Take your Home Based Business Certificate Program online today!
Home | FAQs | Online Degrees | Certificate Courses | Admission Policies | Class Rooms | Request Info.

Canyon College

online Home Based Business Certificate Program at Canyon College

Module 1 | Module 2 | Module 3 | Module 4


COURSE SYLLABUS: HOME BASED BUSINESS CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

Instructor:

William Flood, M.Ed. E-mail Vita


Overview
The home based business certificate program is a four-course sequence that was created to provide basic, intermediate and advanced training designed to help you choose and successfully launch a home-based business. The certificate program was designed as a comprehensive course of instruction that covers topics ranging from understanding home business operation, to selecting a business opportunity, to keeping records and dealing with taxes.

The series begins with an overview of home based business and the spectrum of opportunities that successful home-based entrepreneurs are pursuing. It is followed by a core course in a particular business opportunity selected from a list of proven and popular home businesses. The core course is followed by courses in marketing and small business record keeping to round out the student’s practical knowledge.

The program is designed to be self-paced with mentoring from the instructor. Exciting contemporary texts and communication with the instructor, who is a career home business owner, are used as primary teaching methods. Students are given 12 months to complete the program. Students may study at their own pace, and can progress through the courses and program as quickly as they like.

Module I - Introduction to Home Based Business
This course provides an overview and the necessary background information for starting a small or home based business. Students will be introduced to the variety of home business opportunities, learn how to determine whether they are suited for entrepreneurship, and be introduced to the basics of starting and administering the business.

Text Book: Online Bookstore

The Best Home Businesses for the 21st Century: The Inside Information You Need to Know to Select a Home-Based Business That's Right for You, by Paul Edwards, Sarah Edwards
ISBN #: 0874779731

Contact Hours = 20
Semester Hours = 1

Course Content Module II Business - Opportunity Selection
This series of elective courses allows the student to select a specialty home business from a series of business opportunities that are proven successful and popular in the marketplace. In-depth instruction will be provided in the opportunity of the student’s choice. Selections can be made from: real estate investing, mail order & direct marketing, importing/exporting, buying & selling through auctions, direct selling, vending, and service businesses such as consulting. Students will be introduced to the essentials of pricing, marketing, and acquiring customers for each type of business.

Choose (1) from the following specific business opportunities:

Option A - Real Estate Investing
Real estate investing is still considered one of the best ways to build personal wealth. In this information-packed course, students will learn techniques for locating bargain properties and motivated sellers, acquiring property with creative financing, locating sources of cash, fixing up properties, handling tenants, and selling properties.

Textbooks: Online Bookstore

Nothing Down for the 90’s by Robert G. Allen ISBN #: 0671725580
Barrons Dictionary of Real Estate Terms ISBN #:0812096606

Contact Hours = 20
Semester Hours = 1

Course Content Option B - Mail Order, Internet & Direct Marketing Business
A mail order (direct marketing) business is one of the most ideal businesses to run from home. Mail order firms span everything from the sale of how-to books, to catalogs containing specialty food products, to selling clothing over the Internet. It is a business that can easily be started on a shoestring from your kitchen table, but can also grow into a full-time occupation. In this course, students will learn how to choose profitable products, locate suppliers, create advertising that attracts buyers, and fulfill orders quickly and easily.

Textbooks: Online Bookstore

Building a Mail Order Business by William Cohen ISBN #: 0471109460
Multiple Streams of Internet Income by Robert G. Allen ISBN #: 0471410144

Contact Hours = 20
Semester Hours = 1

Course Content Option C - Import/Export Business
In today’s global economy, an import/export business could be your ideal choice for a small business. Unlike a store-front business, an import/export business offers an inexpensive way for you to start a business, yet can be very profitable. There may even be the opportunity for international travel. In this course, students will learn the basics of importing and exporting and will be taught how to put import/export deals together. Students will determine what products to offer, learn where to locate suppliers and outlets for their products, deal with government regulations, and will learn how to transact the various parts of a trade deal.

