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Understanding Dementia

This is a course about dementia looking at a broad range of topics including, basic brain anatomy, pathology, dementia research...

• Independent
• 7 weeks, 3 hours a week
• Free Certificate

Ideas for a Better World: Leading Change Through Policymaking

Learn how to make effective change through policymaking and develop the skills you need to work in the sector.

• FutureLearn
• 4 weeks, 2 hours a week

Going Places with Spatial Analysis

Learn spatial data analysis with Esri's 6-week course. Gain insights into location-based data, use ArcGIS Online, and enhance your problem-solving skills. No prior GIS experience required.

• 6 weeks, 2-3 hours a week

Bacterial Genomes II: Accessing and Analysing Microbial Genome Data Using Artemis

Learn more about how genomic data and computational tools can help us understand and track disease-causing bacteria.

• 3 weeks, 5 hours a week

Full Stack Open

Learn React, Redux, Node.js, MongoDB, GraphQL and TypeScript in one go! This course will introduce you to modern JavaScript-based web development.

• 12-13 weeks, 15-20 hours a week

JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures

Master JavaScript fundamentals, algorithms, and data structures in this comprehensive 300-hour course. Learn interactive web development, OOP, FP, and complete projects for practical application.

• freeCodeCamp

Transform AEC Projects with GIS and BIM

Learn to integrate CAD data and BIM with GIS technology in a 4-week course by Esri. Enhance project life cycle, create realistic visualizations, and optimize design with location-based insights.

• 4 weeks, 2-3 hours a week

COVID-19: Tackling the Novel Coronavirus

What is COVID-19? Find out more about the outbreak of the novel coronavirus and its implications around the world.

• 3 weeks, 4 hours a week

From Waste to Value: How to Tackle Food Waste

Discover the causes and impact of food waste, and learn how you can tackle it on a personal, community, and national level.

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Responsive Web Design

Learn to build responsive webpages with HTML and CSS in this 300-hour course. Topics include visual design, accessibility, CSS Flexbox and Grid, and responsive design principles.

Understanding Mental Health in Muslim Communities

How Muslims experience and understand mental health. For people who provide mental health support in Muslim communities

• 4 weeks, 4 hours a week

Google Analytics for Beginners

Google's beginner course on Google Analytics, teaching account creation, tracking code implementation, data filtering, report navigation, and goal setting.

Learning to teach: mentoring and tutoring student teachers

This is the second of four courses which comprise the course Learning to teach. Traditionally student teachers are supported by a mentor in school and a tutor from a university. Both play ...

Ethics of AI

Explore ethical aspects of AI with the University of Helsinki's free online course. Learn about AI's ethical use, accountability, transparency, human rights, and fairness.

Data Analysis with Python

Master data analysis using Python with this 300-hour course. Learn to read data from CSVs and SQL, and use libraries like Numpy, Pandas, Matplotlib, and Seaborn for data processing and visualization.

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How to find free online courses with certificates, from COVID-19 contact tracing to computer programming

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• Online courses sometimes offer certificates of completion to add to your LinkedIn or resume.
• You usually have to pay for certificates, but there are ways you can get them for free.
• Platforms like Coursera , FutureLearn , and LinkedIn Learning offer some free certificate courses.

One of the biggest benefits of taking online courses is getting certificates of completion to add to your LinkedIn profile or resume. For those looking to get a promotion or transition into a new career field, these can be immensely helpful tools in showing employers your initiative and growth.

While online certificates cost less than traditional college degrees, they can still get pricey — most cost a one-time or monthly fee. However, there are still a few ways to get them for free.

Below, we outlined three major ways to find free online courses with certificates (as well as some free online courses you can take to get certification.)

How to find free online courses with certificates:

Find special promotions..

At the start of the pandemic in 2020, many online learning companies offered free career courses or limited free spots to help offset unexpected layoffs. Coursera , for example, still offers free certification courses from Johns Hopkins University on COVID-19-related training, from contact tracing to safely maintaining assisted living communities . 

Others, like FutureLearn , have select sponsored campaigns that offer free digital upgrades (meaning the certificate is free), such as a computer programming class from the University of Leeds and an intro nursing course from Kings College London . You can browse all of the free certification courses on FutureLearn here .

Sometimes, some companies offer limited-time free courses around an event or promotion — LinkedIn Learning , for instance, has made trending career courses free in the past . (You can bookmark this LinkedIn blog page for future free course announcements ).

Look into financial assistance and scholarships.

While not guaranteed to be completely free, certain e-learning platforms, like edX and Coursera , may offer financial aid if you apply. They can also offer announce scholarship opportunities (like Udacity's past AWS machine learning scholarship ).

Some companies also create scholarships to directly help different communities. For example, Coursera recently announced that it plans to work with Facebook to provide "refugee and formerly incarcerated learners with free access to job-relevant learning on Coursera and career support services."

Be strategic about free trials.

Some e-learning platforms offer certificates if you complete the course before their free trial ends. LinkedIn Learning , which offers a one-month free trial, might be the best bet for this route: Its courses are naturally on the short side, so you could take a few of them in a month and get multiple certifications added to your profile. (It's also a good way to see if you'd like to pay for a subscription, which you'd need for longer learning paths, like mastering Python for a data science career .)

The bottom line

Free online courses with certificates can be a bit tricky to find, especially for the classes you really want to take. That's why it can be good to consider if you truly need the certification for what you want to learn: There are so many free courses from top universities  that can teach you invaluable skills or help you flexibly explore a new career path, even without a certificate at the end. 

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Top 75+ Best Free Online Courses With Certificates

Are you seeking out the best free online courses with certificates to improve your career? Well, you’re in the right place. It is an excellent first step to be curious about the best ways to learn new skills.

Whether your current job has you feeling stuck, underappreciated, and underpaid, or if you have always had a dream job that you’re finally ready to chase, a free online course is a low-risk learning experience to build the skills you need. 

But the world of online education can be confusing. I have compiled years of real-world learning and research on different courses and e-learning platforms into this detailed guide. I believe it will help you find the perfect online course for your needs and answer questions like: 

• Which free courses also include free printable certificates versus those which ask you to pay before you can access them? 
• When should you get a certificate, an accreditation, or a degree for the job you desire? 
• Is there value in completing a course that doesn’t offer a verified certificate? 

Also in this guide, you will find the best online courses for almost every industry, including IT, management, business, design,  HR , programming, fashion design, plus 100’s more!

In many instances, providers will hide the certification behind a paywall, which forces users to buy the certificate once they have completed the “free course”.

These certificates generally cost between $20 – $300 depending on the provider, and whether or not you want to be emailed a digital copy for printing, or receive one in the mail.

Fortunately, there some fantastic online course providers that provide both the free courses and a free certificate! Stay tuned!

75+ Best Free Online Courses With Certificates 2024

Table of Contents

Coursera (Largest Catalog + University Courses)

• Price: Free + Paid
• Courses available: 3,000+
• Certification: Free Certificate with Financial Aid approval; can also pay for Cert  ✅

Coursera is a sophisticated online learning platform with a range of courses that may fit your needs. Given this article’s focus on specifically highlighting free courses that also provide a free certificate, it is important to navigate Coursera carefully to find these opportunities. 

On the plus side, they have a robust catalog of courses from some of the most prestigious institutions in the world: Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, and The University of Virginia as well as industry leaders like Google, IBM and Facebook. This allows them to offer everything from industry-recognized certificate programs all the way to fully accredited bachelor’s and master’s degrees. 

When it comes to cost and certifications, Coursera’s offerings can vary. They offer both paid and  free enrollment in courses , but sometimes there are no certificates, sometimes the certificates are included free and sometimes the certificates are only available for an additional fee. They also have a Coursera+ option with a 7-day free trial that grants you unlimited certificates. 

If you opt to go the free course route, just make sure you read the FAQs on the course you’re targeting – you don’t want to invest time into what appears to be a free online course and then be surprised when you’re asked to pay $30-$60 for a printable certificate. 

They also have a well-regarded, need-based financial aid program, so you can apply and hear back quickly if they’re willing to waive the fee for you to take the course and receive the free certificate. They also have a program for students to take one course per year for free. So while not 100% straightforward, you can find free courses and secure a free certificate. 

Top free certificate courses include:

• IBM Data Science
• Machine Learning
• The Science of Well Being
• Facebook Social Media Marketing
• Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies
• Foundations of User Experience UX Design
• Successful Negotiation: Essential Strategies and Skills
• Google IT Automation with Python Professional Certificate
• Project Management Principles and Practices Specialization
• Data Science Fundamentals with Python and SQL Specialization

LinkedIn Learning (Largest Catalog Of Professional Courses)

• Price: 1-month free trial
• Courses available: 16,000+
• Certification: Free certificates included for all courses ✅

Coming in at the top of my list of free online courses is  LinkedIn Learning  (formerly Lynda) which is one of the most well-established and trusted online course providers.

LinkedIn Learning made it into the #1 position because, in my opinion, they cover all the bases. Firstly, LinkedIn Learning has one of the largest catalogs of online video courses, which is well over 16,000 offerings.

Secondly, their courses are taught by vetted industry professionals, so students know they are getting relevant and reliable information that’s valued in the real-world.

Students find this platform to be extremely engaging with videos, quizzes, interactive lessons, and more. LinkedIn Learning also has Android and iOS apps for learning on the go.

Perhaps the best and most useful feature is the course completion certificates. You can display them on your LinkedIn profile to show potential employers your skills. Or you download the certificates and print them out. 

As for the price, LinkedIn Learning offers a  1-month free trial  with no commitments or upfront cost. Instant win!

During that trial period, users can take any online course and still receive a printable certificate for free. Simply cancel after you’re done! Happy learning!

Here are links to their top courses:

• Become a Business Analyst
• Become a Digital Marketing Specialist
• Become a Sales Representative
• Become a Small Business Owner
• Dan Pink On Motivation
• How to Develop Your Career Plan
• Human Resources Foundations
• Leadership Tips, Tactics & Advice
• Learning Personal Branding
• Learning Python
• Master Microsoft Excel
• Mel Robbins On Confidence
• Project Management Foundations
• The Secret to Better Decisions: Stop Hoarding Chips  (new from  Seth Godin )
• Speak Confidently and Effectively

Udacity (Great For Latest Tech Skills)

• Courses available: 193 courses
• Certification: Certificates are free with scholarship Nanodegrees ✅

By staying focused in these areas, Udacity is able to offer an in-depth curriculum for each of their courses. As an added bonus, Udacity also has 193 free courses that users can undertake.

