Free Online Courses at Berkeley
Does Berkeley University Offer Online Courses?
Does Berkeley University offer online courses? Free online courses at Berkeley were provided by several professors at first through Coursera, a massive open online course (MOOC) platform founded by two computer scientists from Stanford University. Berkeley’s decision to join edX is noteworthy. Because of the university’s stature, BerkeleyX encourages the creation and international dissemination of online learning initiatives using the edX platform as well.
UC Berkeley has provided more than 100 courses to 4 million students from 150 different countries and regions since joining the edX partnership in 2012. Professional Certificates, MicroMasters, and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are available through BerkeleyX.
To get to know the University of California, Berkeley, it was founded in 1868 and its flagship campus was built in Berkeley. To create a “City of Learning,” more than 130 academic departments and more than 100 multidisciplinary research areas house the 45,307 undergraduate and postgraduate students and 1,629 full-time and 896 part-time faculty members.
What Courses Are Available For Free Online?
Through online learning platforms like edX and Coursera, UC Berkeley provides more than 40 massive open online courses (MOOCs) free of charge, just like many other prestigious universities including Harvard, Princeton, Yale, UPenn, Columbia, and Cornell.
So, what courses are available for free online? You may enroll in classes on just about any subject, including Bitcoin and positive psychology. The free online courses at Berkeley listed below may be audited without charge or for a modest price in exchange for a certified certificate.
The Science of Happiness
Duration: 11 weeks
The groundbreaking field of positive psychology, which investigates the foundations of a contented and meaningful existence, is being taught for the first time in a MOOC called “The Science of Happiness.” Students will interact with some of the most thought-provoking and useful insights from this science while learning how to use cutting-edge research in their own lives.
The course, which was developed by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, will focus on a key insight from positive psychology: that contentment is intrinsically tied to having solid social ties and doing good for others. Students will gain knowledge of the interdisciplinary research that supports this viewpoint and crosses numerous disciplines, including psychology, neurology, evolutionary biology, and more.
Academic and Business Writing
Duration: 6 weeks
For English Language Learners, College Writing 2.2x offers an introduction to academic and business writing.
Students in this course strive to increase grammatical accuracy, vocabulary growth, and revision and editing skills while concentrating on comprehending the requirements of various writing styles.
The six-week course covers the content of academic and business writing in the areas of vocabulary, tone, diction, and editing. Students will have the chance to write about a variety of topics and ideas, always focusing on subjects that interest them.
How to Write an Essay
Duration: 5 weeks
For English language learners, College Writing 2.1x serves as an introduction to academic writing with a focus on essay building, grammatical accuracy, and self-editing.
The five-week course covers a review of fundamental grammar terms and concepts, effective sentence and paragraph construction, introductions and conclusions, extended text writing techniques, and thesis statements.
Readings and videos will be used to deliver the course materials. For additional writing assignments, a course workbook in digital format is available as an option. Students will take part in peer reviews and online discussions. For this component of the course, students must complete an essay.
Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies
Duration: 6 weeks
This course, which was created by Blockchain at Berkeley and teachers from UC Berkeley’s esteemed Computer Science department, uses Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as the basis for explaining the core ideas of the cryptocurrency industry with a focus on Bitcoin.
The fundamental characteristics of bitcoin, its workings (such as cryptographic hash functions, Bitcoin Script, anonymity, and hash commitment methods), and its origins in the Cypherpunk movement and libertarian values are all covered in this course.
You’ll discover how to use Bitcoin in practical ways, like wallets and mining, as well as how to destroy it through network assaults and malevolent mining techniques.
All backgrounds are welcome to enroll in this course. Whether you are considering a career change and want to become a blockchain engineer, cryptocurrency trader, data analyst, researcher, or consultant, or you just want to learn more about Bitcoin technology, this course is for you.
Data Science: Computational Thinking with Python
Duration: 5 weeks
Since Berkeley is known for its computer science major, some topics in free online courses at Berkeley discuss this field of study. Data Science: Computational Thinking with Python is one example of these courses.
You will need to use programming to harness the power of computers to work with massive volumes of data. This course teaches you the fundamentals of programming for data manipulation. You will learn how to use Python to effectively visualize data as well as to organize and manipulate data in tables. No prior Python or programming knowledge is required, and no knowledge of statistics is required.
