They say that is best to try to learn a new thing every single day. While continuous education is important for self-development and improvement, not all of us have the money or time to enroll in second college or apply for a Masters degree. However, with the advent of MOOCs (massively open online courses), educating yourself on the issues that matter to you the most is easier than ever and, even better, free.
For all of you looking for a way to improve your business or better handle your finances, we have compiled a list of the best 7 finance and economics MOOCs around. The courses listed below are some of the most popular around and they are taught by accomplished teachers for the most highly renowned schools. Let’s take a look at the countdown.
No. 7: MIT – Introduction to Microeconomics
Length: self paced
Platform: MIT OpenCourseWare
Prerequisites: Single variable calculus (high school course)
The single most important purpose of microeconomics is making the best possible decision when faced with scarce resource, both financially and time-wise. This course is the foundation for other, more advanced topics you will be required to learn as an entrepreneur.
No. 6: Wharton – An Introduction to Financial Accounting
Length: ten weeks (6 to 8 hours per week)
Platform: Coursera
Prerequisites: no formal requirements
An absolute course for anyone wishing to learn the ropes of accounting. Accounting is a vital component of any successful business, so if you are looking to start your own venture, make sure you check out Wharton’s MOOC.
No. 5: Wharton – An Introduction to Marketing
Length: 9 weeks (5 to 6 hours per week)
Platform: Coursera
Prerequisites: no formal requirements, but it is an MBA-oriented course
The best reason for attending this course is the fact that it is hosted by Wharton, a university with one of the highest ranked marketing programs worldwide. It is an absolute must course for anyone looking to start their own business, as it teaches them how to interact with customers and merchandise their products and services.
No. 4: Wharton – An Introduction to Corporate Finance
Length: 6 weeks (6 to 8 hours per week)
Platform: Coursera
Prerequisites: Formally, there are no requirements, but students with an MBA are preferred
Though the course is labeled “an introduction”, the lectures give you in-depth knowledge about how corporate financing works. During the course, participants will learn how to use a variety of tools necessary in making sound financial decisions. A suitable MOOC for both starting entrepreneurs and already established entrepreneurs.
No. 3: How to Build a Startup
Length: self paced
Platform: Udacity
Prerequisites: none required, but it is recommended that participants have some idea about the type of business they want to set up
Unlike other MOOCs on our countdown, this online course is not hosted by a traditional professor or a university. The course is taught by Steve Blank, a well-established and highly prolific entrepreneur. Through the classes offered by this course, participants will get the opportunity to learn everything there is to know about building a business: from coming up and developing a quality and viable product to actually generating a profit.
No. 2: MIT – Innovation and Commercialization
Length: 13 weeks (12 hours per week)
Platform: EdX
Prerequisites: none required
This MOOC is particularly useful for aspiring entrepreneurs and even already established businessmen. The course teaches participants not only how to come up with innovative ideas, but also how to set them in motion. This knowledge is not useful only to those seeking to start their own business, but also for those who want to take their companies to the next level. MIT’s MOOC gives students a more in-depth understanding of how innovation actually occurs in the real world, as opposed to how it is perceived in theory.
No. 1: Columbia – Economics of Money and Banking
Length: 7 weeks (5 to 7 hours per week)
Platform: Coursera
Prerequisites: intermediate micro and macroeconomics are preferred, but not required
The main goal of this MOOC is to teach participants how the world’s money markets work and to make them understand how things happen in economy. Such an understanding is an important asset nowadays, as the aftermath of last decade’s financial crisis is slowly starting to die down, while resources and economic system are making a comeback.