Next in my lineup of free online course providers is Udacity which focuses on the latest tech skills including artificial intelligence, programming, data science, digital marketing, and more.

Given that these free online classes don’t also provide free certificates,  why would I include them on this list? 

It turns out that Udacity has the most robust scholarship program in online learning. They regularly partner with top companies like Google, AWS and Bertelsmann to offer 10,000 free Nanodegrees to learners. When a scholarship student completes the Nanodegree, they will receive a certificate. The application process is easy and you hear back in 2 weeks. 

Their programs range from fundamentals to expert and the fields of study include:

• Artificial Intelligence
• Autonomous Systems
• Cloud Computing
• Cybersecurity
• Data Science
• Programming & Development
• Product Management

Bloom Institute of Technology  (Great For Web Development, Data Science)

• Price: Free (until job placement) or Paid
• Courses available: 4
• Certification: Free certificate within 60 days of completion ✅

BloomTech has a very different online learning model than traditional coding boot camp providers. Over 6-9 months, you’ll spend more time coding than you would during a typical 4-year undergraduate computer science degree program. Let that ideas sink in. You’ll also work with a cohort of other learners from around the world. Further, BloomTech will help you to land a job once you’ve completed the program. 

A key difference with this opportunity (and the reason it has earned a high rank from us) is the way in which the school makes money and the opportunities that creates for its students. While you have the option to pay for tuition upfront, their preferred method is an Income Sharing Agreement (ISA). You make a commitment to pay them 17% of your first 2 years of income (capped at $30K) and in exchange they let you complete the program for free.  

I love two things about this model: 

1) It aligns the incentives between the school and the student. The school only gets paid if your new skills land you a job in your chosen field, so they definitely want you to complete the program and start your new career.

2) It’s low risk for the learner.  Students aren’t spending money on tuition upfront and they can complete the relevant coursework in less than one year. While many college students are considering what they want to major in during their sophomore year, a Lambda graduate could already be employed and happily earning a six-figure salary.

Their top programs include:

• Full Stack Web Development
• Backend Development

FutureLearn  (Great For Teaching, Healthcare & Wellness)

• Courses available: ~90 Free, 100’s more paid
• Certification: Free for sponsored free courses (changes monthly)  ✅

While FutureLearn offers a wide range of courses, they really set themselves apart in both the quality and depth of content they have for teachers and those that focused on earning professional certificates for healthcare & wellness careers. They partner with leading international universities and companies to make the content so you’re certain to have cutting-edge course materials and instruction. 

In addition to a rotating set of free certificate courses, they offer subscriptions with full access to their catalog and unlimited free certificates. Or you can upgrade on a course-by-course basis for one flat fee. And unlike most providers, you keep access to the course materials even after you stop paying.  

Here’s their free certificate offering in their own words:

“ In most cases, you can upgrade in order to get a certification and ongoing access to the course materials so that you can refer back to it again and again. However, in some instances, we work with partners to sponsor courses so that all learners can earn a free certificate and access for as long as it’s on FutureLearn. Learners still need to sit any tests in order to receive their certificate, but will not need to pay an additional charge.”

If this sounds appealing to you, here are their top free online courses:

• Basic English 1: Elementary
• COVID-19: Psychological First Aid
• Coping with Changes: Social-Emotional Learning Through Play
• Essential Skills for Career Development
• Exploring Body Neutrality and Body Image with Jameela Jamil
• How To Teach Online: Providing Continuity for Students
• Introduction to Nursing: The Role of Nurses Around the World
• Step Into Construction

Pluralsight (Great For Developers)

• Price: 10-day free trial
• Courses available: 1,400+
• Certification: Free certificates included in all courses ✅

If you are looking to accelerate your online technical skills from some of the best mentors and teachers in the world, Pluralsight free online courses are the best place to start.

And when I say the best, I really mean it. Pluralsight has partnered up with some of the largest companies in the world such as Google, Oracle, Adobe , Microsoft, and Unity to help deliver the classes.

While Pluralsight is a paid service, users can sign up for a free 10-day trial to complete their chosen course. Once completed, users will receive a certificate via email.

So while this platform is not technically free, if you complete the course within 10 days, it won’t cost you a dime!

Courses that can be undertaken with Pluralsight range from:

• Artificial Intelligence: The Big Picture of AI
• Blockchain Fundamentals
• Cyber Security Career for IT Professionals
• Fundamentals of Machine Learning on AWS
• JavaScript Best Practices
• Getting Started With Natural Language Processing with Python
• Managing Big Data With AWS Storage Options
• Microsoft Azure Cloud Concepts
• Python Desktop Application Development
• Test Driven Development Using React
• Understanding .NET and WCF Transactions

Alison (Great For Service Careers)

• Price: Free
• Courses available: 1,000
• Certification: Free certificates included for some courses ✅

Do you know which free online course provider has over 13 million learners, 2 million graduates, and 1,000 courses? Ding, ding, ding! It’s the MOOC Alison!

Unlike LinkedIn Learning and Udemy who create their own courses, Alison works more as a platform that organizes hundreds of free courses available all over the internet.

Some of their most popular course categories are in the services sector including languages, health, humanities, science, lifestyle, design, and many more!

The major downside to Alison however, is that not all of their courses are in video format. They also don’t have a smartphone app for mobile learning either. So depending on how you absorb learning material, this might be a deal-breaker. They also have more ads than most given their primarily free model. 

Alison does provide proof of completion for free on their dashboard through the Learner Achievement Verification section. They also provide a paid service for receiving a digital copy, a mailed hard or printed and framed copy of your certification as well.

Sample of their service-focused free certification courses: 

• CPR, AED and First Aid
• Elderly Care and Caring for the Disabled
• Food Hygiene In The Catering Industry
• Fundamentals of Health and Safety in the Workplace
• Working With Students With Special Needs

Oxford Home Study (Great For Management)

• Courses available: 49
• Certification: Free certificates included in 49 courses ✅

Up next on my list is a relatively unknown course provider by the name of Oxford Home Study. While this provider is better known for their diploma distance education courses, they also offer up a hand full of free online courses.

This small selection of free courses (49 in total) includes a free certificate with no hidden fees or nasty surprises. Simply sign up, start learning, then receive a certificate of completion once done. These courses tend to lean entry-level and basic but are great for sampling a new career. 

While the included course lineup is quite limiting, there are hundreds of other courses to choose from. Just note that the courses outside of the below list do come at a price.

Here are the 8 courses that Oxford Home Study provide for free:

• Anger Management Course
• Construction Management Course
• Customer Services Course
• Hotel Management Course
• Project Management Course
• Stress Management Course
• Supply Chain Management Course
• Wedding Planning Course

Openlearning (University Quality Learning)

• Courses available: 1,300+
• Certification: Free certificates included in some courses ✅

Moving onto my next pick on this list of the best free online courses is Openlearning. While this provider is relatively new (when compared to LinkedIn Learning and Udemy), their popularity has surged in the past 3 years.

One way to think of Openlearning is much like Alison. One way to think of Openlearning is that it’s a massive open online course (MOOC) much like Alison. Instead of producing the classes and courses themselves, they instead offer a collection of courses from universities, colleges, and learning platforms from all over the internet.

While Openlearning offers mainly paid courses, they also do have a great lineup of free courses to choose from. As for the free certification, it entirely depends on the third-party provider who is running the course. But in many cases, they do supply a printable certificate, but users will have to dig through their library of classes to confirm.

Facebook Blueprint (Digital Marketing With FB)

• Courses available: 400+
• Certification: Free certificate included after taking an exam ✅

One common thread I started noticing upon researching for this guide was that almost every large internet company has its very own free online learning platform.

So it came as no surprise when I found out that Facebook too has an extensive library of free courses, training, and classes for those using their online properties. Absolutely home to some of the best free online courses with certificates.

What makes this platform different from the rest is that students can take any of the 400+ micro online classes. However, instead of instantly receiving an accreditation or certificate, students will have to undertake an extensive exam to show what they’ve learned.

As for the exams, there are 5 in total, each specializing in a particular area from Facebook pixel ads, marketing, campaign management, API integrations, and technical implementations.

Once a student has studied some of the free online classes and takes the exam, they will then be presented with a Facebook Blueprint certificate! For digital agencies, freelancers, or new job seekers, this is hugely valuable!

• Courses available: 323

Next up on my list of the best free online courses with free certificates is the lesser-known Saylor.org. Founded in 1999, Saylor has helped 100,000’s students gain employment, advance their careers, bolster their qualifications, and upskill for free.

Being a non-profit organization, Saylor is an incredible platform with over 323 fee courses to choose form. They even supply free printable certificates upon completion of all of their courses.

While almost every other course provider on this list has video class content, Saylor is laid out in a more textbook manner. Students go through each chapter and then answer a quiz to progress in the course.

Free Code Camp (Great For Learning To Code)

• Courses available: 100+
• Certification: Free certificate included after passing milestone hours ✅

Last but not least on my list of best free online courses with certificates is an ingenious platform called Free Code Camp.

As the name suggests, new users get to learn coding and platforms such as HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript , Databases, GitHub , Node.js, React.js , and D3.js.

On top of an extensive lineup of specialties, Code Camp also have thousands of free videos, articles and interactive coding lessons! Ok, so what’s the catch!

Well, while you are learning these new skills, you will also be required to code websites and software for non-profit organizations. It’s a win-win! Once users have put in the hours, students can then undertake the below exams to gain their certificates and qualifications.

This is easily one of the best free online courses with certificates out there. You also get work experience in the process!

• Responsive Web Design
• JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures
• Front End Development Libraries
• Data Visualization
• Back End Development and APIs
• Scientific Computing  and  Machine Learning with Python  
• Information Security  and  Quality Assurance

Free Specialized Online Courses With Free Certificates

In addition to the platforms above that offer a wide range of free online courses with free certificates, there are a number of specialized free courses from lesser-known providers. 

The advantage to these courses is that they’re from leaders in their niche. They’re teaching you about the subject they’re best equipped to: the core business they helped create. This specialization also means you’re that much more likely to stand out if you have this training.  

Fundamentals of Digital Marketing  ( Google Digital Garage )

Best for any digital marketer that is going to interact with Google. So really, all of them. This course is comprehensive so it provides useful online learning for both new digital marketers and seasoned professionals. 

