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Case Studies

Case studies are written by professors at HBS and at renowned business programs worldwide and offer slices of business life, focusing on actual problems and decisions companies face.

Google's Project Oxygen: Do Managers Matter?

Google's Project Oxygen started with a fundamental question raised by executives in the early 2000s: do managers matter? The topic generated a multi-year research project that ultimately led to a comprehensive program, built around eight key management...

Big Hit Entertainment and Blockbuster Band BTS: K-Pop Goes Global

Bang Si-Hyuk ('Hitman Bang') is the founder and co-chief executive officer of Big Hit Entertainment, the company behind BTS, a 'K-pop' band that has found unparalleled success around the globe-a remarkable feat given that most of their songs are in...

Cirque du Soleil

Retaining talent is an issue for any company whose success relies on the creativity and excellence of its employees. This is especially true for Cirque du Soleil, the spectacularly successful "circus without animals," whose 2,100 employees include 500...

GE's Two-Decade Transformation: Jack Welch's Leadership

GE is faced with Jack Welch's impending retirement and whether anyone can sustain the blistering pace of change and growth characteristic of the Welch era. After briefly describing GE's heritage and Welch's transformation of the company's business...

Pinckney Street

Although inexperienced in real estate, Edward Alexander hopes in June 2013 that youthful enthusiasm and an $240,000 in savings and inheritance will help him enter the real estate business. His experience chronicles the process of finding, evaluating, and...

Army Crew Team

The coach of the varsity Army crew team at West Point assembled his top eight rowers into the first crew team and the second tier of rowers into the second team using objective data on individual performance. As the second boat continually beat the first...

Chase Sapphire: Creating a Millennial Cult Brand

The Inside the Case video that accompanies this case includes teaching tips and insight from the author (available to registered educators only). The launch of the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card was enthusiastically received by Millennial consumers,...

Trader Joe's

The Inside the Case video that accompanies this case includes teaching tips and insight from the author (available to registered educators only). Based on a variety of metrics, Trader Joe's ranked as one of the most successful grocers in the United...

Amazon.com, 2021

In February 2021, Amazon announced 2020 operating profits of $22,899 million, up from $2,233 million in 2015, on sales of $386 billion, up from $107 billion five years earlier (see Exhibit 1). The shareholders expressed their satisfaction (see Exhibit...

Leadership in Crisis: Ernest Shackleton and the Epic Voyage of the Endurance

Provides an opportunity to examine leadership and entrepreneurship in the context of Ernest Shackleton's 1914 Antarctic expedition, a compelling story of crisis, survival, and triumph. Summarizes Shackleton's career as an officer in the British Merchant...

The Tulsa Massacre and the Call for Reparations

The Inside the Case video that accompanies this case includes teaching tips and insight from the author (available to registered educators only). How should historic social injustices be addressed? Survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Massacre and their...

DO & CO: Crafting Luxury in the Fast Lane (B)

In July 2023, Attila Dogudan, the chairman of DO & CO, a renowned international catering firm, found himself in a deep conversation with his two sons about a potential new venture: catering for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, a significant step beyond their...

DO & CO: Crafting Luxury in the Fast Lane (A)

Eat App: Building and Monetizing an End-to-End Dining Experience Solution

Founded in 2015 in Bahrain, Eat App was an up-and-coming player in the global restaurant management software business. In early 2024, having shifted to a product-led growth strategy, the company's co-founders faced a host of decisions that could greatly...

River Remedy: Navigating Mississippi's Medical Marijuana Market

MBA student William Chism, the founder of fully integrated medical marijuana company based in Mississippi, must respond to a significant disruption in the fledgling industry. In late 2023, Rapid Analytics, one of two active licensed testing facilities,...

3i Infotech Limited: Digital-First Strategy

This case explores the transition of 3i Infotech Limited becoming a digital ecosystem orchestrator in the international market from a software services provider based out of India. As a new CEO took over the company in 2021, the company has been forced...

Aminia: Online Delivery Platforms, Menu Structuring and Sustainability

The demand for home deliveries in India soared with the rise of online food delivery (OFD) platforms such as Swiggy and Zomato. On one hand, the OFDs provided the restaurants, much needed visibility, and on the other hand, it empowered the consumers to...

