Posted by The United Kingdom is home to some of the world’s most prestigious universities and colleges. However, not everyone can afford to attend these institutions. Fortunately, we are here with a list of 20 best free online courses with certificates that you can take from the comfort of your own home.
These courses are offered by some of the UK’s top universities and colleges, including Yale University, the University of Southampton, King’s College London, Public Health England, and the University of Leeds, among others.
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Benefits of Online Learning
Online learning has become increasingly popular in recent years, with more students opting for this mode of education.
Pursuing an online education comes with several benefits that make it a viable alternative to traditional in-person learning.
Here are some of the benefits of online learning:
- Flexibility: Online learning allows you to learn at your own pace and on your schedule. You can access course materials and lectures at any time, from anywhere, as long as you have an internet connection.
- Accessibility: Online learning removes geographical barriers to education. You can enroll in courses offered by renowned educational institutions or industry leaders across the globe without having to relocate or commute.
- Cost-effective: Online learning is often more affordable than traditional in-person learning. You can save money on commuting, parking fees, and other expenses associated with attending classes on campus.
- Convenience: Online learning is convenient and saves you time. You don’t have to worry about commuting to class or relocating to a new city.
- Comfortable learning environment: Online learning allows you to learn in a comfortable environment of your choice. You can create a dedicated learning space at home or work and learn at your own pace.
Criteria for Selecting the Best Free Online Courses with Certificates in the UK
- Credibility of the Institution/Platform: Emphasis is placed on courses offered by reputable institutions or well-known online learning platforms.
- User Reviews and Ratings: Courses with positive user reviews and high ratings are given preference.
- Certification: Courses that offer a certificate of completion or achievement are preferred.
- Accessibility for International Learners: Courses are selected with consideration for international learners, ensuring that they are accessible globally.
List of the Best Free Online Courses with Certificates in the UK
Below is one of the best free online courses with certificates in the UK:
- Introduction to Cybersecurity offered by the University of Southampton on FutureLearn
- English for the Workplace offered by the British Council on FutureLearn
- The Science of Well-Being is offered by Yale University on Coursera
- Introduction to Web Development offered by the University of Leeds on FutureLearn
- Introduction to Computer Science offered by Harvard University on edX
- Introduction to Python Programming offered by the University of Edinburgh on FutureLearn
- Introduction to Digital Marketing offered by Google on Google Digital Garage
- Introduction to Project Management offered by the University of Adelaide on edX
- Introduction to Data Science in Python offered by the University of Michigan on Coursera
- Introduction to Data Analysis using Excel offered by Microsoft on edX
- Introduction to Psychology offered by the University of Toronto on Coursera
- Introduction to Philosophy offered by the University of Edinburgh on Coursera
- Introduction to Environmental Science offered by the University of York on FutureLearn
- Introduction to Business Management offered by the University of California, Irvine on Coursera
- Introduction to Financial Accounting offered by the University of Pennsylvania on Coursera
- Introduction to Human Resource Management offered by the University of Minnesota on Coursera
- Introduction to Supply Chain Management offered by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on edX
- Introduction to Public Speaking offered by the University of Washington on Coursera
- Introduction to Negotiation offered by Yale University on Coursera
- Introduction to Critical Thinking offered by the University of Auckland on FutureLearn.
20 Best Free Online Courses with Certificates in the UK
1. Introduction to Cybersecurity offered by the University of Southampton on FutureLearn
- School: University of Southampton
- Duration: 8 weeks
The University of Southampton offers an online course on Introduction to Cybersecurity on FutureLearn. The course is designed to help learners understand the essentials of cybersecurity and build their skills to better protect their digital information from security threats.
The course is eight weeks long and requires a commitment of three hours per week. Upon completion of the course, learners are eligible for a digital certificate.
The course is taught by Cory Doctorow, a renowned author and activist who has written extensively on the intersection of technology, politics, and society.
