Certificates, Credentials, & Credits
Harvard Business School Online equips learners with vital business knowledge, applicable skills, and resume-worthy accolades. Each program offers varying levels of certification—from undergraduate credit to a Credential of Readiness. Explore what you can earn and the requirements for completing an HBS Online program.
All paid HBS Online courses, with the exception of CORe, grant a Certificate of Completion. While each program can be completed on your own
schedule, there are weekly deadlines to ensure you’re progressing through the course
in step with your peers and taking full advantage of all networking and social learning
opportunities.
To earn a certificate, you must complete all coursework in a thoughtful and timely
manner, including meeting weekly deadlines, finishing assignments, offering feedback
on others’ reflections, and contributing to conversations on the course platform.
Explore our Certificate FAQs for more information.
A Credential of Readiness (CORe), is granted to those who complete all three courses that comprise CORe—Business Analytics, Economics for Managers, and Financial Accounting—and pass a final exam.
The CORe final exam is a three-hour, multiple-choice, computer-based assessment created by HBS faculty
and administered online. A passing score on all three courses is required to earn
a Credential of Readiness, and grades are assigned on the following scale:
To learn more about how grades are assigned, visit our Program Policies.
During the January, May, and September offerings of CORe, there is also the option to earn eight undergraduate credits through Harvard Extension School. The course content, deadlines, and grading process are the same; what differs is
the cost for the undergraduate credits and additional benefits.
By pursuing the for-credit option of CORe, you receive access to Harvard Extension School student resources, including libraries,
career advising, workshops, and education tax credit and loan deferments. You may
transfer the credit to your current institution, yet it is up to the accepting university
to determine eligibility.
Are you interested in taking the next step in your career? Explore our online course catalog to find the right fit.