AirAsia Japan: The Re-entry Decision

The case describes a situation in early 2014 wherein Tony Fernandes, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the AirAsia Group, was contemplating whether AirAsia should re-enter the Japanese aviation sector. AirAsia had entered the low-cost aviation market in...

Net Protections (C)

Is Concentrated Ownership Good?

Net Protections (D)

Net Protections (B)

Net Protections (A)

ZEISS: Commercializing Science

Karl Lamprecht, President and CEO of the ZEISS AG Group, mused on how far ZEISS had come in 175 years of being a pioneer in optics, and how the course he had charted since taking the helm of the company could keep it on track. In his role, he oversaw the...

Negotiating Peace in Colombia

This case follows the protracted armed conflict between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), tracing it from its origins over 50 years ago, through the private and public negotiations that ultimately resulted in...

Note on CEO Succession in Family Enterprises

This note aims to offer guidance and insights into navigating CEO succession, whether involving family or non-family executives, and emphasizes the importance of providing clarity on the criteria for selection. By understanding the nuances and best...

Not Everyone's Cup of Coffee: Organizing the Café Industry

Scaling Seven Starling

It was a bright June day in 2016. Steven Hong, co-founder and COO of Oculii had just signed a letter of intent agreeing to a 51% stake acquisition by Nexteer Automotive, a global steering and driveline supplier company that developed advanced driver...

Climate Governance at Linde plc (A)

In July 2023, the Linde plc board of directors' sustainaibility committee convened in London to review the company's environmental performance, with a focus on decarbonization and clean energy. Linde was the world's largest industrial gas supplier, with...

Climate Governance at Linde plc (B)

In July 2023, the Linde plc board of directors' sustainability committee convened in London to review the company's environmental performance, with a focus on decarbonization and clean energy. Linde was the world's largest industrial gas supplier, with a...

Climate Change Conference: Uniting the World to Tackle Climate Change

The Climate Change Conference is a five-party, multi-issue, in-class negotiation simulation that requires no software or other digital means. The exercise develops an understanding of the complex landscape of global climate change mitigation and...

Reliance and Disney: Reshaping the Media and Entertainment Business in India

In May 2024, the National Company Law Tribunal of India approved the merger of Star India Private Limited (Star India) and Viacom18 Media Private Limited (Viacom18). Star India was a broadcasting service owned by The Walt Disney Company and Viacom18 was...

Carolina Hurricanes: A Whale of a Branding Decision

The National Hockey League's (NHL's) Carolina Hurricanes (i.e., the Canes) were struggling on the ice in 2017-18. The team had not made the playoffs since 2008-09, attendance was at the bottom of the league, and rumours regarding the team relocating were...

Aritzia: Beneath the Seams of a Reputation Rebuild

Aritzia Inc., a prominent figure in the fashion retail sector, cultivated a reputation for its stylish designs and boutique atmosphere, attracting both customers and prospective employees who sought to be part of its esteemed brand image. However, a July...

Music in Motion: Side Door's Pandemic Transition

The business model of Side Door Access Inc. (Side Door), a Canadian start-up co-founded in Halifax, Nova Scotia, was based on facilitating live music performances in intimate, non-traditional venues like living rooms, art galleries, and bookstores,...

The Lego Group: A Yellow-Brick Road toward Sustainability?

In January 2024, the LEGO Group (LEGO) welcomed a new chief sustainability officer. The role promised to position LEGO as an industry leader in sustainability but would also bring challenges. For instance, LEGO's commitment to manufacturing its toy...

Maguey Melate: Mission-Driven Mezcal

Dalton Kreiss founded Maguey Melate in 2018 to bring authentic, traditionally crafted mezcal from small producers in Oaxaca, Mexico directly to consumers. In early 2024, he faced fierce competition from cheaper, mass-produced alternatives. Maguey...

Queenie's Quandary: A Quest for a Perfect Portfolio

Queenie Stone started her career as an asset manager for a large investment bank in New York City. Her manager tasked her with creating a new three-stock portfolio and investigating how changes in her inputs of expected returns, standard deviations, and...

