Back when massive open online courses (MOOCs) were new, I started a project to complete the equivalent of an MBA, using free courses. Platforms such as Coursera and edX were making headlines, and when I learned that leading universities (including business schools) were distributing online courses for free, I was inspired to construct a business education rather than pay an exorbitant amount for a degree.
I called the project the “No-Pay MBA” and I blogged about it at www.NoPayMBA.com. I finished my business education in 2016, and wrote a book to guide others interested in doing a self-made MBA (Don’t Pay For Your MBA, HarperCollins, 2017).
Now that I’m working for the MOOC review site Class Central, I’ve been wondering, how would I approach this project today, given the wealth of new courses and tools that are now available?
When I was doing my No-Pay MBA, there were only a few business MOOCs available, so I basically signed up for all of them. Fortunately or unfortunately, so many respected business schools have released free courses – 1,867 business courses are currently listed on Class Central – that it would be impossible to do that today.
Through my studies, I also came to believe that putting together an MBA-level education requires much more than simply ticking through a checklist of course topics. That’s partly because MOOCs differ from on-campus courses in scope, length, and rigor; and partly because creating your own MBA offers a tremendous opportunity to tailor the curriculum to your needs.
My advice: start by learning some foundational business concepts in introductory-level courses, then develop some general business skills, and finally, dive deep in an area of concentration.
Below is a sample course list that follows this advice, drawn entirely from business schools in U.S. News & World Report’s top ten. I cross referenced the U.S. News list with Class Central’s database to find around 90 courses from top ten schools, including the University of Pennsylvania (#3), MIT (#5), Northwestern (#6), the University of California Berkeley (#7), the University of Michigan (tied for #7), Columbia University (#9), and Dartmouth (#10).
I used only courses from these schools not because there aren’t great MOOCs from business schools lower down in U.S. News’ ranking (the full course catalog of the University of Illinois’s iMBA, for example), but simply because A) I had to cut down the number of courses somehow, and B) I wanted to demonstrate that the content for a top-tier MBA is there for the taking.
Note: The curriculum below is a pretty solid MBA program. However, it doesn’t include every topic that might be included in an MBA. Some notable gaps: project management, micro- and macroeconomics, and business ethics. It’s also rather light on operations management.
Another Note: While many of these courses do involve fees, all of them can be audited for free, either in full or in part. If you’re new to MOOCs, you can learn more about them in Class Central’s Beginners’ Guide to Massive Open Online Courses.
Foundational Business Concepts (4 courses)
The four courses in the Business Foundations Specialization from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business are a popular starting place for those new to the world of business. I suggest taking all four.
Introduction to Marketing, University of Pennsylvania via Coursera
Introduction to Financial Accounting, University of Pennsylvania via Coursera
Introduction to Operations Management, University of Pennsylvania via Coursera
Introduction to Corporate Finance, University of Pennsylvania via Coursera
General Business and Management Skills (4-6 courses)
Quantitative modeling, negotiation, project and people management, decision-making, leadership, and communication are important skills regardless of industry. I recommend taking at least one course that covers each of the aforementioned topics, for a total of between four and six courses.
Fundamentals of Quantitative Modeling, University of Pennsylvania via Coursera
Decision-Making and Scenarios, University of Pennsylvania via Coursera
Managing Talent, University of Michigan via Coursera
Leading Teams, University of Michigan via Coursera
Scaling Operations: Linking Strategy and Execution, Northwestern University via Coursera
High Performance Collaboration: Leadership, Teamwork, and Negotiation, Northwestern University via Coursera
Leadership Communication for Maximum Impact: Storytelling, Northwestern University via Coursera
Inspiring and Motivating Individuals, University of Michigan via Coursera
Making Successful Decisions through the Strategy, Law & Ethics Model, University of Michigan via Coursera
Successful Negotiation: Essential Strategies and Skills, University of Michigan via Coursera
Concentration (8-10 courses)
I advise anyone pursuing self-directed education to develop deep knowledge and skills in an area of concentration. This is where you can reap the real value of a self-directed education. Focus on a discrete area, take courses that are rigorous, and put what you learn into practice in real world scenarios. I’ve listed three possible MBA concentrations that could be constructed from courses offered by the top ten B-schools, excluding pre-packaged options such as the MicroMasters in Supply Chain Management from MIT.
