Coursera

Business Strategy in Practice (Project-centered Course) (Coursera)

Offered by University of Virginia,
Business Strategy in Practice (Project-centered Course) (Coursera)

A Capstone Project is an assignment designed specifically to apply and showcase the skills you learned in the Specialization. To this end, the Business Strategy Capstone Project, a comprehensive Strategic Analysis, provides an opportunity for you to synthesize concepts and knowledge from the four prerequisite courses in the specialization. In this course, developed at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, you will be guided through your project by top-ranked faculty. You may continue with the organization you selected for previous assignments or select a new organization for this project. You will analyze the current state of the organization, strategic issues facing the organization, strategic paths the organization might pursue, make a recommendation of the best path for the organization to pursue, and write an Executive Summary.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

Your finished project will serve as an artifact showcasing your ability to conduct research on/within an organization, select and apply the most appropriate analytical tools, build a well-supported case for a specific position, and effectively communicate key points with executive leadership.
What You Will Learn

  • Employ your toolkit to develop your comprehensive Strategic Analysis
  • Build a well-supported case recommending a specific strategic path
  • Effectively and efficiently communicate key points with executive leadership
  • Identify strategic paths the organization might pursue

Course 5 of 5 in the Business Strategy Specialization

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Welcome and Getting Started
Welcome to the Business Strategy in Practice project-centered course and congratulations on completing the four prerequisite courses! In this course, you will bring together all that you have learned and employ your toolkit to develop your comprehensive Strategic Analysis. To get started, watch our "Welcome to the Business Strategy in Practice" video lecture. Then, read our Course Overview so you get a sense of what's ahead, including four milestones to help keep you on track to complete your project within the eight weeks. We are excited to watch you put your learning into action! Good luck, work hard, encourage one another, and enjoy!

WEEK 2
WIP Milestone 1
Welcome to Week 2. This week you should continue working on WIP Milestone 1 so that you are ready to submit your assignment by the end of the week. Good luck and work hard -- thorough research will help you build a solid foundation for your project!

WEEK 3
WIP Milestone 1 Peer Reviews, Start WIP Milestone 2
Welcome to Week 3. This is "buffer" week allowing time to complete your peer reviews -- providing as much constructive feedback as possible -- and then to start working on WIP Milestone 2.

WEEK 4
WIP Milestone 2
Welcome to Week 4. This week you should continue working on WIP Milestone 2 so that you are ready to submit your assignment by the end of the week. Good luck and work hard -- you will need a solid understanding of the different options and strategic paths in order to make your recommendation in the next milestone!

WEEK 5
WIP Milestone 2 Peer Reviews, Start WIP Milestone 3
Welcome to Week 5. This is another "buffer" week allowing time to complete your peer reviews -- providing as much constructive feedback as possible -- and then to start working on WIP Milestone 3.

WEEK 6
WIP Milestone 3
Welcome to Week 6. This week you should continue working on WIP Milestone 3 so that you are ready to submit your assignment by the end of the week. Looking ahead, Week 7 is a busy week: you will need to wrap up your peer reviews for WIP Milestone 3 and then prepare for the Final Milestone, putting the finishing touches on and then submitting your Strategic Analysis! So don't delay -- get going and work hard to meet your deadlines!

WEEK 7
From WIP Milestone 3 to the Final Milestone
Welcome to Week 7. This is a busy week: you will need to wrap up your peer reviews for WIP Milestone 3 and then prepare for the final milestone: submitting your finished project! To prepare for the final milestone, you will pull together the work you completed for previous milestones, write a cogent and concise executive summary, put the finishing touches on your project, and then submit it for one final round of peer review. We are excited to see your finished projects!

WEEK 8
Finished Project Peer Reviews
Welcome to Week 8, our final week together. This is another "buffer" week allowing time to complete your peer reviews. While we only require three peer reviews, please consider completing an additional review or two to help your peers who might still be waiting for their final grade and Specialization Certificate. Additionally, we have a discussion opportunity for you to share final comments, reflections, and thoughts on your capstone experience.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Giving 2.0: The MOOC (Coursera) Coursera
Stanford University

Giving 2.0: The MOOC (Coursera)

Management & Leadership

A philanthropist is anyone who gives anything — time, money, experience, skills, and networks — in any amount, to create a better world. This course will empower you to become a more effective philanthropist and make your giving more meaningful to both you and those you strive to help. Giving 2.0: The MOOC, is a Stanford University-sponsored online course intended to teach givers of all ages, backgrounds, incomes and experiences to give more effectively. Taught by social entrepreneur, philanthropist and bestselling author Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen, Giving 2.0: The MOOC will teach you how to assess nonprofits, create a high-impact philanthropic strategy, volunteer more effectively, use existing, free technology for good and more.