Résunavi: Scaling AI-Driven Resume Solutions

RésuNavi was a startup founded in Vancouver, Canada, that aimed to create a more efficient, equitable, and accessible job application system by using artificial intelligence (AI) to tailor jobseekers' résumés to their ideal roles. The company faced...

Framework: Reframing the Laptop Industry

Nirav Patel, chief executive officer of Framework Computer (Framework), wanted to determine how to change consumer and industry attitudes toward the sustainability of their electronic devices in order to promote a more sustainable technology (tech)...

Honeygrow: Stirring Up the Perfect Expansion Strategy

Honeygrow, a healthy food chain, has seen steady growth since opening its first location in Philadelphia in 2012. Justin Rosenberg, founder and chief executive officer of honeygrow, is assessing the advantages and disadvantages of an expansion strategy...

JetBlue Airways Corporation: Navigating Turbulences with Steadfast Evolution

Amid turbulent financial times and fierce competition, Joanna Geraghty assumed the role of chief executive officer at JetBlue Airways Corporation (JetBlue) in February 2024. Facing significant losses and gender barriers in a male-dominated industry,...

Sharing Excess: Fighting Food Waste, One Avocado at a Time

In October 2022, Evan Ehlers, founder and executive director of Sharing Excess, a Philadelphia-based non-profit organization dedicated to food rescue, received an unexpected call to help rescue 630,000 avocados from Peru, which were days away from being...

Hancock Prospecting: Stakeholder Tensions with Netball Australia

In October 2022, the chair of Hancock Prospecting Pty. Ltd. was negotiating a sponsorship partnership worth AU$15 million with Netball Australia, which was $7 million in debt. Netball Australia had just announced that Donnell Wallam would join the...

Body Shop: In Search of a Corporate Parent to Revive the Brand

In early 2024, The Body Shop International Ltd. (Body Shop) filed for administration, the UK equivalent of a bankruptcy. Aurelius Group (Aurelius), a private equity firm, owned Body Shop and, soon after acquiring it, filed for Body Shop's bankruptcy...

Nihilent Limited: Build or Buy Talent to Sustain Creative Disruption in Humanizing Technology

Nihilent Limited (Nihilent), established in 2000, is an information technology (IT) services and consulting company based in Pune, India. Nihilent has been led by a charismatic and very creative leader who has been leading the go to market and client...

Four Inter Catering Group: Combining Inheritance and Innovation

Established in 2002, Chengdu, China's Four Inter Catering Group Co. Ltd. (Four Inter) was a company specializing in Sichuan cuisine and Sichuan culture dissemination. After 21 years of development, Four Inter formed a business model that emphasized both...

Funding Green Hydrogen from Waste: Can Social Projects Make Financial Sense?

TheGreenBillions Ltd. (TGBL) pioneers a waste-to-hydrogen initiative in support of India's National Green Hydrogen Mission. TGBL aspires to revolutionize the energy environment by collaborating with research institutions and aligning with national...

The Offer: Compensation in Consulting

Noah Joss had received a full-time job offer from Genesis Consulting, following his summer internship there. While a full-time offer had been his goal, Joss started to think critically about the compensation package and the working hours expected of him...

XPEL Inc.: Searching and Valuing a Growth Stock

A retail investor was interested in investing in XPEL Inc., a market leader in the paint protection film industry. The investor felt that the company's stock was undervalued and wanted to conduct a company valuation. She started by reviewing the...

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Author (Last name)

The Rules of Co-opetition

By: Adam Brandenburger; Barry Nalebuff

"Co-opetition"--cooperating with a competitor to achieve a common goal or get ahead--has been… Read more

• Publication Date: Jan 2021
• Product Number: R2101C-PDF-ENG
• Length: 11 p
• Languages: Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese
• Discipline: Strategy

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What's Included

Erik Peterson (C)

By: John J. Gabarro

Describes the outcome of Erik Peterson's one-day meeting with his superior and the events of the… Read more

• Publication Date: Nov 1993
• Product Number: 494007-PDF-ENG
• Length: 3 p
• Languages: Spanish, Japanese, English
• Discipline: Organizational Behavior

Negotiating Your Next Job

By: Hannah Riley Bowles; Bobbi Thomason

When you're seeking to advance your career--by joining a different company or moving into a new… Read more

