Universities Offering Free Business Education Online

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Several universities offer free online education through an array of business courses. Areas of study include accounting, entrepreneurship, finance, management, and marketing.
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Free Business Education Courses

For students interested in studying business online, the universities listed below make free courses available to the public. Students can choose from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Alaska, Kutztown University, among others.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

MIT offers the following courses in free online business education. The required text for the introduction to financial and managerial accounting course is entitled Financial Accounting in an Economic Context, which is a fifth edition, by J. Pratt. Other supplemental readings are listed in a required case packet, in addition to four supplementary textbooks.

Reading topics from the entrepreneurial finance course include Netflix and Blackstone. Communication for managers will cover reading topics such as communication strategy and structure, presenting data, and intercultural communication.

University of Alaska

This university offers a financial accounting course. The required text is Financial Accounting Information for Decisions - 2nd Edition by John J. Wild. Accounting concepts will be the center of this course, and students will be responsible for homework, quizzes, and exams.

Kutztown University

These business courses from Kutztown University are offered for free in the form of PowerPoint presentations. The accounting course is broken into 150 slides, less than 30 seconds each. Three tests and quizzes will cover each section of the course. The marketing course is also offered in the same format.

Bastiat Free University

This university offers free courses in entrepreneurship. Topics include the basics of finance, starting your own company, free markets, and globalization. Students will be responsible for homework and tests.

University of California, Irvine

This personal finance course is broken down into eight modules. Areas include taxation, investment, and estate planning.

University of California, Berkeley

These economics courses are online video lectures. Students can choose from an assortment of topics, including American economic history, introduction to economics, macroeconomics, psychology and economics, and much more.

Utah State University

This course requires two texts; Macroeconomics, 3rd edition, by Oliver Blanchard, and Study Guide for Macroeconomics, 3rd edition, prepared by David W. Findlay. Theory and policy will be covered, and students will be responsible for assignments, exams and online discussions.

Open University

This online course from Open University can be easily accessed, and it is even offered as a single eBook download. Lesson topics include the strategic function of marketing communications and the changing role of communications.

Free Online Business Education Courses At a Glance

Course & School Program Level Format Assignments Quizzes & Exams Downloadable
Introduction to Financial and Managerial Accounting course from MIT Undergraduate Text Yes Yes Yes
Entrepreneurial Finance course from MIT Graduate Text No Yes Yes
Communication for Managers course from MIT Graduate Text Yes No Yes
Principles of Financial Accounting course from University of Alaska Introductory Text Yes Yes No
Accounting 101: The Fundamentals course from Kutztown University Introductory PowerPoint presentation No Yes No
Marketing 101: The Fundamentals course from Kutztown University Introductory PowerPoint No Yes Yes
College of Entrepreneurship courses from Bastiat Free University Undergraduate Text Yes Yes No
Fundamentals of Personal Financial Planning course from University of California, Irvine Undergraduate Text No No No
Economics courses from University of California, Berkeley Undergraduate Video lectures No No Yes
Macroeconomics for Managers course from Utah State University Undergraduate Text Yes Yes No
Marketing Communications course from Open University Advanced Text No No Yes

Popular Schools

  • Online Programs Available
    1. Purdue Global

    Program Options

    Master's
      • Master : Business Admin
      • MBA: Human Resources
      • MBA: Project Management
      • Master - Accounting
      • MBA: Marketing
      • Master of Science in Nursing - MSN/MBA Dual Degree Option
    Bachelor's
      • BS in Organizational Management - Decision Management
      • Bachelor of Business Admin
      • BS in Finance
      • BS in Finance - General Finance
      • BS in Finance - Wealth Management and Financial Planning
      • Bachelor of Science in Finance
    Associate's
      • AASBA in Business
      • Associate: Business Admin.
      • Associate of Applied Science in Small Group Management
      • AAS in Business Administration - Hospitality and Tourism Services
      • Associate: Business Admin. - Office Mgmt
      • Associate: Accounting
    Certificate
      • Professional Focus + Google Project Management Certificate
  • Online Programs Available
    2. National University

    Program Options

    Doctorate
      • DBA - General Business
      • PhD-BA - Global Business Management
      • DBA - Advanced Accounting
      • DBA - Financial Management
      • DBA - Global Business Management
      • DBA - Human Resources Management
    Master's
      • MBA - Entrepreneurship
      • MBA - Financial Management
      • MBA - Global Business Management
      • MBA - Human Resource Management
      • MBA - Project Management
      • MBA - Strategic Marketing
    Certificate
      • EdS - Organizational Leadership
  • Online Programs Available
    3. Liberty University

  • Online Programs Available
    4. Keiser University

    Program Options

    Master's
      • Master of Business Admin - Accounting
      • Master of Business Administration - Management (Spanish)
      • Master of Business Administration - International Business (Spanish)
    Bachelor's
      • B.A. - Accounting
      • Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration (Accelerated Track to MBA)
      • B.A. - Business Admin: Finance
    Associate's
      • Associate of Arts - Accounting
  • Online Programs Available
    5. Grand Canyon University

    Program Options

    Bachelor's
      • Bachelor of Science in Business Information Systems
  • Campus and Online Programs
    6. Full Sail University

    Program Options

    Master's
      • M.S. - Entertainment Business
      • Master of Science - Innovation and Entrepreneurship
      • Master of Science - Business Intelligence
    Bachelor's
      • B.S. - Sports Marketing and Media
      • Business Bachelors with Entertainment Business Concentration - Online
      • Business Bachelors with Music Business Concentration - Online
  • Online Programs Available
    7. Wake Forest University - School of Professional Studies

    Program Options

    Master's
      • Master of Financial Technology and Analytics
      • Masters in Project Management
    Certificate
      • Project Management Certificate
      • Graduate Certificate in Agile Leadership
  • Online Programs Available
    8. Penn Foster

    Program Options

    Certificate
      • Career Diploma - Tax Preparation
      • Career Diploma - Virtual Assistant
      • Career Diploma - Bookkeeping
  • University of Maryland Global Campus

  • Cambridge, MA

    Harvard University

Featured Schools

The schools and programs listed below are popular educational options, and tuition varies based on program and location

Purdue Global

  • Master : Business Admin
  • BS in Organizational Management - Decision Management
  • AASBA in Business
  • Professional Focus + Google Project Management Certificate

Which subject are you interested in?

National University

  • DBA - General Business
  • MBA - Entrepreneurship
  • EdS - Organizational Leadership

What is your highest level of education?

Liberty University

What is your highest level of education?

Keiser University

  • Master of Business Admin - Accounting
  • B.A. - Accounting
  • Associate of Arts - Accounting

What is your highest level of education?

Grand Canyon University

  • Bachelor of Science in Business Information Systems

What is your highest level of education?

Full Sail University

  • M.S. - Entertainment Business
  • Master of Science - Innovation and Entrepreneurship
  • B.S. - Sports Marketing and Media
  • Business Bachelors with Entertainment Business Concentration - Online

What is your highest level of education?

Wake Forest University - School of Professional Studies

  • Master of Financial Technology and Analytics
  • Masters in Project Management
  • Project Management Certificate
  • Graduate Certificate in Agile Leadership

Which subject are you interested in?

Penn Foster

  • Career Diploma - Tax Preparation
  • Career Diploma - Virtual Assistant
  • Career Diploma - Bookkeeping

What is your highest level of education?