Why it stands out? First, Google is an online behemoth, so you need to stay current. Also, just like most of these Google Digital Garage courses, this one is completely free and includes modules, no time limits, unlimited access, and videos.

Note: I have personally taken the “fundamentals of digital marketing course” which is 40 hours of value-packed content. Courses are also quite interactive which keeps users engaged and eager to learn more.

Microsoft Certifications  ( Microsoft Learn )

Best for anyone seeking out a career in working with Microsoft products . If you’re going to find an online learning platform to learn these tools, why not directly from the maker? Plus you get an industry-recognized accreditation. 

Why it stands out? Microsoft Learn focuses only on Microsoft products, systems, and software. So they can offer a range of beginner to expert courses on the latest version of nearly ubiquitous Microsoft Office, including the Azure and Dynamics 365. 

Digital Advertising  ( Hubspot Academy )

• Best for beginners to digital advertising who want to develop foundational skills and contet marketing professionals staying current on advertising tactics.
• Why it stands out? In addition to free certificate courses, HubSpot has a thriving community of digital marketers and also includes unlimited access to its complete library of education and free software tools

Online Freelancing Essentials  ( Learn from Fiverr )

• Best for professionals looking to grow their career as online freelancers by learning how to market, price, and deliver excellent gig work.  
• Why it stands out? Just like all other Learn from Fiverr courses, a badge is added to your profile completion, showcasing your expertise and making your skills more attractive to customers.   

Online Pet Adoption Course  ( International Open Academy )

• Best for anyone considering adopting a dog and needing the necessary tools to help them adjust and cope with their new environment. 
• Why it stands out? All International Open Academy courses are accredited, meaning you have to pass a test to show what you’ve learned. They tend to have more specialized courses and the ones they offer free change frequently so it is worth monitoring.    

Best Free Online Courses Without Certificates 2024

Below you will find some honorable mentions that are still great online course providers. With each of these providers, you can take online courses for free but they don’t offer certificates of completion.

Given that these are some of the biggest names in the online education game, these are great options if you’re learning for yourself or you may acquire new skills that can improve your work immediately. There’s nothing to stop you from listing the skills you develop in these courses on your CV or LinkedIn profile. While some learners are very focused on earning a certificate, it’s possible that taking a free course to improve your coding, enhance your digital marketing skills, sharpen your photography skills, round out your resume, or simply allow you to see a situation differently could provide you immediate value.

Skillshare (Great For Design + Passions)

• Courses available: 10,000+
• Certification: No certificates included ❌

When it comes to online course platforms,  Skillshare is one of the largest  and most used. This is mainly due to the fact that they have one of the biggest libraries of classes and courses online.

I myself have taken some of my favorite online courses on this platform from  video editing , wine tasting, meditation, and heaps more.

Unlike other course providers on this list, anyone with expertise or experience in a certain area can make a course with Skillshare. They also make their own original content. This combination has given it the name of being the “Netflix of learning”.

Unfortunately, Skillshare doesn’t provide any certificates whatsoever which is a bit of a shame. But they do offer a 1-month free no obligations trial . This means users can learn to their heart’s content for 1 month without paying a cent! 

Here are some notable courses that Skillshare offers:

• Basic Skills / Getting Started with Drawing
• Digital Illustration: Learn to Use Procreate
• Entrepreneurship Hustle: From Business Plan to Real Success
• Find Your Style: Five Exercises to Unlock Your Creative Identity
• Graphic Design Basics: Core Principles for Visual Design
• Introduction to Adobe After Effects: Getting Started with Motion Graphics
• iPhone Photography: How to Take Pro Photos On Your iPhone
• Mastering Productivity: Create a Custom System that Works
• SINGING MADE EASY (Level 1) : Complete Vocal Training System
• Social Media Marketing: Top Tips for Growing Your Followers & Going Viral
• User Experience Design Essentials – Adobe XD UI UX Design
• Video Editing With Adobe Premiere For Beginners
• WordPress Academy: Learn WordPress step by step
• Writing for Self-Discovery: 6 Journaling Prompts for Gratitude and Growth

CreativeLive (Great For Creative Skills)

As the name suggests, CreativeLive is all about learning new creative skills to enhance your job prospects, curiosity, and career.

CreativeLive focuses on coursework related to: photography, videography, art, design, personal finance, crafts,  podcasting , music, audio, and  writing .

While CreativeLive is a paid service, they also have a unique system in which they stream certain classes for free 24/7. Users can also see classes that will be streaming on upcoming dates and RSVP for the stream.

The only downside to this is that students won’t be able to pause/ play or go at their own pace. Nonetheless, still a great resource for learning new skills.

As for certifications, unfortunately, there are none included in either the free or paid online classes.

• Fundamentals of Photography
• The Art of Nature Photography
• The 4-Hour Life  (by Tim Ferris )
• Graphic Design Fundamentals
• Your Social Media Bootcamp
• Lessons In Business & Life  (by Sir Richard Branson )
• Power Your Podcast With Storytelling
• Logo Design for Your Small Business
• Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life
• Rise and Grind  (by Draymond John )

Khan Academy (For Primary, High School Students)

• Courses available: 2,000+

Up next on my guide is a fantastic non-profit online free course provider by the name of Khan Academy. This platform was started out of the passion of delivering high-quality education for those who don’t have the means to pay for it themselves.

What initially started as a passion project, has now turned into one of the largest free online training platforms in the globe.

In particular, Khan Academy has a strong focus on math and science as these curriculums can be taught across multiple languages. There’s even an Android and iOS app for learning on the go!

So if you are looking to brush up on your calculus, algebra, arithmetic , statistics or trigonometry , then Khan Academy is a great place to start. There are even resources for teachers and parents for extra learning and tutoring material.

Unfortunately, Khan Academy  doesn’t provide any certifications or accreditations , but there are whispers of this coming soon. But for the breadth of what’s included, it’s incredible that all this comes at no price whatsoever.

P.S. there are also modules on college admission advice, making the most of high school, how to get into college and how to navigate your career! A truly amazing resource!

Best Online Courses With Free Certificates 2024

As the saying goes, the best things in life are free, but perhaps that isn’t always the case. Free courses are an incredible opportunity to learn a new skill and decide for yourself if there is a value in purchasing a more advanced course.

Given the investment these providers make in creating top quality courses, it isn’t surprising that content and certificates are often not truly “free”. Often, certificates carry more weight if a class involved projects and quizzes to affirm that a student did in fact master the material and complete the coursework. This comes with some expense to the provider.

The good news? Once you’ve paid for the courses, the certificates are included in the price so there’s no hidden fees. And once you’ve factored that in, this is often a cheaper way than many of the so-called “free” courses that put their certificates behind a paywall. 

Skill Success (Great For Career Focused Skills)

• Price: paid
• Courses available: 2,500+

One of my favorite providers of online courses is  Skill Success . Although they aren’t free to start, they are very affordable and offer a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can pretty much try these courses risk-free.

They have a library of over 2,500 online video courses and new courses are added every week, so students are able to get the latest knowledge. Their courses are taught by industry practitioners and experts in their fields so you know you’re learning from people that actually do it.

Their certificates are free with each course and can be added as a qualification to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or download and print them out.

Here are a few of their most popular courses to give you a flavor of their offerings:

• Advanced Excel Masterclass
• Amazon FBA Business For Beginners
• American Sign Language
• Complete Bookkeeping and QuickBooks Training Course
• Freelancing With YouTube, WordPress, Upwork, And Fiverr
• PMP Project Management

Udemy (Great For Marketing/ Design)

• Courses available: 582
• Certification: Free certificates included for 582 courses ✅

You might be asking why Udemy is in this section versus up top as their known for free courses and certificates. Turns out that in March 2020 they changed their model and only offer certificates of completion on paid courses (though you will keep any certificates earned on free online courses before that). 

While this provider predominantly provides courses for a fee,  Udemy  also provides roughly 500 courses at a time for free. This is typically done to get more users and reviews for new courses and the free titles change regularly so its worth checking back.

When you do pay for a course, users can also download and print a certificate of completion once done (it is sent via email).

Much like LinkedIn Learning, Udemy also vets their tutors to ensure that the best learning material is available for students.

Some of their most beloved course topics that have been taken by millions of students include:

• Development
• IT & Software
• Personal Development
• Photography & Video

Domestika (Great For Creative Community)

• Courses available: 1000+
• C ertification: Free certificate included after completion ✅

Domestika is a new entrant to my top online courses from a free certificate list in 2024. They are one of the fastest-growing online platforms for creatives. And given that focus, their platform marries high-quality content at a low cost per course. So if you want a  certificate in jewelry making , this platform is your best bet to find it.

To put that in perspective, many of their popular courses are available for less than $15. Domestika offers the chance to learn from global experts on topics like digital marketing,  watercolors , photography, script-writing, music editing,  sewing , animation, and the always-popular  art of knitting .

And given their generous money-back guarantee policy, you can always ask for a refund on a course that proves to be underwhelming. Though my experience suggests that will be rare.

And now all courses from Domestika come with a personalized digital certificate included in the course price. Unlike other providers, these certificates contain a unique QR Code that ensures their authenticity and makes them sharable anywhere online.

Here are a few samples courses in English:

• Architectural Sketching with Watercolor and Ink
• Copywriting for Social Media
• Digital Animation with Experimental Techniques
• Introduction to Brush Lettering
• Lifestyle and Travel Photography
• Logo Design: From Concept to Presentation
• Realistic Embroidery Techniques

edX.org (Top University Grade Courses)

• Courses available: 1,000+
• Certification: Certificate at a price ($50-$300) ❌

If you are looking to learn from some of the most iconic institutions in the world such as Oxford , MIT, Harvard University , Berkeley University, University of Texas, and Standford University , then edX is your place for you!

You can see the full list of edX partner  colleges and universities here .

All up, there are over 1,000+ free courses to choose from which range from computer science, languages, history, data science, business/ management, and more.

If you are looking to go a step further, edX also has MicroMasters , Master’s Degree and Diplomas to choose from. Which do come at a price.

For their entry-level courses, they are completely free! The only downside is that students will have to pay for a certificate upon completion, which comes at a hefty price of around $50-$300 depending on the course.

