Small Business Certificate

Take the first stop towards long-term success with this certificate. Turn your ideas into a solid plan, and then follow through by starting your own business! You will touch on everything from marketing to financing to employee management. You will also discover the secrets that separate the successful entrepreneurs from the struggling ones.

Requirements

Complete any four courses in this program to receive your certificate.

Self-guided options are also available for this certificate; however, if you take the instructor-moderated and self-guided version of the same course, it will not apply to your certificate.

Instructor-moderated courses

Creating a Successful Business Plan

Start and Operate Your Own Home-Based Business

Start Your Own Small Business

Effective Business Writing

Self-guided courses

These courses are for learners who prefer to learn at their own pace and are comfortable with self-guidance. You will gain access to all course material, quizzes, and the final exam once your enrolment has been confirmed.

Creating a Successful Business Plan

Start and Operate Your Own Home-Based Business

Start Your Own Small Business

Effective Business Writing

All courses must be taken through WatSPEED at the University of Waterloo in order to be eligible for the certificate from WatSPEED.

Instructor-moderated courses: Each course is six weeks long, followed by a two-week period to complete the final exam (online, open book) and you are not required to be online at any specific time. Lessons are released on Wednesdays and Fridays of each week. For planning purposes, we suggest setting aside two hours per lesson as a starting point.

Self-guided courses: Start and work through courses at anytime and receive three months to complete your course requirements. You will receive access to all course material, including quizzes and the final exam, once your enrolment has been confirmed. For planning purposes, most tutorials can be completed in a few hours.

To register, click the course you'd like to take and select a start date. Instructions on how to access your course will be emailed to you immediately after registration. It is best practice to enrol for no more than two courses with the same start date to achieve the highest learning outcome.

Get your certificate from WatSPEED at the University of Waterloo

Within four weeks of successful completion of this program's requirements, a certificate of completion from WatSPEED will be available in your student portal.