The Best Paid and Free Harvard Online Courses in 2022
If you want to acquire financial accounting, deep learning, or programming skills, looking into Harvard online courses is worth it. You can enhance your resume and impress hiring managers by earning an online course certificate from a prestigious Ivy League institution. This guide includes the top paid and free Harvard online courses that the university has to offer.
About Harvard Online Courses
Harvard University online courses cover a wide range of subjects and cater towards the career growth of established professionals. Harvard offers its online programs in conjunction with its world-renowned departments. These departments include Harvard Business School, Harvard Kennedy School, and the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
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Depending on your area of interest, you can enroll in the university’s data science, financial accounting, artificial intelligence, strategic management, digital marketing, Python, business law, or public policy courses. According to its official website, the university provides online education to over six million students across 193 countries.
Harvard University currently offers around 2,170 courses that typically last between a few days to a few weeks. You can also enroll in the university’s free online programs and learn R, computer science, statistical concepts, matrix algebra, data science, artificial intelligence, or Python.
Does Harvard Offer Online Courses?
Yes, Harvard does offer online courses, and the institution allows learners to enroll in college-level courses covering various subject areas. You can look through Harvard University’s online course catalog to find specific educational programs that will aid your career trajectory.
Harvard University also partners with the popular online course platform, edX, to offer free and paid online courses alongside an edX learning experience. Besides Harvard Online, the university also offers Harvard Extension School, which allows students to achieve a professional education or college degree virtually.
What Can You Learn in a Harvard Online Course?
You can learn within eleven subject areas in a Harvard online course, including art and design, business, education and teaching, health and medicine, mathematics, and social science. Harvard online courses are catered towards both subject novices looking to learn a skill from scratch and experts seeking to add university certifications to their professional portfolios.
Does Harvard Offer Online Bootcamps?
No, Harvard does not currently offer online bootcamps. However, through its Harvard University Extension coding bootcamps programs, the university offers an in-person bootcamp in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The bootcamps are open to non-Harvard students and cost between $8,000 to $20,000.
Harvard University is partnered with Trilogy Education to offer a full stack web development bootcamp. It covers MySQL, HTML5, JavaScript, Node.js, and database theory. A bootcamp offers a great academic experience with a high standard of education. You could work in mobile development, digital media game design, and more.
Best Harvard Online Courses
Harvard University offers a wide range of online programs in life sciences, business, computer science, mathematics, data science, and education.
Below are the 15 best Harvard online courses with paid enrollment. You can choose the courses to match your career goals, interest in subject areas, time commitment, and financial preferences. Some of these are part of campus programs, and others are offered exclusively for the online community of students.
Course TitleDurationPriceA.I., Machine Learning, and the Built Environment 4 days $1,300Assessment and Treatment of Anxiety in the Primary Care Setting Self-Paced$149Business Analytics 8 weeks $1,600Compiler Design and Implementation 16 weeks $1,920Computer Science for Lawyers Self-Paced$1,900 Cybersecurity: Managing Risk in the Information Age 9 weeks $2,900Cybersecurity: The Intersection of Policy and Technology Online 5 days $3,800Data Mining for Business 16 weeks $2,980Design Thinking and Innovation 7 weeks $1,750Designing and Implementing AI Solutions For Health Care2 weeks $2,150Higher Education Teaching Certificate 9 weeks$2,400HMX Biochemistry10 weeks $800International Finance: Policy, Regulation, and TransactionsSelf-Paced$1,900Persuasive Communication: Narrative, Evidence, and Impact3 weeks $3,800Public Leadership Credential 6 weeks $995+
This course teaches you the applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in problem-solving across several fields. This advanced-level course covers design, business analytics, and artificial intelligence. It’s an ideal course for project coordinators looking to nurture their careers as AI project managers.
If a career in medicine or psychology is your goal, then this self-paced course about anxiety treatment and diagnosis is a great addition to your professional cognitive science portfolio. The program covers risk management in patients, six different anxiety disorder diagnoses, and psychotherapy.