Option 1 – Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship is the obvious choice for someone interested in starting a business. Added bonus: if you’re planning on being your own boss you won’t have to defend the value of your self-directed education in a job interview.
Entrepreneurship 1: Developing the Opportunity, University of Pennsylvania via Coursera
Entrepreneurship 2: Launching your Start-Up, University of Pennsylvania via Coursera
Entrepreneurship 3: Growth Strategies, University of Pennsylvania via Coursera
Entrepreneurship 4: Financing and Profitability, University of Pennsylvania via Coursera
Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, Harvard University via edX
Becoming an Entrepreneur, Massachusetts Institute of Technology via edX
The Iterative Innovation Process, Massachusetts Institute of Technology via edX
CS50’s Computer Science for Business Professionals, Harvard University via edX
Option 2 – Digital Strategy
With plenty of courses and many opportunities to use your skills in the real world, digital strategy makes for an excellent area of concentration. Being a relatively new field, it may also be easier to get a job in this area without a traditional degree.
What is Social?, Northwestern University via Coursera
The Importance of Listening, Northwestern University via Coursera
Engagement & Nurture Marketing Strategies, Northwestern University via Coursera
Content, Advertising & Social IMC, Northwestern University via Coursera
The Business of Social, Northwestern University via Coursera
Marketing Analytics: Price and Promotion Analytics, University of California, Berkeley via edX
Marketing Analytics: Competitive Analysis and Market Segmentation, University of California, Berkeley via edX
Marketing Analytics: Products, Distribution and Sales, University of California, Berkeley via edX
Marketing Analytics: Marketing Measurement Strategy, University of California, Berkeley via edX
Marketing Analytics, Columbia University via edX
Writing for Social Media, University of California, Berkeley via edX
Content Strategy for Professionals: Engaging Audiences, Northwestern University via Coursera
Content Strategy for Professionals: Managing Content, Northwestern University via Coursera
Content Strategy for Professionals: Expanding Your Content’s Reach, Northwestern University via Coursera
Content Strategy for Professionals: Ensuring Your Content’s Impact, Northwestern University via Coursera
Omnichannel Strategy and Management, Dartmouth via edX
Option 3 – Finance
Finance is a more risky area of concentration, since it can be hard to break into the industry without the right credentials. However, if you already have a foot in the door, there are plenty of finance courses at the MBA level.
Valuation: Alternative Methods, University of Michigan via Coursera
Financial Engineering and Risk Management Part I, Columbia University via Coursera
Financial Engineering and Risk Management Part II, Columbia University via Coursera
Modeling Risk and Realities, University of Pennsylvania via Coursera
Corporate Financial Policy, University of Michigan via edX
Principles of Valuation: Risk and Return, University of Michigan via Coursera
Financial Institutions and Markets, University of Michigan via edX
Financial Decision Rules for Project Evaluation, University of Michigan via edX
Principles of Valuation: Time Value of Money, University of Michigan via Coursera
Valuing Companies, University of Michigan via Coursera
Project Risk Assessment, University of Michigan via edX
The Free Cash Flow Method for Firm Valuation, Columbia University via edX
Jason
While this is a great option, my question is how do you establish this education on a resume and express it to an employer or potential employer? I wouldn’t want to put that I have an MBA from some schools while if those schools were contacted there would be no evidence of me obtaining an MBA. So how do you verify the education?
Laurie Pickard
Great question! I agree it is a challenge to be overcome with this type of education. My advice is not to put on your resume that you have an MBA, but rather to give the education a unique title, something like “Graduate-level business studies”. Then give a short description of what you did (e.g. Took more than 20 courses as part of a self-directed business education program) and list a few of your more impressive courses below that. For the courses that you list, it would be helpful to actually purchase the certificate, which you can produce as proof of the work you did in those particular classes.
It does require more creativity and marketing savvy than just writing “MBA degree” on your resume, but it also costs a whole lot less!