Oct 19th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Business Strategy MOOC Philanthropy
Details
Scaling operations: Linking strategy and execution (Coursera) Coursera
Northwestern University

Scaling operations: Linking strategy and execution (Coursera)

Management & Leadership Business

Over the past several decades, operations strategy has played an increasingly important role in business’ success. In this course, we will equip you with concepts and tools to build operations in a way that not only supports your competitive strategy, but also allows you to create new opportunities in the market place.

Oct 19th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Strategy Business Strategy Strategic Planning
Details
Business Model Canvas: A Tool for Entrepreneurs and Innovators (Project-Centered Course) (Coursera) Coursera
University System of Georgia

Business Model Canvas: A Tool for Entrepreneurs and Innovators (Project-Centered Course) (Coursera)

Management & Leadership

In this project-centered course*, you will use the Business Model Canvas innovation tool to approach either a personal or corporate challenge or opportunity. You’ll learn to identify and communicate the nine key elements of a business model: Customer Segments, Value Proposition, Channels, Customer Relationships, Key Resources, Key Activities, Key Partners, Revenue Streams, and Cost Structure. Your completed project will be a polished Business Model Canvas that outlines the business case for a new product or service to address your selected challenge or opportunity. You’ll present your case in both a one-page document and a 10-minute video presentation.

Oct 26th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Innovation Entrepreneur Business Strategy
Details
E-Business: Negocios Online (Coursera) Coursera
Universidad de Palermo

E-Business: Negocios Online (Coursera)

Business

El mayor servicio de transporte urbano del mundo no tiene ni un solo auto. El mayor servicio de alojamiento del mundo no tiene ni una sola habitación. La tienda de comercio más grande del mundo no tiene ni un local, y ni siquiera depósito. Uber, AirB&B y Alibaba son tan solo tres ejemplos de los cambios que ha producido en el mundo la tecnología y en particular Internet. Evidentemente, el mundo cambió. Al realizar este curso comprenderás las características que hacen a los negocios en la nueva economía apoyados en la tecnología, para que puedas diseñar tu propia estrategia de e-business.

Nov 2nd 2026
4 Weeks
Business Business Strategy Online Business
Details
Gestão para a Aprendizagem: Módulo Gestão Estratégica (Coursera) Coursera
Fundação Lemann

Gestão para a Aprendizagem: Módulo Gestão Estratégica (Coursera)

Education Teacher Professional Development

O curso Gestão para a Aprendizagem: Módulo Gestão Estratégica aborda uma nova concepção de gestão escolar focada na aprendizagem dos alunos e nas dimensões de trabalho do gestor visando o sucesso escolar. O cerne do curso é o planejamento estratégico e os instrumentos práticos, tais como a caracterização da comunidade escolar, a avaliação de eficácia, a análise SWOT e o plano de ação.

Oct 19th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Education Learning Strategic Management
Details
Business Growth Strategy (Coursera) Coursera
University of Virginia

Business Growth Strategy (Coursera)

Management & Leadership Business

Get the tools you need to analyze, evaluate and recommend specific actions organizations can take to grow their value and avoid common growth pitfalls. In this course, developed at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and taught by top-ranked faculty, you will learn to determine how best to build value, whether by scaling existing markets, entering established markets or creating new markets through innovation and acquisitions.

Oct 19th 2026
4 Weeks
Business Innovation Business Strategy
Details
Advanced Competitive Strategy (Coursera) Coursera
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

Advanced Competitive Strategy (Coursera)

Management & Leadership

In Advanced Competitive Strategy, we will look at how companies can build up and maintain their customer base by increasing switching costs and facilitating strategic customer lock-ins. We will find out how firms can increase their profits by pursuing suitable price discrimination and product differentiation strategies.

Oct 19th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Marketing Strategy Strategic Management
Details
Leadership & Organization Design (Coursera) Coursera
Illinois Tech

Leadership & Organization Design (Coursera)

Management & Leadership Business

To succeed in today’s knowledge intensive organizations managers need to understand how individual differences in personality, learning style and cultural values, group dynamics, organizational culture, and human resource management policies shape employee attitudes and behaviors. This course teaches managers creative problem-solving and ethical decision-making, change management, leadership techniques for enhancing social capital and influencing other organizational members, and management tools for multicultural and geographically dispersed teams.

Nov 2nd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Leadership Motivation Decision Making
Details
GetVirtual: How to Launch Your Online Business (Coursera) Coursera
University of California, Santa Cruz

GetVirtual: How to Launch Your Online Business (Coursera)

Business

The GetVirtual (GV) online training series teaches future entrepreneurs how to launch their first online business by providing step-by-step guidance for launching a website, building a logo and understanding the basics of online social media marketing. Course participants will gain access to GV's project management templates designed to support basic business transactions from initial client intake to invoicing.

Oct 26th 2026
4 Weeks
Business Strategy Project Management Online Business
Details