GetSmarter Review
About GetSmarter
GetSmarter is a web-based company that connects lifelong learners with new educational opportunities.
Our GetSmarter review will introduce you to this growing platform that allows adult students to register for online programs and earn certificates from recognized universities around the world!
GetSmarter’s courses can help learners everywhere develop new skills based on their interests and professional expertise. They offer courses in a variety of industries and professions, ranging from web design, to business, to leadership courses.
Many GetSmarter programs are geared towards people who have already begun their careers and want to learn new concepts and skills so they can advance professionally. For example, GetSmarter offers an MIT certificate in using blockchain tech in the business world – a course helping leaders keep their operations current and competitive.
GetSmarter gives you access to educational programs from some of the most prestigious universities in the world, including Oxford, Stanford, and Yale. Their programs are recognized by both the professional and educational world, and are popular with learners – as evidenced by their nearly 90k followers on Instagram.
Our GetSmarter review will cover some of the company’s best-selling courses, purchasing information, and GetSmarter reviews from current and former students, so you can decide if you’d like to learn with GetSmarter, too!
Overview of GetSmarter
GetSmarter was founded in 2008 by South African entrepreneur Rob Paddock and his brother, Sam Paddock. In 2017, GetSmarter was purchased by the American parent company 2U, an online platform that partners with notable universities to make quality education more accessible. They’re currently headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa.
This popular platform is part of the growing online education sector that is changing how people learn. GetSmarter’s mission is to connect learners around the world with the educational programs they need to expand their skill sets and advance in their careers.
These courses are designed by experienced experts from their university faculties and seasoned industry professionals. They include lectures and a variety of online activities and assignments in their weekly modules, and are intended to provide a high quality education that fits into your personal and working life.
Once you have registered and paid for your GetSmarter course you can complete it online at home, usually putting in about 5-10 hours of learning time per week. Once the hard work is done you will receive your course certificate, which you can add to your resume to show off your new knowledge!
Keep reading our GetSmarter review as we cover the highlights of buying from this unique educational brand.
Highlights
- Learn from home, with lots of flexibility
- Access thousands of courses from prestigious universities around the world
- Open to international learners
- Build skills in new areas and complement your existing education
- Courses are designed by industry experts and experienced educators
- Some courses offer a mix of pre-recorded and live lessons
- Short, targeted courses convenient for busy schedules
- Many courses have assignments, ideal for those who learn by doing
GetSmarter Review
Our GetSmarter review will now take a look at some of this company’s best-selling programs.
Whether you’re interested in developing your leadership or public speaking skills, or want to learn more about working in business, GetSmarter’s wide variety of programs has something for every professional.
GetSmarter Oxford Executive Leadership Programme Review
If you are trying to grow your career and progress to a managerial position, take a look at the Oxford Executive Leadership Programme. This 8-week-long course is designed by industry experts and faculty from Oxford University in the UK.
GetSmarter explains that this course will expand your leadership skills in the areas of:
- Power and influence
- Motivation
- Diversity
- Adaptability and authenticity
- Strategies for leading change in your organization
- Complexity and plurality
This program, delivered by Oxford University’s Said Business School, is meant for anyone in top-level leadership looking to update and enhance their skills, those with some experience aiming for a more senior-level position, and for professionals who want to become more knowledgeable and self-assured on their path to a managerial position.
When you sign up for this course you are committing to about 80 hours of learning (about 10 per week). Each course has a particular start date, and will run for consecutive weeks after that date unless otherwise indicated.
Like most GetSmarter courses, the Oxford Executive Leadership Programme includes online lessons you can watch from anywhere and a number of practical assignments to practice and test your new knowledge.
When finished, you’ll receive a certificate of attendance or completion from the associated school – in this case, a certificate of attendance from Oxford.
To get a better sense of what the course involves, you can request a more detailed course brochure through GetSmarter’s site (also available for all courses). When you sign up for the course itself, you’ll get access to a programme handbook which will outline all of the classes and assessments you must complete in order to receive your certificate.
Don’t worry – with GetSmarter’s courses, you won’t be stuck reading a textbook the whole time!
You’ll learn through their “Online Campus,” which will make your learning a varied experience. This is where you’ll find your notes, assignments, and quizzes, as well as access course videos, presentations, supplemental material, and more.