Haya
Do we get any certificate after we finish no pay MBA
Laurie Pickard
That’s the thing. You can get individual certificates for courses you complete, but not the overall MBA. If that is a deal breaker, then this probably isn’t a great option for you.
Rodrigo Francozi
What a fantastic solution to the world Laurie! I will never forget taking a sports management class that I’ve learned nothing from just to graduate, or to get into a Microeconomics class in Harvard listening to the professor say “Reality will sometimes conflict with some of the theorems we will review”. In a world where time is our most valuable asset, your input and strategy has made it possible to people that now live in third world countries (dollar is 5 to 1) and despite the wage disparity are still able to structure their own MBA. May your life be as blessed as this solutions.
Gareth W
Sounds like a good option for self improvement but given that like graduates, MBA post grads are likely to be attempting to gain a place on an MBA programme… this is not going to be a viable option
Abdullah
This is a huge effort and than to you Pickard. My question is, how long will it take to do this ? Can you give us a ball park ? Thanks again
Laurie Pickard
I think you could probably do a program like this in as little as 18 months, but you would have to be very disciplined. A more reasonable estimate would be 2-3 years of part-time study.
Samuel Gachoki
I once studied so hard online courses but after doing my exam, i was told to $1000 which i dint have so as to receive my certificate. Tell me howuch should i pay as shipment fees. Am in kenya
Saurabh
Well, Samuel you can apply for Financial Aid on Coursera or other platforms, if that is an issue
Fatou Gillen Njie
I am interested in this MBA course how would I be enrolled to enable me take this course
Warren
Thank you for the wonderfully presented outline of an MBA equivalent at little or no cost, other than a personal investment of time and energy which we should always be willing to invest in order to truly succeed.
medy
how do i enroll in this programme, i like it!
medy
WIll the programme be available after August 2019?
Laurie Pickard
No official “program” to enroll in. This is a sample guide for self-directed study. These courses appear to be here for good, so no need to start at any particular time.
Victoria
Thank you Laurie. Your MBA outline is fantastic!
IDRISSA
Thank you so much Laurie. That’s a great job.
Idrissa from west africa, Cote d’Ivoire
Ecmcomalley
Aside from MBA program Does MOOC offer the same platform on other Post Graduate studies with other Academic discipline or subject of interest? Thank you.
Laurie Pickard
The subjects with the most robust course offerings include business, computer science, and data science. You could easily put together a graduate-level program in any of these subjects.
Noor
Jeannie will you be kind enough to share a similar article for data science as soon as you do it.
Hassan Ali
You know what Laurie? I love and admire you for the amazing work you’ve done for every business student out there. I’m sure even if I can’t get a job, I might surely carry skills for free and from different individual courses provided by the top ranked universities rather than a MBA from a specific university which could be expensive yet be lower in ranks. Thank you so much for putting it all up I’m looking forward to acquire as much knowledge as I can from these courses online that would certainly help me to be skilful and then I’m sure I can even launch my own business if an employer finds me not competitive enough just because I don’t hold a freaking degree!
Ricardo
This is awesome!
Nick
This is a great alternative approach to doing a conventional MBA, and it may not be for everyone. Laurie’s book highlights the pros and cons quite well.
In my opinion, the value of such a MBA is not just the lower cost (which seems to be played up more than it needs to be), but rather the incredible access to high-quality content from some of the most knowledgeable and engaging professors working at top ranked institutions, that I may have the smallest chances of being accepted into.
Jeannie
This looks fantastic!! Thank you, Laurie, for researching and putting together such a helpful list! I’m in the process of changing careers (from 20 years of bodywork to data science) and your list seems like a great place to start. I imagine I can customize my own unique list, doing further research and building in this one.
Cheers!
Mary
Thank you, Miss Pickard.
Taking the time to complete the No-Pay MBA yourself and then posting such a comprehensive path to taking on this kind of initiative is beyond inspiring; it’s notable and pretty awesome!
While a current student in a traditional on-line college, I’m holding on to this information with hopes of completing a NP-MBA one day.
Going forward, I’ll be aligning myself with your articles and posts borrowing the tag-line from the past political campaign: “I’m With Her!”
Outstanding job!!!
Thank you for sharing so generously.
