Studying at a free and online university is now possible. Thanks to alliances between universities and online training platforms. The objective is clear: to offer first-level official certifications. It allows you to access certified university education at no cost.
Education is a universal right. Many people cannot access it due to a lack of time or financial resources. This article will explain how you can study without a financial compromise. Also, we will present to you which are the most demanded courses.
Free and online university: MOOCs and their importance in the world
The free and online university model arises from the need to understand where the world is going. MOOCs, or massive online and open courses, partly changed the educational model. This type of training allows you to:
- Study at your own pace.
- Schedule your study sessions.
- Enter any course regardless of your educational level.
- Apply to programs adapted to your work expectations.
Graduates of this type of training will be able to access better jobs. In turn, opt for better competitive salaries. As well as make the difference between an average employee and an employee with excellent performance. Therefore, we believe that you should take this educational model into account.
The best study houses with distance education programs
Universities understand that knowledge is the only way to change the current context in which we live. Being aware of this aspect, they used technology to achieve a practical and easy-to-assimilate program. Before continuing, I want to make a few critical things clear:
- Each program has official certification.
- Each certification is valid worldwide.
- The courses are free, but some platforms charge for issuing the certificate.
The following section will show which universities have online training programs. In addition, we will reveal some courses offered by each study house and on which platform you can find them:
Harvard University
Harvard University is synonymous with educational excellence. Its training programs focus on business, programming, computer science, data science, and others. Among its training offer, you can find programs such as:
- CS50 introduction to artificial intelligence with machine learning
- CS50 Computer Science for Business Professionals.
- This is CS50’s introduction to computing for business professionals.
- Competitive risk identification.
- Understand customer needs.
- Introduction to CS50 game development.
All Harvard courses are available on the edX platform. The duration of each class depends on the program you select. You must pay for each certificate of participation. Their prices range between MXN 1,000 and MXN 3,000.
Stanford University
Start your journey with a fitting accompaniment. Stanford University is privileged to have the best professors in its field. This house of study offers training programs such as:
- Algorithms: design and analysis.
- Organizational analysis.
- Programs for computer design.
- Artificial intelligence for robotics.
- Introduction to food and health.
- Machine Learning.
- Massive data mining.
These Stanford University courses are available on the following platforms: Coursera, Kadenze, Udacity, and edX. More specialized programs are also available, but these are not free.
Columbia University
In 2013, Columbia University and Coursera joined the first online training programs alliance. Their method focused on three essential aspects:
1. Improve and support the teaching method on campus.
2. Allow people from outside the university to have access to specialized knowledge for free.
3. Take advantage of technology to show the programs developed in the faculties that make up the university.
Columbia University training programs are available on Coursera, edX, and Kadenze. Among the most requested courses, you can find:
- Corporate finance.
- Data science for executives.
- Analytics in Python.
- Robotics.
- Artificial intelligence.
- Sound design.
Most of the courses mentioned above are only available in English. However, do not worry; if you have an English level between A2 and B1, it is enough to start one of these courses.
Cambridge University
The most important house of studies in the United Kingdom understands that the world is evolving by leaps and bounds. Cambridge University has collaborated with companies such as Microsoft and Unilever to understand today’s world needs. Hence its inspiration to open online training programs on topics such as:
- Scripts creation.
- Comedy writing and stage poetry.
- Emotions psychology.
- Forensic sciences: DNA analysis
- Business success in the display industry.
You may find Cambridge University training programs on edX and Future Learn platforms.
Benefits of studying with online training
The internet makes distances shorter, and information is available to everyone. Many students do not find it easy to study under this modality. If you feel identified with this, we present the benefits of studying at a free and online university:
- Improve your CV.
- Be more conspicuous to job recruiters.
- Certified by the best study houses in the world.
- Learn specific skills.
- Take a leap in quality in your professional training.
- Learn at your own pace.
- Acquire new skills that will make you more competitive.
If you acquire the certificates from the courses, you can include them in your CV. As if that were not enough, upload your training certificate to LinkedIn. In this way, if you are looking for a job, you can be more visible to the recruiters of this social network.
Final words
Study with programs in a free and online university if you do not have the resources to pay for a degree. It does not mean that studying for an extensive career is not essential. We suggest that acquiring specialized knowledge will always be valuable. In the end, in the labor market, the professional who demonstrates his skills stands out.
