Clicky

12 Free Online College Business Management Classes

business management free courses

Then and now, business management and administration degree programs are the most popular among all undergraduate and graduate students. Not everybody, however, wants to pursue an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree in business management for many reasons, such as the desire to learn only specific aspects of business operations, a busy schedule, or limited funds. Fortunately, numerous free online college business management classes address these reasons!

Since these are free online courses, you can enjoy the convenience and flexibility of online learning! Many of these business courses can be completed at your own pace, a flexibility of particular benefit if you’re struggling with juggling your personal and professional obligations. But take note, too, that many of these business courses have definite start-and-end dates and deadlines that you should comply with to earn the credit or certificate. 

Featured Programs

Free Online College Business Management Classes - fact

Employers and academia also recognize these online business courses for their overall quality. Instructors with extensive professional credentials, including teaching experiences, lead the online courses, meaning students learn contemporary business principles and practices from instructors with the appropriate knowledge and skills in their areas of specialization. Most, if not all, of the online course providers also provide satisfactory student support services, such as tech support, that enhance the online learning experiences. 

Of course, since these are free online business management courses, you’re getting cost savings that you won’t get from for-a-fee online courses! You also don’t have to spend money on traveling expenses because you can learn from anywhere with a stable Internet connection. 

What are the benefits of free online classes?

Beyond the benefits of free online learning, completing online business management courses has numerous benefits, too. 

Up-to-date content

The business industry and the business management field are in constant flux because these are both influencers of and influenced by science, technology and society. Since online content can be updated faster than printed textbooks, you can be assured that you’re getting the latest in business management trends, principles and practices in your online classes. You can also apply the lessons learned in your online business classes to find solutions for real-world issues, particularly in your workplace or business. 

Building your portfolio

Your resume will be better for it, too, because online business courses on your resume demonstrate your specialized knowledge and skills as well as your commitment to lifelong learning. Many business courses also require the completion of practical projects that will not only increase your business skills but also look good on your resume. 

Developing specialized knowledge and skills

The beauty of free online business management courses is their wide range of choices that allow interested individuals to develop specialized knowledge and skills based on their personal interests and professional goals. You can develop specific skills in in-demand aspects of business management, such as data analytics, business intelligence and analytics, and international business. You can even find online courses in machine learning and artificial intelligence designed for business professionals! 

Of course, many free online business courses are also intended for beginners who want to learn the fundamentals of business management and administration. These introductory courses cover corporate finance, financial and managerial accounting, marketing, operations and strategic management, and supply chain management, among others. 

Developing technical and technological proficiency

Online learning in itself develops digital proficiency in that you become more adept at using digital tools and technologies, a must in the technology-driven society we live in today, particularly in the business world. Furthermore, you will learn technical skills that can be applied in business and non-business situations, such as becoming an Excel whiz, reading financial statements and reports, and creating budgets, among others. 

Developing soft skills

Professionals with business degrees are valued for their soft skills, too, which are vital for success in both employment and entrepreneurship. Your communication, critical thinking and collaboration skills, as well as your leadership and teamwork skills, will be better with every online business course on your portfolio. Indeed, you can even develop your entrepreneurial skills and mindset that will contribute to your success as a business owner! 

Expanding your personal and professional network

Indeed, the crucial importance of an extensive and supportive network in your career success cannot be overemphasized. Many, if not most, online business courses include discussion forums, class discussions, and other networking opportunities. You may find your dream job or find financing for your entrepreneurial idea in these networking interactions. 

The 12 Best Free Online College Business Management Classes

At the end of each free online business management course, you will learn new knowledge and skills, as well as meet new people who can boost your career advancement opportunities. The trick is in leveraging the career advancement opportunities that come your way, but that’s for another article. Suffice it to say that it’s best to keep an open mind when engaged in your choice of free online business courses! 

With that said, here are the 12 best online college business management classes offered for free by several platforms. You can choose one or more of these online courses and enjoy personal fulfillment and professional advancement.

Introduction to Human Resource Management
Introduction to Operations Management
Financing Options for Small Businesses
Fundamentals of Accounting
Learn What Content Marketing is and How to Do It
Introduction to SEO: Tactics and Strategies for Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurial Marketing
Leadership and Followership
Writing a SWOT Analysis
Economic Analysis for Business Decisions
Project Management Professional
Effective Business Writing


Introduction to Human Resource Management

Udemy.com

HR Management_Udemy

Powered by the online learning platform Udemy, this is for every business aspirant who aims to expand their business beyond a one-person operation. Human Resource Management plays an essential role in an organization. They are in charge of the general recruitment process and training of the workforce.