As for the scope of courses that can be enrolled in, there really is no limit. Here are some courses that edX providers for free:

• Algorithms: Design and Analysis, Part 2
• Business Strategy from Wharton: Competitive Advantage
• CS50’s Introduction to Programming with Scratch
• Empathy and Emotional Intelligence at Work
• Nano @ Stanford
• Python Basics for Data Science
• Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Writing and Public Speaking

Shaw Academy (Great For Online Diplomas)

• Courses available: 50+
• Certification: Certificates included at a price ❌

Up next on my guide of free online course providers with certificates is Shaw Academy.

What sets this particular provider apart from the rest is that their professional diplomas are internationally recognized and credit rated by the European Qualification Framework.

This means that for whatever Shaw Academy diploma course users enroll in, they’ll receive an industry-recognized certificate which is valid in the US, UK, Australia, Canada and many other countries. Users also get to choose from a hard copy certificate or a digital copy.

As for the courses offered by Shaw Academy, the offering is small, but the courses are extremely valued packed with quizzes, videos, assignments, interactive lessons and more!

While Shaw Academy does offer a 1-month free trial, each course takes 4 months todo as they are broken into 4 x 1-month modules. So while the first month is free, students will have to pay ($49.99/mo) thereafter to gain the certification.

FAQ About Free Online Certifications

What is an online certificate program .

There is no agreed-upon definition when it comes to online certifications. While sites will not use these terms, here’s a simple framework to think about certificate programs in increasing order of value: 

Certificate of participation : basically, you enrolled in the course. It shows interest in the subject but little else. 

Certificate of completion : this says that you finished all the required modules and work within the course, but does not certify that you’ve learned the material. 

Certificate of competency : not only have you finished the course, but you’ve done the required tests, quizzes, or assignments to demonstrate understanding of the topic. 

Certificate of accreditation:  Think of it as a verified certificate that was approved by a governing body for both the quality of the course and merit of the tests requires to show qualification. There are many roles that require an accredited certificate to legally perform the job. 

Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree:  while you might not consider college degrees a certificate, they’re arguably the highest value and most widely recognized. They’re also the hardest to get as they require more in-depth study and time.

Why Should I Get an Online Certificate? 

I think there are 4 good reasons to get an online certificate:

• In some cases, it is legally required to get the role you’re targeting.
• If you’re looking to advance in your current roles, it can give you the skills and leverage you need. Statistics have shown that certificate holders earn up to a 25% salary boost after completion.
• If you’re changing careers, it signals to the members of the industry you’re targeting your interest and willingness to learn. In this case, make sure you know which are credentials are most valued. One often-overlooked way this signaling can occur is by posting the certificate to your LinkedIn profile . This can be the difference-maker to rank higher on recruiter searches.
• You feel a sense of accomplishment by having your hard work acknowledged. You know yourself better than anyone, so if receiving a certificate at the end of a course is motivating to you, that is good enough for us.

Are Free Certificates Good To Include On a Resume?

Upon doing research for this guide, one question I saw a lot of was “should I include certificates from online course providers on my resume?”.

While there is no definite right or wrong answer to this, it all depends on your skill level and the job you are applying for.

As an example, lets say you are applying for a data entry job. In this instance, it would be great to include any courses, whether free or paid as you are showing the eagerness and initiate to learn more about the topic.

In my opinion, this can only be seen as positive as you are showing to the employer that you are going above and beyond.

For another example, if you are applying for a job where a specific degree is required, it would not be worth including a free certificate.

What About Adding Free Certificates To My LinkedIn Profile?

This feels more clear-cut to me, especially when you’re using online providers who make it easy to integrate, like LinkedIn Learning itself. Of course, you can add any certifications manually as well.

LinkedIn provides a section for including skills as well as certificates so the expectation from users is there. It is also different than a resume in that you have unlimited space.

Lastly, the keywords from these certificates can only help recruiters and potential employers find you within LinkedIn as well as Google. It’s a legitimate way to get noticed higher up in the stack and get credit for your headwork.

Are Free Online Course Certificates Accredited?

Yes and no. In short, it all depends on who is issuing the certificate and whether or not they pass on any accreditation.

I find that providers related to universities such as edX and Coursera do provide accreditation for their more advanced (but typically paid) programs. There are also some more niche-specific courses from providers like Microsoft and Google for roles relating to their platforms.

But in general, when accreditation is usually required when the credential is required for employment. And given that, it’s usually paid not free. Which honestly makes sense given the costs are much higher.

What Free Online Certifications are in Highest Demand? 

This can obviously shift over time,  but currently, these are the top Google searches that include the term free online courses with certificates – we’ve included a link to our top course provider for each to help you get started: 

• free online  computer  courses with certificates -> Udacity
• free online  photography  courses with certificates -> CreativeLive
• free online  business  courses with certificates -> LinkedIn Learning
• free online  bookkeeping  courses with certificates  -> Udemy
• free online  medical  courses with certificates -> FutureLearn
• free online  management  courses with certificates -> LinkedIn Learning
• free online  computer science  courses with certificates -> Coursera
• free online  cyber security  courses with certificates  -> Udacity
• free online  beauty  courses with certificates -> International Open Academy
• free online  human resources  courses with certificates -> LinkedIn Learning
• free online  healthcare  courses with certificates -> FutureLearn
• free online  finance  courses with certificates -> Coursera

Hopefully, my guide on the best free online courses with certificates has been helpful for you. If you have found another provider that you think I have missed, please let me know as I plan on updating this article in the future. 

In fact, we’ve already started digging into IdeoU (design), Outlier.org (college basics), Brilliant.org (math, science, and coding) and Emeritus (top business schools) to see if they should be added or take a spot from anyone on this list.  

Thanks for reading!

My name is Lewis Keegan and I am the writer and editor of SkillScouter.com. I'm extremely passionate about online education and what it can do for those to better their lives. I spend most of my time blogging, hiking, and drinking coffee. I also have a Bachelor's Degree in Education and Teaching.

12 Free Online Courses With Certificates to Boost Your Resume

Raise your hand if you've ever missed out on an opportunity because of a skill you didn't have. We can empathize with the feeling of joy at discovering a potential next job suddenly turning to frustration while reading the job requirements. There’s an easy solution to this: Spend a few hours a day on free online courses with certificates.

They're easy to enroll in and to complete, and most are recorded so you can watch the video classes whenever it suits you. Plus, grabbing a free certification is one of the best and easiest ways to acquire new skills or knowledge when you're unemployed and short on cash. Sounds good? Below, you'll find 12 free certification courses online to consider.

Are free courses online with certificates worth it?

Don't let the words “free” and “online” mislead you. Many free online courses offer valuable and substantial content for professional development. While they've been around for some time, they became more popular after the pandemic normalized remote work and learning from home.

“In my opinion, it’s always good to invest in your professional growth. And if it’s free, that’s cherry on top,” says Yolanda M. Owens , career coach and corporate recruiting specialist. “I just caution that you don’t view certifications (free or otherwise) as easier access to landing jobs. Anyone can get a certificate, but having one doesn’t automatically qualify you to be able to do a job.”

Once you've gained some knowledge from online courses, try putting it into practice—whether at work or in a personal project. This way, you can test what you've learned, see the results, and have more than just a certificate to showcase to recruiters.

12 free online courses with certificates

The options for free online courses are endless, so start your search by figuring out what you want to achieve. Are you looking to upskill yourself to get a new job or to grow in your current role? Are you aiming to stay in the same industry or pivot to a new career?

We've compiled 12 free online certification courses for different industries and professional goals:

Marketing certifications

The marketing industry is in constant evolution with new technologies and trends arising at a fast pace. If you already work in marketing or are looking forward to getting into this industry, it's essential to learn the fundamentals while keeping up with what's new.

1. HubSpot Digital Marketing Course

In this HubSpot free certification course, you'll delve into the essentials of digital marketing. It's recommended for marketing professionals, business owners, or anyone keen on getting a marketing certification.

The course includes nine lessons and 11 quizzes, totalizing 5:25 hours of content. The lessons cover digital marketing strategies, website optimization for both search engines and users, social media content creation, and strategies to build a strong online presence.

2. Google Ads Certifications

Google Ads stands as one of the paramount marketing tools for business. Its primary role is to boost business visibility, raise brand awareness, and drive product sales. With the Google Ads Certification, you can learn directly from the creators themselves.

The course comprises over 25 hours of content across nine videos, covering fundamental areas of Ads:

• Google Ads - Measurement
• AI-Powered Performance Ads
• Google Ads Creative
• Grow Offline Sales
• Google Ads Search
• Google Ads Display
• AI-Powered Shopping ads
• Google Ads Video
• Google Ads Apps

You have the option to fully immerse yourself in the Google Ads realm and get all certifications, or just pick the ones that align with your goals and professional objectives.

3. HubSpot Inbound Marketing Certification

Today's marketing is all about meeting the customer's needs and crafting valuable experiences. That's precisely what the HubSpot Inbound Marketing Certification will teach you. This certification includes lessons on how to create relevant content that generates leads and customers, and how to optimize your marketing strategy with AI.

HubSpot recommends this course for marketing managers and inbound professionals looking to level up their marketing game.

Technology certifications

Considering a career in tech? You might be heading in the right direction. “Technology is by far the field most welcoming of online certifications,” Owens says. “Simply because of the rapid advances in technology and the need for tech professionals to stay relevant in the industry.”

4. Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI)

It's becoming clear that AI is here to stay and will change how we work, communicate, create, and consume information. That's why AI related skills are among the high-income skills to learn right now . The Great Learning Introduction to Artificial Intelligence course covers the fundamentals of AI, computer vision, and neural networks for beginners.

Intrigued by AI? Read this next: 10 In-Demand Generative AI Skills Right Now

5. freeCodeCamp Coding Certifications

Programmers and developers are also in high demand in the technology sector. Whether you're looking to enter this field or make a career pivot, the freeCodeCamp's free certification online courses can help you reach your goals.

The platform offers beginner-level certifications in popular coding languages, such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Python. There are also opportunities to practice your new skills by contributing to open-source non-profit projects.

6. DataCamp Data Engineering Certifications

With courses taught by professionals from companies like Microsoft and Duolingo, DataCamp offers a complete learning trail in Data Engineering, covering beginner to advanced levels. The classes include:

• Understanding Data Engineering
• Understanding Cloud Computing
• Introduction to Relational Database in SQL
• Intermediated SQL
• Database design, and more

In addition to the online courses, the platform also features a blog with data engineering tips, cheat sheets for download, tutorials, and webinars.

