Harvard University Free Online Courses

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Mrunmayai Bobade
Updated on Jun 10, 2022 06:13 PM IST

Are you planning to get a Harvard University certification but lack the resources to study abroad? Now you can get a certificate from this Ivy League university from the comfort of your home. Experience studying in an international classroom by enrolling in Harvard University free online courses and give a boost to your career prospects.

Harvard University Free Online Courses

Harvard is the most well-known university in the world and a member of the coveted Ivy League. The institution is committed to excellence in learning, teaching, and research, as well as the development of global leaders in a variety of fields. Harvard professors are working to extend the boundaries of human knowledge through their extensive research and teaching.

In 2022, Harvard University expanded the number of free online courses available to students, instructors, professors, IT specialists, mid-career professionals, and even doctors.

For students, Harvardfree online courses bring them vistas of knowledge along with new perspectives. These free online courses do not have any score requirements of standardised tests or any other language competency certificate.

Additionally, the admissions process is so basic and transparent that anyone can take these Harvard online courses without a conundrum. Moreover, Harvard provides students with the option to receive a certified certificate when they complete the course according to their preferences.

Besides a wide array of courses, it has also been made accessible to students at their leisure. As a result, this type of free study opportunity from universities like Harvard is not something you should skip at any cost. However, with the introduction of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), around 6 million learners around the world have access to high-quality education.

If you are wishing to study at one of the eight Ivy League Universities in the world then get in touch with our counsellors who have endlessly guided numerousstudents to study abroad.

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How Does a Harvard MOOC Work?

In 2012, Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) co-founded the edX course platform, to make higher education content available worldwide. Anyone from anywhere around the globe can enrol in Harvard University free online courses and begin studying with some of the world's best teachers. edX has over 90 global partners and provides learners with high-quality and original courses from the world's greatest professors, universities, and institutions. MOOCs have the following benefits:

  • Thousands of people can participate in a MOOC at the same time.

  • There are no limits on access to the courses. Everything is done entirely online.

  • The course is taught in English, with subtitles in other languages available in some lectures.

  • Video lessons are used to deliver information/classes.

  • In discussion forums, you can ask questions and interact with peers.

  • Exams are available online in the form of quizzes and tests.

  • A course typically lasts four to six weeks and takes three to five hours per week of work.

Subject Areas of Free Harvard Online Courses

MOOCs are free online courses offered by Harvard University in a range of areas. Students can attend the following Harvard University online courses for free and pay a modest fee to earn an accredited certificate:

  • Education & Teaching

  • Business

  • Science

  • Humanities

  • Data Science

  • Art & Design

  • Programming

  • Health & Medicine

  • Computer Science

  • Social Sciences

  • Mathematics

Popular Online HarvardFree Courses

The following is a list of popular Harvard University free online courses. All the courses are conducted on the edX platform where students can avail learning from reputed professors to head start their careers.

Popular Courses

Course Duration

Advanced Bioconductor

Five weeks

Case Studies in Functional Genomics

Five weeks

CS50s Computer Science for Business Professionals

Six weeks

CS50s Computer Science for Lawyers

Ten weeks

Data Science: R Basics

Eight weeks

Data Science: Visualization

Eight weeks

Introduction to Probability

Ten weeks

PredictionX: Omens, Oracles & Prophecies

One-week

Religion, Conflict and Peace

Eight weeks

The Health Effects of Climate Change

Seven weeks

Do you want to be a Harvard University graduate and carry the status of a Harvard alumnus? You can do so with the help of our study abroad experts who have guided many students to study at prestigious institutes abroad.

Top 6 Free Online Courses by Harvard

Harvard University offers free courses in all subjects like Mathematics, Humanities, Social Science and Business, including programming and Computer Science. Approximately, the top-ranked university provides over 140 free online courses. So, let us discuss some of the top Harvard free online courses:

CS50 Introduction to Game Development

In this course, students can get knowledge about how video games are implemented and designed, similarly to those childhood games - Super Mario, Angry Birds and Pokmon. The courses include online lectures and hands-on projects that will help the students to explore the principles of animation, sound and 2D and 3D graphics. By the end of the course, students will have been able to design their personalised games.

  • Course duration: 12 weeks

  • Time commitment: 6-9 hours per week

  • Course language: English

  • Fee: Free, but USD 199 is required for a Harvard University verified certificate

CS50: Introduction to Computer Science

This course is designed to give an introduction to the intellectual enterprises of computer science and the art of programming. It helps the students to think algorithmically and solve problems efficiently like never before. The course includes topics such as data structures, encapsulation, resource management, security, software engineering, and web development. Students who end up achieving a satisfactory score will be eligible for the Harvard verified certificate.