The examples provided in the course use actual data from various contexts. You will work with various forms of data from various domains; not all data is numerical. The essential concepts of data science are not new, even though the phrase “data science” is. Powerful examples from the Victorian era to the present day are included in the course.
The Foundations of Happiness at Work
Duration: 4 weeks
One interesting course among the free online courses at Berkeley describes what workplace happiness looks like, why it is important, and how to foster it.
The Foundations of Happiness at Work starts by defining happiness and presenting the argument that workplace happiness enhances both individual employee performance and organizational performance, enhancing innovation, productivity, engagement, retention, and the quality of their work.
The major elements that empirical research has found to contribute to workplace happiness are then discussed, with a focus on actions like practicing gratitude, creating a clear sense of purpose, and building genuine, collaborative relationships with colleagues. The workshop will also highlight typical cultural and individual obstacles to working happiness.
The course concludes by presenting a useful framework for workplace happiness and exploring approachable methods for the following: (a) assessing workplace happiness; (b) developing an efficient strategy to increase workplace happiness; and (c) putting that strategy into practice in your own work life, within your team, or throughout the culture of your organization, with special advice for workplace leaders.
Advanced Topics and Techniques in Agile Software Development
Duration: 4 weeks
This is the first module of the Professional Certificate Program in Agile Development of Software as a Service. This course offers concepts and methods for planning, creating, and modifying big software systems utilizing Agile methods and industry-standard tools like GitHub, Pivotal Tracker, Travis CI, Heroku, and others.
The second course in the professional certificate program Mastering Agile Development of Software as a Service is also being offered in this course.
Blockchain Technology
Duration: 6 weeks
This course, which was created by Blockchain at Berkeley and professors from UC Berkeley, offers a thorough review of several subjects that are related to and build upon the fundamentals of Bitcoin and blockchain technology.
Numerous important blockchain-related topics are covered throughout the course. First, students will examine proof-of-stake, cryptoeconomics, distributed systems, and alternative consensus techniques. The basic uses of bitcoin and blockchain technology are then covered, along with enterprise blockchain implementations (such as JP Morgan’s Quorum, Ripple, Tendermint, and HyperLedger), scaling issues with blockchain adoption, and steps the government is taking to control and regulate the technology. The course ends with a look at the numerous blockchain projects already operating and a blockchain-based thinking experiment.
This course is part of the professional certificate program in Blockchain Fundamentals.
English for Journalists, Part 1
Duration: 5 weeks
University of California – Berkeley awarded 268 bachelor’s degrees in communication and journalism during the 2020–2021 academic year. Due to this, among all schools and universities that provide this degree, the school was ranked #97 in terms of popularity. Free online courses at Berkeley include English for Journalists for students majoring in media or practicing journalists looking to improve their English language skills.
You will study important subjects that are crucial to journalists working all around the world in this communication course. The journalist’s role, journalism ethics, inclusive journalism, local vs. global news, and citizen journalism are some of the subjects covered. There is also a discussion of vocabulary, idioms, and grammar issues in English.
Empathy and Emotional Intelligence at Work
Duration: 4 weeks
The science of happiness has revealed some important truths, one of which is the importance of interpersonal interactions in determining our level of happiness. We improve our own mental health by being aware of others’ needs. The same is true within organizations: those that encourage a trustworthy, cooperative relationships are more likely to have a workforce that is happier, more engaged, and more productive as well as more likely to stay with the company over time.
The social and emotional competencies that support healthy interactions at work are covered in depth in this course. It emphasizes the fundamental and associated abilities of empathy and “emotional intelligence,” also referred to as EQ, which refers to the ability to recognize and control our own feelings, tuning into those of others and comprehend their perspectives, and using this knowledge to direct us toward positive social interactions.
This course is included in the Science of Happiness at Work’s professional certificate program.
Mindfulness and Resilience to Stress at Work
Duration: 4 weeks
Burnout, stress, and anxiety are widespread in today’s workplaces: Nearly half of employees believe they need assistance learning how to handle their stress, which is experienced by 80% of workers.
