Online Business Schools 2021
Best Online MBAs, Diplomas and More
Searching for online business courses in 2020? Confused about whether or not Udemy, MasterClass or other course providers are the best for your business studies online? Here at www.makemesmart.com, we’ve reviewed some of the leading course providers in the UK, to help you enhance your business studies and to allow you to get the very best value for money. After all, there’s little use investing in a business course if you don’t get a solid ROI (Return On Investment, as you might already know) But what is it that you should look for in a good business course? Is it just the provider, or are there other aspects that you should consider? Well, on this page we cover everything from who you should trust, to what course content you should look for — written for all levels of study, from a basic online course to a fully fledged Business MBA. And just an FYI, we might well recommend a particular provider or two throughout this review, but we remain impartial at all times — it’s just a way for us to fund our website. We hope you understand.
- Accredited online professional qualifications
- Get your undergraduate and postgraduate degree online
- All online courses accredited and recognised
- Partnered with universities and business worldwide
- 13+ professional qualifications on offer
Finding a business course online can be a daunting task. There are so many options out there that, well, you might well end up on the wrong course. Generally speaking, there are a few specific branches you can go down — finance, management, entrepreneurship, communications, sales, strategy and loads more. But before you do head into the world of online courses, our reviews are designed to help support your search for online studies.
- Reliable & Trustworthy Providers
- Courses Provided By Professionals
- Low Cost / High Quality
- Peer Reviewed Online Classes
Essentially, we’re looking for a number of factors when it comes to finding a business class online. Mainly, it’s the course length, the course quality (as in, what the course will teach you), the value of the business course and how easy it is to access. If a business course on Udemy, MasterClass, Coursera or any other provider is able to satisfy our stringent requirements, we’ll happily recommend it. And of course, not all courses will score highly in all these categories — some course providers do one thing better than the other — but as long as it’s ticking off most of the boxes, we’ll rate it positively.
Top 5 Course Providers for Online Business Studies 2021
In this section we’ve listed the top five online business course providers, which should give you a solid summary of what’s on offer. Of course, there are many more out there, but we feel the below course providers are worth shouting about. You can head straight to their website, or read our review of their business courses by clicking the grey button.
Learning To Study Business: Is It Possible Online?
In short, yes. Studying business — alongside many other topics — is perfectly possible online. Arguably, it could be the easiest way to do so, especially if you have children or a busy work life. It’s probably why so many people take on a business course online year-in, year-out. It offers a solid and suitable way to learn without having to commit heading to a school or evening learning centre, but also provides you with real and tangible certification at the end of it (depending on who provides your course).
Pros
- Online business courses are easy to access
- Learn and study from home
- Take your time and learn at your own pace
- Reduce costs by learning online
Cons
- Difficult topics cannot be discussed directly with a tutor
- Staying motivated can be difficult when studying online
It is worth bearing in mind though that if you’re not the most dedicated individual — as in, you’re easily distracted by the TV or your video games console — then you’ll need to prepare mentally before partaking in an online business or business MBA class. But other than that, there is literally nothing stopping you heading to Coursera for solid business certification, the Open University for online MBAs, or Udemy for uncredited — but exceptionally managed — online business courses.
100%. With a wide range of online course providers offering business courses nowadays, learning how to create or manage a business is more possible than ever. Key course providers include Udemy, Coursea and Masterclass.
Leaning to study business topics online can start at £9.99 if using Udemy, and can increase to £5000 a year if you’re looking to study through accredited course providers such as the Open University.
It all depends on the qualification you want at the end. If you’re not bothered about certification then Udemy might well be the best place to study business online. If you want to study at a degree or postgraduate level then the Open University, or any other good university offering online courses, is the better option.
How Much Are Business Courses Online in 2021?
While we can’t provide a comprehensive overview of all the business courses and their prices available online, we can round up the costs from three of the largest online course providers. Take a look below for a full summary and average prices to study business online.
Udemy
Quick and Simple Online Courses-
YouTube Style Online Courses
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Low Cost / High Quality
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Start and Stop Anytime
MasterClass
Business Courses by Experts-
Studio Quality Online Courses
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Provided By Experts & Celebs
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Learn From True Experts
Coursera
Expert Courses Starting From £0.00-
Specialist Online Course Provider
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Renowned in the Industry
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Free Courses Often Provided
Is learning Business online expensive in 2021?
One of the most important parts of learning — whether it’s online, or in a classroom — is the cost. For a course to be effective, it has to be affordable. After all, what’s the point in studying if you then can’t afford to pay your rent? Well, as you can see from the above summary, learning to study business online can be affordable and, even in some cases, free. That means, as you might have guessed, studying business online in 2021 isn’t that expensive at all.
But, as an aside, studying business online can be expensive if you choose to study at a university — this goes without saying, of course, but it is of course worth pointing out. For example, a fully fledged MBA from Coursera can cost up to $20,000 (the dollar sign is on purpose). This is immensely expensive. OpenUniversity (OU) online business courses are somewhat more affordable, but they can still set you back up to £6,000 – £10,000 per year.
These expensive courses are only for those who are truly committed to learning business online and are looking to get a degree out of it at the end. For the casual learner, or those looking to top up their business knowledge, providers such as Udemy are more than sufficient.
How Many Modules Does A Business Online Course Have?
Business courses come in many shapes and sizes, depending on the type of course you’ve signed up for. For example, if you’ve decided to study Business & Finance, you will be exposed to modules on taxes, business rates and economics. If you are studying a leadership course, the modules will be tailored on people management, effective appraisals and the ability to inspire and motivate.
- Accounting & Finance
- Data Analysis
- Marketing
- Supply Chain Management
So, ultimately, it’s impossible to pin down the amount of modules you might have to complete in a typical online business course. We advise you to check out the syllabus before signing up — especially if you’re investing in an online MBA or bachelor degree. If you’re purchasing a Udemy course, or similar, then you shouldn’t expect an extensive module structure. But again, there are Udemy courses that are very extensive, so it’s well worth shopping around.
How Long Do Online Business Courses Take To Complete?
It all depends on the type of online business course that you choose to pursue:
- Online Bachelors Degree in Business: 3 Years (full-time).
- Online Masters Degree in Business: 1 Year (full-time).
- Udemy Course Online: 1 hour – 1 week (on average).
- Coursera Business Course online: 1 week to 3 years.
Of course, these are just estimates, but our research found the above to be consistent during our research.
Ultimately, it depends on what you’re looking for in the way of a qualification. If you’re planning on pursuing a undergraduate or postgraduate course then you should expect anything between 1 and 4 years full-time and up to 7 years part-time. Udemy courses are much shorter and MasterClass / Coursera courses can take a little longer, but often have more material to offer.
It all depends on your circumstances, but in most situations the answer is yes. If you’re looking for a way to study which is both flexible and cost-effective, then an online business or online business MBA/BA is definitely worth it.
Online business courses can range from £9.99 for a Udemy course to $20,000 for a comprehensive and extensive Coursera online qualification.
100%. But take note, if your online course has live lectures or you need to have contact with a tutor during the course, then make sure the time zones between your host country and the course country aren’t too disparate.
If you feel the course will benefit the business, and the course will also benefit your personal growth, then you may be able to convince your employer to invest in an online business course. Approach your manage and put your case forward and if they have the budget, they might be able to pay something towards the fees.