Best Online Business Courses
Business is the single most popular college major for good reason. With the increasing availability of excellent online business courses from top schools, an online degree in business administration is a valuable and versatile degree.
Graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business can put you in a great position to work in retail, finance, marketing, and more. You can work as a manager in a business, start your own company, or specialize in human resources, to name a few options.
So, why should you take online business courses? In addition to the versatility of the business degree, business graduates often qualify for strong starting salaries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in 2020, the median annual wage for business and financial occupations was $72,250. This is much higher than the median pay for all occupations in 2020, which was $41,950
Not only that, but the growing availability of excellent, accredited online business degree programs means it’s possible to earn your degree even as you work in the field. In fact, if you’re just looking for a few introductory courses, the online associate degree in business administration could be a great place to get started.
Featured Programs
What Are the Best Business Courses to Take?
The best business courses will provide introductory instruction on key topics like marketing, finanical forecasting, organizational management, human resources, supply chain management, and more.
Below are a few of the most popular online business courses
Introduction to Business
Introduction to Business is a broad overview of different business fields and applications. For example, you might learn about marketing, management, and accounting. This course often covers entrepreneurship, business law, and international business as well.
Introduction to Economics
Introduction to Economics is a course that covers basic concepts of economics. For example, you might learn about supply and demand, competition, and labor markets. Many Introduction to Economics courses also introduce you to the principles of microeconomics and macroeconomics.
Marketing
Introduction to Marketing is a course that teaches strategies for businesses to sell products to consumers. A marketing course teaches you about the relationship between marketing and revenue. A marketing business course also explores how a company can gain a competitive advantage by creating a value proposition that consumers can’t resist.
Business Law
Business law courses are courses that explore various business legal topics:
- business formations
- legal codes of conduct
- tax laws
- labor laws
You may also explore areas like environmental law, intellectual property disputes, and contract mediation.
Financial Management
Financial Management is a course that teaches you about financial tools which improve decision-making, evaluate business assets, and assess risk. Finance courses also touch on financial markets, managerial finance, and financial planning.
Where Can I Find the Best Free Online Business Courses?
You can find the best free online business courses by searching for “free business classes 2022” on the internet. You will find many options are available to you free of charge.
We’ve compiled a quick list of some of the best online business courses offered for free. Each course is rated highly by users and comes from a well-established and respected online learning platform.
Business Foundations - EdX
EdX offers this introductory business course in partnership with the University of British Columbia. Topics of study include:
- Basic financial literacy
- Business functions
- The components and activities of businesses
- Competitive dynamics
You do not need any business experience or training to take this class. Because this is a self-paced business course, you can learn at your convenience. Expect to spend 3-5 hours per week attending your course if you want to complete it in a six-week time-frame.
Principles of Economics - EdX
One of the best online business courses is introduction to economics from EdX and Stanford University.
This is a self-paced course. You can complete the coursework in about 10 weeks if you put in 5-10 hours of work per week.
The class is presented in two parts. The first part covers on the rise and fall of industries, the labor supply and demand model, and economic policy issues. The second part covers employment and unemployment, fiscal policy, and international trade policy.
Introduction to Marketing - EdX
As a student in this beginner-level course, you’ll learn about the role that marketing plays in developing brands and winning customer loyalty.
EdX and the University of Edinburgh offer this course 100 percent online. This self-paced course requires six weeks to finish if you spend about 2-3 hours per week working on the course requirements.
Each week, you’ll study a different business topic. Weekly topics include:
The role of marketing
Consumers and consumption
Segmentation, targeting, and positioning
Designing products and services
Pricing and channels
Communicating and engaging
This business course is part of a certificate program available in Digital Marketing Fundamentals. The certificate program is also available on EdX.
Business Law - Alison
Alison offers a good Introduction to Law business course.
This business course teaches you the fundamentals of business leadership and organization management. This includes a study of business law and different types of business structures.
This business course requires just a few hours to complete. It’s a good resource for beginners for beginners to explore business law. It’s also a great option for business owners and other business professionals who need a quick review of business law concepts.
Financial Management for Beginners - Udemy
Udemy offers a beginner business course about finance.
In ten short lectures, you will explore topics like:
- Financial markets
- Time value of money
- Interest rates
- Capital
- Capital budgeting
Each lesson is a video that you can watch as needed. There is also a paid version of this course that offers more learning support, if desired.
Udemy was on a 2021 Forbes online courses list for having the best online course catalog.
Are There Free Online Business Degrees?
There are no completely free online business degrees that are legitimate degrees. While a search for “free online business degrees” won’t produce much, there are numerous flexible online business degree programs designed to accomodate a wide range of needs.
When looking for free courses, it’s perhaps best to stick to the best online business courses outlined above. Use these and other free online business courses to get a foundational knowledge in business. You can then use that knowledge to further your studies in online business classes from accredited institutions.
You should also be aware that many business students go on to pursue a Master’s in Business Administration degree. This extremely popular advanced degree can qualify you to work in a business leadership role while commanding a higher salary. To learn more, check out The Best Online MBA Programs?.
