Coursera – Free Courses from Top Universities

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In this post, I just wanted to share with you a great opportunity to take university-level courses for free. Each course is known as an MOOC, a massive online open course. You’ll learn what you want to learn without having to pay a single penny through Coursera’s online platform.

I began using Coursera about two weeks after I graduated. Since I no longer needed to take classes for my degree in the summer, I decided that I wanted to take the time to learn more about topics that have interested me for a while. I enrolled in courses on effective learning techniques, law, sports, health, and several in music including music production, music theory and music business. I’ve had a great experience with Coursera thus far, and I’d recommend that you check it out for yourself.

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What schools are currently offering free courses on Coursera?

Many of the world’s biggest schools offer courses. Some of the biggest in the United States include Stanford, Yale, Princeton, Michigan State University, Johns Hopkins, University of Pennsylvania and many, many more. See the full list here.

How does it work?

Most classes will have multiple sessions throughout the year that run for a few weeks at a time. I’ve been in courses lasting as little as four to as many as eight weeks. Other courses are self-paced which means that you can access all course materials immediately after you enroll. Class materials can include video lectures, readings, quizzes, tests, forums to connect with other learners, and much more to help supplement and reinforce your learning. Many courses have subtitles and other languages available. You can also access materials on your mobile devices through the free Coursera app.

Are MOOCs really free?

Yes, there are no fees to take courses. I have not paid anything for any of the courses that I have taken. However, if you’d like something that you can show an employer such as a certificate of achievement or wish to pursue a specialization in many different subjects such as computer science, business or data science, you will have to pay for those. The cool thing about Coursera is that you can apply for financial aid if you are unable to pay but believe that you would greatly benefit from receiving a certificate.

Can courses completed be counted towards my degree?

There are a variety of ways that you can use MOOCs to earn college credit. Click here for more information, but make sure that you always check with your school to make sure any credits will transfer and be accepted.

I’m ready to get started!

You can check out all of the courses that Coursera has to offer here. Additionally, if you’d like to see a list of the top 50 highest rated MOOCs on the web through Coursera and other platforms, click here.

Some of my favorite courses include:

Be sure to comment with which courses you’re going to take (or have already taken) below. You may find other readers are interested in the same topics!