7. CS50's Introduction to Computer Science

Harvard's CS50's Introduction to Computer Science is a 12 week self-paced online course that offers an introduction to computer science and programming. The coursework includes:

• How to think algorithmically
• Programming languages like C, Python, SQL, and JavaScript
• Developing and presenting a final programming project
• Data structures, encapsulation, resource management, and more

Green skills certifications

As companies strive to adopt more sustainable practices due to climate change, professionals— at least the ones who want to stay ahead of the curve—need to develop green skills and embrace a sustainable mindset. Here are two free courses online with certificate in sustainability:

8. Coursera's Corporate Sustainability

This free online course delves into the macro and microeconomic consequences of climate change. You'll learn to evaluate sustainability challenges within organizations, strategies for transitioning to more sustainable practices, and why corporate sustainability is now fundamental to a company's success.

9. INCO Academy Green Digital Skills Certificate Program

This 100% online and self-paced course is a four-module certification program. The regular coursework covers:

• Foundations of Sustainability in Tech
• Green Design Principles & Practices
• Your Journey to Green & Greening Careers

At the end of the first three modules, you'll choose one elective module. Each option focuses on different industries, so you can pick the one that best aligns with your profession:

• Carbon Accounting and AI
• Green Digital Marketing
• Green Digital Infrastructure
• Green Digital Design

After completing the four modules, you're invited to apply your green skills in a sustainable project of your choice. (Once you’ve conquered that, here are 7 in-demand green skills you should consider learning.)

Certifications for creatives

Are you into creative jobs ? Creativity won't be the only skill you'll need to succeed. You'll also need to learn how to strategically implement your creative ideas and become proficient in specific software tools.

10. UX Toast Figma Certificate

If you work or aspire to work in design and user experience (UX), Figma will definitely be a crucial part of your toolkit. This collaborative software is used for creating, sharing, and testing designs for all types of digital products.

The UX Toast Figma free online course offers a deep dive into Figma's features and plugins across four lessons. Plus, Figma's website hosts a vast library of design basics tutorials in case you're seeking additional information.

11. HubSpot Social Media Marketing

Creating content for social media requires a lot of creativity, but also strategy. If you're looking for guidance in this area, the HubSpot Social Media Marketing is a free certification online course that can help you. It covers various topics, such as:

• How to develop better community-building skills
• How to develop social media storytelling skills
• Advanced social media marketing and advertising tactics

12. HubSpot Email Marketing Certification

Email marketing is a big deal for many companies' sales strategy. HubSpot's certification teaches you how to develop a holistic approach to email marketing campaigns.

It covers everything from the creative part of the job, like copywriting, design, and personalization, to the more strategic side. For example, how to make data-driven decisions and segmentate your audience.

How to list certifications on your resume

Once you've earned your certificates, the next step is updating your resume . But what's the best way to highlight a certification?

“I recommend creating a separate ‘Certifications’ section near the end of the resume after your education. Make sure to list the full name of the certification, the certifying organization and the year completed or anticipated (if still in progress),” Owens suggests. “The key is to make sure your certifications are prominent on your resume without overshadowing your hands-on work experience.”

Here's an example:

CERTIFICATIONS

Inbound Marketing Certification

HubSpot Academy, February 2024

Email Marketing Certification

HubSpot Academy

Expected date of completion: May, 2024

Done? Now, check out open jobs on The Muse and find the perfect position to apply your new skills »

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Trade Schools Home > Articles > Free Online Courses with Certificate of Completion

31 Free Online Courses With Certificates of Completion

By Publisher | Last Updated May 27, 2024

Ready to expand your knowledge and career opportunities without paying a dime? Several companies offer free online courses in business, digital technology, communication, science, education, art and design, and social sciences. You can even boost your resume by earning certificates of completion—all while learning from home.

This article contains affiliate links. We are compensated with a small commission, at no extra cost to you, for sales made through the links.

Exploring free online courses with certificates of completion can open up a whole new world of educational and career opportunities. After all, expanding your skills and broadening your knowledge base will always serve you well. You can improve your resume and develop new skills to help you be more effective in your job; if you don't have to spend any money doing it, there's not much of a downside.

MOOCs (massive open online courses) are college-level courses published online and accessible to anyone in the world for free. Many of these free online courses come with a certificate of completion that you can put on your resume or share on social media. MOOCs offer a unique opportunity to learn from industry experts without spending a cent. In 2018 alone, 20 million people around the world signed up for at least one MOOC.

However, the big English-language MOOC providers ( Coursera , edX , Udacity , and FutureLearn ) offer the actual courses for free but charge a fee if you want to receive a certificate of completion. You have to pay the fee to complete exams or access the full course materials in some cases.

But there are still plenty of online courses available that come with a certificate of completion and don't cost you a dime. We've compiled a list of examples below, along with some tips on how to make the most of free online training and how free online certifications can boost your career prospects.

• 3 ways to get the most value out of free training

5 Companies that Offer Free Online Courses with Certificates of Completion

• Business and management
• Computer science
• Communication
• Social sciences
• Art and design
• How free certifications can help your career

3 Ways to Get the Most Value Out of Free Training

Getting free certifications online can enhance your productivity and make you a more valuable employee. Just because they're free doesn't mean they don't require any effort. Here are a few tips on how to maximize the benefits of free online training:

1. Choose wisely

Do some research to make sure you want to learn whatever the course is teaching. Find a course that suits you on a topic you want to know more about. Some of the most useful courses offer project-based work that will give you something concrete (besides your certificate) to show an employer to demonstrate your competence.

2. Pace yourself

Boost your chances of success by only taking one course at a time. You don't want to exhaust your mental resources. You need to be realistic about what you can fit into your lifestyle: A self-paced course might be a better fit than one with a set schedule, for instance. Make sure to plan out when you can do the work—maybe you could watch videos during your morning bus ride or read course materials just after dinner. Watch that you don't overschedule yourself.

3. Commit to the process

It takes serious mental discipline to keep going with a course even when your interest wanes or your lifestyle gets hectic. If you find your motivation sagging, try to refocus on what skills you hope to acquire and why you wanted to take the course in the first place. Practicing good time-management skills can go a long way toward reducing your stress and keeping your enthusiasm level high.

It's easy to find companies that provide free online courses; it's a bit trickier to find those that will also provide a free certificate of completion. Here are some that fit that description:

• Coursera : Coursera offers many free certificate programs online, enabling individuals to enhance their expertise in various fields. Upon completing these courses, participants receive certificates of completion as tangible evidence of their newly acquired skills for employment opportunities.
• Saylor Academy : Saylor is a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. that offers more than 70 free self-paced online courses in 18 different areas. You earn a free certificate of completion if you pass a course's final exam with a grade of at least 70 percent.
• Aquent Gymnasium : Aquent focuses on courses for digital, creative, and communications professionals. It offers nine free online courses on topics like web design and content development. If you score at least 85 percent on the final exam, you get a free certificate of excellence.
• Oxford Home Study Centre : UK-based Oxford Home Study Centre offers more than two dozen free online courses that come with certificates of completion. A wide range of courses is available, from marketing and business management to fashion design and public relations.
• Stanford Online : This site hosts online courses taught by Stanford faculty. Some (but not all) are free and offer a Statement of Accomplishment to those who meet certain criteria.

Free Online Courses in Business and Management

1. Supply Chain Management

Learn how to manage the logistics of getting a product from manufacturers to delivery services to stores and ultimately to consumers. You'll focus on the mechanics of a working supply chain and the process of sourcing operations.

2. Introduction to Marketing and Strategy

Figure out best practices by scrutinizing the branding and product positioning techniques of some of today's most successful companies. This beginner-level course includes instruction in market research, pricing, communications, and more.

3. Event Management

Weddings, festivals, and corporate parties all rely on an event manager's expertise to handle the details and make sure things go off without a hitch. This free course teaches the fundamentals of event creation along with strategies for effective event marketing. The course is designed to be 20 hours long, and no prior experience is required.

4. Business Law

Explore the laws and ethical standards that businesses must abide by. This course takes about 49 hours to complete and covers topics like dispute resolution, torts, contracts, property law, and business ethics. Through it, you can develop a solid understanding of the legal framework that protects both consumers and businesses.

5. Small Business Management

Discover the key steps involved in starting and running a business. You'll learn about creating a plan, assembling a team, and securing financing. You'll also get lessons on how to be an effective leader.

6. Introduction to Accounting and Finance

Do you wish you knew more about cash flow statements and balance sheets? This course provides an overview of the accounting process and the fundamentals of analyzing financial statements and markets.

Free Online Courses in Computer Science

7. Introduction to Computer Science

Learn the basic concepts of computers and computing. A beginner class specifically designed for students with no programming experience, this course provides an introduction to software development, object-oriented programming, the fundamentals of Java, user-defined methods, and arrays. Completing all course units requires about 52 hours.

8. Responsive Web Design Fundamentals

Learn what goes into making content look great across different devices. This web design fundamentals course is designed for front-end developers as well as web designers with coding experience. The course covers topics like designing with flexible grids, creating layouts that incorporate typography and fluid media, and using CSS media queries. By the end of the course, you will have built a responsive website from scratch.

9. JavaScript and jQuery Survival Guide

This course uses exercises and coding examples to teach students best practices for adding or changing interactive elements on a website. You'll see how the JavaScript console fits into the front-end web development process and how it can be used to debug problems. You'll need basic-to-intermediate experience with HTML and CSS; knowing the basics of JavaScript will also come in handy.

10. Computer Architecture

Study the complex interactions between hardware and software. Lessons cover a number of important features in computer architecture, including processor arithmetic, pipelining, memory management, and storage, among others. Expect to spend 109 hours to complete this course. You'll need to be a confident programmer with experience in a high-level language such as C or C++.

11. Introduction to the Internet of Things

Get an overview of the technologies that underpin today's increasingly interconnected devices. This free course focuses on sensors, circuits, networks, embedded systems, and applications.

Free Online Courses in Communication

12. Writing for Web and Mobile

Use data from tools like Google Analytics and Google Keyword Planner to help you write content that your customers want to read. This course will show you how to craft compelling content for email messages, blog posts, and more. A Google Analytics or Google Drive account is recommended, but it is not required.

