Free Humanities Courses & Certifications

An Introduction to American Law course is a 12 hours program offered by the University of Pennsylvania via Coursera. The course introduces various areas of American law which includes criminal law, contract law, civil procedure, constitutional law and tort law. The course provides an overview of dilemmas and complexities of the law applications in different aspects from an American point of view.

An Introduction to American Law syllabus covers tort law to sue anyone if other people cause harm and injury to them. The course provides a deep understanding of contract law to monitor the promise between two individuals and the consequences of breaking the promise with various real-life examples. 

An Introduction to American Law training explores property law and constitutional law to study the functioning and structure of the United States government with different individual rights. The course focuses on criminal law by discussing punishments and defences used in criminal charges with various excuses and justifications. The course syllabus also includes the civil procedure that should be followed by parties and judges in civil cases.

Introduction to Digital Humanities training is technically structured to help students develop skills in visualization and digital research techniques on various subjects and topics included under the wide domain of humanities. Introduction to digital humanities harvard will guide the participants to manage the various aspects and fronts of scholarship and  digital humanities research. 

The humanities course can be accessed by curators, students, and public historians to build knowledge pertaining to textual data. THe Introduction to Digital Humanities by edX will be focusing on the different disciplines by which digital humanities can be pursued. The students will be learning the basics of text encoding initiative (TEI)  and optical character recognition (OCR). The curriculum will also be composed of - images, sounds and videos that are also severe as documentation. The students will be developing machine readable data and will learn to analyse the artifacts using modern technologies and tools with the introduction to digital humanities syllabus. Introduction to Digital Humanities certification course will thus serve as a primary guidance to students looking for a career in humanities.

There are 2 tracks of study being offered to the candidates - one is the verified track and the other is the audit track. In the verified track the course access is unlimited so there is no hurry to finish the course. On the other hand in the case of the audit mode, the candidates are only allowed to view the course materials for a limited period within which they will have to finish the course.

The Circular Economy course aims to explore how businesses can recycle and reuse products to create value. In the current scenario, with the varying issues of climate change, waste, loss of biodiversity and resource scarcity, the global society cannot be deemed sustainable. At the same time, there is a need to sustain economies and create opportunities for a growing world population. The Circular economy is all about providing solutions for this situation. 

In the Circular Economy programme by EdX, you will see how designers come up with witty solutions to make a circular economy happen and how you can contribute to the cause. You will re-think the current economic system and learn how to act upon it. You will have a wholesome learning opportunity through video lectures, tests, assignments and case studies. 

The Circular Economy online programme is offered by TU Delft or the Delft University of Technology. The creators of this course are the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Centre for Sustainability and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. It is taught by reputed instructors like Ken Webster, David Peck, Conny Bakker and Ester van der Voet. Upon completion of the edX curriculum, you will earn a certificate. The self-paced programme can be taken by the learners in two modes; paid and free. In the free mode, the students will have access only for a limited duration. 

edX is an educational and learning platform. It is non-profit supporting learners and providing courses for curious minds in areas such as computer science, law, biology, management, marketing and various other areas. 

edX has come up with the Intellectual Property Rights: A Management Perspective certification course to help the learners develop an understanding of the competitive and tactical advantages of using Intellectual Property Rights for an enterprise. Participants will learn about the different types of Intellectual Properties, their classification, strategy, assessment and management of the properties. 

This Intellectual Property Rights: A Management Perspective training course also includes various interviews with industry experts, which will help the participants to understand the opinions and views of the Policy makers and the issues faced by the eminent patrons, coming from various dimensions of the field of Intellectual Property. They will be trained to scrutinize the legal and socio-economic impact of the Intellectual Properties against the rationale of the corporates and assess the view of the stakeholders.

The Intellectual Property Law and Policy: Part 1 certification course by edX is a six-week programme offered by the University of Pennsylvania. The course will be instructed online, and the lessons’ video transcripts will be accessible to the students. Besides, this is an intermediate-level programme that is related to the field of law. Moreover, it will be led by expert faculty from the University of Pennsylvania.

In addition to the above-mentioned information, the Intellectual Property Law and Policy: Part 1 certification syllabus is a comprehensive one and covers all the basics related to intellectual property. For instance, it provides an overview of the subject at first, after which you get to study patents and the characteristics of valid patents. The syllabus also covers some of the policy implications of intellectual property rights.

Furthermore, the Intellectual Property Law and Policy: Part 1 online course can be studied free of cost as a student only needs to register on edX to pursue the programme. But if he or she wants to get himself/herself accredited, then he/she will have to pay the certification fee. Also, there are no time-related restrictions, and thus, you can learn at your speed and in the comfort of your house. By enrolling to any one of the tracks namely verified and audit the students may learn the programme. During the audit track, learning is free for a limited time period whereas during the verified track learning is unlimited but paid.

With more and more people seeking ways to affect change in communities, Community Engagement: Collaborating for Change online course offers ways to become a more effective community member. The course covers topics related to engaging with communities in an ethical, sustainable, and respectful manner.

The Community Engagement programme by edX offers an accessible entry into foundational topics of effective community management. It has an engaging and challenging design. It will enable you to progress efficiently to pursue work and further learning. It is a toolkit and roadmap for individuals who want to work for the betterment of their communities.

