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Stanford Business Essentials
Stanford Business Essentials (SBE) gives you the business knowledge and confidence to take control of your career. Employers look for employees who can deliver results right away by understanding the essentials – SBE helps you stand out from the crowd.
SBE is a straightforward, high-impact online program from Stanford Graduate School of Business. Learn from world-class faculty who have taught programs for CEOs, Silicon Valley startups, and Fortune 500 leaders, while gaining practical, real-world concepts through four foundational courses:
- Economics and Strategy
- Data and Decision-Making
- Finance and Accounting
- Communication and Influence
Register ByMarch 25, 2026
Start Date April 15, 2026
Set yourself up for success and unlock your potential.
Stand out in today’s competitive job market with an exceptionally strong foundation in essential business skills. Developing business acumen early in your career can unlock new opportunities, enhance your effectiveness as a team member, and help you make a lasting impact within your organization.
Key Benefits
SBE equips you with the strategic, financial, analytical, and communication knowledge needed to accelerate your career growth. Upon completion of this program, you will impress employers by gaining:
- Stronger business acumen – Build a solid foundation in core business concepts that drive organizational success.
- Greater confidence and clarity at work – Navigate your organization with a clearer understanding of the business landscape, internal dynamics, and strategic priorities.
- Improved decision-making – Make smarter, more informed decisions with a practical toolkit grounded in data and business fundamentals.
- Financial fluency – Develop the ability to interpret financial reports, evaluate trade-offs, and make resource-savvy decisions that support long-term business growth.
- Enhanced communication and collaboration – Strengthen your interpersonal skills to communicate clearly, build relationships, and work more effectively across teams and functions.
- Recognition of readiness – Earn a prestigious certificate that signals your commitment, capabilities, and potential – whether you’re seeking a new role, more responsibility, or a promotion.
Who Should Attend?
SBE is designed for those who are actively searching for their first role or are currently an individual contributor ready to expand their skills and accelerate their career. This includes:
- Early career professionals with 0-5 years of professional experience in any industry looking to build a strong foundation in business fundamentals
- Recent graduates interested in gaining confidence in their core competencies in business
- Non-business majors who want to enhance their business acumen and decision-making skills
- Any ambitious individual who would benefit from learning key business fundamentals
Meet the Faculty Leadership
This program is developed by Paul Oyer and Jesper B. Sørensen, and taught by a team of tenured, strategically focused, cross-disciplinary faculty who are experts in their fields. Together, they bring cutting-edge research, thought leadership, and experiential learning to your program experience.
Paul Oyer
The Mary and Rankine Van Anda Entrepreneurial Professor and Professor of Economics
Co-Director, Stanford Business Essentials
Jesper B. Sørensen
The Robert A. and Elizabeth R. Jeffe Professor, and Professor of Organizational Behavior
Co-Director, Stanford Business Essentials
Earn Your Certificate
Upon successful completion of Stanford Business Essentials, you will be awarded a Certificate of Completion in recognition of your achievement and the investment you have made in your education and professional development.
Register by March 25, 2026
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