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When I first started shaping business strategy, I found myself scrambling for a clear direction. If you’ve been there too, you know what I mean:

  • Feeling lost when it comes to prioritizing which initiatives will actually drive growth.
  • Getting sucked into day-to-day operations, because it's what you know.
  • Watching competitors adapt quickly while you’re left playing catch-up.

These problems usually come up because strategy isn’t something most of us learn in school — it’s learned through experience, often the hard way. But it doesn’t have to be that way. The right business strategy courses can guide you in making smarter, faster decisions that align with your company’s goals.

I've pulled together some top-notch courses to help you master the fundamentals of business strategy, with practical insights you can apply right away. Here’s what each course covers and why you’ll benefit from them.

Best Business Strategy Courses Shortlist

Here’s a shortlist of the best business strategy courses to prepare you for 2025:

  1. Business Strategy (Harvard Business School Online)
  2. Business Strategy Specialization (University of Virginia)
  3. Business Development: Strategic Planning (Linkedin Learning)
  4. Growth Strategies for a New Business (University of Adelaide)
  5. Corporate & Business Strategy (Corporate Finance Institute)
  6. Business Strategy – Competitive Advantage (University of Pennsylvania)
  7. Business Strategy (University of  Toronto)
  8. Senior Business Strategy Professional (The Strategy Institute)
  9. Business Strategy Cornell Certificate Program (Cornell University)
  10. Business Strategy & Decision Making (University of Washington)
  11. Business Strategy (Simon Fraser University)
  12. Business Strategy Course (Nexford University)

Find more about each course below.

Overview of the Best Business Strategy Courses

1. Business Strategy (Harvard Business School Online)

A screenshot of the landing page for Business Strategy course
The Business Strategy course (Source)

This course teaches how to use the value stick framework to assess business opportunities and make strategic decisions on value creation. It focuses on achieving sustainable success by enhancing customer, employee, and supplier relationships.

  • Who It’s For: Mid-career professionals, managers, and executives looking to enhance their strategic decision-making skills
  • Topics Covered:
    • Creating value for customers
    • Adding value through compliments
    • Competing with network effects
    • Creating value for talent
    • Mastering productivity
    • Implementing strategy
  • Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
  • Exam Required? No
  • Duration: 7 weeks
  • How Many Hours Of Instruction: 5-6 hours per week
  • Eligibility Requirements: None
  • Price: $1,850
  • Take The Course: Harvard Business School Online
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2. Business Strategy Specialization (University of Virginia)

The Business Strategy Specialization course , a business strategy course
The Business Strategy Specialization course (Source)

This course focuses on strategic management's global and dynamic aspects, teaching how to evaluate industry evolution, build competitive advantage, and develop business strategies while aligning efforts to organizational goals.

  • Who It’s For: Professionals and aspiring leaders looking to strengthen their strategic thinking and business decision-making skills
  • Topics Covered:
    • Foundations of business strategy
    • Advanced business strategy
    • Business growth strategy
    • Strategic planning and execution
    • Business strategy in practice
  • Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
  • Exam Required? No
  • Duration: 1 month
  • How Many Hours Of Instruction: 10 hours per week
  • Eligibility Requirements: None
  • Price: Free
  • Take The Course: Coursera

3. Business Development: Strategic Planning (Linkedin Learning)

Business Development: Strategic Planning, a business strategy course
The Business Development: Strategic Planning course (Source)

This course teaches how to use strategic planning to drive business development by defining clear goals and creating actionable plans. It covers the steps needed to build a strategic planning team, implement corporate management strategies, and track progress toward long-term business objectives.