13. Public Speaking

Examine the elements and factors that go into a persuasive speech. This course looks at audience analysis techniques, the importance of listening, and how you can train yourself to speak confidently. You will identify effective speaking techniques and learn how to construct informative and persuasive speeches. The 15 units should take about 92 hours in total to complete.

14. Public Relations

Do you understand the differences between public relations, advertising, and publicity? This course will teach you about the role of public opinion in business success and the importance of reputation management. You'll learn about various PR tools and get a broad overview of public relations in general. No experience is required, and you can start at any time.

15. Professional Writing

Find out how to craft clear and effective business documents like email messages and presentations. This four-hour course will show you how to tailor your writing to your audience and how to polish your text so that it has an impact.

Free Online Courses in Science

16. Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology

Get a detailed introduction to the structure and function of biological macromolecules and cellular components. This course will teach you about proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids; you will also learn about cellular metabolism, genetics, and mitosis and meiosis.

17. Climate Change and the Cryosphere

Analyze the impacts of climate change. This course looks at how the melting of ice and snow is affecting the planet's climate, ecosystems, and people.

18. Introduction to Electromagnetism

Study waves and oscillations in extended objects and learn about the laws that govern static electricity and magnetism. This course also covers optics and gives a brief overview of Einstein's theory of special relativity. The average student takes about 97 hours to complete all units in this course. A basic understanding of calculus and classic mechanics is required.

19. Introduction to Cosmology

Begin exploring the formation and development of the universe. This introductory course focuses on stars, planets, galaxies, and how the night sky changes over time.

20. General Chemistry

Delve into the structure, properties, and behavior of matter. Learn how atoms behave, get an introduction to chemical equations, and investigate different chemical reactions.

Free Online Courses in Education

21. Language and Literacy in Education

Boost your ability to support language development in K-12 students. You'll see how linguistic principles relate to classroom teaching. You'll also explore issues of dialect variation and second language learning.

22. Teaching Assistant

Get a broad overview of the role of a teaching assistant. You'll learn about the duties of the position as well as the skills that are required.

Free Online Courses in the Social Sciences

23. Introduction to Western Political Thought

From Plato to Rousseau, this course looks at the major texts and figures in the history of political thought. Topics include power, justice, rights, law, and other issues relating to political science. You can learn how different views of human nature inform government design and the relationship between the citizen and the state.

24. Democratic Development

Examine the cultural, political, social, institutional, economic, and international forces that affect the development of democracy. You'll explore issues related to legitimacy, inequality, ethnicity, corruption, and other areas.

25. Turning Points in Modern History

Look at 24 critical moments in history and see how they formed the world as we know it today. This course focuses on the period from the 15th century to the present. It examines events like the American Revolution, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the emergence of social media.

26. Principles of Microeconomics

Analyze the choices and decisions individuals make to manage scarce resources after evaluating resources, costs, and trade-offs. Learn about consumer and producer behavior, the nature of supply and demand, and the different kinds of markets and how they function. This course is made up of seven units that take approximately 83 hours to complete.

27. Introduction to Psychology

Build a base of knowledge in the discipline's key areas, including memory, language, thinking, learning, and cognitive development. This beginner course lays a foundation for further study in psychology.

28. Ethics and Public Policy

Explore the impact that ethical, religious, moral, and cultural principles have on public policy development. You'll consider issues like equality, justice, freedom, security, and human rights.

Free Online Courses in Art and Design

29. Art Appreciation

This art appreciation course is designed for the student with limited experience in the visual arts. The course looks at the elements, methods, and media used in creative thought and processes. You will explore different visual art forms and their cultural connections. By the end of the course, you will be able to connect formal attributes of art with their meaning and expression.

30. Fashion Design

Are you curious about the workings of the modern fashion industry? Through this free course, you can learn about the business aspects of fashion and the essential principles and elements of clothing design.

31. Interior Design

Get a sense of how function, style, and mood factor into a space's overall design. In this course, you'll explore principles like scale, balance, unity, and contrast. You'll also learn about building and maintaining relationships with clients.

How Free Certifications Can Help Your Career

Getting free certifications online can confer real advantages: In a survey published in the Harvard Business Review , 72 percent of people who had completed a MOOC reported receiving career benefits as a result. And 61 percent said they'd received educational benefits.

Completing courses and getting certifications shows an employer that you are motivated, disciplined, and curious. It demonstrates that you are committed to lifelong learning and professional development. These are all things that can set you apart from other job applicants. List online courses on your resume or LinkedIn profile; they are great indicators of your drive to learn new skills and add value to a company.

Ultimately, what employers are interested in is what you can do—learning new things is great, but it's what you do with your knowledge that matters. Some courses require you to complete some sort of practical hands-on project, which can be very useful for selling yourself to an employer. But as long as you can talk about what you've learned and how your newfound skills are relevant to the job, free online certifications can be a boon to your career development.

Reach Your Goals

Exploring free online courses with certificates of completion can be worth your while if you're looking to improve your resume or learn new skills. If you're looking for more in-depth career training and more marketable credentials, then a vocational school might make sense for you. Vocational schools offer job-focused training that can prepare you for a wide range of different occupations. Start exploring programs in your area by entering your zip code into the school finder at the top of the page!

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Advance your career with free and low-cost online courses from MIT Open Learning

By Katherine Ouellette

Learning new skills doesn’t have to break the bank. No matter which industry you work in, MIT Open Learning’s free and low-cost online courses can help set you up for career success. Improve your abilities in communication, collaboration, leadership, strategy, and more with these resources on MIT OpenCourseWare, MITx , and MITx MicroMasters.

Communication

Whether you’re an employee in a large office or a freelancer working from home, every job requires communication. Learn how to communicate clearly and effectively, and elevate your writing skills with these courses.

• Advanced Communication for Leaders
• Communication for Managers
• Ethical Practice: Leading through Professionalism, Social Responsibility, and System Design
• How to Speak
• Management Communication for Undergraduates
• Power and Negotiation

Collaboration

Many companies now work remotely or with hybrid schedules, so effective collaboration is more important than ever. Optimize organizational workflows with these courses.

• Getting Things Implemented: Strategy, People, Performance, and Leadership
• People and Organizations
• Strategic Organizational Design
• System Dynamics: Systems Thinking and Modeling for a Complex World
• System Project Management
• You Can Innovate: User Innovation & Entrepreneurship

In our rapidly changing world, good leaders know how to get the best results from teams with a variety of backgrounds. Hone your leadership skills with these courses.

• Building and Leading Effective Teams
• Cross-Cultural Leadership
• Gender, Power, Leadership, and the Workplace
• Leading from the Emerging Future
• Leadership Development
• Leadership Stories: Literature, Ethics, and Authority

With the accelerated implementation of AI, organizations need innovative and flexible strategies to continue competing. Learn how business strategies can benefit from data and an organization’s most important resource — its people.

• The Analytics Edge: Available on MITx and MIT OpenCourseWare
• Bringing Worker Voices into Technology and Employment Strategies
• Data, Models, and Decisions
• Executing Strategy for Results
• Leading Profound Innovation for a More Sustainable World
• Optimization Methods in Business Analytics
• Shaping Work of the Future: Available on MITx and MIT OpenCourseWare

Take your career to the next level with a MicroMasters certificate

The job market is moving fast. The MITx MicroMasters Programs offer an affordable, accelerated path to a master’s degree. The credential is also valuable as you move through your career. Explore the five MITx MicroMasters Programs:

• Data, Economics, and Design of Policy
• Principles of Manufacturing
• Statistics and Data Science
• Supply Chain Management

These course materials are available through MIT OpenCourseWare, MITx, and MITx MicroMasters, which are part of MIT Open Learning. OpenCourseWare offers free, online, open educational resources from more than 2,500 courses that span the MIT undergraduate and graduate curriculum. MITx offers hundreds of high-quality massive open online courses adapted from the MIT classroom for learners worldwide. The MITx MicroMasters Programs provide an affordable, accelerated, and convenient path to a master’s degree. The credential itself is also valuable for professionals as they move through their careers.

Advance your career with free and low-cost online courses from MIT Open Learning was originally published in MIT Open Learning on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is skillup by simplilearn.

SkillUp is a learning platform from Simplilearn where learners can take free online courses. All of the self-learning courses are free of cost, where you can explore and learn in-demand skills on your schedule. This free online course content is prepared by industry experts & top practitioners.

How is it different from a Simplilearn paid offering?

SkillUp is a mobile-friendly, online learning platform where you can take free online courses with certificates . It does not provide live classes, projects, labs, exam vouchers, teaching assistance, or course completion certificates like Simplilearn’s paid offerings. Instead, you can learn online for free with SkillUp, and get an opportunity to explore and identify the upskilling option that works best for your specific career goals. Learners can also opt to earn a certificate by enrolling in the paid courses.

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No, the free courses in the SkillUp program enable you to learn online without any cost.

Who should sign up?

These free online courses are designed for anyone who wants to learn the latest digital skills. We provide courses in the fields of data science, cybersecurity, project management & leadership, cloud computing, digital marketing, and much more. Designed for all professionals, these free courses help students and beginners, as well as experienced developers, engineers, managers, and executives.. The curriculum is designed by renowned industry experts & course advisors. 

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You will receive a course completion certificate upon completing any free course on SkillUp. These certificates can be unlocked on the SkillUp learning dashboard. As soon as the certificate is unlocked, you will receive a mail with a link to the learning dashboard on your registered mail address. Click on the link to view and download your certificate.

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Yes, course access lasts for 90 days.

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You can enroll for any number of these free courses simultaneously. However, access to each course is limited to 90 days from the date of enrollment.

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We provide free resources such as resume, salary, interview, and career guides which will help you build your career. Our free resources also provide you with the latest trends and insights into today’s digital economy to help guide you in your career. We’ll share some of these to your email during your learning journey with us.

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Free online courses in Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Machine Learning, Project Management and Software Development are in high demand today. Learners with skills in these domains have exciting job prospects to look forward to.  

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3. Introduction to Data Analytics Course  

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10. Machine Learning

21 of the best Stanford University courses you can take for free

TL;DR: A wide range of online courses from Stanford University are available to take for free on edX.

Stanford University is one of the biggest names in the education game , so it's probably really difficult to become a student of this famous institution, right? No, actually. Anyone can become a student of Stanford University with a little help from edX.

This online course provider offers a wide range of online courses from Stanford University, covering topics like Python, mathematics, computer science, and much more. And you don't even need to spend anything to access these online courses.