Students of this course will earn a Continuing Education (CE) or Continuing Medical Education (CME) certificate offered by Harvard Medical School upon completion.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for operations research analysts is projected to grow by 25 percent by the next decade, and business analytics occupations fall under this category. By taking this business analytics course, you increase your chances of advancing a career within an in-demand industry.
This business analytics course will cover data trends, variable analysis, hypothesis development, and statistics. You will also learn regression analysis, A/B testing, data forecasting, data prediction, business analysis, and business intelligence.
This intermediate computer science course is for those interested in growing their tech career as a programming language interpreter and compiler. The course provides an in-depth breakdown of language syntax, algorithms, and optimization. It also teaches lexical analysis, code generation, parsing, and error detection.
This learning journey also offers an active learning route where students complete an advanced programming project that covers the design and implementation of interpreters. So, if you’re seeking practical experience as a programming language interpreter, this course is a match.
Whether your career is in cyber space law or social work, this social science and IT course will bolster it greatly. This Harvard online course will cover the foundations of an array of information technology subjects.
You will acquire basic skills in programming languages, database design, cyber security, web development, computational thinking, and cloud computing. If you are a social science or law professional looking to gain foundational technology-driven skills, then this course is worth taking.
Cyber security is a growing field that is prevalent across all online industries. If you want to become a cyber security analyst, risk analyst, or business analyst, then this course is ideal.
This cyber security course covers cyber risk, mitigation strategy, threat identification, incident response, and business systems. You will also learn about network security, data security, cyber law, and data integrity.
The field of public policy and law continues to adapt within an online and technology-oriented space. The course is suitable for aspiring public policy advisors and cyber security analysts. This is an instructor-led course where you will learn tech-dependent policies for conflicts and security. You will also learn risk analysis and threat modeling.
The relevance of data science subjects continues to grow across most major industries, including the business sector. If you have a non-technical background and are looking to earn one of the most in-demand skills in today’s job market, then this course is a great option.
The Data Mining for Business course covers data science foundations, programming, quantitative methods, customer demand analysis, and algorithmic development. You will learn to apply data mining principles to revenue projections and marketing forecasting for business growth. This course applies to a range of professionals looking to gain skills for the data world.
Looking to gain insight into user experience and product design? This introductory course about design thinking and innovation is worth looking into. The course is catered towards aspiring product managers and designers. It covers design frameworks, prototyping, human-centered design, and design principles.
This course also provides user values, frog design, stakeholder analysis, behavioral model, and ideation tools. Offered in association with the Harvard Business School, this self-paced online course provides a certificate upon completion.
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This artificial intelligence (AI) course offers a real-world learning environment for students interested in the applications of AI in the healthcare sector. This course is best suited for healthcare, biology, and clinical professionals looking to add advanced data science skills to their resumes.
Within the course, you will learn how to implement AI solutions using data infrastructures, computer interfaces, and deep learning. The course also covers topics related to machine learning, biostatistics, bioinformatics, and big data. Students will earn a certificate of completion at the end of the course.
This course is best suited for educational professionals looking to add a reputable teaching certificate to their portfolio. Harvard University offers this certification course in partnership with GetSmarter, and the course covers teaching development, higher education, and teaching subject areas.
The course will explain key characteristics that translate into excellence in teaching, including knowledge communication, assignment design, and lesson delivery. You’ll also learn how to create an inclusive education environment and enhance your interpersonal skills.
If a career in biochemistry, biology, or medicine is your goal, then this HMX Biochemistry course is your next step. The course covers thermodynamics, glycolysis, bypass reactions, metabolic networks, osmolarity, hydrophobic effect, protein structure, and enzyme cascades.
This course is offered in association with Harvard Medical University, and students will earn a certification of achievement upon completion.
This course will help you learn financial management, banking regulation, global banking markets, security regulations, and international financial systems. Having this Harvard certificate will prove beneficial for your finance, economics, or business career.
This course also covers economic approaches, fintech, and financial policy regulations. It is offered in conjunction with Harvard Law School. This means it will also help public policy advisors and financial lawyers.
This communication course is a professional development course that will help you connect with a range of professionals and peers, ultimately enhancing your persuasive communication abilities. The course will help you build a successful policy landscape career.
