Develop an effective risk and crisis management strategy to better prepare your business for an uncertain future.

Failing to acknowledge the possibility of unlikely events is often the reason many organizations are underprepared and ill-equipped when facing a crisis. Yet, if there’s one thing that businesses should take away from the COVID-19 global health crisis, it’s the critical need to have strategies in place for the likelihood of potential risks.

The Risk and Crisis Management online certificate course from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is designed to equip you with accountability and responsibility strategies to mitigate the impact of unforeseen risks and crises in your organization. Drawing on both private and public sector examples, the course provides you with an intensive, interdisciplinary perspective on the subject. Over eight weeks, you’ll learn from expert LSE faculty as you gain an in-depth understanding of key academic debates and central approaches to risk and crisis management to take forward into your current business strategies.

Is this course for you?

The design of this course is suited to professionals in a variety of industries across the corporate environment, and in the public and non-profit sectors. Any professional looking to move into the risk or crisis management space will benefit from an intensive introduction to this subject. Leaders and executives who want to play a more active role in managing risk within their businesses will benefit from improving their understanding of risk and crisis strategies. This course is also applicable to analysts and consultants who currently deal with risk management and want to optimize their skills.

This Risk and Crisis Management online certificate course is certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service, and may be applicable to individuals who are members of, or are associated with, UK-based professional bodies. The course has an estimated 70 hours of learning.

Note: should you wish to claim CPD activity, the onus is on you. The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and GetSmarter accept no responsibility, and cannot be held responsible, for the claiming or validation of hours or points.

Refine your ability to make effective strategic decisions with a clear, bias-proof, step-by-step process.

In a business landscape increasingly reliant on technology and automation, uniquely human abilities such as strategic decision-making and critical thinking are proving to be vital skills for the modern professional.

The Decision-Making: Judgements, Biases, and Nudges online certificate course from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) equips participants with the tools to improve their decision-making capabilities. You’ll learn to use a proprietary framework – the Decision Canvas™ – as a structured and scientifically informed decision-making tool. In addition to this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn how to compensate for blind spots, such as your own cognitive bias and automatic judgements, in your decision-making journey. By developing an informed awareness of debiasing and choice architecture, you’ll be empowered to improve your intuitive decision-making.

Throughout this six-week course, you’ll have the opportunity to leverage the diversity, experiences, and insight of a global network of peers, and will learn to examine decisions from different perspectives in order to arrive at more robust conclusions. The combination of theory and practical application ensures that you are able to utilise what you’ve learnt in both personal and professional real-world scenarios.

Is this course for you?

This course is designed to equip business leaders, managers, and working professionals with a structured approach to decision-making. The ability to recognise and avoid blind spots, biases, and judgements will help you drive more effective problem-solving and critical thinking in your context. Existing and aspiring entrepreneurs will learn how to justify the choices they make when growing their enterprises, as well as strengthen their decision-making process. Regardless of the industry or business function, those looking to stand out in their current role or prepare for a new one will benefit from understanding the science of making quality decisions. Both technical and non-technical managers and supervisors will benefit from developing the soft skills to lead in an increasingly machine-reliant workplace.

This Decision-Making: Judgements, Biases, and Nudges online certificate course is certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service, and may be applicable to individuals who are members of, or are associated with, UK-based professional bodies. The course has an estimated 60 hours of learning.

Note: should you wish to claim CPD activity, the onus is on you. The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and GetSmarter accept no responsibility, and cannot be held responsible, for the claiming or validation of hours or points.

Engage, motivate, and inspire your modern workforce to drive team performance.

Research has shown that there exists a strong link between employee engagement and performance. However, ensuring your employees remain engaged is challenging in a work environment that is increasingly online and flexible. Navigating these challenges requires managers who are able to effectively motivate, inspire, and ultimately engage those who report to them.

The Managing People and Teams online certificate course from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) teaches you to engage effectively with employees to motivate and inspire performance. On it, you’ll gain insights into managing flexible schedules and remote teams, and learn to promote diversity and employee well-being while guiding talent and driving retention through development. Take this expert-led opportunity to reflect on your leadership style and its impact on your team, as well as your own management abilities. You’ll also have the chance to draw on the expertise of LSE’s Department of Management, home to world-class education and research in business and management.

