Online Intro to Management Courses and Classes

Management courses are readily available online. Topics are often very diverse, and allow students to choose between classes meant for personal enrichment, degree fulfillment or professional training. They may also target specific industries or specializations. Because of the breadth and depth of information in this field, classes are often broken down into levels, meant to be taken sequentially. Below is an overview of introductory management courses.

Overview of Online Intro to Management Courses

Management courses address a wide range of subjects. Students interested in broad topics such as organizational, financial and technological management, as well as niche fields such as energy conservation and non-profit sectors, can find plenty of opportunities to study on the Web. Some online courses count as undergraduate or graduate credit only, while other courses award students with a diploma or professional certificate. Management programs are often staggered, starting with basic concepts and then increasingly building upon theories and topics to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of their focus field. This may mean that curricula are predetermined, and introductory classes must be passed as prerequisites to enroll in advanced courses.

Course Requirements

Most introductory management courses that are based online prefer students to have access to a computer with high-speed Internet. Their computer needs to be kept free of viruses and spyware, and should be fairly current so that all required software is compatible. Students should be comfortable using e-mail and message boards to communicate with instructors and fellow students. Recommended software includes Microsoft Office and Adobe Reader, as well as plug-ins such as Adobe Flash Player, Windows Media Player and QuickTime.

List of Online Intro to Management Courses

Intro to Organizational Management Course

Organizational management may apply to the behavior of individuals and small groups, but organizational theories for managing a total institution are especially emphasized in this introductory course. Students learn the primary functions of management, which are to plan, organize and lead. Specific management tasks, such as staffing and problem prevention, are also addressed and can be expounded upon through a certificate or degree program's curriculum.

Intro to Managerial Accounting Course

In this class, students learn the managerial concepts and methods for controlling business costs. They identify the information needed to plan and manage financial decisions--as well as where to obtain this information within an organization. Additional course topics include quality and productivity improvement, budgeting, cost-volume analysis, tactical decision-making and transfer pricing.

Intro to Management Information Systems Course

This beginners' course discusses the information and technology systems that can be implemented to make a business more effective and profitable. Although this is not a technical course, students are required to learn an overview of databases, electronic spreadsheets and computer programming. These concepts may be explored in-depth through more advanced information systems management courses.

Intro to Project Management Course

Supplying business products on schedule--and within cost and resource limits--is the primary focus of this course. Core duties of project management include identifying, allocating and obtaining the necessary resources for a project of any size. Participants must also learn to control the expenses and manage the progress of their projects.

Intro to Green Energy Management Course

This foundational class introduces the concept of eco-friendly energy management while exploring the latest developments and trends in renewable energy technologies. Subjects include solar alternatives, energy auditing and how to convert current energy consumption systems to renewable energy options. Additionally, lessons examine the ongoing development of green energy plans, sales strategies and government legislation.

Intro to Non-Profit Management Course

Public and private sector organizations are used as comparison models to demonstrate how non-profits are run in the United States. Students explore the importance of the mission statement and policies which regulate non-profits. They also learn to perform the managerial tasks required to ensure an organization's success. This class examines the roles of the executives and board that run non-profits, as well as the staff and volunteers that implement its agenda.