Are you doing jobs and have free time? Well, why don’t you use those free hours to enhance your skills in certain fields? If you think this is very challenging for you, then it’s time to give online certificate programs a try. As the job environment is getting very competitive with time, you should focus more on improving your career and obtaining new skills. By choosing the best online course, you can enhance your skills within a few weeks or months, and you can learn from the comfort of your home.
However, you should keep in mind that not all online courses are the same, and to enjoy maximum benefits, you need to choose the best online courses and certification providers. So, how to choose the right one? Let us help you with this.
Here are the top 5 such platforms that you can choose to begin your journey. Let’s talk about those platforms in detail.
1. Coursera
Founded in the year 2012 by a Computer Science professor from Stanford, Coursera provides the student as well as working professionals with university-level certification programs and courses. Most of the courses available at Coursera are taught by highly experienced trainers and teachers from well-known universities or companies like Princeton, Yale, Stanford, John Hopkins University, the University of Michigan and more. One of the major differences between other learning platforms and Coursera is that this platform offers full degrees and they have more than 7000 courses. One can go for short-term courses, Master’s degrees and Bachelor’s degrees.
Different Courses Offered by Coursera
This platform offers different types of online courses, and all are provided by accredited institutions. Some of the popular courses are:
- Guided Projects
If you want to learn more and master your job-relevant knowledge and skills within a few hours, then guided projects are for you. The duration can range from 1 to 2 hours, and the price begins from USD 9 per month. You will also get a chance to work on a project in an interactive virtual workspace.
- Courses
Coursera offers more than 1500 free courses, and the average time of the courses can vary from 4 to 12 hours. No matter which course you choose, you will get access to the latest study materials. But you will have to pay more if you want to get a certificate.
- MasterTrack Certificates
Such certification programs help students obtain degree credits through an interactive and flexible format. The certificates are part of top universities’ Master’s degree programs. The programs feature live expert feedback and instruction, team-based learning and more. MasterTrack certificates also allow you to demonstrate your practical skills through real-world projects and assignments.
- Professional Certificates
These courses are designed to help working professionals get further in their professional careers or business. If you want a promotion and need to attain a certain skill, then Coursera’s professional certificates can be an excellent option for you.
- Degrees
The price of degree programs starts from USD9000, and it may vary from 2 years to 4 years. The platform offers Bachelor’s degrees in marketing, applied arts and sciences, computer science, business administration, information technology and more.
Some Pros Of Coursera
- 7000+ courses in the online library, including 1500+ free course
- You can choose between short-term courses and to full-time Master’s degree
- 7-day free trial
- Various pricing models
- Courses are available in different languages
- Hands-on learning approach
For maximum benefits, you can go for the Coursera Plus plan that allows you unlimited access to more than 90 percent of online courses, specialisations and professional certificates.
2. Udemy
Another popular platform for online certificate programs is Udemy. It has a massive library that includes more than 150,000 courses. By choosing this platform, it will be much easier for you to expand your skills and knowledge in different fields, from marketing and business to IT. The platform was launched with an aim to democratise, disrupt and enhance the global educational system. Some of the most popular courses offered by Udemy are:
- Photography Masterclass
- Practical leadership skills
- Complete 2022 web development boot camp
- NLP practitioner qualification
- Professional guitar or music masterclass
Every course is offered by the best industry professionals, and you don’t have to worry about certification and accreditation. Once you get the subscription, you will enjoy lifetime access.
Some Pros of Udemy
- You can learn on the go.
- Excellent for business training solutions.
- Different types of courses are created by industry experts.
- Interactive environment
- Attractive discount codes and more.
However, it may be noted that most online certificate programs are not accredited by traditional colleges or universities. But you choose the platform for quality training and skill enhancement.
3. Skillshare
This famous Online courses provider offers more than 25000 classes or courses that are categorised into three sections i. e., Create (fill, video, music, animation, photography, graphic design, web development and more), Thrive (Productivity, Lifestyle) and Build (freelance & entrepreneurship, business analytics, leadership & management, and more).
The platform follows a project-based learning approach and helps students to expand their creativity as well as use new skills in their life. Every course has two major parts; these are a class project and a video presentation with a duration of around 20 minutes to 60 minutes. It may be noted that the platform offers excellent and trending courses, but those courses are not accredited by any institution or university.
Its premium membership allows you unlimited access to its online library. Students are also allowed to participate in workshops and live sessions offered by experienced teachers. Its premium membership starts from USD 32 per month, and it also offers a 30-day free trial.
4. EDX
If you are looking for a good platform for college-level online certificate programs, then EDX can be a great option for you. Established by MIT and the University of Harvard, the platform is used by more than 140 institutions and 20 million learners. Here you will find 2500+ courses.
To join a program, the first one needs to enrol in the free audit track that allows access to different course materials, like reading, lectures, ungraded assignments, videos and more. You can choose from different subjects, like Chemistry, Biology and Life Science, Education and teacher training, architecture, law, physics, science, environmental studies and more.
Most of the courses are available in different languages, like Spanish, Italian, French, Russian, Chinese and more. There are online courses for advanced, intermediate as well as introductory levels.
EDX also offers different MicroMasters Programs, a series of various graduate-level courses offered by well-known universities. However, these programs are not free and can cost you more than USD 1500, and the duration can range from 7 months to 1 year. Besides, it also offered different Master’s degrees.
Pros of EDX
- Different university-level courses from top institutions and universities
- Provides you accredited and verified certificates
- Some courses can be audited for free.
- You can learn anywhere and anytime.
- The platform also offers financial aid
EDX programs don’t have any specific prerequisites, but some programs are more advanced compared to other programs. So, carefully check the course descriptions before choosing one.
5. LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn introduced its learning platform LinkedIn Learning after acquiring Lynda, an old e-learning site. The platform now offers hundreds and thousands of high-quality courses for different levels, covering different subjects like Business Management, Web Development, Economics, Software Programming and more.
Even though the platform is not accredited, most online certificate programs provide you with a certificate after completion. The platform has more than 16000 courses and is available in seven different languages, Portuguese, Japanese, German, Mandarin, French, Spanish, and English. Well, there is no limit on the number of courses you can choose every month.
It may be noted that the LinkedIn Learning platform is a subscription-based learning site. By paying a monthly fee, you will enjoy unlimited access to different courses. Its premium subscription plan will cost you around USD 29.99 per month and is quite lower than other online course providers. However, if you want to enjoy a discount, then you can opt for its annual subscription plan, and you will also get two months of subscription for free.
If you want, you can also buy an individual course on this platform. If you want to train yourself on a certain topic, this can be a cost-effective option for you.
Pros of LinkedIn Learning
- Unlimited access to the available online courses
- Questions and answers features
- Various types of courses
- The platform offers personalised recommendations
- The courses are reasonably priced
- Programs are available in different languages
- All the courses are taught by professional instructors and field experts
- The certificates will get added to your LinkedIn profile.
Even though you will not get a degree in LinkedIn Learning, this is a perfect way to get new skills and give a boost to your current career path.
Final Words
If you are looking for a perfect platform that offers various online courses to assist you in jumpstarting your career and attaining professional goals, then these are the best online courses and certification providers that you can choose. It is advisable to take advantage of every platform’s free trial offers to check their course and content quality and then choose the right one.
- Why Management as a career option? - May 7, 2023
- Top 5 Online Courses And Certification Provider - August 19, 2022