Is this course for you?

This course's focus on broadly applicable management tools makes it beneficial for a wide range of roles and industries. If you’re an experienced manager, you’ll gain insights into motivating your team in any situation, including virtual environments. New managers, meanwhile, will learn the underlying motivations you can use to inspire your employees and drive performance. If you’re an aspiring manager, this course will provide you with a toolkit to navigate the modern organization, while laying the groundwork for future leadership roles. For those working in human resources, this course offers tools you can use in your day-to-day management work while giving you the confidence to advise other managers in their operations.

This Managing People and Teams online certificate course is certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service and may be applicable to individuals who are members of, or are associated with, UK-based professional bodies. The course has an estimated 70 hours of learning.

Note: should you wish to claim CPD activity, the onus is on you. The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and GetSmarter accept no responsibility, and cannot be held responsible, for the claiming or validation of hours or points.

Leverage your organization’s resources for competitive advantage and strategically drive innovation to boost business performance.

In today’s dynamic and uncertain business landscape, organizations that are able to leverage innovation strategically have an edge over their competitors and are best positioned to improve performance and profitability. Whether responding to pandemics such as COVID-19, technological change or customers' growing concerns for the environment, systematic innovation management proves invaluable.

The Competitive Strategy and Innovation online certificate course from LSE explores how harnessing your internal resources and identifying what makes your company unique can be used to win and sustain competitive advantage. Guided by an expert from LSE, you’ll learn to use innovation as a strategic tool to set yourself apart in a competitive market.

You’ll explore a range of practical techniques and frameworks that can be used to identify opportunities for innovation in the face of disruption, assess the viability of your ideas, and build a competitive strategy for real-world implementation. On completion, you’ll walk away with an action plan to sustain long-term performance in your organization.

Is this course for you?

This course is designed for anyone in a decision-making role who is interested in learning how to use innovation as a tool to respond to disruption and an increasingly competitive landscape. Business leaders who want to build strategies for competitive advantage, as well as middle managers who are responsible for implementing these strategies within their organization, will find the content beneficial. This course also provides key insights to consultants or entrepreneurs who are looking to apply cutting-edge innovation practices in their work in order to help their company or client stand out in the market.

This Competitive Strategy and Innovation online certificate course is certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service, and may be applicable to individuals who are members of, or are associated with, UK-based professional bodies. The course has an estimated 70 hours of learning.

Note: should you wish to claim CPD activity, the onus is on you. The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and GetSmarter accept no responsibility, and cannot be held responsible, for the claiming or validation of hours or points.

Learn the skills to analyze, interpret, and communicate data with confidence and impact within your organisation.

As the world becomes more data-driven, future-focused professionals need to develop quantitative skills to inform corporate decision-making and managerial strategy. Guided by experts from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), this online certificate course empowers you with the knowledge and practical tools to understand, interpret, and communicate data relevant to your role and organisation.

Develop an understanding of how data-driven models can improve your ability to make decisions in the fast-paced, real world. Over the course of eight weeks, you’ll participate in a capstone project and apply the techniques and concepts covered to extract actionable business insights from a real data set. You’ll also gain experience using Tableau – a leading business intelligence and data analytics software – to visualize and report on insights extracted from data sets.

Learn to analyze data and gain actionable insights

Analytical skills are becoming increasingly valuable and are in high demand, but there aren't enough professionals with them to go around. Begin to understand big data concepts and statistical analysis by using Tableau to confidently visualize and report on insights extracted from data. Learn how to apply these data analysis techniques and new skills to a real-world data set.

Is this course for you?

This LSE course will equip managers and analysts in a variety of industries with the skills to make data-driven decisions. Marketing and sales analysts will gain the ability to extract and interpret key business insights for competitive advantage. Similarly, finance, HR, and business analysts will develop data analysis skills that can be directly applied in their roles and organization. There are no formal prerequisites for this course, but some numerical literacy is advantageous, as well as a basic working knowledge of Microsoft Excel. You’ll be granted a student license to download and use Tableau free of charge, for the duration of the course. 

This Data Analysis for Management course is certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service and may be applicable to individuals who are members of, or are associated with, UK-based professional bodies. The course has an estimated 70 hours of learning.

