Two of the most notable schools in the world are Harvard University and Yale University. They have produced some of the great leaders and professionals from presidents, Nobel Laureates, Supreme Court justices, and others. As a member of the prestigious Ivy League, these top-rated institutions maintain solid reputations in the broad range of courses they offer. However, not everyone has the privilege of attending such a prestigious school because they are generally unaffordable to most.
According to statistics, there are 6.6 million online students in the US. As frontrunners in the international academe and innovation standards, Harvard and Yale have affiliated with online websites edX and Coursera so students can gain access to high-quality university education. These free and low-priced online classes are conducted by their university professors.
Thanks to online learning platforms, every student now gets the opportunity to learn fact-based information and skills to advance in their professional and personal goals.
These online sites allow you to audit any course and access any learning materials for free. However, expanded optional access to assignments, exams, and a verified certificate is available for a fee.
We rounded up below some of the free Harvard and Yale online classes for your learning benefit, all while attending in your most comfortable environment:
Mechanical Ventilation for COVID-19
Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies
The Architectural Imagination
Data Science: Machine Learning
Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Writing and Public Speaking
Fundamentals of Neuroscience, Part 1: The Electrical Properties of the Neuron
Essentials of Global Health
America’s Unwritten Constitution
Moralities of Everyday Life
Financial Markets
Music and Social Action
Climate Adaptation for Human Health
Did someone say FREE? You may also be interested in these free or low-cost classes, as well: 12 Free Online College Law Courses in 2020, 12 Free Online College Healthcare Courses in 2020, or perhaps, Free Online College Math Courses in 2020.
Mechanical Ventilation for COVID-19
Harvard University
With the rise of COVID-19 patients and their respiratory complications, ventilatory support is one of the medical interventions performed in every healthcare setting.
In this self-paced course, it will assist in the operation of a ventilator for licensed non-ICU hospital clinicians. For seven days, students will be oriented with the principles and physiology of mechanical ventilation, its settings, and how to troubleshoot. Moreover, there will be lessons on standard ventilatory management for patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and Obstructive Lung Disease and its difference from COVID-19 patients. Finally, an introductory class like this with two to five hours of weekly discussion will also tackle pre and post-extubation evaluation procedures.
*Additional Info: How Online Learning Helps Combat COVID-19 Outbreak
Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies
Harvard University
In emerging economies, it requires market orientation and a growing economic foundation. For it to be a significant success, entrepreneurship plays a crucial role in understanding the current trend.
With a focus on individual agencies in addressing problems, this introductory business and management course takes six weeks to finish. Its goal is for the students to develop an awareness of business opportunities in the ever-changing markets and understand its conceptual framework. For three to five hours weekly, this self-paced class is taught by Professor Tarun Khanna of Harvard Business School using a multidisciplinary approach. Ultimately, learners will also formulate smart business solutions from the entrepreneurial problems that were addressed, identified, and analyzed.
Are you ready to earn an online Bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship? Take a look at our choices for the 20 Best Online Schools for Bachelor of Entrepreneurship Degrees 2020
The Architectural Imagination
Harvard University
Throughout history, architecture has shaped the world in its representation of society into its material form. By studying some of the historically famous buildings, we are also taken back to the triumph, culture, and eventual downfall of civilizations over time.
The introductory class will run for ten weeks, where basic architectural principles will serve as a focal point. The course syllabus is divided into three parts: form and history, technology effect and representation, and context. From the introduction of architectural imagination and exploration of architectural typology, students will also know how technological advances can develop new aesthetics to the age-old traditions. In the final part, video lessons will discuss architecture’s powerful social and historical representation to audiences producing collective meaning and memory.
Check out our choices for the Best Online Schools for Bachelor of Architecture Degrees 2020. And, here is an interesting read for the architectural enthusiast 25 Most Impressive Examples of Religious Architecture
Data Science: Machine Learning
Harvard University
The central part of artificial intelligence, machine learning, builds an algorithm prediction using computer data. As one of the most popular in data science techniques, it helps in the development of speech recognition, movie recommendation systems, spam detectors, and postal service’s handwriting reader system.
Students interested need to spend two months to complete this self-paced course. As a component of their Professional Certificate Program in Data Science, you will learn about the fundamentals skills of machine learning and performing cross-validation. In specific, there will be lectures on the concepts of machine learning algorithms, principal component analysis, and the use of regularization. Students will also build a movie recommendation system with the help of these basic concepts.
Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Writing and Public Speaking
Harvard University
In a society where socio-political arguments occur, delivering a message with a subtle act of persuasion takes some skill. As these messages can be transformative, you need to have a valid argument and analysis to convince the opposite parties, both in writing and public speaking.
This course is based on the on-campus course Elements of Rhetoric of Harvard Educator James Engell. For eight weeks, students will be introduced to rhetoric practices and theories. You will examine the structure and style from the American speeches of Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Margaret Chase Smith, Ronald Reagan, and others. Through differentiating these speeches, students will know their rhetoric techniques in writing opinion editorial and short speech. Eventually, you will be able to apply and understand the strength of an argument and recognize logical fallacies once someone is persuading you.
