The college announced a partnership last week with Harvard Business School’s online education program, Harvard Business X Credential of Readiness, or HBX CORe, to provide Amherst students with the opportunity to develop business skills.

CORe is an 11-week summer online program that offers three courses: Business Analytics, Economics for Managers and Financial Accounting. In the Harvard-Amherst partnership, seats in this program are specifically reserved for qualified Amherst applicants. The program expects students to spend 10 to 15 hours per week on the course material over the 11-week summer period. Amherst students and alumni can apply directly to the program for admission and financial aid.

In November 2013, Career Center director Ursula Olender proposed expanding professional skill development opportunities for Amherst students. She received support from the President’s Office to investigate programs that offered career and skill development to help students prepare to apply to internships and jobs.

Over the span of two years, the Career Center reviewed programs including Middlebury College’s MiddCORE, Fullbridge, Tuck Business Bridge Program at Dartmouth, Koru and CORe.

Ellie Andersen ‘15, one student who has already completed the HBX CORe program, said in an interview, “HBX CORe was incredibly fulfilling and has only served to further my interest in business. These courses built my self-confidence, introduced me to the world of business, and have ultimately given me the tools to understand and work through a number of real world problems and questions about business.”

Olender said she expects the partnership to provide students with an opportunity to learn a wide range of business skills.

“The intended goal for this partnership is to help liberal arts students prepare for and join the innovative economy, through skill-building, mentoring and networking opportunities,” Olender said. “HBX CORe’s content and delivery method, combined with Harvard Business School’s reputation, make it a promising opportunity for Amherst students and alumni to enhance their career readiness.”

The partnership with HBX CORe will be reviewed annually. Olender said that in addition to the offered program, the Career Center plans to offer a variety of workshops on campus that will involve alumni as career mentors and facilitators.

“The Career Center’s mission is to educate and empower students to reflect, explore, experiment and take action to achieve their personal, professional and academic goals,” Olender said. “We strive to help students hone and articulate skills desired by employers and to level the playing field for all of our students, regardless of their ability to pay or access to social capital.”
HBX CORe will hold an information session on Wednesday, May 6 at 6:30 p.m. in Paino Lecture Hall in Beneski.