While many businesses may believe that high levels of stress are unavoidable and even praiseworthy, research indicates that excessive stress is bad for our health and performance, causes burnout, and harms an organization’s culture.
This course provides evidence-based methods for strengthening our well-being in the face of difficulties and increasing our ability to cope with stress. It clarifies the biological and psychological effects of stress, assists you in differentiating between detrimental and beneficial types of workplace stress, and offers techniques for managing stress healthily.
This course examines the field of mindfulness science, discusses why it’s important for contemporary workplaces, and demonstrates how to successfully integrate it into your workplace using case studies from numerous well-known businesses that have their own mindfulness initiatives.
This course is under the professional certificate program in The Science of Happiness at Work.
Data Science: Machine Learning and Predictions
Duration: 6 weeks
Making accurate predictions based on data is one of the data scientist’s main duties. The ability to automate some of the analysis is helpful when there is a vast amount of data available. Machine learning is a technique for finding patterns in data and applying them to predict or decide automatically. You will learn fundamental theories and machine learning components in this data science course.
Regression and classification are the two basic machine learning techniques that you will concentrate on. When attempting to forecast a numerical number, regression is utilized. You utilize classification while attempting to forecast a category (e.g., given information about a financial transaction, predict whether it is fraudulent or legitimate).
Are Online College Courses Worth It?
People often remark that your years as a student are the best years of your life. You get to socialize, hang out with your friends, attend parties, and join a variety of after-school groups that can aid in your quest for an even more in-depth understanding of a certain subject. You should have some wonderful experiences whether you attend UC Berkeley or any other prestigious university.
Considering that, why are so many individuals searching for UC Berkeley online courses? Are online college courses worth it?
The COVID-19 pandemic is the primary factor, and it is rather evident. More and more people are choosing online classes in place of traditional education as a result of the epidemic, in addition to working from home. This is the greatest approach to guaranteeing your safety
The cost is another rather obvious explanation for picking free online courses at Berkeley. One of the more expensive universities, UC Berkeley might run you about $43,000 a year. Many people are unable to pay that sum.
Most of the online classes offered by UC Berkeley are extremely affordable, and some are even free. All you have to do is locate a reputable online learning environment that provides those courses.
Finally, enrolling in UC Berkeley online courses is advised since you can study whenever and wherever you want, at your own pace. It implies that you can always find time for learning even if you work a full-time job.
Numerous academic disciplines are covered in Berkeley online courses, including social sciences, education, business, technology, and behavioral health sciences. You can use these courses to get ready for graduation or to brush up on your abilities in your current profession. On many popular topics, there are also stand-alone online classes. You can enroll in classes in writing, psychology, bitcoin, and other subjects.
How Do I Choose A Course At Berkeley?
Students have a wide range of options, including paid courses on Berkeley’s online learning portal and free online courses at Berkeley in edX. But you may ask “How do I choose a course at Berkeley?” Finding the right option for you can be difficult with so many possibilities available.
Here are some pointers to assist you how can you pick the Berkeley online course that best suits you.
Type of Online Course
Berkeley provides three different types of online courses: live online courses, fixed-date online courses, and courses that can be started at any time. These programs each provide various study schedules and course lengths. Choose the option that best meets your needs.
Budget
Your budget must be taken into account as well. How much money must you invest in the course? It may be preferable to enroll in free MOOCs if the cost of the expensive courses is prohibitive for you.
Entry Requirements
What qualifications are needed to take the course? Depending on your degree of experience, the course materials, and your prior knowledge, some courses have specific entrance requirements. Everyone has access to other courses. Before enrolling in a course, you should check the prerequisites.
Learning Objectives
Your career plans and learning objectives can guide your course selection. For instance, some individuals enroll in free online courses at Berkeley to brush up on their skills, while others might need the course to strengthen their resume and obtain a certificate of accomplishment. As a result, it is crucial to consider your goals before selecting a course.
Student Support Services
Student support services are something to keep an eye out for because they help with learning. For the best learning experience, enroll in a course that offers online resources and academic help.
To seek further assistance regarding free online courses at Berkeley, feel free to reach AdmissionSight. Moreover, if you need help with your application to this prestigious university, set up an initial consultation with AdmissionSight to discuss your strategies for admission.