Note: should you wish to claim CPD activity, the onus is upon you. The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and GetSmarter accept no responsibility, and cannot be held responsible, for the claiming or validation of hours or points.

Navigate the challenges of globalization and harness the business potential within a global economy.

In a world defined by globalization, a rising populist sentiment, and sociopolitical uncertainty – a profound understanding of the global economy is increasingly important for any organization to identify business opportunities and mitigate risks.

This online certificate course explores the various drivers of global change and the key events that have shaped the evolution of globalization. You’ll analyze global power shifts, foreign policy, conflict and instability, and the disruptive forces that have influenced the world economy. You’ll learn to identify and maximize business opportunities while navigating the challenges associated with globalization. You’ll not only cut to the core of international affairs, but you’ll also learn to interpret and plan for such changes and use them for your business advantage.

Is this course for you?

This course is designed to provide CEOs, managers, C-suite executives, finance and investment professionals, entrepreneurs, advisors, and policymakers with the tools to analyze and interpret the effects of global events on their organizations. Additionally, this course appeals to anyone involved in international business or trade who needs to think strategically about the impact of global events on trade and strategies. It’s also valuable for anyone with a keen interest in current international relations, foreign policy, and the global economy.

This course is certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service, and may be applicable to individuals who are members of, or are associated with, UK-based professional bodies.

The course has an estimated 80 hours of learning.

Note: should you wish to claim CPD activity, the onus is upon you. The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and GetSmarter accept no responsibility, and cannot be held responsible, for the claiming or validation of hours or points

Investigate the ethical challenges and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence (AI).

Artificial intelligence (AI) is developing rapidly, transforming the way we work and interact. Yet, AI is rife with ethical challenges – from potential biases in algorithmic recruiting technology to the privacy implications of work surveillance applications. In order to implement AI effectively, it is essential to understand and address these ethical dilemmas and to stay up-to-date on trends and best practices.

The Ethics of AI three-week online course from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) examines the societal challenges and opportunities presented by AI. Through a condensed learning format, you’ll build an analytical toolkit and enduring skill set to apply to real-world issues. Discover how technological change can impact the distribution of economic resources and productivity gains, learn how AI can exacerbate or combat discrimination and power imbalances in the workplace, and investigate how technology is changing everyday social interactions.

Over the course of this high-quality three-week master class, you’ll unpack the ethical tensions inherent in AI with insights from faculty at LSE’s Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method – internationally renowned for a type of philosophy that is both continuous with the sciences and socially relevant. Build your intellectual curiosity, and update your personal and professional skill set in a consolidated amount of time.

Is this course for you?

This highly topical and applicable online course is designed for a range of professionals within the public sector, private sector, and civil society who are faced with ethical issues relating to AI, data, and general technological advancement. Leaders working in organizations that deal with big data or who are looking to implement AI technologies will be empowered to guide their organizations toward responsible innovation by gaining tools for managing the social impact of potential technological changes. Professionals within the tech industry will also benefit from enhancing their knowledge of ethics and AI as a way to further their career development and personal growth. This course is applicable not only to those looking for professional development but also to anyone interested in understanding the impact of AI on individuals and society.

Build a toolkit of key strategic, managerial, and leadership skills for business.

While an MBA trains you to see the business world differently, financial expertise and business acumen, although vital, is not enough to influence your organization’s leadership. These core skills should be paired with strong leadership techniques and an understanding of your strategic environment to be truly effective.

The MBA Essentials online certificate course from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is designed to help you understand your strategic environment, master financial details, and drive business success by influencing colleagues and consumers. You’ll be equipped with an essential MBA toolkit as you navigate the contemporary business environment, guided by esteemed LSE faculty.

This online MBA-based certificate course from LSE arms you with hard and soft business skills to maximize your competitive advantage and lead with influence.

Is this course for you?

This certificate course is ideal for any professional interested in improving their hard and soft skills in business. Managers, entrepreneurs, and specialists, including consultants and analysts, will benefit from the interactive, guided approach to learning and the opportunity to grow their global network online. The focus on the mechanics of leadership, influence, and strategy, combined with technical business and finance skills, provides a comprehensive learning experience for working professionals in managerial and leadership roles in a range of industries. The ability to apply MBA-derived skills to current and future roles will benefit those pursuing career development and those interested in undertaking a full MBA in the future.