Community Engagement: Collaborating for Change is a six-week-long, short-term course. It offers plenty of opportunities to apply the concepts and principles learned throughout the course. It employs an expert panel of faculty at the University of Michigan, USA. It will provide you with extensive and in-depth knowledge along with the opportunity to add a certificate to your resume. Edx offers two tracks for completing the course, one is the audit track which gives limited-period access to the course materials whereas the verified track, on the other hand, offers unlimited course material access.

The Teaching Historical Inquiry with Objects online course offered by edX is created by Smithsonian. This course's instruction mode is English with Kathleen Owings Swan and Naomi Coquillon as the instructors. This course will span over six weeks, and candidates can complete the course material at their pace.

Middle and high school teachers will learn innovative methods to create an engaging atmosphere for students in-and-out of the classroom. The Teaching Historical Inquiry with Objects certification teaches beneficial strategies and techniques that are readily applicable in a classroom. Teachers can use these techniques to instill inquiry-based learning methods for the currently taught history lessons.  

With Smithsonian's help, the Teaching Historical Inquiry with Objects training incorporates the new C3 social studies framework. These educational methods are museum-based and generate interest among students by bringing historical artifacts to life. Teachers are given demonstrations, explanations, and examples of generating practical ideas in the classroom. This helps encourage the students to think critically, ask tricky questions, form evidence-based opinions, come to conclusions, and much more in the field of historical sources.

Sustainable Packaging in a Circular Economy course by edX explains the business strategies of the circular economy. Minimising wastes, and maximising positive economic, social, and environmental impacts are some of the topics covered. It is an intermediary programme in design.

With an urgent need to rethink designs and recycling, this course lends a new perspective to reimagining products and services manufacturing. An introductory MOOC in Circular Economy is also an option available to interested candidates. They can take it up before commencing the Sustainable Packaging in a Circular Economy certification syllabus.

Learners interested in the design and packaging industry absorb the knowledge of business strategies and circular design. Candidates can learn at their own pace with pre-recorded lectures and English transcripts. Additional benefits include a verified certificate, which is receivable by paying a nominal fee.

The Delft University of Technology offers this six-week course in Sustainable Packaging in a Circular Economy. The curriculum material is internationally licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC-BY-NC-SA) 4.0. The online programme can be pursued in two tracks, verified and audit tracks. In the free track, they can audit the course only for a limited period. 

In the contemporary age, the process, known as the “Judicialisation of Politics” is taking place rapidly. This is the phenomenon in which the power of the courts or the judiciary is expanding quickly in democratic countries. The Comparative Judicial Systems training aims to shed light on this unprecedented proliferation of power and its real-time impacts. 

Candidates who enrol for the Comparative Judicial Systems programme will explore how and why the decision-making rights are being shifted from the legislative and executive to the judiciary. The course emphasises the relationship between courts and the current political environment. It also looks at the judiciary's overall role in setting a precedent and how it impacts the politics of a country. 

The Comparative Judicial Systems certification syllabus takes candidates through the judicial system's structure, appointment procedure, the judge’s role, power and independence. The Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico (University of Naples Federico II) has created this five-week short law course. You can also avail English and Italian video transcripts with the programme. By enrolling to any one of the tracks namely verified and audit the students may learn the programme. During the audit track, learning is free for a limited time period whereas during the verified track learning is unlimited but paid.

Technology has transformed the way information is produced and distributed. It impacts societies and not only influences but defines the way we communicate. With the Freedom of Expression and Information in the Time of Globalization: Foundational Course certification by edX, you will learn about the global norms that protect our freedom of expression and information. You will study how these norms emerged over time, as technology got more advanced and how these norms transcend national and regional differences. 

Classic philosophical works on the concept of freedom of expression, international human rights laws, and significant decisions taken by national and international courts are discussed in the Freedom of Expression and Information in the Time of Globalization: Foundational Course Since this human rights course is a Columbia University offering, you will have access to case analyses from their Global Case Law Database. Other suggested readings will be available for free on the Internet. 

In addition to the recorded video lectures by Dr Agnes Callamard, there will be supplementary lectures by international experts. These lectures will add to the topics discussed in the main lectures, or address additional issues, which could not be included in the Freedom of Expression and Information in the Time of Globalization: Foundational Course certification syllabus. By enrolling in any one of the tracks namely verified and audit the students may learn the programme. During the audit track, learning is free for a limited time period whereas during the verified track learning is unlimited but paid.

Economic strategies play a crucial role in the transformation of a fossil-based economy into a carbon-neutral one. The Transition to the Decarbonised Economy of Tomorrow program by edX addresses how decarbonization of economies can be achieved. You will learn about the strategy of the European Union (EU) to become an economy that is carbon neutral by the year 2050.

Through the edX Transition to the Decarbonised Economy online course, you will become adept in concepts such as energy transition alternatives, carbon-free energy production, and related governmental policies. The instructor will also address real-world cases and expert predictions concerning the future of a carbon-free world.