  • Who It’s For: Business professionals and entrepreneurs
  • Topics Covered:
    • Business development strategic planning  
    • Foundations of strategic planning  
    • Developing strategic plan  
    • Managing and implementing strategic plan
  • Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
  • Exam Required? No
  • Duration: 54 minutes 13 seconds
  • How Many Hours Of Instruction: Self-paced
  • Eligibility Requirements: None
  • Price: Free for 1 month
  • Take The Course: LinkedIn Learning

4. Growth Strategies for a New Business (University of Adelaide)

A screenshot of the landing page for Growth Strategies for a New Business course
The Growth Strategies for a New Business course (Source)

This course explores sustainable growth strategies for new businesses, focusing on setting realistic goals, recruiting and retaining talent, and designing effective business plans. It offers practical insights into scaling operations ethically and managing long-term success.

  • Who It’s For: Entrepreneurs and startup founders looking to scale their businesses
  • Topics Covered:
    • Growth strategy  
    • Balance quantity and quality in growth  
    • Recruit and retain talent  
    • Effective business plan creation
  • Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
  • Exam Required? No
  • Duration: 4 weeks
  • How Many Hours Of Instruction: 1 hour per week
  • Eligibility Requirements: None
  • Price: $134
  • Take The Course: FutureLearn

5. Corporate & Business Strategy (Corporate Finance Institute)

Corporate & Business Strategy course, a business strategy course
The Corporate & Business Strategy course (Source)

This course provides a thorough introduction to corporate and business strategy, guiding learners through strategic analysis and the application of key frameworks. It demonstrates applying strategy concepts to real-world business scenarios for effective decision-making.

  • Who It’s For: Financial analysts and professionals
  • Topics Covered:
    • Introduction to strategy
    • External analysis
    • Internal analysis
    • Current strategies
    • Case study-monic
  • Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
  • Exam Required? No
  • Duration: 7 hours and 30 minutes
  • How Many Hours Of Instruction: Self-paced
  • Eligibility Requirements: None
  • Price:
    • Self-Study Plan: $497/year
    • Full Immersion Plan: $847/year
  • Take The Course: Corporate Finance Institute

6. Business Strategy – Competitive Advantage (University of Pennsylvania)

Business Strategy – Competitive Advantage course landing page
The Business Strategy – Competitive Advantage course (Source)

This course teaches how to evaluate and redesign business strategies to gain and sustain competitive advantage. It covers methods for identifying opportunities, assessing competitors' moves, and overcoming organizational barriers to change.

  • Who It’s For: Business leaders, managers, and professionals aiming to strengthen their strategic planning and competitive positioning skills
  • Topics Covered:
    • Analyzing the firm’s external and internal fit
    • Value chain analysis
    • Maintaining the firm’s dynamic fit
    • Creating new strategies and initiatives
  • Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
  • Exam Required? No
  • Duration: 6 weeks
  • How Many Hours Of Instruction: 2-4 hours per week
  • Eligibility Requirements: None
  • Price: $585
  • Take The Course: Wharton Online

7. Business Strategy (University of Toronto)

A screenshot of the landing page for Business Strategy course
The Business Strategy course (Source)

This course teaches how to formulate and implement business strategies through long-term planning and practical management principles. It uses case studies to explore Canadian and international business scenarios, integrating key functional areas like production, finance, and marketing.

  • Who It’s For: Professionals seeking to enhance their strategic decision-making and business planning skills
  • Topics Covered:
    • Business strategy formulation and planning
    • Corporate and functional strategy theories
    • Policy formulation and implementation
    • Impact of societal values and trends on strategic policy
  • Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
  • Exam Required? No
  • Duration: 39 hours
  • How Many Hours Of Instruction: Self-paced
  • Eligibility Requirements: None
  • Price: $795
  • Take The Course: University of Toronto

8. Senior Business Strategy Professional (The Strategy Institute)

Screenshot of the landing page for senior business strategy professional course

The Senior Business Strategy Professional course (Source)

This course provides advanced strategic analysis and managerial decision-making training, focusing on aligning roles with organizational goals. It develops expertise in business strategy and its practical application for leadership readiness.