The course is supported by the UK Government’s National Cyber Security Programme, is NCSC Assured Training, and is IISP accredited.
The course covers a range of topics, including the current threat landscape, authentication, malware, networking and communications, cryptography, network security, and managing security risks. Learners will also explore intrusion detection systems (IDS) and honeypots to detect attacks.
2. English for the Workplace offered by the British Council on FutureLearn
- School: British Council
- Duration: It is estimated to take around 3 weeks to complete, with a recommended study time of 2 hours per week.
The British Council offers a free online course on English for the Workplace on FutureLearn. This course is designed for English learners who are interested in developing their language skills for employability and workplace contexts.
The course focuses on key aspects of English for the workplace and offers functional language phrases and real, authentic workplace scenarios. The course does not follow a language syllabus but takes workplace English as its starting point.
Short quizzes and discussions will help you measure your understanding and practice your English. As you progress through the various topics, you’ll learn plenty of business English vocabulary and workplace English expressions that you can use at work and when applying for jobs.
3. The Science of Well-Being offered by Yale University on Coursera
- School: Yale University
- Duration: 3 weeks
The Science of Well-Being is a course offered by Yale University on Coursera that aims to help individuals increase their happiness and build more productive habits.
The course is designed to be completed in approximately 19 hours over 3 weeks, with a flexible schedule that allows learners to learn at their own pace.
The course is taught by Professor Laurie Santos, who reveals misconceptions about happiness, annoying features of the mind that lead us to think the way we do, and the research that can help us change.
The course consists of 10 modules, each of which is designed to help learners gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals. The modules cover topics such as gratitude, happiness, meditation, and savoring.
The course also includes assessments, quizzes, and optional pre-course surveys to help learners measure their happiness and discover their strengths. Upon completion of the course, learners will receive a shareable certificate that they can add to their LinkedIn profile.
4. Introduction to Web Development offered by the University of Leeds on FutureLearn
- School: University of Leeds
- Duration: 6 weeks
The University of Leeds offers a range of online courses on FutureLearn, including Introduction to Web Development. This course is designed for beginners and covers the basics of web development using HTML5.
The course is self-paced and can be completed in your own time. It is divided into several modules, each of which covers a different aspect of web development. By the end of the course, you will have a solid understanding of HTML5 and be able to create your web pages.
The course is delivered entirely online and is free to enroll. You will have access to a range of learning materials, including video lectures, quizzes, and interactive exercises. You will also have the opportunity to connect with other learners from around the world and share your experiences.
5. Introduction to Computer Science offered by Harvard University on edX
- School: Harvard University
- Duration: 11 weeks long
Harvard University offers an online course on edX called CS50’s Introduction to Computer Science. This course is designed for both majors and non-majors, with or without prior programming experience.
The course is taught by David J. Malan and is an entry-level course that teaches students how to think algorithmically and solve problems efficiently.
The course covers a wide range of topics including abstraction, algorithms, data structures, encapsulation, resource management, security, software engineering, and web development.
The course also includes problem sets inspired by real-world domains of biology, cryptography, finance, forensics, and gaming. The languages covered in the course include C, Python, SQL, and JavaScript plus CSS and HTML.
6. Introduction to Python Programming offered by the University of Edinburgh on FutureLearn
- School: University of Edinburgh
- Duration: The course is offered on FutureLearn and is self-paced. It is estimated to take around 16 hours to complete.
The University of Edinburgh offers a beginner-level course on Python programming called Introduction to Python. The course is available to all staff and students and is aimed at those who are completely new to programming.
The course is designed to teach the basics of Python programming, from logic and functions to debugging.
The course is created by Ignat Georgiev, an Undergraduate Electronics and Software Engineering student working with the team. The course is offered in three levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced.
The beginner course is open to booking and is aimed at staff and students from all disciplines who are completely new to programming. The intermediate course focuses on data science for researchers, while the advanced course focuses on using Python with high-performance computing.