• Product Number: R2101E-PDF-ENG
• Length: 9 p
• Languages: Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese
• Discipline: Negotiation

How to Talk to Your CFO About Sustainability

By: Tensie Whelan; Elyse Douglas

By now most companies have committed to sustainability efforts--and yet many CFOs still see those… Read more

• Product Number: R2101G-PDF-ENG
• Languages: Chinese, English, German, Japanese, Portuguese

By: Mikolaj Jan Piskorski; David Chen; Bill Heil

Twitter is a micro-blogging company that allows users to send short text updates to others. The… Read more

• Publication Date: Jan 2010 (Revised Jan 2014)
• Product Number: 710455-PDF-ENG
• Length: 35 p
• Languages: English

Mastering Difficult Conversations

By: Douglas Stone; Elaine Lin Hering

A difficult conversation is anything that is hard for someone to talk about. It can range from… Read more

• Publication Date: May 2020
• Product Number: ROT413-PDF-ENG
• Length: 5 p

Why Do So Many Strategies Fail?

By: David J. Collis

Today it's not unusual for corporations that have dominated their markets for decades to be… Read more

• Publication Date: Jul 2021
• Product Number: R2104E-PDF-ENG
• Length: 13 p

Cineplex Entertainment: The Loyalty Program

By: Kenneth G. Hardy; Renee Zatzman

In 2007, the marketing director for Cineplex Entertainment is trying to decide whether or not to… Read more

• Publication Date: Apr 2008 (Revised May 2008)
• Product Number: 908A08-PDF-ENG
• Length: 17 p
• Discipline: Marketing

Harley-Davidson India

By: Kumar V Jagadeesh; Sanjeev Prashar; Haridoss Lokesh

The case examines Harley-Davidson's decision to enter the Indian market. Due to India's rapidly… Read more

• Publication Date: Nov 2012 (Revised Nov 2012)
• Product Number: W12318-PDF-ENG
• Length: 12 p

How You Slice It: Smarter Segmentation for Your Sales Force

By: Ernest Wasser; Marshall Dahneke; Michael Pekkarinen; Michael Weissel

Three years ago, 70-year-old Hill-Rom Inc. was in a position familiar to many mature businesses:… Read more

• Publication Date: Mar 2004
• Product Number: R0403H-PDF-ENG
• Length: 7 p
• Languages: English, Japanese, Spanish

Google: To TVC or Not to TVC?

By: William R. Kerr; Carl Kreitzberg

In late 2018, evidence emerged that many of Google's temporary help agency workers, vendors, and… Read more

• Publication Date: Sep 2019 (Revised Dec 2019)
• Product Number: 820048-PDF-ENG
• Length: 25 p
• Discipline: Human Resource Management

International Payment Methods

By: Jorge Soley Sans

This note discusses the payment methods used in international trade, from the most simple and risky… Read more

• Publication Date: Dec 2012 (Revised May 2010)
• Product Number: IES405-PDF-ENG
• Discipline: General Management

Jharna Software: The Move to Agile

By: Indranil Bose; Ming-Hui Huang; Minyi Huang

Jharna Software was a medium-sized Indian software developer with an offshore center in the United… Read more

• Publication Date: Dec 2006
• Product Number: HKU613-PDF-ENG
• Length: 22 p
• Discipline: Operations Management

Note on Writing Great Marketing Plans

By: Timothy Calkins

Marketing plans are critically important tools for marketing executives. If you can't create a… Read more

• Publication Date: Mar 2006
• Product Number: KEL146-PDF-ENG
• Languages: English, Spanish

Overview of Financial Accounting

By: David T Doran

Financial Reporting Standards is a ten-chapter book written by David T. Doran, a former CPA with… Read more

• Publication Date: Jul 2012
• Product Number: BEP166-PDF-ENG
• Discipline: Accounting

Discounted Cash Flow Analysis

By: Michael J. Schill

This technical note outlines the principles and application of proper discounted cash flow (DCF)… Read more

• Publication Date: Jan 2015 (Revised Jan 2016)
• Product Number: UV6921-PDF-ENG
• Discipline: Finance

Profits at the Bottom of the Pyramid

By: Erik Simanis; Duncan Duke

The best way for companies to improve the lives of the world's poorest people--those at the bottom… Read more

