The London School of Economics and Political Science
MBA Essentials
- Fast Certification: Learn core strategy, finance, and leadership skills from the world-leading LSE faculty in just 10 weeks.
- Fully Online: Includes interactive videos, module notes, assignments, quizzes, and more.
- Faculty: Learn from industry experts. Receive 1:1 support. Get a dedicated Success Adviser and discussion forums.
Start date
17 June 2026
95%
Cohort-based learning
Group learning, expert guidance
10 weeks
Excluding orientation
English
Access resources from start date
8–12 hours per week
Self-paced learning online
Course overview
An MBA remains a cornerstone for developing leadership acumen and enhancing professional visibility, equipping graduates with superior communication skills, access to wider career opportunities, valuable networking, elevated earning potential, and advanced business knowledge.
New York Times Magazine
Leaders set to excel are those who understand the future isn't just for preparing but for creating.
The Fast Company
Duration: 10 weeks (excluding orientation)
While an MBA provides valuable insight into the business world, financial expertise and business acumen alone are no longer sufficient to succeed in leadership roles. Combining these core skills with strong leadership techniques and a deep understanding of your strategic environment will make a difference.
To achieve this, the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) offers the MBA Essentials online certificate course. This course will equip you with the tools to master financial details, understand your strategic environment, and influence stakeholders to drive business success. With guidance from LSE's esteemed faculty, you will gain an essential MBA toolkit to navigate the contemporary business environment.
Enroling in the LSE MBA Essentials online certificate course, you'll acquire the necessary hard and soft business skills to gain a competitive advantage and lead with influence. For example, participants will learn how to not only calculate advanced financial ratios, but also understand how pressure from management can affect financial statement accuracy. This course is the ideal way to develop the knowledge to be a successful leader.
Is the London School of Economics MBA Essentials course for you?
This online certificate course is the perfect fit for professionals seeking to enhance their business skills. With an interactive and guided approach to learning, managers, entrepreneurs, consultants, and analysts can expand their global network online. The course provides a comprehensive understanding of leadership, influence, strategy mechanics, technical business, and finance skills for professionals in leadership roles across various industries. From persuasion tactics to corporate strategies, participants will grow their personal toolkit and become a knowledgeable decision maker. The skills acquired in this course can be applied to current and future roles, making it beneficial for those seeking career development or considering a full MBA in the future.
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
Course overview
Introduction
Duration: 10 weeks (excluding orientation)
While an MBA provides valuable insight into the business world, financial expertise and business acumen alone are no longer sufficient to succeed in leadership roles. Combining these core skills with strong leadership techniques and a deep understanding of your strategic environment will make a difference.
To achieve this, the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) offers the MBA Essentials online certificate course. This course will equip you with the tools to master financial details, understand your strategic environment, and influence stakeholders to drive business success. With guidance from LSE's esteemed faculty, you will gain an essential MBA toolkit to navigate the contemporary business environment.
Enroling in the LSE MBA Essentials online certificate course, you'll acquire the necessary hard and soft business skills to gain a competitive advantage and lead with influence. For example, participants will learn how to not only calculate advanced financial ratios, but also understand how pressure from management can affect financial statement accuracy. This course is the ideal way to develop the knowledge to be a successful leader.
Is the London School of Economics MBA Essentials course for you?
This online certificate course is the perfect fit for professionals seeking to enhance their business skills. With an interactive and guided approach to learning, managers, entrepreneurs, consultants, and analysts can expand their global network online. The course provides a comprehensive understanding of leadership, influence, strategy mechanics, technical business, and finance skills for professionals in leadership roles across various industries. From persuasion tactics to corporate strategies, participants will grow their personal toolkit and become a knowledgeable decision maker. The skills acquired in this course can be applied to current and future roles, making it beneficial for those seeking career development or considering a full MBA in the future.
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
Get this course for your team
Leading organisations recognise the value of this course and invest in it to enhance their employees' skills and expertise.
What will set you apart
A stronger understanding of the three core pillars of business. Learn how the strategic environment, financial toolkit, and the human element can enhance your organisation’s strategic competitive advantage.