  • Who It’s For: Senior professionals, executives, and leaders looking to advance their expertise in business strategy
  • Topics Covered:
    • Strategic planning and corporate growth
    • Advanced strategic analysis models
    • Leadership in strategy execution
    • Organizational alignment and culture management
    • Managing innovation and competitive advantage
  • Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
  • Exam Required? No
  • How Many Hours Of Instruction: Self-paced
  • Eligibility Requirements: None
  • Price: $1,750
  • Take The Course: The Strategy Institute

9. Business Strategy Cornell Certificate Program (Cornell University)

The business strategy certification program, a business strategy course
The Business Strategy Certification Program (Source)

This certification program provides tools for designing and executing business strategies that create and deliver value while defending profitability. It covers approaches to managing disruption, optimizing supply chains, and using game theory to outmaneuver competitors and enhance organizational growth.

  • Who It’s For: Sales leaders, senior business leaders, executives, directors, managers, entrepreneurs
  • Topics Covered:
    • Value creation and profitability
    • Change, disruption, and growth
    • Synergies, mergers, and alliances
    • Game theory and business strategy
    • Digital platform strategy
  • Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
  • Exam Required? No
  • Duration: 3 months
  • How Many Hours Of Instruction: 3-5 hours per week
  • Eligibility Requirements: None
  • Price: $2,730
  • Take The Course: eCornell

10. Business Strategy & Decision Making (University of Washington)

Business Strategy & Decision Making course, a business strategy course
The Business Strategy & Decision Making course (Source)

This course focuses on developing and implementing strategic plans to address complex business challenges. It covers the stages of business strategy, from initiation to performance evaluation, emphasizing aligning strategies with organizational goals.

Who It’s For: Mid-level managers and business professionals looking to improve their strategic decision-making capabilities

  • Topics Covered:
    • Foundations of business strategy and planning
    • Business strategy analysis and implementation
    • Business strategy evaluation and managing disruptions
  • Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
  • Exam Required? No
  • Duration: 8 months
  • How Many Hours Of Instruction: Self-paced
  • Eligibility Requirements: None
  • Price: $4,110
  • Take The Course: University of Washington

11. Business Strategy (Simon Fraser University)

A screenshot of the landing page for Business Strategy course
The Business Strategy course (Source)

This course focuses on developing and managing business strategies to align corporate resources with market opportunities and risks. It covers creating strategic plans integrating marketing, finance, production, and human resources for organizational growth or transformation.

  • Who It’s For: Professionals seeking to enhance their strategic planning and decision-making skills
  • Topics Covered:
    • Industry and competitive strategic analysis
    • Analyzing internal strategic resources and capabilities
    • Business-level strategies and tactics
    • Stakeholders' preferences and engagement
    • Managing strategic change
  • Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
  • Exam Required? No
  • Duration: 11 weeks
  • How Many Hours Of Instruction: Self-paced
  • Eligibility Requirements:
    • Business Administration MGMT120
    • Financial Accounting Fundamentals MGMT250
    • Accounting and Financial Management Fundamentals for Non-Financial Managers MGMT245
  • Price: $649
  • Take The Course: Simon Fraser University

12. Business Strategy Course (Nexford University)

The Business Strategy Course landing page
The Business Strategy Course (Source)

This course focuses on the global aspects of strategic management, examining how different organizational components contribute to strategic decisions. It explores the impact of marketing, competition, and shifting consumer demands in a market-driven global economy.

  • Who It’s For: Professionals aiming to strengthen their business strategy skills and improve organizational outcomes
  • Topics Covered:
    • Types of business strategy and uses
    • Key marketing frameworks for business objectives
    • Marketing planning for global strategy
    • The research process
    • Environmental factors in consumer and organizational decision-making
    • Strategic decisions to become an industry leader
  • Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
  • Exam Required? No
  • Duration: 8 weeks
  • How Many Hours Of Instruction: 10-15 hours per week
  • Eligibility Requirements: None
  • Price: $220
  • Take The Course: Nexford University

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Simon Litt

Simon Litt is the editor of The CFO Club, specializing in covering a range of financial topics. His career has seen him focus on both personal and corporate finance for digital publications, public companies, and digital media brands across the globe.