Earning a business certificate online can improve your chances for career advancement and lead to a higher salary, better job prospects, and recognition from industry peers and management. Most colleges that award business degrees, both online and traditional, offer business certificate programs to help students advance their careers. Some undergraduate and graduate-level degrees even confer certificates as part of their programs.
Business Management Courses: Top 5 Online Business Certificates To Advance Your Career
The length of a certificate program varies depending on the school but is generally less than a year. In addition to offering hands-on lessons taught by industry professionals and leaders in the field, most business certificates provide students with extensive networking opportunities.
Here, we introduce some of the top online business certificates in fields such as leadership, risk management, and business administration.
The Best Online Business Certificate Programs
Business Management
Designed to help business professionals develop and enhance key management skills, business management certificate programs offer students a variety of practical, skills-based learning experiences.
Covering advanced business-related topics such as leadership, operations, and finance, this program is ideal for entrepreneurs, brand and product managers, management supervisors, and anyone planning to enter the business field.
Schools With Online Business Management Certificates
Colorado State University San Diego
University of Texas at Austin
Business Leadership
Business leadership certificate programs are designed to help individuals develop the practical skills necessary to become effective business leaders. Coursework typically covers the fundamentals of leadership and common leadership styles, and teaches students how to unlock their own leadership potential.
Companies need people who possess strong leadership and communication skills. Well-rounded managers who can effectively lead their teams to success know how to establish quality working relationships, quickly resolve problems, and bring out the best in others.
Anyone in a management position or planning to enter a management position involving the supervision of employees can benefit from a business leadership certificate program.
Schools With Online Business Leadership Certificates
Cornell University University of Pennsylvania
Risk Management
Risk management deals with identifying, assessing, and controlling the risks associated with running an organization. In today's volatile business environment, executives prioritize risk management in order to minimize threats and maintain profitability.
Risk management certificate programs provide students with the skills necessary to analyze, manage, and monitor risks within their organizations. Students gain practical knowledge and expertise in areas like risk assessment, risk prevention, crisis management, and risk recovery.
These programs are recommended for finance managers and executives, project managers, HR managers, and anyone planning an executive-level career in business.
Schools With Online Risk Management Certificates
Boston University
Clemson University
University of California, Los Angeles
International Business Management
These programs provide a comprehensive overview of business concerns related to companies competing on a global scale. Earning an international business management certificate can help open doors for advancement in globally minded organizations.
Coursework helps students better understand the complexity involved with navigating the social, political, and economic environments in which multinational organizations operate. In addition to learning about cultural differences as they relate to business, students review international legal and regulatory systems, global financial markets, and global marketing practices.
Mid-to-senior-level management executives, as well as anyone planning an executive-level career in global business, should consider enrolling in an international business management certificate program.
Schools With Online International Business Management Certificates
Northeastern University
Queens University of Charlotte
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Business Analysis
Business analysts bridge the gap between technology and day-to-day business operations by sourcing, analyzing, and implementing technology solutions to improve internal processes within an individual business unit or an entire organization.
To succeed as a business analyst, you'll need a solid understanding of how data impacts the business landscape. Business analysis certificate programs can help advance this knowledge by educating students on industry best practices. You'll also learn how to use complex data sets to make strategic decisions, how to build business cases, and how to develop agile methodologies.
Business analysis certificate programs are best suited for business analysts, systems analysts, quality assurance managers, project managers, software engineers, and anyone wishing to gain a better understanding of the business analysis process.
Schools With Online Business Analysis Certificates
Duke University University of California,
Berkeley University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Business Administration
Business administration certificate programs provide participants with a solid understanding of the core principles and practices involved with managing a business.
The curriculum focuses on the development or refinement of a variety of administrative and management skills utilized in key business areas, such as economics, managerial accounting, and risk management.
Business managers, sales managers, and HR managers, as well as entrepreneurs and small-business owners, can benefit from earning a business administration certificate.
Schools With Online Business Administration Certificates
Liberty University University of California,
Berkeley University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Business Analytics
Executives rely heavily on data analysis to make informed data-backed decisions. Analytics gives them valuable insights into the development of best business practices for both short-term and long-term gain.
Business analytics certificate programs offer students the opportunity to enhance their analytical skills by using statistical methods and techniques to solve complex problems. Program participants learn how to analyze, visualize, and interpret data using methods such as predictive analytics, descriptive analytics, regression analysis, and data mining.
Business analytics certificate programs are ideal pursuits for business analysts, product managers, supply chain managers, and C-suite executives.
Schools With Online Business Analytics Certificates
Cornell University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Northwestern University
Project Management
Earning a project management certificate demonstrates to employers that you have the skills and experience necessary to effectively plan, organize, and manage complex projects.
Most programs provide students with the skills and education requirements needed to sit for the project management professional exam offered by the Project Management Institute — the gold standard for certification in project management. Other professional certification programs include the CAPM, CSM, CPMP, and CompTIA Project+.
Project managers, program managers, marketing managers, and anyone planning to pursue a career in project management can benefit from a project management certificate.
Schools With Online Project Management Certificates
University of Texas at Austin University of Virginia
Supply Chain Management
Supply chain management involves overseeing the processes, resources, and activities required to move a product from the raw materials stage to the end user. Businesses emphasize hiring people with the right skill set to effectively manage their supply chain processes.
Supply chain management certificate programs teach you how to lower costs, find new ways to acquire goods and services, streamline resources, increase efficiencies in the manufacturing processes, and gain a competitive advantage in an expanding global market.
These programs are best suited for analysts, managers, and directors involved in the management of an organization's supply chain. Consultants may benefit as well.
Schools With Online Supply Chain Management Certificates
Southern New Hampshire UniversityOperations Management
Operations management certificate programs help professionals develop the skills required for managing people, processes, and systems, and for achieving operational efficiency within an organization.
Students learn how to develop solutions to operational challenges associated with technology, quality control, logistics, sourcing, and inventory. You'll come away armed with the tools, techniques, and best practices to improve operational processes for any organization.
Operations managers, production managers, inventory control managers, supply chain managers, quality control managers, and business executives can benefit from this specialized certificate program.
Schools With Online Operations Management Certificates
Cornell UniversityFeature Image: Justin Lewis / Stone / Getty Images
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