Technical business and finance skills for understanding, analysing, and optimising business operations.
Insights into human behaviour and influence that can be used to expand your influence internally and externally.
Enhanced managerial competency and confidence in your move to strategic, influential business leadership, including the tools for professional career development.
Unlimited access to edX’s Career Engagement Network, offering you exclusive resources and events to support your professional journey and drive your career forward.Course curriculum
Orientation module
Welcome to your Online Campus
Module 1
Leading with influence
Module 2
Economics for managers
Module 3
Competitive strategy
Module 4
Corporate strategy
Module 5
Financial accounting
Module 6
Management accounting
Module 7
Analysing financial statements
Module 8
In the mind of the manager
Module 9
Nudging behaviour
Module 10
Organisational culture as a leadership tool
What past students
think
Rafael Christoph Herok
Vice President, Mobility Key Accounts & Special Project, Siemens UAE
Excellent course. [It] includes many practical examples that are relevant and useful in daily work. It helped me to gain additional insights into people’s behaviours, influencing tactics, market views, and strategic directions. I have definitely enhanced my knowledge and feel very motivated to focus on my next career step. I highly recommend this course, especially for busy professionals!
Course Convenor
Professor Connson Locke
Professorial Lecturer in Management, Department of Management, LSE
About the certificate
Gain valuable critical-thinking skills and deepen managerial abilities and earn an official certificate of competence from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Assessment is continuous and based on a series of practical assignments completed online. In order to be issued with a digital certificate, you’ll need to meet the requirements outlined in the course handbook. The handbook will be made available to you as soon as you begin the course.
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We deliver market-led courses that equip working professionals with the expertise required to upskill, reskill or kickstart a completely new career. Through a data-driven approach, we analyze future skills requirements and ensure all courses address this need. We ensure that leading universities and institutions are your expert guides and our people, technology, and resources are your engine – together we power more than just education, we power your potential.
Read more about GetSmarter here and edX here.
Find out more about GetSmarter’s approach to digital learning, course design, and online delivery here.
Payment options
You can pay your course fees before the course starts, or you may opt for a split payment plan on courses that are nine weeks and shorter. For courses 10 weeks and longer, there is a three-part payment plan available. To find out more about payment options please visit our Payment and Financing page, or contact an enrollment specialist, to find out which option you qualify for.
Manage your time
GetSmarter's learning model is designed to help you, as a working professional, improve your skills without compromising on work and family responsibilities. The course work is broken up into weekly, manageable bite-sized modules, with incremental deadlines, designed to help you pace yourself over the duration of the course and allow you the legroom to work when it suits you best.
At the beginning of each module you'll be presented with the course content and assignments necessary for completion. You also have access to your enrollment specialist who will help you manage your time, and support you with any administrative or technical queries you might have.
Seek employer assistance
By improving your skills and industry knowledge, you'll have an influence on the success of your organization. Why wouldn't you ask your boss to help you fund your studies if it's going to have an impact on the way you do business?
Of our past students, 37 percent have received financial assistance from their employers. You can ask for help, too. Here is a guide to show you how to request financial assistance from your employer.
If you are a Learning & Development (L&D) manager, or involved in training and upskilling for an organization, you can request information regarding our corporate offering on our GetSmarter for business page.
How to change your start date
As part of our commitment to your professional development, GetSmarter offers you a two-week period to change your course start date or request your money back if you’re not fully satisfied.
To qualify for a deferral of your course start date, or to cancel your enrollment and receive a refund of your course fee, your request would need to reach our enrollment specialists before the release of Module 2. For more information, please read our Terms and Conditions.
Discover the Online Campus
The Online Campus will be your virtual classroom for the duration of your course. Through its easy-to-use interface you'll have access to a diverse variety of course content formats including: interactive videos, module notes, practice quizzes, presentations, assignment briefs, and additional web resources.
On the Online Campus, you'll also be able to ask questions and interact with your fellow students and teaching team through the discussion forums. If you are looking for your Online Campus login, please visit your Account page here.
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