  • Course duration: 11 weeks

  • Time commitment: 10-20 hours per week

  • Course language: English

  • Fee: Free, but USD 149 is required for a Harvard University verified certificate

CS50 for Lawyers

The course can be treated as another variant of Harvard's CS50: Introduction to Computer Science. As the name itself implies, this course for specifically for law students. With this, students can get a chance to learn about challenges at the intersection of law and technology, computational thinking, programming languages, and cryptography.

  • Course duration: 10 weeks

  • Time commitment: 3-6 hours per week

  • Course language: English

  • Fee: Free, but USD 199 is required for a Harvard University verified certificate

CS50's Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python

In today's scenario, artificial intelligence is transforming the way we live, work and play. With this course, students can take a step forward to solve real-world problems and future-proof their careers. This course focuses on graph search algorithms, reinforcement learning, machine learning and artificial intelligence principles. Adding to it, the course will help the students to design intelligent systems and use AI in Python programmes.

  • Course duration: 7 weeks

  • Time commitment: 10-30 hours per week

  • Course language: English

  • Fee: Free, but USD 199 is required for a Harvard University verified certificate

The Health Effects Of Climate Change

No doubt, the climate is changing adversely be it from air quality or infectious diseases. Due to this condition, the course wants to educate students about its impact on nutrition and migration. The course shows how green gases are important to promote public health. A few topics that are covered in the course are - research methods used in this field and how changes in the earths atmosphere affect health outcomes.

  • Course duration: 7 weeks

  • Time commitment: 3-5 hours per week

  • Course language: English

  • Fee: Free, but USD 149 is required for a Harvard University verified certificate

Technology Entrepreneurship: Lab to Market

The course is designed and developed in collaboration with the Laboratory for Innovation Science at Harvard and the University of California San Diego. Here, students will learn how entrepreneurs try to make the ends meet with promising technologies to serve their customers better. The course includes ample real-world examples to help students think critically about different situations and circumstances.

  • Course duration: 5 weeks

  • Time commitment: 2-4 hours per week

  • Course language: English

  • Fee: Free, but USD 99 is required for a Harvard University verified certificate

The list of free courses does not end here. There are multiple other valuable online free courses by Harvard University like Mechanical Ventilation for Covid-19 and Designing Organisational Structure. Students can check out the university's website to know more about these courses.

Eligibility for Harvard Free Online Courses

For the free online courses, Harvard University has not set as such any such eligibility criteria for its applicants. International students or people from any academic degree or discipline can apply for Harvard free online courses.

  • Anyone can register, regardless of age.

  • The free online courses at Harvard are open to people from all walks of life.

  • The course selected has no restriction on its educational relevance.

  • English language proficiency scores are not required.

  • There are no limitations based on academic/educational level.

  • Gender, nationality, ethnicity, or religion are all unrestricted.

Benefits of Harvard Free Online Courses

The very first benefit of enrolling inHarvard free online courses is that they are free. People and students from every corner of the world can apply for these courses. We have listed some more benefits of applying for online courses at Harvard University:

  • Get a verified certificate from Harvard University.

  • Learn at your convenience

  • Live interaction experience with top faculty members.

  • Students can freely clear their doubts by raising their hands during the meet.

  • Get hands-on experience in programming courses.

  • The certificates provided are recognised globally.

  • Students can take as many edX online courses as they wish for free.

  • Students can add their experiences to their curriculum vitae (CV) or profiles.

Steps to Apply for Harvard Free Online Courses

The method to apply for Harvard free online courses is simple as well as time and cost-intensive. Students who are interested in enrolling in Harvard University online courses should follow the processes outlined below. To begin, create an edX account (you can alternatively create an account by visiting Harvard University's official website):

  • Step 1: Type in your email address

  • Step 2: Type in your full name (this will appear on any certificates you receive)

  • Step 3: Enter a public username for the forums (no spaces allowed)

  • Step 4: Create a password for your account

  • Step 5: Select your home country

  • Step 6: Click on Create your account

After you find a course that interests you in the course catalogue, you can enrol in it by browsing to the course About page and clicking the 'Enroll Now' button.

It is an entirely free process to sign up for an edX account. You can also choose to take classes for free or pay a fee to get a validated credential. Following that, the candidate will receive an email confirming their enrollment in which course enrollment details will be provided.