7. Introduction to Digital Marketing offered by Google on Google Digital Garage
- School: Google Digital Garage
- Duration: Self-paced, approximately 40 hours of study
Google Digital Garage offers a free online course called Fundamentals of Digital Marketing that covers the basics of digital marketing. The course is self-paced and accredited by the Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe and the Open University.
It features 26 modules, each covering a specific topic, and is fully created by Google staff. The course is designed to be beginner-friendly, enabling anyone with an interest in digital marketing to participate.
The course covers a wide range of topics, including how to get a business online, the basics of code, online advertising, and machine learning.
It also includes modules on how to promote a business with content, communicate ideas through storytelling and design, and effective networking.
Upon completion of the course, you will receive a certificate of achievement from Google Digital Garage. The certificate can be added to your LinkedIn profile or resume to showcase your digital marketing skills.
8. Introduction to Project Management offered by the University of Adelaide on edX
- School: University of Adelaide
- Duration: 5 weeks
The University of Adelaide offers a free online course on Introduction to Project Management on edX. The course is designed to teach the principles of project management and how to apply them in your work and life. It is a 5-week course that requires an effort of 2 to 3 hours per week and is suitable for beginners.
In the course, you will learn how to plan, scope, schedule, cost, and manage your project from beginning to end. You will also learn how to explore and understand your goals from the outset of your project and consider all the factors that may affect its execution. The course will show you practical ways to use project management skills, whether your project is large or small.
9. Introduction to Data Science in Python offered by the University of Michigan on Coursera
- School: University of Michigan
- Duration: 4 weeks
The Introduction to Data Science in Python course offered by the University of Michigan on Coursera is a great way to learn the basics of data science using Python. The course is part of Applied Data Science with Python Specialization and is taught in English.
The course is designed for learners who have a basic understanding of Python programming and want to learn how to apply statistical, machine learning, information visualization, text analysis, and social network analysis techniques through popular Python toolkits such as pandas, matplotlib, sci-kit-learn, nltk, and networks to gain insight into their data.
The course is divided into four modules. In the first module, you will get an introduction to the field of data science, review common Python functionality and features that data scientists use, and be introduced to the Coursera Jupyter Notebook for the lectures.
The second module will introduce you to the basics of the Python programming environment, including fundamental Python programming techniques such as lambdas, reading and manipulating CSV files, and the NumPy library.
The third module will introduce data manipulation and cleaning techniques using the popular Python pandas data science library and introduce the abstraction of the Series and DataFrame as the central data structures for data analysis, along with tutorials on how to use functions such as group, merge, and pivot tables effectively.
Finally, the fourth module will teach you how to take tabular data, clean it, manipulate it, and run basic inferential statistical analyses.
10. Introduction to Data Analysis using Excel offered by Microsoft on edX
- School: Microsoft on edX
- Duration: 4 weeks
Microsoft offers a course on Introduction to Data Analysis using Excel on edX. This course is designed to teach the basics of Excel, one of the most popular data analysis tools, to help visualize and gain insights from data.
The course is self-paced and takes approximately 4 weeks to complete, with an estimated workload of 2-4 hours per week.
The course covers the following topics:
- Excel tables and their advantages over regular ranges
- Creating pivot tables from a range with rows and columns in Excel
- Using pivot tables to summarize data in flexible ways.
- Creating pivot charts and slicers to visualize data and create easy-to-use dashboards.
- Using Excel formulas to aggregate data and create meaningful reports.
11. Introduction to Psychology offered by the University of Toronto on Coursera
- School: University of Toronto
- Duration: 3 weeks
The University of Toronto offers a course on Introduction to Psychology on Coursera. This course is taught in English and is available in 19 languages. The course is free to enroll and takes approximately 22 hours to complete for 3 weeks.
The course is designed to provide insight into the most interesting experiments within the field of psychology, discussing the implications of those studies for our understanding of the human mind and human behavior.
