responsible leaders through unparalleled life-changing learning experiences. Business school leaders put the student’s personal purpose in motion through non-degree and degree programs, delivered by the nation’s best faculty and bolstered by research and ideas. This sets the stage for a lifetime of career impact and advancement. Darden has campuses in the Washington DC area and Charlottesville, Virginia. It supports field offices in Shanghai, China, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Its global community includes over one-thousand degree-seeking students and eighteen thousand alumni in over 90 countries. It features executive education and online learners across the globe.
One of the business school’s MOOC specializations is “Leading the Modern-Day Business.” This free specialization covers the essential skills and concepts of business leadership and what they mean for organizations. It starts with explaining digital transformation, developed at the Darden School of Business. The courses are led by top-ranked Darden instructors and Boston Consulting Group experts. They introduce design thinking, which provides online students with the tools to become innovative thinkers and uncover creative opportunities within an organization.
Action Plans
Now that you have an idea of all the incredible business schools with MOOCs that are available to you, it’s time to plan how to take advantage of the offer.
1. Discover What Interests You
The best thing you can do to keep interested and involved in any coursework that you are ultimately choosing without the accountability of payment is to find courses that will keep you invested. If a course sounds too dry within the description, chances are it will prove itself to be throughout the lectures, readings, and videos. Be sure to find course titles and topics that interest you so you will have a better chance of seeing the courses through to the end.
2. Count the Cost
Even though these business school MOOCs don’t feature a tuition rate, there will still be a cost to you, the student, in the form of your time. Most courses found on Coursera list upfront the time commitment. Pay special attention to this information knowing that if you enroll in multiple courses, it may put a burden on your schedule.
3. Make Room
Once you have an idea of the time you will need to invest in your MOOCs each week, you will want to look at your overall schedule. Ensure you are setting yourself up for success. You should consider beginning with a single course. This allows you time to learn the rhythm of online learning. If scheduling conflicts occur, perhaps reconsider other activities you have worked into your weekly schedule.
MOOCs offered at some of the nation’s best business schools are excellent resources for students wanting to get their feet wet in business education. By choosing these courses, you are exposing yourself to high-quality content delivered by current practitioners in business leadership.
Related Resources:
How can I take online MBA classes for free?
Guide to Business School
Top Business School Podcasts
Alternatives to an Online MBA
Best Online Entrepreneurship MBA Programs