Dr SIBAMAY DASGUPTA
If I have correctly noticed, Harvard is let out in the list. Is there any specific reason?
Laurie Pickard
There actually are a couple of Harvard courses on this list, under the Entrepreneurship concentration. The reason there aren’t more courses from Harvard is that while Harvard does offer some free courses, the business school has primarily released courses through its own paid platform, not as MOOCs.
Helga M.
All I can say is, from someone who actually completed an MBA degree without any concentration, this is a solid, exhaustive list from what’s available in MOOC. Thank you, Laurie, for this. This guide is great for someone who is running a business and does not really care about the title next to the name, but can use the next level learning to support better decision making in moving the business forward.
Kessete Admass
Dear Laurie
warm greetings
I have professional Diploma in Management Development from the open university UK school. I have taken full courses but not reached MBA. The program was within the MBA program. How could I undertake the rest couses not fulfilled to satisfy my masters degree in MBA?
Francis Peter Phiri
Great work Laura, i like what you have said regarding self paced
development, it provides room for a better understanding once one has read a variety of courses, although most employers do not understand this. That’s a great job. My fellow readers lets just join her and benefits will be seen later. The world is changing , you never know the future might demand her courses that she has done, and you will be caught napping once you realize that you never did any of her courses when she is actually giving us this important information.
Pradeep
Work you have done is awesome.
Ggingo Hassan / Kim - From Uganda
Hi ! MS’s Laurie pickard
Thanks for this effort you expand to the generations and let the almighty God be with u in all.
I liked this programme so much and iam ready to do what needed.
My questions is , is it able for some one to come out wit MBA though he/ she stopped on an ordinary level ( O- level) because many countries in the world have different status of education. how have you come out to combine the all levels of education in different countries.
Thanks
Abdourahamane BARRY
Wonderful , This is a great for us .
Alyson Burn
Thank you Lauren for your generosity in sharing this. I’m blown away that this has been made available, and hope that you are reaping the rewards of your studies and efforts!
Reinhard Finke
Dear Laurie, thanks for this great information. Do you know if and which of the Moocs mentioned above include ECTS information in the certificate ? European Universities often offer the possibility to get (or to purchase) a certificate after having successfully accomplished the course. Only few of them include ECTS validity, as for instance this one about aircraft : https://lennuakadeemia.ee/koolitused/mooc
I think that this kind of recognition would be helpful and would add value to the certification.
Edwin Ntaka
Hie, I see you are not covering the Mechanical Engineering field, is this by design or I am missing something. I am in interested in this field.
metarhyme2
Mechanical Engineering is not business, so it would
not appear in a commerce listing like this one.
“Monotsukuri” Making Things in Japan: is the first hit
at EdX searching Mechanical Engineering. There are 86 more.
https://www.edx.org/course?search_query=Mechanical+Engineering
Coursera has 116 in Physical Science and Engineering
https://www.coursera.org/courses?query=Mechanical%20Engineering
Rodrigo Suguimoto
Awesome, Laurie!
Thank you very much for gathering these opportunities together in just one place.
Godsday Idanegbe USIABULU
Laurie, you’ve done more than noble!
Flori
Laurie you are just amazing, Wanted to ask if you can get a list of free courses for an MBA specialization in International Business, Non Profit Management or Strategic Management. Thanks
k kiran kumar
courses like a sea
god bless you all
i try to do one course coming days
u said “No Pay MBA
welcome
Josh
Hello, I’m new to MOOCs, are MOOCs considered and accepted universally by Accredited American Universities and colleges? Do you know if universities will accept MOOC courses as transfer credit for conventional coursework in the course of study? (i.e. Basic mathematics MOOC = Basic Mathematics course offered in conventional college degree program)? Or are MOOCs not accepted by conventional universities and colleges as completed course work?
I’m just wondering if MOOCs are worth the effort or if MOOCs are considered more of “hobby” education which cannot be applied to or will not be considered as formal higher educational study.
Thank you!
Josh
sarosh
in school, it is possible to study in any school, or do home schooling and then appear for a board exam to get certified eg Cambridge or ICSE or baccalaureate etc.