These are the best Stanford University courses you can take for free this month.

Algorithms: Design and Analysis

Communicating with Presence

Computer Science 101

Databases: Advanced Topics in SQL

Databases: Modeling and Theory

Databases: OLAP and Recursion

Databases: Relational Databases and SQL

How to Learn Math: For Students

How You Say It Matters: A Toolkit for Improving Communications About Academic Standing

Introduction to Food and Health

Introduction to the Natural Capital Project Approach

Language, Proof, and Logic

Living at the Nuclear Brink

Nano at Stanford

Quantum Mechanics for Scientists and Engineers 1

Quantum Mechanics for Scientists and Engineers 2

R Programming Fundamentals

Semantics of First-Order Logic

Statistical Learning with R

The Threat of Nuclear Terrorism

These free courses do not include certificates of completion, but that's the only catch. You can still learn at your own pace with unlimited access to all the resources on offer, so there's nothing holding you back.

Find the best free online courses from Stanford University at edX.

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Joseph Green is the Global Shopping Editor for Mashable. He covers VPNs, headphones, fitness gear, dating sites, streaming services, and shopping events like Black Friday and Prime Day.

Joseph is also Executive Editor of Mashable's sister site, AskMen.

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The 11 Best Digital Marketing Courses Free & Paid (2024)

Discover the best digital marketing courses, both free and paid, to kickstart your career in SEO and online marketing.

A digital marketing course is a good entry point for anyone wanting a career in SEO or online marketing . It can help to provide a basic knowledge base as a starting point.

You can build many different specialized career paths, and if you’re just starting your career or seeking to understand digital marketing as a business owner, it’s good to get a general overview of the field first.

Of course, actively experimenting and getting experience is the best way to learn SEO and digital marketing .

The following digital marketing courses are listed alphabetically, not in order of quality or value. Each course will provide different benefits, so consider them carefully for your needs.

Free Digital Marketing Courses

Many businesses offer digital marketing courses as part of their digital strategies. If a company wishes to be seen as an expert in the field, offering courses makes sense to improve its reputation and acquire new clients.

These courses are great as a window into the most current digital marketing skills and trends. They’re often taught and developed by practicing experts. However, the quality can vary, so check the credentials and reviews.

1. Google Skillshop Fundamentals Of Digital Marketing

• Google’s Fundamentals Of Digital Marketing .

Google is one of the leading digital companies. For many people, Google is the “face” of the internet and the first point of contact between humans and businesses online.

No matter how you feel about the vast control Google exerts over the internet and how business is done online, it’s one of the best places to start for general marketing knowledge.

The best things about the Skillshop is that it’s accessible, widely recognized, and contains refined content. There’s a lot to dig into, both in terms of digital marketing and Google tools .

Since you will likely encounter Google’s tools for managing websites, it’s a great place to start, and there’s a lot of content to continue your education in whichever way you need.

If you’re interested in search engine optimization or search engine marketing and ads, this is where you should start.

The fundamentals you learn in the Skillshop help you build a skill set around Google’s tools and services. You can also earn displayable certificates and awards when you complete the final assessments.

Experience Level

Key Learning

• Digital marketing fundamentals and basics.
• Step by step on how to take a business online.
• Search engine optimization and search advertising.
• Using Google’s tools.

Course Length

Course features.

• 24 individual modules.
• Introductions to important Google tools and search concepts .
• Quizzes after each module and a final assessment.
• Sharable award of completion.

2. HubSpot Academy Digital Marketing Course

• HubSpot Digital Marketing Course .

HubSpot is another big name in digital marketing. It specializes in “inbound” marketing strategies, focusing on activities like customer relationship management and content strategy .

If you’re most interested in the inbound side of marketing, focused on understanding customers and improving how websites contributor to customer acquisition, then this is a great place to start.

Just like with Google, the courses are focused on HubSpot’s specific service areas.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it’s where they have the most expertise to share. Once you have an account with the academy, HubSpot will give you personalized recommendations, which makes sense – personalization is its bread and butter.

By being part of its ecosystem, you’ll get a personalized learning experience. Paying attention to how it moves you through its lessons and content can also be a good lesson for you!

Watching how the pros move you through an inbound platform can be eye-opening if you pay close attention.

While this course is only a few hours long, the HubSpot Academy has many digital marketing courses. It’s a great way to build your own education and continue to gain skills throughout your career.

• Digital marketing strategy.
• Website optimization .
• Email and social media strategy.
• 5.25 hours.
• Certification.
• Five languages: English, French, Japanese, Spanish, German.

3. Semrush Academy: Digital Advertising 101

• Digital Advertising 101 by Tim Cameron-Kitchen .

Semrush is one of the biggest tool companies in the SEO space. If you’re interested in getting into SEO research and analytics, this course could be a good starting point.

You can expect this to be a focused course about devising strategies, planning and applying budgets, investigating competitors , and other data-driven activities.

However, the number of guest course instructors means that you can get insights from a variety of industry professionals in different roles and businesses.

Like with the other brand-offered courses, Semrush sticks to its core areas of business so you can expect courses that prepare you for marketing activities covered by its tools.

This, again, isn’t necessarily a bad thing. You’re very likely to encounter Semrush in your career if you choose to focus on SEO.

While this individual course is short, the Semrush Academy contains many courses from industry leaders such as Kevin Indig .

There’s lots to dig into, and the variety of expert course instructors is an excellent feature in favor of this option.

• Digital advertising strategies.
• Audience profiling.
• Competitor analysis .
• Channel selection.
• Budget allocation.
• 111 minutes.
• Video course.
• Short and accessible.
• Jumping off point for more detailed courses in the Semrush Academy.

Paid Digital Marketing Courses

4. digital marketing institute + american marketing association professional certificate.

• DMI + AMA Certificate In Digital Marketing .

Unlike the free courses offered by individual marketing companies, the courses from DMI and AMA will be more platform-inclusive and cover a broader range of topics.

You’ll explore modules focused on different tools and marketing activities, allowing you to learn about analytics, social media platforms , content, SEO, and AI .

This sets you up to make informed decisions about where you want to specialize as a marketer.

Companies offering paid courses have an incentive to keep up with current developments and trends , as you can see by the AI-focused module in the screenshot above.

Bear in mind that it’s unlikely a general marketing course will be on the bleeding edge of new technology. As things change, the course needs to be adjusted and re-released. This takes time.

Paid courses are, of course, a much bigger up-front investment. Deciding if they’re worth both the time and money can be difficult.

One of the best ways is to look for reviews and ongoing conversations about the course and the company that offers it. You could even start new conversations on social media platforms and ask other professionals what they think.

This way, you can get more information about the teaching styles, how assessments are conducted, and what people got from the experience.

It’s always best to do this research independently, outside of landing pages. Armed with the direct experiences of people who’ve taken the course, you can decide for yourself if it will fit your learning style and career goals .

• Beginner to intermediate.
• $1,442 to $2,060.
• Content marketing.
• Social media marketing.
• Paid search and display advertising.
• Email marketing .
• Two certifications.
• Multiple in-depth modules.
• Live webinars and Q&As.
• Practice exams.
• Recently updated with an AI-focused module.

5. Google Digital Marketing & Ecommerce Professional Certificate

• Google Digital Marketing Course on Coursera.

Coursera is an interesting platform. You gain access to courses by paying a monthly fee. So while the courses are paid, you’re not putting a chunk of money down for one individual course. If you try one and don’t like it, then you can try something else.

Note that you can “enroll for free,” which begins a free trial. After the trial ends, you’ll be charged a subscription fee.

The course offered by Google is a great place to start if you’re trying out Coursera. It’s a long course series but still beginner-level. By the end of the free trial, you should know whether the course is worth it for you.

One thing to keep in mind is that the length of the course is not necessarily a selling point for a system designed to charge a monthly fee. Consistently assess the quality of the course and what you’re getting out of it.

Remember that it’s the learning that counts, not the certificate at the end. When you’re paying a subscription, you should avoid the sunk cost fallacy and pivot to new material if what you’re working on feels stale.

Remember to assess the price of the course by calculating the monthly fee against your actual completion rate. The site suggests a three-month completion time, which would cost $177, and would require just over 14 hours per week.

If you only had time for six hours per week, this course would take seven months and cost $413.

• The “enroll for free” option begins a free trial period. After the 7-day free trial, the cost is $59 per month.
• Digital marketing and ecommerce fundamentals .
• SEO, social media, and email marketing channels.
• Analyzing and presenting data .
• Building and managing ecommerce stores.
• Seven courses.
• 18 to 29 hours per course.
• 170 total hours.
• Professional training from Google.
• Career support.

6. Harvard Business School Online Digital Marketing Strategy

• Harvard Digital Marketing Strategy Course .

Attaining a certification from an educational institution can boost your resume. The other benefit of a course like this is the learning environment.

If you struggle with learning things passively, a course offered by an educational institution is more likely to be prepared and taught by education professionals.

Education is a skill on its own. Courses like this, including faculty and practicing experts, can give you a better learning experience.

Educational institutions are also likely to have learning platforms and community functions to help support you while you learn. In terms of paying up-front for a course, the right educational institution could be a safe bet that you’ll get value out of the experience.

This course highlights practical examples, which tie any theory you learn to real-world situations.

One thing to be wary of is that educational institutions can adapt slowly to digital trends. The value of a course like this will heavily depend on the expert practitioners included.

One thing to note about this course is that it appears to be much more tightly planned than the six-month course we examined above. This isn’t a bad thing.

Concise planning and careful material selection can improve your learning experience, and the people who developed this course likely have experience developing syllabi.

• Learn about metrics, objectives, target audiences, and value propositions.
• Paid, owned, and earned media.
• Attribution and calculating value.
• Seven weeks.
• 6 to 7 hours per week.
• Learn from real-world cases, brands, and business experts.
• Certificate of completion.
• Six modules.
• Community and networking group.

7. Meta Social Media Marketing Professional Certificate

• Meta Social Media Marketing Course on Coursera.

This is another Coursera course, and so it comes with all the same notes we talked about with the Google Coursera course.

Run by Meta, this course focuses on social media, so you’re unlikely to get a broad overview of digital marketing as a whole. But you will get an overview of everything social media and brand management by one of the biggest brands in the industry.

Facebook has proven to be an incredibly enduring platform, and Meta owns other successful platforms and initiatives.