• Publication Date: Oct 2014
• Product Number: R1410G-PDF-ENG
• Languages: English, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese
• Discipline: International Business

Lion Capital and the Blackstone Group: The Orangina Deal

By: G. Felda Hardymon; Josh Lerner; Ann Leamon

The managing partners of two private equity firms are hoping to forestall a third bidding round for… Read more

• Publication Date: Dec 2006 (Revised May 2008)
• Product Number: 807005-PDF-ENG
• Length: 23 p

Atmel: Igniting the B2C in B2B

By: Baba Shiv; David Hoyt

Atmel Corporation is a manufacturer of semiconductors (chips). It is an engineering-driven… Read more

• Publication Date: Dec 2015
• Product Number: M360-PDF-ENG
• Length: 6 p

Right Way to Restructure Conglomerates in Emerging Markets

By: Tarun Khanna; Krishna G. Palepu

Financial experts in the West suggest that diversified business groups--or affiliated companies… Read more

• Publication Date: Jul 1999
• Product Number: 99407-PDF-ENG
• Length: 10 p
• Discipline: Business & Government Relations

Erik Peterson (D)

Implicitly raises the question of what Peterson should do to extricate himself from his… Read more

• Publication Date: Oct 1993 (Revised Dec 1998)
• Product Number: 494008-PDF-ENG

Feihe Dairy: Investing in Canada

By: William Wei; Vicky Nie; Rongrong Zhang; Xuewei Liu

In 2016, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Feihe International Inc. (Feihe), the manufacturer of… Read more

• Publication Date: Apr 2019 (Revised Mar 2021)
• Product Number: W19180-PDF-ENG

Best Buy Co., Inc.

By: Frank T. Rothaermel; David R. King

In June 2019, Best Buy appointed Corie Barry as new CEO. Her predecessor, CEO Hubert Joly, had… Read more

• Publication Date: Aug 2019
• Product Number: MH0066-PDF-ENG
• Length: 24 p

The Stage Where Most Innovation Projects Fail

By: Scott Kirsner

The handoff from R&D can be fatal. Read more

• Publication Date: Apr 2017
• Product Number: H03LHE-PDF-ENG
• Length: 1115 words

A More Sustainable Supply Chain

By: Veronica H. Villena; Dennis A. Gioia

Increasingly, multinational corporations (MNCs) are pledging to procure the materials and services… Read more

• Publication Date: Mar 2020
• Product Number: R2002F-PDF-ENG
• Languages: Chinese, English, German, Japanese

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5 Benefits of Learning Through the Case Study Method

• 28 Nov 2023

While several factors make HBS Online unique —including a global Community and real-world outcomes —active learning through the case study method rises to the top.

In a 2023 City Square Associates survey, 74 percent of HBS Online learners who also took a course from another provider said HBS Online’s case method and real-world examples were better by comparison.

Here’s a primer on the case method, five benefits you could gain, and how to experience it for yourself.

Access your free e-book today.

What Is the Harvard Business School Case Study Method?

The case study method , or case method , is a learning technique in which you’re presented with a real-world business challenge and asked how you’d solve it. After working through it yourself and with peers, you’re told how the scenario played out.

HBS pioneered the case method in 1922. Shortly before, in 1921, the first case was written.

“How do you go into an ambiguous situation and get to the bottom of it?” says HBS Professor Jan Rivkin, former senior associate dean and chair of HBS's master of business administration (MBA) program, in a video about the case method . “That skill—the skill of figuring out a course of inquiry to choose a course of action—that skill is as relevant today as it was in 1921.”

Originally developed for the in-person MBA classroom, HBS Online adapted the case method into an engaging, interactive online learning experience in 2014.

In HBS Online courses , you learn about each case from the business professional who experienced it. After reviewing their videos, you’re prompted to take their perspective and explain how you’d handle their situation.

You then get to read peers’ responses, “star” them, and comment to further the discussion. Afterward, you learn how the professional handled it and their key takeaways.

Learn more about HBS Online's approach to the case method in the video below, and subscribe to our YouTube channel for more.