Furthermore, the Transition to the Decarbonised Economy course is the second part of a two-course series called The Economics of Energy Transition. It is a five-week training that will help you acquire an in-depth understanding of the current and prospects of sustainable, carbon-free economies. The course has instructor-led modules that will be delivered by faculty members from TU Delft. This is an instructor-led programme and it can be pursued by the learners in two modes; verified and free audit tracks. In the free audit track, the candidates can access the course for a limited duration. 

The Globalization: Past and Future online course by edX is designed to enlighten you about the history of globalisation. The course focuses on the question: Is globalisation a recurring pattern or a new occurrence? It is a four-week-long mini-course curated by the SGD Academy that gives you the chance to earn an e-certificate on completion.

Throughout the Globalization: Past and Future certification programme, you will go on an anthropological and historical tour of six different phases of globalisation. These epochs are the great dispersal, the Neolithic revolution, land-based globalisation, ocean-based globalisation, the Anglo-American world (industrial age), and new globalisation.

With the help of the programme, you will explore the technology development, dispersal and the main factors that led to innovation in these distinct eras. You will also be able to extract important lessons from history to understand the disorderly changes of today. To complete this course, you will need to put in an average of two to four hours per week for four weeks. The course has two enrolment options; verified and free audit. You can get unlimited access to the course in the verified mode whereas in the free mode, you can audit it for a limited duration. 

Many take the notion that human rights emerged first and gradually extended its ambit to incorporate criminal laws which penalise dangerous human rights offenders for granted. However, the matter is not that straightforward as it may seem. 

Human Rights and criminal laws share a much-complicated relationship, and that is what Future Learn's Human Rights and International Criminal Law: An Introduction certification course aims to explore in-depth. You need to dedicate a minimum of six hours to complete the course successfully. 

During this four-week Human Rights and International Criminal Law: An Introduction certification by FutureLearn, you will develop a clear idea about essential concepts like international criminal law, human rights law and how these ideas interact, contradict and determine each other. 

Besides that, you will get to know the core tenets of human rights, their overall impact on international criminal law and what the latter has done to prevent the violation of the former. The Human Rights and International Criminal Law Course Human Rights and International Criminal Law: An Introduction online course will enable you to unearth how governments individuals have prioritised human rights and fought against international crimes.

Learn about Human Rights Defenders and follow their stories with the Human Rights Defenders online course. As they fight against social injustices, Human Rights Defenders are constantly risking their lives. And not just them, their family, friends, and people close to them are also threatened. In this course, you will learn ways to mitigate these risks, while still fighting for your rights, and the rights of other people, in the face of all these threats and adversities.

In the Human Rights Defenders program, you will follow these defenders and their stories, and explore all the creative ways they use their voice. You will learn what drives them to speak up and witness what they have achieved, and can achieve, by organizing and working together. The four-week course is introductory and belongs to the social sciences domain.

Developed by Amnesty International, the Human Rights Defenders training will encourage you to reflect on issues you care about and discuss them with your fellow participants. You will also learn about the regional, national, and international mechanisms that protect Human Rights Defenders. The programme is also available in French, Spanish, and Arabic. By enrolling in any one of the tracks namely verified and audit the students may finish learning the programme. During the audit track, learning is free for a limited time period whereas during the verified track learning is unlimited but paid.

Patents are necessary documentation, but an integral part of them is the patent specifications. These are the paperwork that encompasses a technological invention’s patent rights. These techno-legal documents are established at the interface of law and science and follow stringent guidelines. The Patent Drafting for Beginners online course introduces learners to these fundamentals and paves the way for them to draft such patent specifications by themselves.

The Patent Drafting for Beginners certification syllabus explains patent drafting’s core principles and patent law’s concepts regarding drafting various patents. Through these, the curriculum teaches candidates how patent law relies on preparing patent specifications for satisfying specific requirements, unlike technical writing. This course is primarily for beginners without prior patent drafting experience and imparts valuable insights to get started with this domain.

An FDP programme, the Patent Drafting for Beginners certification course, is a joint effort between IIT Madras and Swayam. This NPTEL online course is AICTE-approved, belonging to these diverse categories - ‘Law’, ‘Faculty Domain for Experienced’, ‘Humanities and Social Sciences’, and ‘Patents and Intellectual Property Rights’. Aspirants can also opt for the completion certificate, e-verifiable and attainable, by clearing Swayam’s examination and assignments.

The ‘Drafting and Negotiating Commercial Contracts: A guide to contract law for non-lawyers online course is offered by the online education platform FutureLearn and is developed by the College of Law, an institution for practical legal education. This online programme is organised for four weeks with weekly two hours to study. The course study is about commercial contract drafting and negotiation, it helps the learners the importance of negotiation which impacts the business, and gains the skills required to frame clear and understandable contracts.

The candidates will get an opportunity to get better with commercial contracts which are drafted for employment, supplies, leases, licenses, franchises, sales, real estate, and agreements for partnership.

Commercial contracts involving laws, parties, or businesses require effective skills of negotiation and drafting of the documents. This ‘Drafting and Negotiating Commercial Contracts: A guide to contract law for non-lawyers online certification programme equips the learners with the skill set needed to ace any kind of commercial contract.