One important way to boost your CV is through a free online degree. They don’t just boost your employment prospect, they also help you to spend your free time wisely.
Most people find it difficult to spot academic institutions that offer free online courses on the go.
In this article, we have taken our time to organize some top universities that will provide you with free online programs.
1. Harvard University
Over 600 free online degree programs are being offered by Harvard University.
Some of them include:
- Shakespeare’s Life and Work: Learn how to read William Shakespeare’s plays, while also learning his biography over the course of four weeks. The course also covers Elizabethan and Jacobean history and modern performance.
- Justice: An introduction to moral and political philosophy, Justice explores critical analysis of classical and contemporary theories over this 12-week course. You will read texts by Aristotle, John Locke, Immanuel Kant, Jon Stuart Mill, and John Rawls.
2. Georgia Institute of Technology
Since 2012, the Georgia Institute of Technology has been providing people with free online courses that help aid them in their studies.
Statistics have it that over 3.3 million people have undergone these online courses with a wide range of topics.
Some of the topics include;
- Supply Chain principles: This 15-hour course is a great introduction for anyone looking to pursue a career in the supply chain. It will help you gain an understanding of the extended supply chain and make you aware of the career paths available to you.
- Data Analytics in Business: This course helps you to understand data and business analytics. It then gives you the opportunity to apply these business analytics algorithms and methodologies to real-world business datasets.
See Full list of Georgia Institute of Technology courses here
3. University of California, Irvine
The University of California, Irvine offers a variety of online courses with a wide range of subjects.
Some of these subjects include;
- Introduction to Electronics: Learn about the basic components of electronics: diodes, transistors, and op-amps. Perfect for those who want an insight into electrical engineering.
- Games without Chance: Combinational Game Theory: A beginner’s guide to combinational game theory. The course covers the mathematical theory and analysis of simple games without chance moves.
Take a good look at University of California, Irvine online courses
4. Michigan State University
Michigan State University is one of the best and largest universities in the United States.
They offer a variety of online courses, some of which include;
- Become a Journalist: Report the News: Study journalism’s impact on society and issues and trends. Learn best practices and ethical standards for news-gathering processes. This course takes approximately six months to complete and is great for aspiring journalists.
- Write a Feature-Length Screenplay for Film or Television: Over the course of 20 weeks, you will write a complete, feature-length screenplay for film or television. You’ll be taught a structured process that allows you to produce a polished script.
- Art for Games Specialization: This beginner-focused course will teach you the essentials of 2D and 3D game art production over a period of six months.
5. California Institute of the Arts
The California Institute of the Arts ranks no 20 worldwide for arts and designs.
The school offers creative Online courses which include;
- Graphic Design Specialization: This six-month course teaches the fundamental skills needed for graphic design. You will also complete a project which can be used for a professional portfolio.
- Sharpened Visions: A Poetry Workshop: In this ten-hour course you will learn key poetic terms and devices by studying a range of poems by modern and contemporary poets. You will also get the chance to write your own poems and get feedback from professionals.
- The Language of Design: Form and Meaning: You will carry out an objective analysis of a work of graphic design in this course, critiquing its effectiveness. This is a course for beginners and will take approximately eight hours to complete.
View California Institute of the Arts Courses here
6. École Polytechnique
École Polytechnique is one of the top french leading institutes that provides you with top-level research, and academic innovations in science and technology.
The institution offers about 229 online degree programmes, 10 of which are taught in English and the other 19 in French.
Some of these courses include:
- How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper: Designed for students with previous experience in academic research, this course will do exactly what it says in the title. Taught in English, you will learn to accurately write and publish a full scientific paper in four weeks.
- From Particles to Stars: If you’ve ever wondered how the Universe was formed, how it has evolved in the last 14 billion years, or even what the universe is made up of, then this is the course for you. The course lasts for ten weeks and is taught in French.
Take a good look at École Polytechnique online courses here
7. Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology aims at advanced research in science and technology, management and business studies, and engineering.
It offers several online courses some of which include;
- Making Sense of News: This six-week course will develop your critical thinking skills to allow you to better identify reliable information in news reports and become better informed.
- State, Law, and the Economy: If you’re interested in learning about economics, this course is a great place to start. The course teaches essential economic concepts relevant to the study of political economy.
Browse all Hong Kong University of Science and Technology here
8. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is one of the best universities in technology, it ranks number 1 in the QS university ranking.
The institution offers a variety of online courses, some of which include:
- Microeconomics Theory and Public Policy: If you’re interested in learning economics, why not learn from one of the best? This course uses microeconomics theory to analyze public policy. It will teach you the basics of economics and you are free to take the course at your own pace.
- Making Books: The Renaissance and Today: For people looking for something a little different, this course explores the impact of new technology on the recording and distribution of words and images during: the invention of the printing press in 1450, the adaption of electricity to communication technology in the 19th century, and digital media today.
See full list of Massachusetts Institute of Technology online courses here
9. UCL (University College London)
UCL (University College London) is one of the top schools in London, ranking the 8th in QS World University Ranking.
The institution offer a variety of online courses some of which include;
- Citizen Science and Scientific Crowdsourcing: An Introduction: Run by UCL’s department of geography, this course will give you a basic understanding of citizen science and introduce you to the academic literature in this area.
- Culture, Health and Well being: An Introduction: This course will help you develop, deliver and evaluate health and well being work within a museum, arts, heritage or cultural organization. It is a great introduction for anyone looking to work in this sector
See full list of UCL (University College London) online courses here
Give it a Try
The online degree programs increases your employment prospects and helps boost your CV. Now that you know some top universities offering them for free, why not give them a try.