Studying is hard

After a long and tedious school day, all any tired student wants to do is sink down into their beds and be dead to the world.

Enough studying.

Enough!!

They say there’s two kinds of people, though. Maybe you’re the second kind of person—the kind bursting with passion to learn new things and change the world—no time to waste, fam. Lots of things to do, lots of sights to see.

 

If this is you, you have my complete respect.

Why do an MOOC?

Regardless of which group you’re in, you’ll enjoy MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses). Online courses open to pretty much anyone with access to the Web, these courses allow for unlimited participation and comprise of a huge variety of topics.

Interested in philosophy? There’s a course for that. German Opera? There’s a course for that, too.Choose something that catches your attention and have fun exploring areas of interest that you might never discover, otherwise!

The best part?

A great majority of these free online courses are offered by recognized universities across the globe, so you’re learning from some of the best out there! Most are also self-paced, so you can take a break to space out …

Or take more MOOCs, like this fascinating one that taught survival and science themes via The Walking Dead. Some can even be done on the train/bus home on your phone. (Coursera App./edX App)

If you’re raring to go, we’ve trawled the net for a starter list of MOOCs to tickle your palate:

The Curious

The Pragmatic

The Curious

• The Rise of Superheroes and Their Impact On Pop Culture

Offered by:The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History

Description: If you’re a huge fan of The Avengers and other superheroes, this is the MOOC for you. Taught by experts from the Smithsonian Museum and big industry names like Stan Lee (Marvel) and Michael Uslan (executive producer: The Dark Knight series), learn about the origins and history of superheroes as well as how they became so beloved to America, and then the world.

Run dates: Self-paced, 6 weeks (1-2 hours per week)

• World of Wine: from grape to glass

Offered by: The University of Adelaide (Australia)

Description:Love your cabernet sauvignons and merlots? While this MOOC won’t turn you into a wine aficionado/sommelier overnight, it will help you appreciate that glass of grappa better by equipping you with the formal vocabulary to describe its sensory attributes. It will also give insights on the industry practices used in the grapevines and share winemaking techniques.

Run dates: Self-paced, 6 weeks (2-3 hours per week)

• Drawing Nature, Science and Culture: Natural History Illustration 101

Offered by: The University of Newcastle (Australia)

Description:This isn’t only for the avid drawers! Covering the basics of Natural History Illustration, the course will also impart scientific observational skills as you learn how to draw and replicate subjects from nature, science and culture. At the very least, you will complete this with a renewed appreciation of the world around us.

Run dates: Starts April 4, 2018 for 6 weeks (3-6 hours per week)

• The Book: Making and Meaning in the Medieval Manuscript

Offered by: Harvard University (HarvardX)

Description: Travel back into time with this MOOC! The course will bring you through the process of making a codex (a handwritten and hand-constructed book), showing how careful thought went into the selection of inks and materials, as well as the importance of books across various contexts (devotional, educational) and how this affects their forms and content.

Run dates: Self-paced, 7 weeks (2-4 hours per week)

• First Step Korean

Offered by: Yonsei University

Description: Wanted to pick up a third language but had no time? Or unable to get into the language modules? Try an MOOC! This particular one will teach you how to read the Korean alphabet (Hangul), along with basic expressions in Korean. Intermediate/advanced level MOOCs are also available.

Run dates: Self-paced, 5 weeks (1-3 hours per week)

• Anthropology of Current World Issues

Offered by: The University of Queensland (Australia)

Description:See how history informs the present in this MOOC, which uses anthropology (the study of human beings through time and space) to provide you new perspectives on current world issues today. Learn a little about other cultures as you listen to interviews from various anthropologists and how throughout all of them, they contain differences yetharbour a sameness within.

Run dates: Self-paced, 9 weeks (1-2 hours per week)

• Music for Wellness

Offered by: Berklee College of Music

Description: Take the singing in the shower and head-bopping to show-stopping tunes one step further! Learn how to use music to promote your well-being, reduce stress and improve your health.

Run dates:Self-paced, 4 weeks (5 hours per week)

• Serious Gaming

Offered by:Erasmus University Rotterdam

Description: Do you know what serious games are? If you, like me, didn’t know that this was a category, this might be of interest to you. Learn about serious games and how they are employed in various situations beyond pure entertainment, their impact, and where the future of such games lie. After this module, you’ll see games in a whole new light.

Run dates: Starts Dec 25, 2017 for 6 weeks (3-5 hours per week)

• Artful Medicine: Art’s Power to Enrich Patient Care

Offered by: Brown University

Description: Taking interdisciplinary modules in school can sometimes feel like an obligation, with some of us questioning just why such a practise is necessary. This module on medical humanities is an example of how “different” disciplines can intersect and how they complement/build upon each other.

