Improved Knowledge
Gain a comprehensive understanding of the key principles, practices, and processes essential for effective board governance. Be more confident in your role.
Corporate board course
Corporate Board Fundamentals
Walk into your next board meeting knowing what to ask.
Inside the course
- Corporate governance
- Board committees
- Strategy and oversight
- Risk management
Illustration only. The pictures, names and figures shown here are samples.
The video and voice in this course use an AI-generated version of Michael Barrick.
Corporate Board Fundamentals courseYes, I want to start the course for $497Changed your mind? You can get a refund any time before you watch your first lesson. Read our refund policy.
A plain-language course on how a company board works: directors' duties, the line between oversight and management, committees such as audit, risk and compensation, and strategy.
Some board seats are paid, while many nonprofit seats are volunteer roles. Here is what published surveys show, plus one BDI estimate. These are survey figures, not a promise of a seat or of any level of pay.
- $336,352: Average total pay for an S&P 500 director (Spencer Stuart U.S. Board Index, 2025)
- $50,000: Median total pay for a private company director (CAP and Private Company Director survey, 2025)
- $38,800: Median annual cash retainer on a private company board (CAP and Private Company Director survey, 2025)
- $35,000: Estimated advisory board pay, about 70% of a director seat (BDI estimate, not a published survey figure)
Corporate board path
Learn the Job Before You Take the Seat
Corporate Board Fundamentals is a self-paced online course for executives and professionals preparing for a for-profit board. You learn what directors owe the company, how committees work and where oversight ends and management begins, then pass a 30-question assessment (24 correct, retakes allowed) to earn a Certificate of Completion. $497.
A company board decides big questions about strategy, risk, pay and leadership, and every director is expected to understand the job. Corporate Board Fundamentals explains what the board decides, what management runs, and what a director's duties of care and loyalty look like in practice.
If you bring deep experience in a field such as finance, technology or risk, the course shows how that experience fits into the way a board works. No course can promise a seat, but knowing the job helps you take part from your first meeting. Enroll today.
Yes, take me to the courseChanged your mind? You can get a refund any time before you watch your first lesson. Read our refund policy.
Kinds of expertise
Company boards draw on many kinds of expertise.
- Digital technology
- Cyber fraud
- Social media
- International market entry
- Corporate governance
- Scientific knowledge for science-based companies
- Political navigation for heavily regulated companies
These are examples of the experience a company board may need. Corporate Board Fundamentals teaches the governance side, so you can connect your own expertise to how a board works. No course can promise a seat.
I want to learn how a corporate board worksChanged your mind? You can get a refund any time before you watch your first lesson. Read our refund policy.
Why board training
Why Board Training Matters
A step-by-step course for building a strong foundation in corporate board leadership.
Better Decision-Making
Board members who have a good understanding of governance fundamentals are better equipped to make informed decisions on behalf of their organization.
Shared Language
Learn the words boards use every day, so you can follow the conversation and ask clear questions alongside the rest of the board.
Understanding Risk
Learn how boards think about risk, so you know which questions to ask about what could go wrong for your organization.
How it works
From first lesson to certificate, step by step.
You enroll, watch short video lessons at your own pace, and then take the final assessment: 30 questions built on realistic board situations, with 24 correct to pass and retakes allowed. Passing earns a Certificate of Completion from Board Director Institute. It records what you finished and is not accreditation, licensure, a board appointment or a promise of a seat.
- 01
Enroll in the course
Enroll and start right away. Everything runs online, at your own pace.
- 02
Watch short lessons
Plain-language video lessons built on realistic board situations.
- 03
Pass the assessment
Answer 30 scenario questions that ask what you would do in the boardroom. You need 24 correct to pass, and retakes are allowed.
- 04
Earn your certificate
Receive a Certificate of Completion from Board Director Institute. It records what you finished; it is not accreditation or a license.
Course benefits
BDI Corporate Board Fundamentals course benefits
- Enhanced understanding of corporate governance: Understand the responsibilities and best practices that govern corporate boards.
- Prepared for meetings: Learn how board meetings run, how decisions are made, and how directors work together.
- Growing confidence: Know your role and the questions to ask, so you can take part in the conversation.
- Access to resources: Use resources and tools that help you understand your role and navigate it well.
- A record of what you finished: Earn a Certificate of Completion that shows you completed the course and passed the assessment. It is not accreditation or a license.
- Professional development: Learn current best practices in corporate governance.
- Better governance practices: Learn best practices in financial management, risk management, and strategic planning.
- A look at BoardMatchHQ: Visit BoardMatchHQ, our board-matching preview, to see how boards and leaders are meant to find each other. It is still in development, and its example seats are samples.
Corporate Board Fundamentals courseYes, I want to start the course for $497Changed your mind? You can get a refund any time before you watch your first lesson. Read our refund policy.
Frequently asked questions
Answers to your questions about the corporate course
Ready to start? Enroll today and walk into your next board meeting knowing what to ask.
Enroll todayChanged your mind? You can get a refund any time before you watch your first lesson. Read our refund policy.How do I become a corporate board member?
Learn the job first: what the board decides, what management runs, and a director's duties of care and loyalty. Then write a one-page board bio that leads with the problems you can help a board solve, and tell your network you want to serve. Many directors start on a nonprofit or advisory board. No course can promise a seat.
How much do corporate board members make?
It varies widely by company size. Published surveys show average total pay of $336,352 for an S&P 500 director (Spencer Stuart 2025 U.S. Board Index) and median total pay of $50,000 for a private company director (CAP and Private Company Director survey, 2025). These figures come from surveys. They are not a promise of a seat or of any level of pay.
What is corporate board training?
Corporate board training teaches how a company board works: directors' duties, the line between oversight and management, committees such as audit, risk and compensation, and strategy. Corporate Board Fundamentals covers these basics in short online lessons and ends with an assessment and a Certificate of Completion.
Do I need board experience?
No. The course starts with the basics and builds from realistic board situations, so you can take it before your first meeting. If you already serve on a board, use it as a refresher.
How does the assessment work?
The course ends with 30 scenario questions that ask what you would do in realistic board situations. You need 24 correct answers (80%) to pass, and retakes are allowed.
Is the Certificate of Completion accredited or a license?
No. The Certificate of Completion is issued by Board Director Institute. It records that you completed the required lessons and passed the course assessment. It is not accreditation, professional certification, a license, a board appointment or an employment guarantee.
Who teaches the course, and is it AI?
Michael Barrick created the course. The video and voice in this course use an AI-generated version of Michael Barrick. Michael reviewed and approved the lesson content.
Is this legal or tax advice?
No. The course is general education. Use it to recognize issues and ask better questions, and consult a qualified adviser about your organization's facts and your state's law.