Wharton Online FAQs

All course registration and payment is managed through Coursera, or EdX. Click on the link following the description on our Course Offerings page to register for the course.

A Specialization is a series of the four courses Wharton Online offers on the Coursera platform introducing key topics in the study of business, plus a Capstone Project in which you apply these principles to a real-world problem. You will earn a Specialization Certificate when you successfully earn a Verified Certificate for each course in a Specialization.

To enroll in an individual course, search for the course title in the catalog. If the course is part of a Specialization, you will be automatically subscribed to the entire Specialization. However, you are only interested in a single course, you will need to cancel your subscription after completing this course in order to stop the recurring monthly charge.

A Capstone Project is an assignment that serves as a way for students to demonstrate the knowledge they’ve acquired in a Specialization to an applied project. Every Specialization has a Capstone Project.

Upon completing the Capstone Project, you will have successfully applied the basic skills of business to a real-world problem, something business people do every day. You will be able to show others you have attained this critical skill with your Specialization certificate.

No. Wharton Online courses do not include course credit towards a degree, nor do they make you a student at Wharton, nor an alumnus of Wharton. Instead, earning a Verified Certificate proves you met the passing criteria of your rigorous online course offered by Wharton Online through Coursera or EdX.

Wharton Online’s courses on Coursera or EdX provide an understanding of key business concepts, basic fluency in the language of business, and are taught by Wharton faculty. While they are based on courses offered at Wharton, they are shorter, and focus on critical skills that are a requirement for success or further study in business. Courses offered to students enrolled at Wharton degree offer deeper examinations of topics, highly immersive interactive experiences, faculty-student interaction, additional opportunities for study, extra-curricular activities, career management and more.

While successful completion of Wharton’s online courses demonstrates fluency in the language of business, it is only one element of a highly competitive selection process. Many other factors will determine a successful application to Wharton. For more information about Wharton’s application process, click here.

Financial aid is available for learners who apply and demonstrate need. The methods for applying for financial aid are different for the edX and Coursera platforms.

For financial aid in a Wharton Online course offered on Coursera:

You may apply for financial by clicking on the Financial Aid link beneath the “Enroll” button on the course page. You’ll be prompted to complete an application and will be notified if you are approved.

For financial aid in a Wharton Online course offered on edX:

Please send your request to whartononline@wharton.upenn.edu. Include the course you would like to take, the reason for your request, and your contact information. A member of the Wharton Online team will respond.

Yes. Wharton Online offers bulk enrollment in all of our courses. If you are interested in bulk enrollment, please contact Kathryn Pischke, Director of Business Development Online at pischke@wharton.upenn.edu