The course covers data visualization and policymaking while also providing career growth opportunities by organizing peer interaction. It is one of Harvard’s more expensive courses, but it is worth it.
This online course will boost a public policy advisor’s professional portfolio by adding design thinking, data analysis, and evidence analysis skills. You’ll be taught evidence-based decision-making, leadership ethics, and policy delivery and design. The course also includes a capstone assessment where you will showcase your public leadership skills through a project.
15 Best Free Harvard Online Courses
Course TitleDurationApplications of TinyML5 weeks Bioethics: The Law, Medicine, and Ethics of Reproductive Technologies and Genetics10 weeks CS50’s Computer Science for Business Professionals 6 weeks CS50 for Lawyers 10 weeks CS50’s Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python 7 weeks CS50: Introduction to Computer Science 11 weeks CS50’s Understanding Technology6 weeks Fundamentals of Neuroscience, Part 1: The Electrical Properties of the Neuron5 weeks High-Dimensional Data Analysis4 weeks Introduction to Bioconductor 5 weeks Introduction to Linear Models and Matrix Algebra 4 weeks Nonprofit Financial Stewardship Webinar: Introduction to Accounting and Financial StatementsSelf-Paced Principles, Statistical, and Computational Tools for Reproducible Data Science 8 weeksStatistics and R4 weeks Systematic Approaches to Policy Design Self-Paced
Harvard Online also offers tons of free courses covering numerous subject areas. Below are the top 15 free courses offered on the university’s platform, spanning computer science, data science, business, mathematics, biotech, and law. Choose the courses that aid and advance your professional ambitions.
If you are interested in a career in deep learning, machine learning, or artificial intelligence, then this TinyML course is the one. The course is offered on edX.com and covers TinyML application codes, anomaly detection, keyword spotting, and visual wake words.
Additionally, the course covers topics in subject areas including data science, computer science, and embedded systems. You can buy a verified certificate of completion for $199.
This introductory bioethics course is best suited for bioethics lawyers wishing to learn the applications of the law within the human clinical biology field. You will learn about the legality behind surrogacy, reproductive technology, sperm donation, human tissue, and genetic information. The course also offers a verified certificate for an additional $149.
Whether it’s website development or cloud computing, the business sector today is highly integrated with technology. You should check out this course if you are a business professional looking to gain in-demand tech skills. It covers programming languages, data structures, business intelligence, web development, and Internet technologies.
This course is apt for both law students and aspiring law students looking to gain information technology (IT) and cyber security skills. The course covers topics relevant to the combination of law and technology. You will learn foundational data structures, cyber security, computational thinking, cryptography, and application scalability.
This is another free course offered by the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences that covers foundational Python and artificial intelligence (AI). If you are a budding AI engineer or a data scientist, this free course is worth investigating. It covers machine learning, AI principles, neural networks, deep learning, algorithms, and Python.
For computer science novices, this free Harvard online course is a good choice. It provides an introductory understanding of programming and computer science. You’ll be taught SQL, Python, C, JavaScript, HTML, web development, algorithms, and data structures. You can also earn a certificate for an additional $149 after acquiring the minimum passing grade.
This course is targeted toward technology beginners who want to know the basics of computer science. It covers web development, programming, multimedia, and security. The course also covers foundational HTML, SQL, Python, CSS, HTML, and JavaScript. This is a great free course that will help you determine if a career in computer science is for you.
Harvard Online offers three free courses covering the fundamentals of neuroscience, and this is the first part of the trilogy. The courses are designed for aspiring neuroscientists or biologists. This first part covers the fundamentals of passive membranes, bioelectricity, the nervous system, resting potential, and neuroscience.
The field of data science and data analysis is rapidly taking over all major sectors. Data analysis is a great item for your resume. This course covers topics including data visualization, biostatistics, data analysis, R, and data science. You will also learn dimension reduction, dimensional scaling plot, mathematical distance, component analysis, and batch effects.