It also focuses on performance management and ensures an active work environment which is important in any business culture. Even small entrepreneurs cannot build a whole HR department that has human resource needs.

In this Introduction to Human Resource Management, you will go through a 17-course content about the topic. As an online business student, you will learn about Human Resources, its process, and scope. It will also help you understand its role in Performance Management, explain the hiring and retention strategies and tips on effective Human Resource Management.


Introduction to Operations Management

Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
via Coursera

ClassCentral.com

Wharton School UPenn

Activities related to procurement to distribution required to create and deliver a product are all linked to Operations Management. For effective operations management, you need to take into account critical factors such as revenue increase, product quality, cost elimination, and customer satisfaction.

This online business management class is provided via Coursera on a four-week timeline. You will acquire knowledge about the business fundamentals of analyzing and improving services through a systematic process.

For about 5-7 hours a week, the syllabus covers key elements of process analysis, increasing productivity, and quality service. While there is an option for a paid certificate, this free class can equip business owners and the entire workforce with essential know-how on the subject.


Financing Options for Small Businesses

U.S. Small Business Administration

SBA Free Online Course

Financing Options are beneficial for small entrepreneurs who anticipate the short-term and long-term financing needs of a business. This allows aspiring business owners one day to fund their enterprise from different potential sources such as loans, angel investors, venture capital, crowdfunding, and other financial options.

The course transcript of the U.S. Small Business Administration covers under an hour of written and video material. It is a self-paced web-based training that provides lectures and exercises on the subject. As it focuses on the objective of determining business financing needs, this online course presents the advantages and disadvantages of each financing source to make your business more profitable.


Fundamentals of Accounting

Alison.com

Fundamentals of Acctg_Alison

If you can acquire new business knowledge and skills to become a better entrepreneur, why not? For reviewing accounting documents and learning about bookkeeping management, this online business class has got you covered.

Accounting encompasses the monitoring of income and expenditures, providing a quantitative financial record that can be utilized in the decision-making process. Accounting knowledge is also a must in creating a budget, ensuring statutory compliance, and evaluating business performance.

The Fundamentals of Accounting is a two-course module online class. It introduces learners to fundamental accounting principles and terminologies. It also talks about many concepts associated with the subject, including balance sheets and report preparations, such as income statements.

This online class also presents numerous journal and ledger tools for analyzing discrepancies in daily bookkeeping activity.

Paid certificates are also available in three types, namely digital, framed, and security-marked formats.


Learn What Content Marketing is and How to Do It

Hubspot Academy

Content marketing is an emerging business strategy for establishing your brand, solidifying your social media presence, and generating leads. It helps you understand consumers and the market, thus adjusting the quality of your content based on these insights.

This free certification course has 14 lessons, 54 videos, and 11 quizzes—all of which can be completed in 612 class hours. To help you become an effective and strategic content marketer, this online class focuses on Marketing as a powerful business tool—and the many strategies associated with implementing a marketing plan that works for you!

You will also learn how the power of storytelling attracts your audience, helps you build a content framework, and enables you to plan a long-term content strategy. With quality blog content and video marketing, you can promote, measure, and analyze your content.


Introduction to SEO: Tactics and Strategies for Entrepreneurs

SkillShare.com

Search engine optimization (SEO), in its many complex jargon and principles, is ultimately aimed at driving website traffic organically. It is a powerful “low-cost and high-reward” strategy.

The free online class teaches startups and businesses about obtaining customer behavior data to drive web traffic and conversions. It focuses on how digital presence should be utilized to result in consumer engagement and trust and eventually benefit the business through high revenue.

Hosted by Rand Fishkin, co-founder of Moz and Inbound.org, this online class will run for less than two hours. It consists of 12 video lessons. In the first half, you will learn about SEO overview and strategies. Throughout the course of the discussion, you will learn the myths and misconceptions of SEO, page optimization based on keyword research, and content strategy.

Toward the conclusion of the lesson, you will be taught to make the most out of SEO tactics and evaluate the results of the strategies.