Textbook: Online Bookstore

Building an Import/Export Business by Kenneth Weiss ISBN #: 0471177873

Contact Hours = 20
Semester Hours = 1

Course Content Option D - Stock Trading as a Home Business
This course introduces students to trading stocks as a home-based business. Students are introduced to various simple, low-risk, cash producing trading strategies. Various sources and forms of research will be introduced. No experience with investments is required. Note: this course does not deal with day trading.

Textbook: Online Bookstore

Wall Street Workshop (Volume 1) by Wade C. Cook ISBN #: 0910019703

Contact Hours = 20
Semester Hours = 1

Course Content Option E - Buying & Selling With Online Auctions, Government Sales and Surplus Merchandise
Learn the ins and outs of buying and selling merchandise from online auctions such as eBay, government auctions such as US Marshals sales, and through liquidation sales. This course will introduce you to the variety of auctions and sales, will help you locate auction deals, and will provide tips on both the buying and selling process.

Textbooks: Online Bookstore

Profiting From Online Auctions, Government Sales, and Surplus Property Confessions of an Internet Auction Junkie by Michael Weber, ISBN #: 0761530851
Optional: The Official Government Auction Guide by George Chelekis (out of print, available used)

Contact Hours = 20
Semester Hours = 1

Course Content Option F - Direct Sales Businesses
In this course, students will learn about the variety of direct selling opportunities and how to select a successful product line. Students will learn about the buying/selling process, including how to effectively prospect and market their products, uncover customers’ needs, handle objections, and close sales. Students will determine what factors they, as salespeople, bring to the table that influence the sales process.

Textbooks: Online Bookstore

How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling by Frank Bettger ISBN #: 067179437X
The New Professionals by Charles King ISBN #: 0761519661

Contact Hours = 20
Semester Hours = 1

Course Content Option G - Services Businesses
Do you have specialized training or a skill that could be useful to others? Have you ever considered providing a professional service based on your background? This course is designed will cover service businesses such as consulting, administrative services, and personal services and will help those who wish to set up a service business get off on the right foot. Topics will include what service to offer, contracts, billing, and pricing policies, marketing, and ensuring follow-up business.

Textbook: Online Bookstore

Freelancing for Dummies by Susan M. Drake ISBN #: 0764553690
Optional supplemental titles may be suggested based on service of student’s interest

Contact Hours = 20
Semester Hours = 1

Course Content Option H - Vending and Automatic Merchandising
Learn how to establish a home business in the lucrative automatic merchandising field. This course will introduce students to the vending business with subjects ranging from selecting machines and product lines to site selection to dealing with the reality of repairs.

Course Content Textbook: Online Bookstore

Vending Success Secrets - How Anyone Can Grow Rich In America's Best Cash Business by Bill Way ISBN #: 0965822702

Contact Hours = 20
Semester Hours = 1

Module III - Marketing for the Home Based Business
This course teaches students how to acquire customers through effective marketing and advertising. Students will be introduced to marketing concepts including Internet marketing, direct marketing, professional selling, public relations, traditional advertising, and networking. The course emphasizes the kinds of marketing that can produce high results for little investment. Students will have the opportunity to actually create a variety of marketing materials and have them reviewed and critiqued by the instructor.

Textbook: Online Bookstore

Guerrilla Marketing for the Home-Based Business, by Jay Conrad Levinson
ISBN #: 0395742838

Contact Hours = 20
Semester Hours = 1

Course Content Module IV - Recordkeeping for the Home Based Business
This capstone course introduces students to the record keeping that is necessary for good management and tax preparation. Students will be introduced to systems for maintaining expense records, income, profit/loss, auto expenses and related tax deductions. Emphasis will be placed on how to use the home business as a tax planning tool by maximizing legitimate business deductions.

Textbook: Online Bookstore

Minding Her Own Business: The Self Employed Woman’s Guide to Taxes and Record Keeping by Jan Zobel
ISBN #: 1580622003

Contact Hours = 20
Semester Hours = 1

Course Content