Always good to see another major university making a contribution to the open course movement. The Open Learning Initiative undertaken by the Harvard University Extension School now offers eight free courses. This cluster of courses – the first Harvard has put forward – covers a nice range of topics. They feature some heavy-hitting members of the Harvard faculty. And they’re freely available in audio and video. The full list appears below as well as in our big list of 500 Free Online Courses:
- China: Traditions and Transformations (Peter K. Bol, PhD, Charles H. Carswell Professor of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, and William C. Kirby, PhD, T. M. Chang Professor of China Studies)
- Shakespeare After All: The Later Plays (Marjorie Garber, PhD, William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of English)
- The Heroic and the Anti-Heroic in Classical Greek Civilization (Gregory Nagy, PhD, Francis Jones Professor of Classical Greek Literature)
- World War and Society in the 20th Century: World War II (Charles S. Maier, PhD, Leverett Saltonstall Professor of History)
- Bits (Harry R. Lewis, PhD, Gordon McKay Professor of Computer Science)
- Intensive Introduction to Computer Science Using C, PHP, and JavaScript (David J. Malan, PhD, Lecturer on Computer Science)
- Abstract Algebra (Benedict Gross, PhD, George Vasmer Leverett Professor of Mathematics)
- Sets, Counting, and Probability (Paul G. Bamberg, DPhil, Senior Lecturer on Mathematics)
Related Content:
What’s the Right Thing to Do?: Popular Harvard Course Now Online
Nothing is really free, ”online we pay with time” as a wise journalist of NYT said recently :) What US Universities are doing with open courseware movement is more about open dialogue/participation to knowledge in general than real educational opportunity. For it to have some educational meaning, a curriculum from low level to upper must be provided, up to now it isnt.
ps.
The firefox glitch is still on btw, I had to open the dreaded IE to leave a comment :/
Beggars can’t be choosers!
Thanks very much for listing this selection of courses. I really value these online learning materials.
So right about time:
I’ve taken math courses here at MIT, Stanford, Yale and some Cosmology courses at other institutions which I don’t remember offhand. The Yale course was so good that it brings tears of gratitude for the professor who taught it.
If Harvard is anywhere near as good I will be more than pleased.
Does one get certification for the courses…how can i prove ive undertaken a certain course.
would one be given a certificate after the course and how can i prove i ve undertaken a certain course? STELLA
I am also wondering if there is some type of certificate if you complete the open course?
A gold mine! Thank you so much! <3
A gold mine! Thank you so much! <3
I don’t believe there is “certification” offered as there’s no grading involved. Think of it as a self-paced audit, taken for your own edification only.
Maybe? until its maturity is when one can tell its intended goal’s cons and pros else its a noble idea, knowledge is probable in evolution.
Hi,i am 42 old male and i would like to study course of biology or biotecnology,but i dont know where can i find one of this courses for free or with certificate.I would like to start from zero in your university and do exams online becouse i am living in Barcelona,Spain.Harvard, can you help me?Thank you.Regards.
I m moroccan citizen; i use to live in the states since 1995; unfortunatly i get back home by voluntry departure after i was over stay for long time in the usa studing and woking on my owne . NOW I M STACKED here in my morocco and im not aligible to returne :cause im still under bare of ten years i have spent untill now 6 YEARS REMANING 4 OTHER YEARS as I
admire AMERICAN LAW i realy want to study it in these 4years ; please i need helpe how to start? WHERE CAN I HAVE FREE COURSES AND EXAMS BEST REGARDS
I am an MIT student at the University of Newcastle in Australia.
Intereted in sharing ideas and learning about resources etc.
Hi Guys,
If I finish this online course do I get any completion certificate ?
I wud like to say a shout out to all those that enroled in dis free course with me
I do like to get an course of computer basics and skills.
Great job………!
sir I am frome Pakistan.My qualifecation is MSC in ECONOMICS.I am MARKITING profasstional sinc 1996.Befor hree years i got a apparchunity to teach in a private high school.Where i know that i have good skils of teaching. I wants to imrove my qualifecations by online teacher traning courses.If you can guide me .I am greatefull to you.thanks.amjad
love to see open courses like these. I’m a Nigerian, interested in entrepreneurship and like to learn a lot from Harvard, are there courses offered in that area?
Hi fellow online students, I also thought as much about the certification; I guess there might not be. However if any of you receives one or knows someone that have received,please notify me via (nigerianvic@gmail.com). The whole scheme is simply fun! ENJOY!
I also signed up for Harvard’s “National Health Policy” – Its just Obama’s policy handbook. Obviously designed so you can get a certificate and a job selling health insurance online. No discussion of pros or cons of Obamacare. Completely stupid course.
Higher learning is always of value especially when applied in a positive light.