Entrepreneurial Marketing

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Open Courseware

Entrepreneurial Marketing_MIT

What and how am I selling to whom? How do I best leverage my limited marketing resources? Entrepreneurial Marketing (EM) course will answer these questions for small entrepreneurs. EM involves a proactive marketing approach to bring new products and services to the market. While it may be associated with calculated risk-taking, its innovative value creation is an essential factor.

Offered by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Open Courseware, this online course’s syllabus involves two sessions of lectures per week with seven modules and 25 topics. The course discusses marketing concepts, methods, and strategic issues in starting entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurial Marketing also gives a thorough understanding of marketing issues confronted by entrepreneurs, identification, and evaluation of marketing opportunities, achieving competitive advantages, and sales tools useful in entrepreneurial settings.


Leadership and Followership

The Open University

Leadership_OpenLearn

Without leadership, all other critical business components lie passive. Business leaders should always ensure that the organization maintains its vision, inspires the morale and satisfaction of the employees, communicates strategic actions, and gears toward organizational productivity and efficacy.

The other side of leadership is followership. Though it only gets a backhanded compliment, the ability to take direction well and deliver what is expected of the job contributes to the success of organizational management.

This free-badged digital course of The Open University is worth 3 hours of study time every week. In 8 weeks, Leadership and Followership will discuss the different approaches to and styles of leadership. You will also distinguish the required skillset and capabilities related to it.

Followership will also be defined based on the perspectives of a leader and a follower. Through identifying effective leadership, you can write a leadership journal devising a systematic approach to develop such skills.


Writing a SWOT Analysis

The Open University

SWOT_OpenLearn

In business, there is a systematic approach to analyzing effective strategies and evaluating the company’s performance. SWOT means Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. This is a type of research and analysis for an existing organization to learn about its competitors. Through this, you will have a deep understanding of what your business will be up against.

This free course helps you understand and analyze the SWOT concept for your business. By following a step-by-step process, you can make use of SWOT by selecting a relevant framework and using it appropriately. You will apply this framework in a business case study to better appreciate its applications to a range of business scenarios.


Economic Analysis for Business Decisions

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Open Courseware

Economic Analysis_MIT

But what is the market? Is it a place? A product or service? Which sellers? Which buyers? In Economic Analysis, the strengths and weaknesses of an economy are being put into analysis. These issues are essential to grasp the current condition of a particular economy and the goods and services one’s business provides.

The course syllabus offers readings, lecture notes, exams, and assignments within the 21-week sessions. With an option to adapt Sloan School’s core subject in microeconomics, you can test yourself on the knowledge of analytical tools that impact the economic decision-making process. There will also be an analytical study of individual market behaviors, cost concepts, government regulatory policies, and economic implications on business practices that are considered in microeconomic choices.


Project Management Professional

Cybrary.it

Project Management_Cybrary

Planning a project without valuable project management is a false economy. It is virtually essential in every business as it involves more than delivering on time, scope, and budget. It brings together clients, projects, and the team keeping all on the same track of their shared vision for success.

The online training course from Cybrary will help you familiarize yourself with Project Management. This 5-hour course is composed of 11 modules that will discuss project initiation, planning, and management.

In addition, it explores topics on risk assessments, quality management, procurement planning, and stakeholder engagements. With this new skill set, you will be able to effectively plan, supervise, and accomplish a project plan for an organization.


Effective Business Writing

University of California Berkeley

EdX.org

Business Writing EdX

Any entrepreneur who is struggling with their written communication can find this course very helpful. Professional-quality writing can make any business operation run smoothly. Excellent business writing skills enhance work productivity sent through this medium. In an increasingly competitive business market, this also boosts your professional confidence and helps a solid web presence.

The class is conducted by the University of California, Berkeley, in a 3-to-4 week duration. While the course is entirely free, you may add USD 199 for a Verified Professional Certificate. The course will help you brush up your writing skills by composing business materials like letters, memos, emails, and reports. It will also focus on the effectiveness of streamlined content and establish the best approaches to business document formats. 

When choosing among these free online business courses, your crucial considerations should be your personal interests and professional goals. You will only benefit from the lessons in these business management courses if and when these are aligned with your plans, whether you’re on the C-suite path or the entrepreneurial path.

Since every student would like some help with tuition costs, you should check out this informative article. Take a look!!!

THE BEST SCHOLARSHIPS FOR BUSINESS MAJORS

Take a look at these degree programs that can be taken from the comfort of your home through distance learning:

Rowan Jones
Chief Editor