The cost of universities may be rising - it has more than doubled in the last two decades in the United States. But so is the number of high- quality courses available for free online. Ivy league and other respected institutions are offering full programs for certification and hundreds of courses in dozens of fields.
Those courses include specializations in engineering, programming, math, physics and other sciences. There are also courses in design, business management and marketing that could interest entrepreneurs and jumpstart a small business.
The new online education boom means that anyone in the world with an internet connection can give themselves world-class training without leaving home. To start your search, we've compiled ten of the top quality online programs that are free of charge.
Open Courseware Consortium
The Open Courseware Consortium sets a new benchmark for online education and offers a peek at the potential power of the Internet. It is a vast network of hundreds of institutions worldwide, with courses in 20 languages, and all of it is free of charge. Its members include MIT, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Tufts University and many others.
The Open Courseware Consortium sets a new benchmark for online education and offers a peek at the potential power of the Internet. It is a vast network of hundreds of institutions worldwide, with courses in 20 languages, and all of it is free of charge. Its members include MIT, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Tufts University and many others.
There are dozens of subjects available, with admirable attention paid to studies in science, engineering and technology. For those reasons, Open Courseware takes a deserved place at the head of our list.
Carnegie Mellon University's Open Learning Initiative
A few of the names that are conspicuously absent from the Open Courseware Consortium have established their own online programs. Stay tuned for three in our list, starting with Carnegie Mellon's Open Learning Initiative. Their online course list is short, but heavy on the sciences, math and engineering.
A few of the names that are conspicuously absent from the Open Courseware Consortium have established their own online programs. Stay tuned for three in our list, starting with Carnegie Mellon's Open Learning Initiative. Their online course list is short, but heavy on the sciences, math and engineering.
Open Yale Courses
Yale offers dozens of courses in topics ranging from Faulkner to astrophysics.
Yale offers dozens of courses in topics ranging from Faulkner to astrophysics.
Stanford on iTunes U
Stanford has put free courses on iTunes. (iTunes is available for free download on most devices, Apple or otherwise.) As you might have guessed from the platform Stanford chose, the course list emphasizes programming apps for Apple. There is also a variety of courses in subjects such as astrobiology, law, energy and writing.
Stanford has put free courses on iTunes. (iTunes is available for free download on most devices, Apple or otherwise.) As you might have guessed from the platform Stanford chose, the course list emphasizes programming apps for Apple. There is also a variety of courses in subjects such as astrobiology, law, energy and writing.
Engineering for Change Webinar Series
We're proud to offer a live webcast every month that gives you an opportunity to interact with some of the most compelling people working in sustainable development and technology. In past webinars we featured Drew Corbyn at Practical Action, Marc van den Homberg at TNO, Eugene Cloete, who developed the tea bag water filter and more than a dozen others.
We're proud to offer a live webcast every month that gives you an opportunity to interact with some of the most compelling people working in sustainable development and technology. In past webinars we featured Drew Corbyn at Practical Action, Marc van den Homberg at TNO, Eugene Cloete, who developed the tea bag water filter and more than a dozen others.
We announce the upcoming webinar on the site, where you'll also find an archive of past presentations. IEEE members earn Professional Development credits with each webinar they complete.
The Open University
The UK-based Open University offers more than 600 courses with training from novice to advanced in 250 qualifications. Subjects include computing, technology, math and sciences among others.
The UK-based Open University offers more than 600 courses with training from novice to advanced in 250 qualifications. Subjects include computing, technology, math and sciences among others.
The Faculty Project
Dynamic educators from renowned universities provide free online courses through the Faculty Project. The offerings are light on engineering and technology, but there may be subjects of interest to small business owners. And who wouldn't benefit from a deeper reading of Dostoyevsky? The course subjects include literature, history, economics, social and political sciences, business management and others.
Dynamic educators from renowned universities provide free online courses through the Faculty Project. The offerings are light on engineering and technology, but there may be subjects of interest to small business owners. And who wouldn't benefit from a deeper reading of Dostoyevsky? The course subjects include literature, history, economics, social and political sciences, business management and others.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy has provided more than 3200 videos that famously make it easy to learn tough concepts. The offerings are heavy on math and science, including computer science. Courses are at the Kindergarten through 12th-grade level.
Khan Academy has provided more than 3200 videos that famously make it easy to learn tough concepts. The offerings are heavy on math and science, including computer science. Courses are at the Kindergarten through 12th-grade level.
Academic Earth
Academic Earth rounds up online courses from accredited universities and provides them free of charge. A reading of the first and second-to-the- last subjects might interest E4C members: They are Art & Architecture and Technology & Innovation.
Academic Earth rounds up online courses from accredited universities and provides them free of charge. A reading of the first and second-to-the- last subjects might interest E4C members: They are Art & Architecture and Technology & Innovation.
Wikiversity
Wikiversity is a collaborative online education project powered by professionals, students and anyone who wants to contribute. This project also hints at the awesome potential of the Internet, and with time it may become one of the Internet's great resources. Now, some of the courses are works in progress, but the site has a pedigree as a member of Wikipedia's family.
Wikiversity is a collaborative online education project powered by professionals, students and anyone who wants to contribute. This project also hints at the awesome potential of the Internet, and with time it may become one of the Internet's great resources. Now, some of the courses are works in progress, but the site has a pedigree as a member of Wikipedia's family.
Our top 10 list couldn't mention all of the hard-hitting online academic programs available now. We're happy to say that there are many more, and more are surely on the way. To wrap up loose ends, here's a short list of other noteworthy programs and resources. And please add your suggestions in the comments.
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