Note: Once you enter your public username, it cannot be changed.

How do I apply for Financial Assistance at Harvard edX?

Financial aid or scholarships make education affordable and at times it covers housing as well. However, in this case, travel or living abroad is not required as students are not required to travel or study in the United States. By pursuing Harvard online courses, students can benefit from accredited certifications even without travelling abroad. Those students who cannot afford to pay the full price for a course or certificate can receive up to a 90% discount from edX. Most courses that offer validated credentials are eligible for assistance; however, some courses and programmes are not.

In a period of 12 months or a year, you can avail of financial help up to five times. To apply for financial support, you must first enrol as an audit learner in the course and then fill out the financial assistance application. Your application will be considered after it has been submitted; this process usually takes two to four business days. If your application is approved, you will receive an email with a financial aid coupon for 90% off. The discounted rate can then be obtained by entering the code on the payment gateway.

Harvard Certificate for Your Resume

These excellent free online Harvard programmes are a fantastic opportunity for students to earn a Harvard mark on their CVs and improve their credentials for any current or future professional opportunity. If you select the Verified Certificate option, you will receive a certificate upon completion that:

  • HarvardX issues under its name.

  • Can be linked to your LinkedIn profile, allowing third people to verify them easily.

  • Shows your skills and commitment to learning when applying for a job.

Note: Typically, MOOCs do not grant academic degrees. Individuals can use Verified Certificates as evidence of their educational accomplishments.

Harvard MOOCs, which have a total of over six million students, provide appealing educational options for individuals all around the world. The online approach easily overcomes any geographical distance, as almost two-thirds of students are from nations other than the USA. Harvard's free online courses can provide students with a new perspective by allowing them to gain hardcore knowledge. Also, since many of the courses are free, there are just no major hurdles to learning.

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FAQs

Are the Harvard University online courses free of charge?

Yes, the basic Harvard University online courses are free of charge but the advance and in-detail learning courses are available as paid versions. There are more than 140 free online courses available for international learners. However, there is a minor fee that must be paid if you want a hard copy of the certificate from the university. Every course's cost is specified in the course description.

Who are the faculty members of the Harvard University free online courses?

The faculty members of the Harvard University free online courses, like the faculty teaching the other courses, are world-renowned and have received numerous awards in their fields of expertise. Students do not need to doubt their qualifications because they are all experts in their fields.

How much time do I have to give to the Harvard University free online courses?

You have to give at least three to five hours per week to the Harvard University free online courses for four to six weeks. All information about the course duration can be found in the course details provided by the university. To get the most out of Harvard University's free online courses, students must set aside time and give heed.

How will Harvard University free online courses advance my career?

Harvard University free online courses will surely advance your career because these teachings are delivered by top university and industry experts who will help you gain relevant knowledge and skills to utilise in your professional career. Here you will get a rudimentary knowledge of what your topic of interest entails.

Are Harvard University free online courses accredited worldwide?

Yes, Harvard University free online courses are accredited worldwide. The New England Association of Schools and Colleges, which is a regional accreditor, has given Harvard's online programme its seal of approval. Students can enrol in a degree or diploma programme at Harvard or take individual online courses.

Can I get a Harvard University online courses certificate for free?

No, you cannot get a Harvard University online courses certificate for free of cost. Harvard University is providing free online courses with purchased certificates that are printed. On the other hand, you can only get a free certificate at Harvard University for the online premium courses.

Is Harvard University's free online course certificate worth it?

Yes, Harvard University free online course is certificate worth it if you want to get a prestigious diploma from a world-renowned Ivy League university. Harvard University provides a wide range of courses in computer science, business, data science, and education that can help you advance in your career as well as profession.

Does edX provide free certificates?

No, edX does not provide free certificates for its courses. Only passing students enrolled in the paid certificate track receive certificates. The cost of this track varies depending on the course. Most courses can be seen for free in the audit track, but no certificate will be awarded.

Does Harvard University offer free computer science courses online?

Yes, Harvard University offers free computer science courses online to teach coding to absolute beginners. Harvard's free online CS50 courses are for beginners. Harvard University also provides five free online computer science courses like Web Programming with Python and JavaScript, Introduction to game development, Mobile app development, and Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python.

What are the best free online courses at Harvard University?

The best free online courses at Harvard University are CS50’s Computer Science for Business Professionals, Data Science: R Basics, Introduction to Probability, Religion, Conflict and Peace, Data Science: Visualization, CS50s Computer Science for Lawyers, and The Health Effects of Climate Change.

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