If you want a career in biology and data science, this course might be right for you. It is a beginner’s course that covers biostatistics, R, data analysis, biology, and data science. Students will learn bioconductor genomic ranges, genomic annotation, microarrays, and next-generation sequencing.
This data science and mathematics course is best suited to aspiring data scientists or computer scientists. It covers topics surrounding data science, data analysis, biology, and statistics. You will learn matrix algebra notation, linear models, QR decomposition, and R. This course can be audited for free, and an official certificate costs $149.
This accounting and finance course covers risk management, financial accounting, and nonprofit accounting. This course will help you develop the business skills that are essential across today’s job market. The course is offered as a webinar in association with the Harvard Kennedy School and does not offer a purchasable verified certification.
This is another free data science course offered by Harvard. It covers topics related to data science, data analysis, and statistics. You will learn analysis paradigms, statistical tools, computational tools, and reproducible data. It also teaches GitHub, Dataverse, Notebook, Pandoc, Spyder, and RStudio. You can pay $99 to earn a certificate of completion.
Having statistics and R skills is crucial to building a data science or data analysis career and this free course will help you acquire them. You will learn random variables, distributions, exploratory data analysis, non-parametric statistics, and inference. This course is hosted on edX and is free if you don’t want the certificate of completion.
This free course is targeted towards established public policy advisors and other government officials seeking to gain data science skills. It will cover the three primary systematic approaches to analytical decision-making. It will also help you learn foundational skills to start the Public Leadership Credential (PLC) program at Harvard.
How to Choose an Online Course from Harvard
There are several factors you should consider when choosing an online course from Harvard University, including the learning curriculum, your financial preference, and the certification the course offers. Below are some primary factors you should take into account while browsing Harvard online courses.
- Curriculum. Harvard Online offers tons of courses in the same field. Find out the topics necessary for your career growth and choose the course that matches those preferences. For instance, if you are a beginner, be sure to choose a course that includes foundational topics.
- Financial preference. Considering financial factors while choosing a paid Harvard University course is essential. The online courses at Harvard can be quite pricey, so be sure to choose a course that will assist with your career growth.
- Certificates. Harvard University also offers many free online courses in partnership with edX and other online course platforms. A factor to consider while choosing a free course is the availability of a verified certificate. Those who wish to receive a certificate should choose courses that offer them.
- Course length and schedule. Another crucial factor to consider is the course timeline and schedule. Harvard online courses are offered on both a self-paced and a live delivery schedule. You should look into the required number of study hours per week and ensure that it matches your preference.
- Professor or department. Harvard University is a highly prestigious school, and acquiring a certification from this Ivy League institution can boost your professional portfolio. You can further enhance it by enrolling in a course that is offered by a highly reputable department or faculty.
Are Online Courses at Harvard Worth It?
Yes, online courses at Harvard are worth it if you are looking to earn a reputable certificate from a world-famous Ivy League university. Harvard University offers tons of courses in the areas of data science, computer science, education, and business, and having an additional certification is helpful for your career.
You can also choose to enroll in the several free courses offered by Harvard University. The school offers hundreds of beginner to advanced courses that will help you master a subject area. Harvard offers many of its online courses in association with its law, business, computer science, and engineering departments.
Harvard Online Courses FAQ
Who can take Harvard online courses?
Harvard online courses are open to all students, but some paid online courses offered by the school in conjunction with the university departments require students to meet their prerequisites. All free courses offered by Harvard University are for everyone, including international students.
What subject areas do Harvard online courses cover?
Harvard online courses cover a wide range of subject areas, including computer science, programming, education, health care, data science, business, public policy, digital marketing, and mathematics.
Are Harvard online courses the same as Harvard University courses?
No, Harvard online courses are not the same as Harvard University courses, as Harvard University offers courses that contribute to a degree program. Harvard Online, on the other hand, offers short-term certificate or non-certificate courses focusing on a specific subject area.
Can I take Harvard online courses for free?
Yes, Harvard Online offers several free courses open to all, and you can enroll in a free course that matches your interest in the subject area. Harvard offers free courses covering data science, mathematics, statistics, programming, business, law, education, and public policy. You can also choose to buy a verified certificate upon completing the course.
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