Youth Incorporated Magazine

Have you dreamt of studying in one of the world’s top universities and actually experience the advanced methods of learning which we have all heard about some time or the other? If your answer is “yes”, there is good news for you. Now, some of the most prestigious institutions of the world have opened their gates of knowledge to students of the whole world by offering many specially designed courses online. The good news doesn’t just end here. What makes this, even more, exciting is the fact that most of these programmes are absolutely free for those who wish to learn. What are you waiting for, check out this list of the best universities which offer free online courses. 

1. Stanford Online

This American university provides numerous programmes including masters, graduate certificate programmes, customized courses, and more than 100 free online courses. Quoting the medium itself,” Stanford Online offers you a front-row seat to some of the brightest minds at Stanford.” Interested individuals must check out the courses offered by this university because of the unique nature of the content and the range of disciplines the university is providing, from artificial intelligence, the mythology of various religions to courses on antibiotics. For more information about this medium, check out their website: https://online.stanford.edu/

2. HarvardX

This platform is the MOOCs initiative of the most prestigious Harvard University. Teaming up with MIT, Harvard has created the online learning platform of edX where it provides its students specially designed courses covering a wide variety of areas. Students may learn about entrepreneurship, English literature, statistics, business models, political policy, art and so much more on a single platform that to free of any charge. These free online courses are self-paced and can be accessed in the safety and comfort of one’s home. Students can also earn college credit through Harvard Extension School for some amount of fee and can get a verified certificate from the platform for that fee. For more information check out their website: https://online-learning.harvard.edu/

3. MIT OpenCourseWare

For all the aspiring engineers who dream of attending a lecture delivered by an MIT professor, here is your opportunity. Massachusetts Institute of Technology through its OpenCourseWare offers more than 2400 courses online. The institute has put all its courses, lectures, notes, readings and assignments for online access. These courses are available for various levels and cover Microeconomics, calculus, architecture, mechanics, anthropology and much more. Enrolment and completion can be done on one’s own terms since these courses are self-directed and meant for self-enrichment. For more information, you may check out their website: https://ocw.mit.edu/

4. Duke University

“Through online learning, Duke seeks to offer flexible global learning opportunities to a wide set of students throughout their lives.”, Duke University captures the significance of the quality content it provides online in its own words. Through the medium of Coursera, this North Carolina based institution offers free learning in domains of fintech policy, literature, machine learning, sound experimentation, and many more. What makes this university one of the best online learning mediums is the fact that it offers courses based on different credit requirements. Interaction with teachers is an added bonus along with the opportunity to participate in group discussions, forums etc. For more details about this platform, you may access their website: https://online.duke.edu/

5. Yale University

One of the oldest and most renowned universities of the world now allows free flow of knowledge through its platform of Open Yale Courses. Students can access hundreds of courses spread overall subject streams like classical music, game theory, political philosophy and all other mainstream academic subjects. The speciality of this platform is the diversity and uniqueness of these courses which are not so commonly available. The resources available from this university are absolute gold and must be checked out by one and all because it has something to offer for everyone. For more information, check out their website: https://oyc.yale.edu/

To make the best use of these online courses and obtain the rich and stimulating experience of this high-quality education, here are some tips for all interested individuals.

• Set a target keeping in mind your objective of taking the course.
• Make a commitment to the course by ensuring regularity and devoting a minimum number of hours per week.
• Get involved and participate in group discussions, forums, and interact with the professors. Learn better by becoming active.
• Put whatever you learn to practice through self-guided projects, activities, etc. The best way to polish your skills is actually using your knowledge outside of lecture halls.
• Make an effort to get to know the platform. You can always contact the concerned people in case you need help understanding some of the functions through emails and other available contact methods.

This is the best time to associate yourself with the big names which you will be proud of learning from when they make your CV shine, equip yourself with exceptional skill and enrich your life with proficiency in your domain. We have all the time in the world right now, might as well do something useful with it because why not.