Grow Your Skills With Free Online College Courses

The internet has brought us many things over the years: online shopping, hysterical memes, and a way to connect like never before. It’s also opened up new opportunities in employment (remote work, anyone?) and education, like online courses.

Taking online college classes gives you the flexibility to learn on your schedule. No longer do you have to carve out time to attend class when the instructor says. In many cases, you can attend class whenever and wherever you want.

So, instead of making a full semester commitment (and payment), consider taking a free online college class instead.

Several online organizations have partnered with universities to offer free online college courses to anyone who wants to learn some new skills and dip their toes in the remote learning waters. Taught by the same professors that teach in-person, you’ll benefit from their classes without the hefty price tag!

Here are some of the free online college courses you can take.

University of Virginia

Managerial Accounting Fundamentals

Learn the fundamentals of managerial accounting and how to use financial information to make decisions. You’ll discover how to describe different types of costs, conduct cost-volume-profit analysis, and understand how to determine what information to use in your decisions and which to discard.

Financial Accounting Fundamentals

This free online college class walks students through the three most commonly used financial statements: balance sheets, income statements, and statement of cash flows. In addition to understanding how to properly fill them in, you’ll learn how the three documents work together and how to analyze the information on them.

Marketing Analytics

Take your marketing to the next level through the use of analytics. This class introduces you to the different types of marketing analytics and how to interpret data. Once you can interpret the data, you’ll be able to make data-driven decisions to drive your marketing plan.

University of Illinois

Auditing 1: Conceptual Foundations of Auditing

This introductory class focuses on the beginning concepts of auditing. You will learn about an auditor’s professional responsibilities and the main parts of the audit process.

West Virginia University

Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination

Students in this free online college class will learn about business fraud—specifically, who commits fraudulent acts, and why and how they do it. But, more importantly, you’ll also learn the techniques to help you catch them.

University of Michigan

Accounting for Decision Making

This class focuses on understanding and interpreting two key financial statements: balance sheets and income statements. You’ll not only learn about the “big picture” of these statements, but also the individual components of each to help guide your overall decision-making process.

Writing and Editing: Word Choice and Word Order

Learn how language can influence people and their decisions. You’ll learn how to take complex information and present it in a reader-friendly way. Students will also learn creative ways to construct sentences, tell compelling stories, and the best way to organize their writing.

University of California, Davis

Introduction to Search Engine Optimization

This class is the first of an SEO specialization series and introduces you to search engine optimization. You’ll learn how the Google search engine works and why SEO best practices are always shifting. Students will also learn SEO tips and tricks to help drive more organic search results and avoid Google penalties.

University of Pennsylvania

Introduction to Marketing

Learn about three fundamental marketing principles and how to effectively use them in your marketing strategy. You’ll learn about branding, which helps keep loyal customers loyal; customer centricity, which is not the same as customer service; and go-to-market strategies, which help you understand what influences customers.

Duke University

English Composition 1

You will learn how to read and write at the college level in this free online college class. This includes understanding the writing process, citing sources, analyzing text, writing effective arguments, and how the writing process works.

Stanford University

Writing in the Sciences

This class is geared toward scientists who want to be more effective writers. Using practical examples and exercises, you’ll learn the principles of good writing, how to write faster, the peer review process, grant writing, and more.

Harvard University

Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Writing and Public Speaking

In this introductory course, you’ll learn the theory and practice of rhetoric, also known as persuasive speaking and writing. You’ll learn how to construct and defend compelling arguments and how to recognize when someone is trying to persuade you.

University of California, Irvine

Grammar and Punctuation

This class is the first of a series of grammar classes and is a refresher course. You’ll learn how to identify the correct verb tense, how to use commas effectively, and many more grammar tips you may have forgotten since high school!

University of California, Berkeley

How to Write an Essay

Over the course of this introductory level online college class, you’ll learn the basics of writing college-level essays. By the end of the course, you’ll know how to write effective sentences and paragraphs, as well as introductions and conclusions.

Class Is in Session

It’s never been easier to take a class and improve your knowledge. What’s more, taking free online college courses gives you the freedom and flexibility to do it your way, from when you start the course to where you take it!

If you’re looking for more classes, browse our selection today!