HBS Online’s adaptation of the case method incorporates the famed HBS “cold call,” in which you’re called on at random to make a decision without time to prepare.

“Learning came to life!” said Sheneka Balogun , chief administration officer and chief of staff at LeMoyne-Owen College, of her experience taking the Credential of Readiness (CORe) program . “The videos from the professors, the interactive cold calls where you were randomly selected to participate, and the case studies that enhanced and often captured the essence of objectives and learning goals were all embedded in each module. This made learning fun, engaging, and student-friendly.”

If you’re considering taking a course that leverages the case study method, here are five benefits you could experience.

5 Benefits of Learning Through Case Studies

1. take new perspectives.

The case method prompts you to consider a scenario from another person’s perspective. To work through the situation and come up with a solution, you must consider their circumstances, limitations, risk tolerance, stakeholders, resources, and potential consequences to assess how to respond.

Taking on new perspectives not only can help you navigate your own challenges but also others’. Putting yourself in someone else’s situation to understand their motivations and needs can go a long way when collaborating with stakeholders.

2. Hone Your Decision-Making Skills

Another skill you can build is the ability to make decisions effectively . The case study method forces you to use limited information to decide how to handle a problem—just like in the real world.

Throughout your career, you’ll need to make difficult decisions with incomplete or imperfect information—and sometimes, you won’t feel qualified to do so. Learning through the case method allows you to practice this skill in a low-stakes environment. When facing a real challenge, you’ll be better prepared to think quickly, collaborate with others, and present and defend your solution.

3. Become More Open-Minded

As you collaborate with peers on responses, it becomes clear that not everyone solves problems the same way. Exposing yourself to various approaches and perspectives can help you become a more open-minded professional.

When you’re part of a diverse group of learners from around the world, your experiences, cultures, and backgrounds contribute to a range of opinions on each case.

On the HBS Online course platform, you’re prompted to view and comment on others’ responses, and discussion is encouraged. This practice of considering others’ perspectives can make you more receptive in your career.

“You’d be surprised at how much you can learn from your peers,” said Ratnaditya Jonnalagadda , a software engineer who took CORe.

In addition to interacting with peers in the course platform, Jonnalagadda was part of the HBS Online Community , where he networked with other professionals and continued discussions sparked by course content.

“You get to understand your peers better, and students share examples of businesses implementing a concept from a module you just learned,” Jonnalagadda said. “It’s a very good way to cement the concepts in one's mind.”

4. Enhance Your Curiosity

One byproduct of taking on different perspectives is that it enables you to picture yourself in various roles, industries, and business functions.

“Each case offers an opportunity for students to see what resonates with them, what excites them, what bores them, which role they could imagine inhabiting in their careers,” says former HBS Dean Nitin Nohria in the Harvard Business Review . “Cases stimulate curiosity about the range of opportunities in the world and the many ways that students can make a difference as leaders.”

Through the case method, you can “try on” roles you may not have considered and feel more prepared to change or advance your career .

5. Build Your Self-Confidence

Finally, learning through the case study method can build your confidence. Each time you assume a business leader’s perspective, aim to solve a new challenge, and express and defend your opinions and decisions to peers, you prepare to do the same in your career.

According to a 2022 City Square Associates survey , 84 percent of HBS Online learners report feeling more confident making business decisions after taking a course.

“Self-confidence is difficult to teach or coach, but the case study method seems to instill it in people,” Nohria says in the Harvard Business Review . “There may well be other ways of learning these meta-skills, such as the repeated experience gained through practice or guidance from a gifted coach. However, under the direction of a masterful teacher, the case method can engage students and help them develop powerful meta-skills like no other form of teaching.”

How to Experience the Case Study Method

If the case method seems like a good fit for your learning style, experience it for yourself by taking an HBS Online course. Offerings span eight subject areas, including:

• Business essentials
• Leadership and management
• Entrepreneurship and innovation
• Digital transformation
• Finance and accounting
• Business in society

No matter which course or credential program you choose, you’ll examine case studies from real business professionals, work through their challenges alongside peers, and gain valuable insights to apply to your career.

Are you interested in discovering how HBS Online can help advance your career? Explore our course catalog and download our free guide —complete with interactive workbook sections—to determine if online learning is right for you and which course to take.

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