In addition to accessing knowledge from industry experts, GetSmarter courses also connect you with other classmates and alumni through an online forum. Your course may even have live-streamed lectures or Q&A sessions, giving you an opportunity to interact directly with the faculty delivering your course and your fellow students.
Completing the Executive Leadership Programme also gets you access to Oxford’s Executive Education Alumni LinkedIn group, extending your networking opportunities well beyond your 8-week course.
Sign up for the Oxford Executive Leadership Programme for $3,149. Tuition can be paid all at once or in installments.
GetSmarter MIT Blockchain Technologies: Business Innovation and Application Review
If you work in business and want to stay on the cutting edge of new tech that might help you resolve problems and lower costs, take a look at the MIT Blockchain Technologies: Business Innovation and Application.
Our Getmarter review has found that this program, offered by the prestigious Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), will help you learn more about blockchain technology and apply it to your industry.
GetSmarter explains that the MIT Blockchain Technologies: Business Innovation and Application program will not focus on the tech itself, but will help you learn about all the different ways businesses can make use of blockchain, and look at this tech as an economic tool.
For example, the course will take a look at common business problems and help you understand how blockchain could be applied as a solution in your industry. It will also explain more about how blockchain supports cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, and how this has influenced how we work.
The MIT Blockchain Technologies: Business Innovation and Application takes 6 weeks to complete. Each course module will take about 5-8 hours of your time.
This course grants you a certificate of completion from MIT Sloan, but can also be taken as part of the MIT Sloan Executive Certificate, a four-course certification program administered by MIT – meaning you’re getting the same quality of education as those taking classes directly from the world’s leading universities.
Register for the MIT Blockchain Technologies: Business Innovation and Application for $3,500.
GetSmarter LSE MBA Essentials Review
The LSE MBA Essentials course has been designed by experts from the London School of Economics.
According to GetSmarter, this 10-week course will take 95 hours of your time in total (about 8-12 hours per week), and will give you “a stronger understanding of the three core pillars of business – the strategic environment, financial toolkit, and the human element.”
By completing the LSE MBA Essentials’ 10 modules, you will develop the following essential business skills:
- Positively influence colleagues and customers
- Use strategy and communication effectively
- Improve your understanding of business finances
- Apply concepts of organizational and human behaviour to your leadership
Our GetSmarter review has learned that this program is intended for those working in management or specialist positions. It could also be very useful for professional consultants or entrepreneurs who are establishing their own businesses.
GetSmarter also suggests this course for business people looking into an MBA. It can help give you a sense what pursuing this degree would entail, and give you a head start in your learning.
Completion of this course comes with a certificate of competence from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
As with all of GetSmarter’s courses, you can request a prospectus or call the company directly to get more information. Then, register for the upcoming session of the LSE MBA Essentials course for $4,349.
GetSmarter Yale Women’s Leadership Program Review
If you’re a professional woman wanting to take your leadership to the next level, take a look at the Yale Women’s Leadership Program. This program is part of the Yale School of Management Executive Education program, and is created and presented by Yale faculty members who are experts in Organizational Behaviour and Emotional Intelligence.
This course is designed to help women expand their professional skills, apply their personal strengths to their leadership techniques, and learn how to solve workplace problems by thinking experimentally.
According to GetSmarter, the Yale Women’s Leadership Program will also help you navigate the barriers that can keep you from reaching your goals.
The program has 6 modules, completed over 6 weeks. Conveniently, this course is designed so you can complete it while still working or taking other courses, as these modules will only take 6-8 hours of your time per week.
Your modules will cover the following topics:
- Developing your skills as a leader
- Identifying and applying your strengths
- Creative, experimental thinking for business growth
- Applying emotional intelligence to leadership approaches
- Networking, communication, and interpersonal relations
- Becoming a positive manager to your employees
This course earns you a certificate of participation from the Yale School of Management Executive Education.
If you’re ready to advance your leadership skills with a course that centres the perspectives and needs of women in business, sign up for the Yale Women’s Leadership Program for $3,540.
GetSmarter Speaking in Public: Storytelling, Influence, and Presence Review
According to experts, as many as 77% of people are afraid of public speaking! If you’re one of them, this course could be for you.
The GetSmarter Speaking in Public: Storytelling, Influence and Presence program will help you get over your fears and create engaging presentations for your audience. Regardless of your field, being able to confidently speak to groups of people can be a game-changer in your career!