Run dates: Archived but course remains open for enrolment, 3 weeks (2-3 hours per week)

• The Science of Happiness

Offered by:  University of California, Berkeley

Description: Uni can run us ragged with its demanding schedules. If that’s happening to you and things are getting a little overwhelming (or you’re starting to find the cycle of eat/sleep/study losing its meaning), this MOOC might help. It teaches the science of positive psychology through practical strategies such as mindfulness to help you foster your social and emotional well-being.

Run dates: Starts Jan 9, 2018, for 8 weeks (4-5 hours per week)

The Pragmatic 

• Visual Presentation

Offered by:Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)

Description: Spiff up your presentations for classes by taking this course, which will teach you how to present your data in the best way possible with the help of carefully selected visual images to inform, educate and persuade your audiences.

Run dates: Starts Jul 31, 2018, for 3 weeks (6-8 hours per week)

• Writing in the Sciences

Offered by: Stanford University (Stanford OpenEdx)

Description: The MOOC teaches you how to write effectively and provides tips on how to write faster, making it helpful not just to those studying the Sciences. It also, for the new and clueless, teaches you the format of a scientific manuscript and should it be necessary, how to do a peer review.

Run dates: Self-paced, 8 weeks

• Conflict Management for College Students

Offered by: Colorado State University

Description:This module will help you navigate the difficult situations you encounter, whether it be uncooperative group members or disagreeable roommates, by teaching you the causes of conflict, how to identify your reactions (patterns) upon encountering conflict, and communication skills. The skills you gain will be not only be applicable in the workplace post-graduation, but also in daily life.

Run dates: Self-paced, 1 hour per week

• Introduction to UX

Offered by: University of Michigan

Description:In a world full of choices today, especially online, consumers are discerning and will not waste their time on services/portals that do not deliver what they seek. This means that the smallest little design flaw could make or break your site/service. This is where learning UX (user experience) comes in! This MOOC takes you through the UX research and design process, and is part of the University of Michigan’s User Experience (UX) Research and Design MicroMasters Program, which is industry recognized.

Run dates: Self-paced, 5 weeks (2-4 hours per week)

• Introduction to Marketing: Tools to Set Enterprises Apart

Offered by: University of Edinburgh

Description: This MOOC teaches you practical marketing strategies and tools, showing how they can be used by enterprises to gain an edge and increase their presence, revenue and profitability (aka real world application), amongst many things. No prior marketing knowledge is necessary.

Run dates: Self-paced, 6 weeks (2-3 hours per week)

• From Python to Java: Fundamentals of Programming

Offered by: University of Wolverhampton (England)

Description:Programming is a valuable and good programmers are always sought after (and paid well). If you are looking to pick up programming for professional reasons, or maybe just for passion’s sake, this course covers the basics (Python, Python Turtle Graphics, Java) taught in GCSE/A level Computer Science. Upon completion, participants will receive a certificate from the School of Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Wolverhampton.

Run dates: Nov 13, 2017 – Jul 9, 2018 (3 hours per week)

• Improve your Research Skills

Offered by:Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Description: University has us dealing with tons and tons of research to write our papers and produce our own research. This MOOC will be especially relevant, as it teaches you ways to improve your research skills from pre-planning to the writing of your text/paper.

Run dates: Self-paced, 2 hours per week

• Sustainability in Everyday Life

Offered by: Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden)

Description: Worried about your carbon footprint, or striving to be more environmentally conscious (less plastic bags, etc)? This MOOC will assist you by helping you to evaluate your choices and make more sustainable ones, through modules covering the themes of globalization, climate change, food and energy as well as chemicals.

Run dates: Starts Feb 1, 2018 for 6 weeks (6-8 hours perweek)

• Academic and Business Writing

Offered by: University of California (Berkeley)

Description: Some of us have a little difficulty adapting to university because of the markedly different writing style that it demands. While most schools have bridging classes or writing modules, taking a refresher course, or practicing on your own time, couldn’t hurt. Learn how to manage tone and diction, along with editing skills as well as vocabulary, in this MOOC.

Run dates: Self-paced, 6 weeks (3-5 hours per week)

• Unlocking Your Employability

Offered by: The University of Queensland (Australia)

Description: This MOOCgoes beyond interview skills and resume writing to teach you how to take your experiences and extract the learnings (skills and knowledge) to convince future employers of your potential and capabilities. It also lets you hear from employers, current students, and graduates, on topics like what skills are sought after in graduates, to transitioning successfully from school to the workplace.

Run dates: Starts February 6, 2018, total of 7 modules (1 hour each)

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