In addition to organic social media topics, you’ll learn about paid advertising . If you want to go into paid media, this would be a very helpful course for you as well.

Again, your mileage will vary depending on the time it takes you to complete the modules and how much time you have available per week.

Unfortunately, not all of this course’s modules give you time estimates. So, I would consider saving this one for after you have made a decision about whether Coursera as a platform is worth it for you.

• Brand management.
• Content marketing .
• Social media paid advertising.
• Six-course series.
• 10 to 20 hours per course.
• Not all courses have exact hour estimates.
• 22 languages.
• Career resources upon completion.
• Degree credit eligible (earn credits toward degrees from participating institutions).

8. NYU Continuing Education: Digital Marketing

• NYU Digital Marketing Courses .

Note: Courses fill up quickly, so you may need to wait for a new semester.

This course is very much structured like a traditional college course but with open enrollment.

More structured like a college course than the Harvard course above, you will get many of the benefits that come with formal education.

The courses are organized into sections with limited slots, which means they’ve planned for a certain number of learners and their needs. It’s going to be more interactive than a more free-form course taught with videos.

These courses are live and offered at specific times over the course of a semester. The benefits of this can be huge, as you’ll be participating in live lectures and learning.

You’ll have a community of other students to collaborate with, and your instructor may be available directly during certain times.

The disadvantage of this structure is that the course may not work with your schedule, and you won’t be able to learn at your own pace. This is a strict commitment if you want to make it worth the money.

• $400 to $1,000 per course.
• Digital marketing strategies and tools.
• Audience development and consumer analysis.
• Multimedia marketing channels.
• Each course is one semester long.
• Five courses to choose from.
• Courses taught by professional faculty.
• College-caliber learning without having to commit to a degree.

9. Wharton University Of Pennsylvania Digital Marketing Certificate

• Wharton Digital Marketing Certificate .

The Wharton program is another course offered by a college that comes with a certificate. Getting a certificate at the end can be a draw for your resume if you don’t have much relevant or recent experience.

You can enroll in this course immediately, and it’s a small weekly time commitment, which makes it perfect if you’re already busy.

On the other hand, it’s quite expensive compared to the other courses on this list, and since it’s an on-demand course, you won’t have access to the same college-style benefits of the NYU courses.

This course focuses more heavily on business and business management than others in terms of content. This could be great if you need to brush up on your business fundamentals, but it may not be ideal if you have business chops and want to really focus on digital marketing.

It does prioritize analysis, and a course from a college with a strong business background will definitely be a good candidate for improving your data analysis skills . If you’re heading into a data-focused career, this course could be perfect.

• Digital marketing fundamentals.
• Metrics and metric analysis.
• Research and analysis.
• 3 to 5 hours per week.
• Four courses in the certificate program.

10. UCLA Extension Digital Marketing Course

• UCLA Extension Digital Marketing Course .

Note: Make sure you’re applying for the online course if you can’t attend an in-person course.

Much like the NYU course, this is a more traditional college-level course. It is priced and organized consistently with other college-level courses. Don’t look at the price on this one and assume it’s not as valuable because it’s cheaper.

The online version of this course has no scheduled meeting times, which makes it slightly more accessible than the NYU course. But it’s still organized, very much like a college course.

It’s also taught by a marketing executive, so it’s another “best of both worlds” situation – college-level learning with the insights of an industry expert.

You can even check out the course syllabus at the bottom of the page to give you an idea of the content it will cover, as well as the books you’ll learn from.

While it doesn’t give you a breakdown of hours per week, you can get a very good sense of what you’ll learn over the course of the 11 weeks.

• Starting at $855.
• Digital marketing introduction and overview.
• Developing KPIs and monitoring metrics.
• Apply this course toward a certificate or specialization from UCLA.
• Four units.

11. University Of Illinois Digital Marketing Specialization

• University of Illinois Digital Marketing Course .

To finish our list, we have a college offering a course through Coursera. Like the other Coursera courses, this is split into a series of sub-courses. Most of the sub-courses are in the 20-hour range.

Like the others, the actual “price” of this course will depend on your weekly availability and completion rate. With the four-month estimate, this costs $236. If you only do six hours per week, it will cost $354 and take six months.

This course series provides a robust overview of general concepts and is ideal if you are brand new to digital marketing or marketing in general. The first modules start from the beginning and take you through the inception and development of digital marketing.

If you view the series of courses, you can see that this series is planned methodically and that you will build knowledge and skills in an intuitive way.

First, it introduces analytics theory, and then the next module covers analytics in practice. This kind of organization will help you fully grasp the core concepts and then walk you through applying them in practice.

This course would be a great place for you to begin your journey, and it might even be worth it if you already know some of the more basic concepts for the way in which it organizes and presents the material.

Like the Google Coursera course, this would be a great candidate to spend your free trial on.

• Digital marketing basics.
• Planning and measuring digital marketing.
• Social media.
• Marketing channels .
• Data gathering and analysis.
• 13 to 28 hours per course.
• 145 total hours.
• Seven courses, including basic principles, data and analytics, and digital media.
• 22 languages available.
• Regular assessments.

Digital Marketing Courses FAQ

What kind of digital marketing course should i take.

Digital marketing courses can help you learn the core concepts that you can apply to any specific skill set.

They are offered at various lengths – some with certifications , and some without. Some are offered by colleges with open enrollment.

The core factors you should consider are:

• What you’ll learn from the course:  Is the description specific about what you’ll get from the experience?
• Price: Free courses can be high-quality, but they tend to be short and lack interactivity. Paid courses offered by colleges will likely have the most support and community.
• Certification and credit:  Certifications can be helpful to share, but focus on the value the course offers to you first. Some courses can be used toward college credits, which is helpful if you are seeking a degree or professional certification from a college.
• Hands-on work and real-world examples:  Courses that offer learning by doing and seeing theory in action can have much more value.

Why Digital Marketing Courses Matter

There’s a lot of information out there for free. With enough research, you could learn most of the theoretical concepts yourself without giving up your money or your data.

But this can be time-consuming, and self-guided learning isn’t always the best solution. It’s easy to get inaccurate information or hit roadblocks.

Courses, especially those led by professional educators, give you a structured environment, resources, and sometimes community.

The right course could be the best way to reach your goals.

More Digital Marketing Course Overviews From SEJ

• 16 Of The Best Social Media Marketing Courses in 2024
• Best SEO Courses Online – Free & Paid Options
• 7 Best SEO Certifications: Are They Worth It?

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More From Forbes

3 free online cybersecurity courses with certificates in 2024.

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Demand for cybersecurity professionals is projected to skyrocket to more than 30% globally

If you've been looking for a lucrative skill to learn and develop this year and expand or pivot your career, you've no doubt come across cybersecurity. Cybersecurity is a high-income skill that is in major demand by organizations globally.

In fact, you would be hard pressed to find an industry or company that does not need cybersecurity specialists and professionals in some way or another. Demand for this work is projected to increase by 32% over the next few years according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is much faster than the average job growth rate, and the cybersecurity market is expected to grow by almost 8% worldwide according to analysts .

Additionally, thanks to its digital nature, many cybersecurity roles can be performed remotely, so you can work from home while making significant money in the cybersecurity industry, which is of course a huge bonus.

But you're most likely wondering, what is cybersecurity anyway and why is it important?

What Is Cybersecurity?

In layman's terms, cybersecurity-related professions are focused on protecting and securing an organization's systems from malware and attacks which can infringe on and comprise personal data and information, and potentially expose it to harm and major damages including theft and fraud.

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Customers and stakeholders trust a company with their information, and cybersecurity protects this personal information, such as account data, passwords, and personal identifiers such as date of birth, bank details, and I.D. Cybersecurity roles revolve around stopping malicious attacks that come in the form of spyware, viruses, and other intruders that intercept networks, devices, and systems.

What Are Some Cybersecurity Jobs?

Some examples of popular cybersecurity jobs include:

• Cybersecurity/information security analyst
• Cybersecurity engineer
• Cybersecurity architect
• Penetration tester (ethical hacker)
• Cybersecurity consultant (including freelance cybersecurity consultant)
• Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
• Incident responder
• Cryptographer
• Cybersecurity software developer
• Vulnerability assessor
• Forensic computer analyst
• Network security administrator
• Identity and Access Management (IAM) specialist
• Compliance and risk analyst
• Malware analyst

What Is The Average Salary Range For Cybersecurity Jobs?

While cybersecurity is generally a high-income skill to develop, as a subset of information security, the actual salaries for roles requiring this skill can vary significantly depending on the specific role and function that you choose, including seniority level.

For example, an ethical hacker's average salary in the U.S. is $110,184, while a consultant is $135,000; in sharp contrast, a CISO's makes $244,000 on average, according to Salary.com estimates.

Of course, the more certifications and niche skills you have, the greater chances you have to increase your salary, land promotions, and become highly sought after in your field.

Free Cybersecurity Courses And Certifications

Not every learning opportunity needs to cost you a penny. Here are some ways to upskill and gain essential cybersecurity knowledge, totally free:

1. Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate

Google's cybersecurity certification is available for free on Coursera if you qualify for funding; you will learn in-demand skills such as cybersecurity practices, threats and vulnerabilities, and Python, Linux, and SQ. The course is aimed at beginners with zero industry experience, and you can share the certificate on your LinkedIn profile upon completion.

2. ISC2's Certified In Cybersecurity

ISC2, the leading membership association within the cybersecurity industry, provides ongoing training and certifications, and live events, for its members and those who are interested in carving their career in the industry. One recent initiative is their Certified in Cybersecurity training and exam, which is free of charge for a limited time, and is part of their goal to get one million professionals into cybersecurity. The only stipulations is that you will need to pay a $50 annual fee to become a certified member of ISC2 after passing your exam

3. Palo Alto Networks Free Cybersecurity Education Courses

Palo Alto Networks provides free courses covering network security, cloud security, and SOC fundamentals on its website , and completion of these courses allows you to take the exam for their Palo Alto Networks Certified Cybersecurity Entry-level Technician (PCCET) certification.

Cybersecurity certificates teach in-demand skills such as Python programming, and how to protect ... [+] systems from threats and detect malware

By undertaking these cybersecurity certifications, you evidence your practical, hands-on skills to employers and are able to learn evergreen skills that can be applied whether you ultimately choose to work in a 9 to 5 job, or embark on a freelance cybersecurity career.

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