Requesting Employer Sponsorship for Your Certificate Many employers offer education benefits such as tuition assistance to help fund your advanced education. We encourage you to speak to your employer to see if this is available.

Beyond funding, employers can also support your education by allowing increased flexibility in your schedule and providing opportunities for you to demonstrate newly acquired skills in a real-world setting. Having a scheduled conversation to discuss your professional development goals is a great way to help foster support. This tip sheet offers ideas for building a structured employer support request for your certificate program.

How to Shape Your Sponsorship RequestDo your research.See if your company has an educational benefits program or has sponsored individuals in the past. Familiarize yourself with these efforts before meeting with your manager.

Schedule an appointment. Plan a meeting with your manager or human resources representative. In this preliminary meeting, you should be prepared to discuss the program and identify reasons why you want to earn this certificate, including the benefit to your organization.

Frame your argument.Consider why you want to pursue this certification and make a list of the reasons why developing data analysis skills will make you more valuable to your organization. Be sure your objectives and reasoning are clear and be prepared to discuss your plans.

Demonstrate your value. Think about key issues your department/organization is currently facing and align your skill development in the program with these issues.

Drive action.Let your employer know that they can speak with a Harvard Business Analytics Program enrollment counselor if they have questions about the program or the application process.

855-624-8222 | admissions@analytics.hbs.edu | analytics.hbs.edu

Program OverviewThe Harvard Business Analytics Program is an online certificate program offered through a collaboration between Harvard Business School (HBS), the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS).

The program is designed for experienced professionals, including those who have already earned an MBA or advanced business degree, who are experiencing the impact of data and analytics on business strategy and operations. As a student, you will explore new ways to analyze, interpret, and take advantage of data to drive competitive business advantages.

The curriculum is designed to sharpen core data analysis and management skills as you hone your expertise in the following areas:

• New and emerging digital strategy

• Software programming and data architecture

• Machine learning and its applications

• Predictive analysis techniques

• Emerging technologies (e.g., blockchain and artificial intelligence)

Curriculum OverviewThe Harvard Business Analytics Program consists of six core courses, two seminars, and two in-person immersions. The program can be completed in as few as nine months.

Core Coursework

• Digital Strategy and Innovation

• Programming and Data Science Systems

• Operations and Supply Chain Management

• Foundations of Quantitative Analysis

• Data-Driven Marketing

• Data Science Pipeline and Critical Thinking

Seminars Coursework

• Leadership and People Analytics Part 1

• Leadership and People Analytics Part 2

Student ExperienceThe Harvard Business Analytics Program is delivered through a blend of online and in-person learning experiences. Learn more about the program and the world-class faculty involved:

A robust online learning experience. Through live online classes, case studies, faculty lectures, and small-group projects, the Harvard Business Analytics Program combines the collaboration of an on-campus program with the flexibility of an online program.

Learn from world-renowned faculty. Faculty from HBS, SEAS, and FAS have come together to design and teach Harvard Business Analytics Program classes. As a student, you’ll work with professors from each department throughout the course of the program, learning from their expertise and experiences.

Two on-campus immersions. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with classmates and professors in person during immersive learning experiences. During immersions, you will meet with peers, learn from industry experts, and participate in workshops.

Face-to-face interaction.Through weekly, webcam-enabled classes, you will meet face-to-face for candid discussions. Faculty will utilize the case method of teaching—an approach pioneered by Harvard—which puts you in the driver’s seat of real-world business challenges.

855-624-8222 | admissions@analytics.hbs.edu | analytics.hbs.edu