Matt Carlson 
Making the decision to branch out and start your own small business is an exciting career choice. While having a great idea is a good starting point, launching a start-up requires business acumen skills including administration, marketing and management. Undertaking a course is an excellent way to ensure you have the necessary skills to set up your business.
With various study options on offer, it can be challenging to find the course that is best suited for you. That’s why we’ve broken down the main types of small business courses — so you can pick the right one to get your business off the ground.
Table of Contents
Certificate courses
Certificate courses are a great study option if you are looking to fill in your business knowledge gaps. The smaller time commitment is also an overall benefit of completing this type of course, as it also allows you the time to simultaneously work on starting your new business.
Certificate IV
in New Small Business
Monarch Institute
Benefits
Study mode
self-paced study duration up to
0 months
Best for
Learning the fundamentals in starting a small business at your own pace.
Certificate III
in Business Administration
Foundation Education
Benefits
Study mode
typical study duration
0 months
Best for
Brushing up on industry-standard skills in basic business administration.
Diploma courses
Completing a Diploma in a business-related field will give you specialist knowledge to help give your business a competitive edge. A Diploma is a great option if you are looking to get creative with your business sooner, rather than focusing heavily on the theoretical side of study.
Diploma
of Social Media Marketing
Monarch Institute
Benefits
Study mode
self-paced study duration up to
0 months
Best for
Business owners looking to use social media in their marketing strategy.
Diploma
of Leadership and Management
Foundation Education
Benefits
Study mode
typical study duration up to
0 months
Best for
People looking to eventually manage a small team within their business.
Bachelor’s courses
Completing a Bachelor’s Degree will give you a deeper understanding of all areas of starting a business. While a bigger time commitment, a Bachelor’s course will provide valuable insights from mentors to help get your business off the ground.
Bachelor
of Applied Entrepreneurship
Ducere Business School
Benefits
Study mode
2yrs/0yrs
full-time/part-timeBest for
People looking to develop their business idea as part of their degree.
Bachelor
of Applied Business (Marketing)
Ducere Business School
Benefits
Study mode
2yrs/0yrs
full-time/part-timeBest for
If you want to learn how to market your business in a competitive industry.
What qualification is right for me?
Choosing the course and level of qualification needed for your business idea will vary based on a number of factors. Picking the right qualification will depend on your circumstances, including your previous work, your business idea and the time you wish to invest into completing a course.
Study options for business owners will generally centre around three pathways, which include:
Certificate
Focuses on developing practical and technical skills, covering a broad range of topics. While placing less emphasis on theoretical knowledge, Certificate qualifications are generally less of a time commitment in comparison with Higher Education options. There are four levels (I, II, III & IV) with some prerequisites for some of the higher level certificates.
Diploma
Combines a mix of both technical and theoretical knowledge to gain a greater understanding of a subject. Completing a Diploma course will ensure you have the required skills and knowledge to succeed within your industry. While more time consuming than a Certificate course, completing a Diploma is generally still shorter than a Bachelor’s qualification.
Bachelor
Focuses in great detail on one discipline. Completing a Bachelor’s Degree means that you have an extensive understanding in both technical skills and theoretical knowledge. The time commitment involved in completing a Bachelor’s Degree is considerably longer than Certificate or Diploma courses, but is also the highest level of qualification out of the three pathways.
Have you been thinking about starting up your own small business?
Starting your own business offers a fantastic opportunity to be creative and independent with your work. To set your business up for success, consider enrolling in a course today.
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