Harvard University Online Courses

Harvard University needs no introduction. One of the top universities in the world, people as varied as Bill Gates and Barack Obama have studied there.

Many of the online courses at Harvard University are even free. This makes it a fantastic place to study topics like computer science, project management, history, literature and more.

Filter:
Harvard University on edX

Grow your leadership competence by taking this course and establish your personal way of leading. Gain an understanding of your personal drivers and combine them with different leadership approaches.

Short Course
Beginner
4 weeks
$1,750
Harvard University Online Courses

Data Science: Linear Regression
Harvard University on edX

Learn how to use R to implement linear regression, one of the most common statistical modeling approaches in data science.

Short Course
Beginner
8 weeks
Free
Harvard University on edX

Learn inference and modeling: two of the most widely used statistical tools in data analysis.

Short Course
Beginner
8 weeks
Free
Harvard University on edX

Learn probability theory — essential for a data scientist — using a case study on the financial crisis of 2007–2008.

Short Course
Beginner
8 weeks
Free
Harvard University on edX

Learn basic data visualization principles and how to apply them using ggplot2.

Short Course
Beginner
8 weeks
Free
Harvard University on edX

Build a movie recommendation system and learn the science behind one of the most popular and successful data science techniques.

Short Course
Beginner
8 weeks
Free
Harvard University on edX

Learn to use R programming to apply linear models to analyze data in life sciences.

Short Course
Intermediate
4 weeks
Free
Harvard University on edX

A focus on several techniques that are widely used in the analysis of high-dimensional data.

Short Course
Advanced
4 weeks
Free
Harvard University Online Courses

Professional Certificate in Data Science
Harvard University on edX

This program gives you useful skills to tackle real-world data analysis challenges, covering concepts like probability, inference, regression, and machine learning.

Pro. Certificate
Beginner
17 months
$491
Harvard University on edX

Learn simple graphical rules that allow you to use intuitive pictures to improve study design and data analysis for causal inference.

Short Course
Beginner
9 weeks
Free

Studying with Harvard University online

Harvard needs no introduction. Easily one of the most prestigious universities in the world, it’s regularly ranked as one of the best in terms of teaching quality and future career prospects for its students.

Luckily, that quality and expertise is now open to the general public through their online learning program. Even better, many Harvard University courses are free.

Harvard’s background

Harvard is the oldest university in the USA, predating the American Revolution by nearly a hundred years.

The achievements of their alumni could fill up a book by themselves. Their most famous students include leaders of industry like Bill Gates, but also dozens of the world’s most famous politicians, like Barack Obama and John F. Kennedy.

Are the online courses at Harvard University free?

Around one hundred of the six hundred total courses online are free. For the courses hosted on edX, however, there’s also an option to pay for a Verified Certificate. 

The price of Verified Certificates vary depending on the course. They’re almost always worth it, however, because otherwise you have no way to prove that you completed a course.

This makes them particularly useful as a form of evidence of your skills and knowledge for resumes or CVs.

What free online courses are there?

While many of them are based on STEM subjects, like computing or physics, there are also many centered around the humanities. Here are some examples of the variety you can find:

What qualifications can you get?

Harvard’s online courses, as a rule, do not translate to accredited university degrees.

However, the majority of their courses hosted on edX have the option to pay for a Verified Certificate, which certifies that you completed the course successfully.

How much a Verified Certificate costs depends on the course, and can range from a few dozen dollars to hundreds in total. The primary reason to get one is to add it to your resume to demonstrate the breadth of your learning to potential employers.

Browse by subject

Popular career guides