The course explores the brain and some of the cognitive abilities it supports like memory, learning, attention, perception, and consciousness.
Upon completion of the course, you will receive a shareable certificate that you can add to your LinkedIn profile. You will also gain skills in psychological issues, psychology, social psychology, and mental illness.
12. Introduction to Philosophy offered by the University of Edinburgh on Coursera
- School: The University of Edinburgh
- Duration: 3 weeks
The University of Edinburgh offers a free online course on Introduction to Philosophy on Coursera. The course is designed to introduce students to some of the main areas of research in contemporary philosophy.
The course is divided into 14 modules, and each module is taught by a different philosopher who will talk you through some of the most important questions and issues in your area of expertise.
The course begins by exploring what philosophy is, its characteristic aims and methods, and how it differs from other subjects. The rest of the course provides an introductory overview of several different areas of philosophy, including epistemology, philosophy of science, philosophy of mind, political philosophy, moral philosophy, and metaphysics.
13. Introduction to Environmental Science offered by the University of York on FutureLearn
- School: University of York
- Duration: 4 weeks
The University of York offers an online course on Introduction to Environmental Science on FutureLearn. This course is designed to provide a comprehensive introduction to the current environmental problems and threats, as well as possible solutions and effective environmental management.
The course is presented by CQUniversity and is four weeks long, with an estimated study time of four hours per week. The course is available at an introductory level and is 100% online.
The course covers a wide range of topics, including the nature of environmental science, resources, the basis of the world’s ecosystem, and the concept of the triple bottom line for sustainability.
14. Introduction to Business Management offered by the University of California, Irvine on Coursera
- School: University of California, Irvine
- Duration: 4 weeks
The University of California, Irvine offers a course on Introduction to Business and Management on Coursera. This course provides a rigorous overview of major business functions and management topics.
It addresses the global and fast-changing environment in which modern business enterprises operate as well as the challenges posed by concerns about sustainable growth, ethics, and social responsibility. The course is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills required to succeed in the field of business management.
The course is divided into several modules, each of which covers a specific topic.
The first module provides an introduction to the field of business management and covers topics such as the role of management in organizations, corporate social responsibility and responsiveness, ethics and values in business, government regulation, and international business.
The subsequent modules cover topics such as marketing, finance, accounting, operations management, and human resources management.
15. Introduction to Financial Accounting offered by the University of Pennsylvania on Coursera
- School: University of Pennsylvania
- Duration: 13 hours (approximately)
The University of Pennsylvania offers a course on Introduction to Financial Accounting on Coursera. This course is part of the Business Foundations Specialization and Introduction to Finance and Accounting Specialization.
The course is designed to help students master the technical skills required to analyze financial statements and disclosures for use in financial analysis. Students will also learn how accounting standards and managerial incentives affect the financial reporting process.
The course is taught by Brian J. Bushee, a professor of accounting at the University of Pennsylvania. The course is free to enroll, and students can choose to pay for a certificate upon completion. The course is self-paced, and students can complete it at their convenience.
The course is divided into four modules. The first module covers the basics of financial accounting, including the accounting equation, the balance sheet, and the income statement. The second module covers the accrual accounting process, including adjusting entries, the trial balance, and the preparation of financial statements.
The third module covers the analysis of financial statements, including ratio analysis and cash flow analysis. The fourth and final module covers the role of accounting in business decisions, including capital budgeting and performance evaluation.
16. Introduction to Human Resource Management offered by the University of Minnesota on Coursera
- School: University of Minnesota
- Duration: Approximately 6 months at a suggested pace of 4 hours per week
The University of Minnesota offers a free online course on Human Resource Management through Coursera. This course is part of the Human Resource Management: HR for People Managers Specialization and is designed to provide an introduction to the fundamental principles, policies, and practices of human resource management.
The course is open to anyone interested in the field and is particularly valuable for managers and entrepreneurs.