On this MBA Essentials course, you will learn how to critically and strategically think about business, and how to develop and execute strategy. You will also learn about important business concepts from financial analysis to marketing strategy, which will give you the foundation you need to grow in a business setting.

Career Development for Professionals
This online MBA Essentials course from LSE is designed for busy working professionals looking to develop their skills and grow in their careers. The program is delivered in an interactive, online learning environment that allows you to learn at your own pace.

This course is certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service and may be applicable to individuals who are members of, or are associated with, UK-based professional bodies. The course has an estimated 95 hours of learning.

Note: should you wish to claim CPD activity, the onus is upon you. The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and GetSmarter accept no responsibility, and cannot be held responsible, for the claiming or validation of hours or points.

Make more informed real estate finance and investment decisions with an in-depth understanding of markets, economics, and finance.

The Real Estate Economics and Finance online certificate course prepares you to critically evaluate property investment options and make informed decisions based on sound economic and financial theories and research. Through these lenses, explore the functioning of urban real estate markets with guidance from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) faculty and industry experts. You’ll also learn how to use different techniques to value property and how those valuations and real estate portfolio considerations are used to make informed real estate investment decisions.

Over eight weeks, you’ll explore sustainable real estate practices and their value, as well as fund management, which includes how best to fund the purchase of a property. At the end of the course, you will have completed a capstone project, demonstrating your ability to apply the theoretical frameworks you develop during this real estate finance course to inform your assessment of the property development process and real estate opportunities.

Is this course for you?

This course is aimed at those interested in real estate finance, financial modeling, property management, property investment, and property development. It has wide, international applications and will be valuable to property professionals from a range of backgrounds who wish to better understand the real estate market and improve their business strategy.

Gain a strong foundation in real estate finance and investment

This online certificate course in real estate economics and finance will equip you with the skill set necessary to grow your career. The course material covers key areas that will give you a strong foundation in real estate financial analysis. You’ll also learn the importance of data analysis, and using financial instruments to make sound decisions when it comes to property portfolio management and performance measurement of real estate investments.

Understand the real estate market

This real estate economics and finance course is an introduction to the principles of market structures, capital markets, and financial markets. The course content covers how these markets operate and their effects on the real estate industry and economy. Participants will learn about the role of financial institutions in the property market, as well as the different types of securities available to real estate investors.

There are no formal prerequisites for this course, and no prior knowledge of real estate is required. However, good numeracy skills and basic knowledge of Microsoft Excel will be needed. A financial calculator is not needed.

Gain analytical frameworks and practical skills for analyzing, evaluating, and communicating public policy.

In the context of an increasingly connected and complex world, it is vital to be able to analyze and anticipate the impact of public policy and evaluate interventions to make more informed evidence-based policy decisions and recommendations.

The Public Policy Analysis online certificate course from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) merges research, theory, and practice, as it empowers participants with analytical frameworks for understanding the policy process. Over the course of 10 weeks, you’ll gain the quantitative tools and techniques needed to conduct evidence-based public policy impact evaluations and develop effective policy communication skills.

Benefit from this multidisciplinary approach to public policy and practice your skills by engaging with real-world, global case studies. Guided by expert LSE faculty with topical research experience across a variety of policy areas in Europe, Africa, and the United States, you’ll develop practical skills and strategies for immediate application in policy-related projects, or within your organization.

Is this course for you?

This course, developed by LSE’s School of Public Policy, is relevant for public policy professionals. Policymakers, civil servants, NGO staff, and individuals in public and private sector organizations seeking to influence public policy design and better understand their current roles within policy formulation will find it beneficial. Those in the public sector, non-profit, consultancies, and think tanks – who want to enhance their impact by critically engaging with public policy, employing evidence-based impact evaluations, and developing the insight to make policy recommendations and decisions – will also benefit from this course.

Understanding the role of political and social science

The social and political sciences are a vital part of public policy-making. They help us to understand the complexities of human behavior, social interactions, and political systems. The study of social science can also provide insights into the workings of government and the economy. Public policymaking is a complex process that is different in every context. This online course from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) will give you an understanding of different policy-making processes, and how to design effective public policies.