This micro-course is designed by Bruce Whitfield, a presenter and journalist with years of public speaking experience. His course applies the lessons learned in his career to a business context, to help everyone from CEOs to team members shape a message and make a connection.
By learning how to think quickly in the spotlight and apply storytelling techniques to your presentations, you’ll be able to hook your audience and communicate your ideas with clarity and confidence.
If you have to present on a complicated subject, or speak to people outside of your profession, this course will also help you learn how to package and summarize information effectively to keep listeners interested.
The GetSmarter Speaking in Public: Storytelling, Influence and Presence is a fantastic option for any professional that wants to hone their communication skills and become more comfortable addressing large groups of people. And because it’s a micro-course, it’s incredibly easy to fit it into your schedule.
This course is only 2 weeks long, with about 5-7 hours of learning time per week. This course doesn’t require any intensive assignments and is almost entirely self-paced.
Most of the coursework involves putting the techniques you learn to the test by making pitches and short presentations, and receiving feedback from a network of peers. You’ll also have access to supplementary videos and podcasts, so you can keep learning beyond the official lesson plan.
Sign up for the GetSmarter Speaking in Public: Storytelling, Influence and Presence now for $127.
Who Is GetSmarter For?
Who can use GetSmarter? Anyone with an internet connection and the desire to learn! GetSmarter’s programs are designed for people of all ages and educational backgrounds interested in building their personal and career skills, and offer high quality courses accredited by the world’s leading universities.
This online platform has a great variety of courses on offer, all of which have been designed by experts in their fields. Whether you would like to develop your business skills at the London School of Economics or learn more about leadership at Yale University, with GetSmarter you can do so from the comfort of your home.
All of GetSmart’s courses are available through their online learning platform and, while many require the completion of regular assignments or assessments, can be watched whenever it’s most convenient.
Unlike other online courses, many of GetSmarter’s programs have some structure. They have weekly modules and regular assignments or assessments, as well as some live sessions and interactive activities with your fellow learners – ideal for those looking for a more traditional learning experience, or who prefer interactivity to a lecture-only format.
That said, GetSmarter also has mini-courses and purely lesson-based learning options. These tend to be faster, more flexible, and more affordable, making ongoing education accessible for a variety of schedules, learning styles, and budgets.
Ultimately, GetSmarter is particularly helpful for working professionals who already have a lot on their plate.
Nearly all of GetSmarter’s courses are designed to be completed part-time, and usually take up 5-10 hours of your time per week. This makes them a great tool for anyone already in the workforce who wants to invest in furthering their education.
How Does GetSmarter Work?
GetSmarter is a platform that allows you to find and enroll in higher education courses from universities around the world.
Once you access their website, you will be able to search for the courses that your need or that interest you by using their search engine and filters. You can search by field, by institution, or course length.
If you’re looking to future-proof your skills or move into a new field, you can also use their Career Navigator to help lead you in the right direction.
Each course has a page that will tell you what kind of certification it offers, its length and duration, an outline of the course subjects and learning objectives, and the kinds of activities and assessments you’ll be expected to complete.
Once you find the course that’s right for you, you can register for it directly through the GetSmarter website. There, you’ll be guided through the following steps:
- Registration process
- Profile
- Billing
- Payments
- Confirmation and further instructions
Once registered, you will be sent your course’s start date and introductory information, and get set up with access to the Online Campus, where you’ll find things like your course material, lesson videos, and interactive forums.
Each course will have its own schedule and structure, with different expectations in terms of assignments and tests.
Some will have weekly assignments while others will be more dialogue-based and less structured. GetSmarter will provide info on deadlines, how to submit assessments, and anything else you need to participate in the course.
If you want a little more info before you commit to a course, our GetSmarter review has found that if you would like to speak with a GetSmarter staff member, you can click “Request a Call” before registering. You can also ask to see the course’s prospectus so you can review the exact course material before you sign up.
GetSmarter Reviews: What Do Customers Think?
This company shares some student testimonials on their official website, giving us a sense of what real customers’ own GetSmarter reviews have to say about the brand’s services.
One student, who works in local government in South Africa, shares that she gained valuable skills by using GetSmarter to complete a leadership course with the University of Cambridge.
She reports in her GetSmarter review: “Being a leader in a fast-changing world, I wanted to learn the newest trends in the field of leadership and liaise with other fellow leaders from around the world. When I saw the course outline, it immediately resonated with me.”