The course consists of four courses in total, with the first course being foundational. The subsequent three courses delve into best practices for hiring and rewarding employees and for managing employee performance.
17. Introduction to Supply Chain Management offered by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on edX
- School: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Duration: 13 weeks, 8–12 hours per week
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) offers a MicroMasters program in Supply Chain Management on edX, which consists of five graduate-level courses designed to provide learners with advanced education and career opportunities in the field of supply chain management.
The program is an online certificate program that has already benefited half a million learners with its rich content. The program is designed to raise the knowledge of SCM professionals across the globe, educate the world for free, and provide a rigorous credential to qualified students at a minimum cost.
18. Introduction to Public Speaking offered by the University of Washington on Coursera
- School: University of Washington
- Duration: 17 hours (approximately)
The University of Washington offers a course on Introduction to Public Speaking on Coursera. This course is part of the Dynamic Public Speaking Specialization and is taught in English. The course is designed to help you become a more effective and confident public speaker.
It aims to demystify the process of writing, practicing, and performing a clear and engaging speech, work through the unique traits of oral versus written communication, and learn how to prepare speeches that are easier to deliver orally and understand aurally.
The course is instructed by Dr. Matt McGarrity. The course is approximately 17 hours long and is self-paced. Upon completion, you will gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals of public speaking. You will also gain skills such as confidence, presentation, and speech.
19. Introduction to Negotiation offered by Yale University on Coursera
- School: Yale University
- Duration: 8 weeks
Yale University offers a course on Introduction to Negotiation: A Strategic Playbook for Becoming a Principled and Persuasive Negotiator on Coursera.
The course is designed to help you become a better negotiator by developing a framework for analyzing and shaping negotiations. The course will allow you to make principled arguments that persuade others and see beneath the surface of apparent conflicts to uncover the underlying interests.
The course is taught by Barry Nalebuff, a top instructor at Yale University. The course is approximately 37 hours long and is divided into 9 modules.
The course covers a wide range of topics including preparing for a negotiation, making ultimatums, avoiding regret, expanding the pie, and dealing with someone who has a very different perspective on the world.
20. Introduction to Critical Thinking offered by the University of Auckland on FutureLearn
- School: University of Auckland
- Duration: 8 weeks
The University of Auckland offers a course on Critical Thinking on FutureLearn. The course is designed to help you develop and improve your logical and critical thinking skills and to identify common obstacles to effective logical and critical thinking.
The course is taught by Tim Dare and Patrick Girard and is structured into eight weeks. The course covers topics such as logical and critical thinking, common obstacles and fallacies, arguments, deductive and non-deductive arguments, validity, invalidity, strength and weakness, good and bad arguments, and more.
The course is delivered through a combination of videos, articles, and interactive exercises, and supports peer learning through discussions that encourage the sharing of ideas and experiences from a wide variety of contexts.
FAQs
Are these courses completely free?
Yes, all the courses listed in this article are free to enroll in. However, some may offer optional paid certificates or additional materials.
How long does it take to complete these courses?
The duration varies for each course. It can range from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the course content and the time commitment of the learner.
Are the certificates recognized by employers?
While these certificates may not be equivalent to a degree, many employers value the skills gained through these courses. It's always a good idea to check with specific employers or industries to understand their recognition.
How do I receive the certificates?
The process for receiving certificates varies by platform. Generally, certificates are available for download or sharing upon course completion. Some platforms may charge a fee for the certificate.
Are these courses part-time or full-time?
Most of the courses are designed to be flexible and can be taken part-time. However, the time commitment depends on the individual learner and the course requirements.
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Conclusion
It is always important to know when something has reached its end. This article has provided learners with a comprehensive list of free online courses with certificates in the UK.
We hope that this article has been helpful in guiding learners to acquire new skills and knowledge that can help them in their personal and professional lives. Remember, no knowledge is a waste, and individuals with many skill sets are progressing in today’s world. You too can. Good luck!
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