Once again, I return to help all of my remote but curious friends with a new History From Afar post! Oftentimes, our budget and our location are out of our control. (Yes, people will flippantly say “Get a new job” or “Just move”, but it’s not that simple.) I believe that no matter where you live or what your budget is, you should be able to enjoy history. That might look different for each of us, but it is possible! Today’s post is all about online courses for those who might be more academically inclined. In this History From Afar: Online Courses post, I will be sharing how to find free online courses and make the most of them.
How to Make the Most of Online Courses
Before I share my recommendations on where to find online courses, I thought I would touch on how to make the most of them. If you are reading this blog, you are probably an adult and can best judge if you have the time and/or drive to take a course.
-Presumably, you are taking the course because you enjoy it! It’s not required, so hopefully there is less stress. Take the time to enjoy it.
-If you want or need a certificate or proof of taking the course for any number of reasons, make sure you research what you need to do to get that before signing up.
–Download any available course materials, including books, articles, and notes. These can be valuable tools for future research, but may not be available later on.
-Keep up with the suggested schedule, as many free online courses only allow access for a set, shorter period after the course ends.
-Only sign up for courses that you enjoy. Unless you need it for your work, don’t spend your time on courses that you will not enjoy.
-Check other subject areas to see if any other courses might be applicable to you or your research. I often find that literature, language, and culture courses have a lot of overlap with history.
-Your workplace may pay for you to take online courses, check with your employer. Many companies will require it to be related to your job, while others will require it to be with an accredited institution. Find out all of the parameters if it is possible.
Where to Find Paid Online Courses
There are some benefits to paid online courses. Firstly, they oftentimes come with an official transcript and/or post-secondary credit. Secondly, when they are hosted by a museum or cultural organisation, you are often given special access to archival material and objects. And thirdly, it can motivate you. I’ve spoken with several people who find that they pay a lot more attention in courses that they have paid for.
–Victoria and Albert Museum– The V&A offers some incredible online courses that cover a wide variety of topics. They have some of the world’s leading experts and that includes getting to see some rare pieces that the V&A have in their collections. Make sure when signing up for courses at the V&A that they are online. (They also offer in-person courses.) The courses range in price from £120 to £395, so if you are not in the UK, the exchange rate can be steep.
–Smithsonian Associates– The Smithsonian has a separate educational association, and they offer several different paid courses and talks. Some are one-time courses and others are part of a series, but there is a wide range of topics.
-Universities and Colleges- Many universities and colleges offer online courses now. If you are enrolled as a student at another institution, you may be unable to take courses elsewhere- you will need to check with your home institution. However, if you are not, many continuing education divisions offer online courses taught by experts in the field.
Where to Find Free Online History Courses
Realistically many of us have small and/or limited budgets for things like courses. In a world of ever-rising costs, it is simply reality. There are many free online course options, though!
–FutureLearn– FutureLearn is the most popular site for free online learning. There are hundreds of free courses, microcredentials, and even degrees. If you want an official certificate or credential, you will need to pay. However, if it is solely for your interest, you can take courses for free! (You will need to finish it in a specific amount of time.)
–Coursera– Coursera is very similar to FutureLearn! It focuses more on degrees and certificates, but still has much to offer. Auditing is free, but if you want the credential or to have graded assignments with feedback, you will have to pay for the course. (I like that it highlights what skills you will build.)
–Harvard University– Harvard’s extension school hosts many free courses in a number of different subject areas.
The History From Afar Series
If you missed the previous posts in my History From Afar series:
Intro: History From Afar – The full details on the series!
History From Afar: Books– How and where to find free and affordable history books!
History From Afar: Online History Talks– How and where to find free and paid online history talks!
History From Afar: Online Exhibitions– How and where to find free online exhibitions!
I hope that History From Afar: Online History Courses has been helpful for you- happy history-ing!
Cheers,
The Historian
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