GetSmarter also has a community Facebook page where past and current users post about their experiences. Our GetSmarter review finds that many commenters have a positive experience taking courses through GetSmarter and enjoy completing their course modules.
One current student’s GetSmarter review from Facebook shares this about the teaching skills course they’re taking: “This module is about our teaching portfolio and our teaching philosophy! It was really fun to teach myself today having a couple of new concepts coming to my mind.”
Another student, who completed a course in web design, writes in her GetSmarter review post: “Working with GetSmarter has been amazing so far. I just designed my third website and I am insanely proud.”
Our GetSmarter review also found a post from a GetSmarter instructor, who shared this note of thanks they received from a student: “‘Thank you Brett, this is my 3rd course with GetSmarter and you are by far my fave tutor. Very engaging with the students and really appreciate the detailed and constructive feedback on the module.’”
GetSmarter has also been discussed on the review site HelloPeter.com. Our GetSmarter review did notice a few commenters having issues with making payments and how long it took to receive hard copies of their certificates. Generally, however, students are pleased with their educational experiences and the convenience of learning from home.
In one GetSmarter review on HelloPeter, a former student shares how impressed they were with the quality of education delivered in a short time: “I did a property development and investment course at UCT via Getsmarter. My husband has been in construction for 15 years and he is in awe of how much knowledge I have gained in just 8 weeks.”
This web-based company has many reviews from happy customers who love their learning experiences. Overall, most customers are pleased with the quality of education they received, and appreciate how their courses produce real results and offer a chance to learn from leading universities around the world.
Is GetSmarter Worth It?
If you feel that your career has stagnated, if you’re ready to update your skill set, or if you’re interested in ongoing learning without having to commit to in-person classes, GetSmarter is a fantastic option for you.
Many industries are changing rapidly, and specialized, industry-focused courses are a great way for professionals at every level to keep up. Investing in your own skills and education can also help you find your niche in the workforce, and help you establish and sustain a fulfilling career.
That’s often easier said than done with in-person education – which is where GetSmarter comes in.
As our GetSmarter review has discovered, this website easily connects you with online learning programs around the world that let you access top-tier education programs that are easy to incorporate into your life.
This company understands that modern learners don’t want borders, time zones, careers, or personal lives to limit their education. That’s why GetSmarter is opening up learning opportunities for people around the world, allowing users to access programs and earn certificates from reputable institutions through a convenient web service.
Whether you want to change the trajectory of your career, get more comfortable presenting your idea to investors, or want to reinvigorate your workforce and boost sales with a new approach to leadership, GetSmarter is a worthwhile investment for all lifelong learners.
GetSmarter Promotions & Discounts
GetSmarter is not offering any promotions at this time. Their website and course pages have more information on exact course tuition and financing plans.
Where to Buy GetSmarter
You can access all of GetSmarter’s programs through their official website.
You may also be redirected to GetSmarter directly from a university or college’s website. For example, if you’re on the Yale School of Management Executive Education page and see the Yale Women’s Leadership Program, clicking into it will lead you to the GetSmarter course to register – think of GetSmarter as a hosting platform for university courses.
FAQ
Who owns GetSmarter?
GetSmarter was purchased from founder Rob Paddock by parent company 2U in 2017.
What is GetSmarter’s Privacy Policy?
GetSmarter explains their Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy in great detail at the bottom of their webpage. According to GetSmarter, their company will collect some of your information when you engage in their services, largely for administration purposes
They report in their privacy policy that “When you visit the Websites or interact with emails that we send to you, we passively collect information from you, including your internet protocol address (“IP address”), browser type, operating system, device identifier, device model, software version, or mobile or ISP carrier information.”
If you want, you can always restrict tracking or stop “cookies” by declining or limiting cookies, but this might cause some pages of GetSmarter’s website to be off limits to you.
What is GetSmarter’s Refund Policy?
As long as you let the company know before you start Module 2 – typically the second full week – of your course, you can request to cancel your purchase and receive a full refund from GetSmarter.
If you still want to take the course but want to postpone it to a later date, you also have the right to defer your course start date, too. Just contact the company and they will walk you through the process.
How to Contact GetSmarter
Our GetSmarter review has found that you can contact this company in the following ways:
- For UK residents, call: +44 2038 236 998
- For US residents, call: +1 617 977 6889
- For international residents, call: +27 87 550 6966
- Email: admissions@getsmarter.com
