One feature of the Business Essentials program that I found extremely useful and interesting was the discussion board linked to each module. Because the program is open not only to students but also to professionals, the variety of discussion posts – whether in the form of questions, commentaries, or anecdotes from professional experience – really helped me to synthesize the information I had learned in the module with real-life experiences and draw connections with some of the questions...read more

The most valuable skill I learned with the UNC Business Essentials program was to be versatile.  With the program you go through 6 different modules (Intro to Business, Financial Accounting, Economics & Finance, Marketing, Business Operations, and Business Communications) and that alone can prepare you for initial post-graduation jobs.  For me, it has given me an overview in various different backgrounds because in today’s job market you have to be prepared to possibly work your way...read more

I gained an incredible amount of knowledge about the essentials of business – such as accounting and operations – over the course of just a few months, thanks to UBE’s certificate program. However, my favorite aspect of the program is undoubtedly its flexibility. This past summer was a very busy one for me; I was not only completing the program, but also working a 9-hours-a-day internship and traveling with my family. For these reasons, I was more than a little nervous that I would not...read more

The most valuable skill that I learned from UNC Business Essentials was everything in the Business Communications module.  In this module, I learned how to properly communicate and write for a business setting. This module stated that headings were important to allow the reader to know what topics you will be addressing and also organizes the document for the reader, ensuring that they read it as it was intended. The module emphasizes the importance of the visual, even in written documents,...read more

Many students with a focus of study in the humanities may be worried about finding a job after graduation. After completing the UBE program, my mind rests easier about this concern. I'm planning on attending graduate school in the fall to obtain my degree in speech language pathology. Although my future career is health care based, if you want to move up to a supervisory or managerial position you must have business knowledge. My business certificate from UBE definitely serves as an...read more

As a junior seeking an internship for this upcoming summer, my first fear was that I had no real, tangible business experience. At meet-and-greets with consulting firms, I quickly realized that I was up against a plethora of undergraduates at UNC Kenan-Flagler, and I was concerned that I lacked the business courses that would give me an edge.   When I finally sat down to read about consulting internships over winter break, I realized that my skills from UNC Business Essentials were finally...read more

I am a non-business major, and I applied exclusively to business internships, specifically investment banking internships because I thought that would be the best fit for me long term.  My top choice was to do investment research, but having very little finance experience, I wasn’t sure I would get an offer. I think having Business Essentials on my resume helped to show employers that though I was not a business major and lacked substantial finance coursework, I was still very interested...read more

My favorite aspect of UBE was that it is self-paced and thus perfectly tailored to the lives of busy, involved UNC students. I completed the UBE program this past summer while working a 40-hour-plus a week internship coordinating a summer program through a local non-profit.  Although I was busy every weekday and travelling on many weekends, the flexibility of the UNC UBE program enabled me to pace myself in a unique way tailored to my schedule. Had it been a normal scheduled class, I would not...read more

Looking back on the summer I spent completing the UNC Business Essentials coursework, a few things stick out in my mind that made the experience pleasant, useful and productive. The program was convenient to complete, packed with detailed and applicable information, and boosted my confidence as I approach graduation and entering the workforce. The convenience of the program was probably my favorite aspect of it, if I had to choose just one. I wouldn't have signed up to participate in UNC...read more

My freshman year at Carolina, I was deciding between studying economics and business. I ultimately decided on economics, as I have always been really interested in the intersection between politics and economics, especially on the international level. While I am happy with my decision, I always wanted to take a business class, as knowing basic business skills is important in any profession; however, with a double major and minor, I could never find the time in my class schedule. When I heard...read more