Why not create a national or (international) board of examiners for MBA, who allow anyone who has the online certificates, to take a final MBA.
Lazz Lazz
Laurie,
Thanks alot for this ❤️❤️.
You are the best.
From Kenya with Love,
Lazz.
Paola
Nice job Laurie!
I was thinking about doing an MBA but as I work 40 hours/week I though it would be quite hard to learn so many new things after a working day. I guess this would be quite useful as a pre-learning phase. I guess what I mean is if I would have already some knowledge then the MBA would not be so hard. Does that make sense?
Ameya Gokhale
This is a great compilation… good effort!!
Yet, everyone on this page should remember that MOOCs cannot directly substitute an educational degree. Even the depth in which MOOcs are treated is very different from that of an educational course.
The advantage though is – you study the latest and the greatest techniques (educational courses tend to be sluggish in terms of changing their curricullum.. MOOCs dont have that issue).
If you wish to establish this on a resume, the only way is to provide an appendix of all the MOOCs that you took and add present that extra page when you actually appear for an interview.
Another possibility is to highlight that you yourselves proactively took all these courses.. which establishes your willingness to learn
Hugo Sanina
High value initiative !
In the end of the day is waht you do with it.
If you take the MOOC´S path and really live up t o it, it´s a mather of time until you find the road to sucess.
my belief and results.
Arpit
Thank you, Laurie.
There are a few things that I would like to include in the list.
1. Course on economics (as you mentioned). Other courses use the concept of economics, so something on economics will be useful.
2. Many MBA schools have Organizational Behaviour (OB) in their curriculum. I don’t know if any online course is available. I would have included OB on the list.
3. As far as I know, most MOOC does not use simulations to provide practical knowledge on the subject. So, if possible include simulations to the list. (I know simulations are expensive)
Charles ikechukwu Udeagu
How can you get a certificate of achievement that represents and equal to MBA?
Which institution will give you the MBA?
Are the courses totally free online?
Ozel
Genius! Thank you
Aijaz
Dear Laurie,great stuff from your side, I just wanted to know whether any MOOC courses are available specializing in tax management / policy or any courses relating to taxes ,thanks and regards
Tim Hooker
Great article. Thanks, I personally do not have the time to attend a formal MBA program nor do I have the funds so your approach fits well with me. I have had a boutique web, security, analytics, and corporate intelligence firm since 2007 so having the ability to start and stop a course works perfect.
This online MOOC system is genius. All the time wasted going to a brick building, sitting in lecture classes, buying $300 textbooks is crazy.
Can I take all Concentrations you listed? Entrepreneurship, Digital Strategy, and Finance?
Thank you again for your hard work.
Timothy
Aijaz
Dear Laurie,great stuff from your side, I just wanted to know whether any MOOC courses are available specializing in tax management / policy or any courses relating to taxes ,thanks
kay
Thanks Laurie !!!
i would include these courses:
Basic Economics (micro and macro)
Basic Accounting + GAAP + Financial Statement Analysis
Basic Auditing (understanding of MOVECOP) + GAAS
Business Plans + Financing
Eman
Great list. Thanks a lot!
Ralph Wilkins
Thank you very much for this resource Laurie. I’ve been trying to do this for some time but Coursera tries to tie you into a paid membership scheme & edX often has, ahem… lesser universities’ free courses (yes, I realise the hypocrisy of turning a nose up at non-Ivy League free courses!)
This is a great list of links to fabulous free resources for personal education & I honestly believe that No-pay MBAs (or any quality free courses) will be far more acceptable in the future to employers. Afterall, studying in one’s own time is entirely laudable.
The entrepreneurship courses you link to are gold dust for the new generation of start up founders and anyone wanting to start a business.
Your links take all the work out of finding quality free courses. Thank you.
Prashanth
Probably the best thing I stumbled upon during my lockdown due to the Corona outbreak. Being an entrepreneur in manufacturing, I am looking for the knowledge more than the educational degree itself. So this is gold for someone like me. Although I wonder if “real MBA” students also learn the same content or if they are privy to the real secrets fo the trade, because you know, obviously they pay ?
Nevertheless, for me, some knowledge is better than no knowledge at all. Kudos to the team behind this.