For a degree in Communications: Top Online Bachelor of Communications Degree Programs for 2020
Fundamentals of Neuroscience, Part 1: The Electrical Properties of the Neuron
Harvard University
The brain has an impact on behavior and intellectual functioning. In neuroscience, the scope has broadened over time in studying the nervous system combining multidisciplinary branches of anatomy, biology, cytology, mathematical modeling, and psychology, thus making it a highly-complex discipline.
This introductory course has five outlines. Since this is a three-part series, the first course will give students the electrical properties of the basic building block of the nervous system. With the use of interactive simulations, you will make a neuron by scratch, as well as discover its properties and action potentials. These simulations will take you to the school’s campus and observe laboratory workings. There will also be a DIY neuroscience lab experiment where you will be able to learn and conduct it individually.
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Essentials of Global Health
Harvard University
As we are currently facing an international health crisis, the issues on global health is an alarming concern. Pandemics, climate change, malnutrition, waste management, and heart disease are just some examples of practical issues of the health care delivery system. With these contributing factors and effects, global health education must be instilled in awareness.
The course is composed of six modules that can be completed in ten weeks’ duration. In the first two modules, students will be learning the fundamental topics in global health, related health issues, and demographic factors. In the middle of the course, it will focus on different health care delivery models in the world with their cost-cutting measures while ensuring effective and quality service. Not only assessment of maternal and child care are included but also examining morbidity and mortality cases by studying their disease conditions, risk factors, and cost-effective implementation of services. The last part of the module will cover future challenges in global health, its corrective measures, and action plans.
America’s Unwritten Constitution
Harvard University
The US Constitution is the supreme law of the land. It protects the freedom of the American people. Understanding and interpreting the Constitution is vital as everyone needs to know their rights and privileges granted and also their American obligations.
For six weeks, online students will be taught by Sterling Law Professor Akhil Amal through a series of lecture videos. You will learn the primary tool and techniques in American Consitution interpretation, reading between the lines while remaining faithful to the law. Comprised of 13 modules, the course will also discuss topics on newly-recognized fundamental rights, court issues, and precedents, women’s right to vote, the two-party American system, and more. In the end part of the lectures, students are encouraged to “do the right thing” in envisioning the future for the US Constitution.
Moralities of Everyday Life
Yale University
Morality is an aspect of our intrinsic being and human existence. Its consciousness is central to respecting relationships, including self, others, and God. As society sets certain expectations for every individual, it serves as our focal point for sound reasoning.
A course under Philosophy, students will explore about moralities and how it is applicable in one’s daily life. For six weeks, the syllabus will include the introduction of morality, its origin, and the disputable issues in this field. The online class will also address compassion and its relationship to empathy. Students will examine the influence of culture, religion, and political differences in one’s moral thought and action. Not only will it review the individual bonds we have with families but also the incredible altruistic feeling we have with strangers using economic and behavioral tools. Consequently, the online lessons will end with deciding if our moral behavior and actions can be affected by free will, determinism, or even through a physiological aspect.
Financial Markets
Yale University
Like the famous Wall Street, financial markets provide an avenue for people to bring money, so it flows to where it is needed the most. It sets a price for financial assets like shares, bonds, and currencies. For a business, these market types help in their finance so they can hire, invest, and grow.
With varying course start dates, these seven modules can be finished within two months, introducing you to the basics of financial markets. It will also explain various financial asset terms, limitations, and scope. Also, it presents an overview of risk management through basic principles and systematic approaches.
As a result, this free online class will broaden your understanding of the current analysis and the markets in security, insurance, and banking industries. Taught by Professor Shiller, his video lectures in the final module include how to use these finance corporations in your career and society.
Take a look at these options: 30 Best Online Schools for Bachelor’s in Financial Planning and Wealth Management
Music and Social Action
Yale University
A musician is not only limited to his craft. It has the potential to send a powerful impact on social, cultural, and political undertones. Their art, like in the form of classical music, can have an obligation and an opportunity to take productive actions on societal change.
Taught by Yale Professor and American violinist Sebastian Ruth, he aims to make students realize the importance of being an artist, like in classical music, within society’s role transformation. For nine weeks, you will explore the positive influence of music across the globe through aesthetic experiences. The sequence of the video lectures involves the nature of music in American democracy, urban renewal, and contributions of artists and musicians over the century. This self-paced course syllabus will conclude as to how your role as an artist can contribute effectively to the community.
Climate Adaptation for Human Health
Yale University
As the Earth’s climate is changing rapidly, it leads to multiple harmful effects on our health. From rising temperatures, extreme heatwaves, and floods, these health threats are evident in the world’s poorest regions. As a consequence, it poses a high risk of acquiring the disease and further demands in health services.
This Environmental Science Course is conducted by epidemiologist and Yale professor Dr. Kathryn Conlon. In the course syllabus, the range of climate adaptation will be formally and informally defined on a local, regional, and national scale. As an online student, you will collect and analyze data by using vulnerability assessment tools for identifying and prioritizing adaptation opportunities. In four weeks of learning, you will plan, implement, and evaluate strategic actions effectively. Essentially, this is helpful in the end for readiness and building resilience in response to its negative consequences to human health.
A decade ago, no one would have thought that getting an education from Harvard and Yale University would be possible for anyone except for the wealthy! Thanks to these online education sites, learning is made accessible and available. With the majority of the world spending more time at home while gaining new skills, ideas, and knowledge, learning through virtual classrooms is an opportunity no one should miss!
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