Free Humanities Courses & Certifications

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. 

Intellectual Property is a new and exciting field in Law. It involves debate around copyright, trademark policies, and their alternatives. The Intellectual Property Law and Policy: Part 2 certification course is the second part of a two-part course on edX. It aims to train candidates in the ins and outs of IP laws and trademark policies. 

Created by the prestigious University of Pennsylvania for edX, the Intellectual Property Law and Policy: Part 2 training is seven weeks long. The curriculum delves into the technical aspects of the modern realities of intellectual property rights. It also looks at future alternatives to policies that shape our lives in the contemporary world. 

Through the Intellectual Property Law and Policy: Part 2  online course, candidates will learn about some seminal legal cases and consider their real-world implications. Led by their instructor, R. Polk Wagner, the programme will take candidates through some critical IP laws and concepts. Moreover, the University of Pennsylvania offers a verified certificate at the end of the training. 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.

The EU and Human Rights certification course by edX discusses the EU’s potential to impact human rights, not just for its citizens, but also for people everywhere. Both positive and negative impacts have been discussed. You will also learn about the businesses, NGOs, or other international organisations (UN, Council of Europe, etc.) that the EU could engage with to promote human rights all over the world.

The EU and Human Rights certification syllabus will cover the policy sectors impacted by the EU. These sectors include development, social policy, migration, trade, and international crisis management. The objective is to help you understand how the EU, by itself, or in partnership with other local or global, state or non-state bodies, can uphold, protect, and promote human rights globally.

The EU and Human Rights programme, developed by KU Leuven, contains interviews with experts and exercises to test what you have learned. The instructors are all leading academics from renowned institutions all over the world. If you study four to six hours a week, you can comfortably complete the human rights course within seven weeks. By enrolling in any one of the tracks namely verified or the audit track, 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. 

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.

The ‘Citizenship and the Rule of Law’ online course is a study about the authority of law and the impact of events around the world that may seem to be a threat. This online program is provided by the online education provider platform Coursera and the course curriculum and course instruction are developed by the Bingham Centre of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law at the University of London. 

The course educator for the introductory level program is Michael Abiodun Olatokun who is a research fellow in Citizenship and The Rule of Law along with being the Head of Public and Youth Engagement at the University of London. The course delivers valuable insights on the important issues associated with the rule of law in recent times and regarding the aspects of citizenship.

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. 

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.

The Freedom of Expression and Information in the Time of Globalization Advanced Course certification programme focuses on the many challenges faced by freedom of expression after the digital age's arrival. The digital age has given us additional means to exercise our freedom of expression. On the other hand, it has also intensified a range of regulatory, political, and normative issues related to protecting freedom of expression. The Freedom of Expression and Information in the Time of Globalization Advanced Course certification syllabus covers such topics and more.

The Freedom of Expression and Information in the Time of Globalization Advanced Course training will examine the awkward and complex interplay of information flows with state sovereignty and national jurisdiction. Moreover, its effects on fundamental rights and democracy are discussed, and how a borderless right to freedom of expression can be realised. The course is taught through a series of reading and video lectures, the latter being mentored by Columbia University's learned faculty.

When preceded by foundational training, this advanced Freedom of Expression and Information in the Time of Globalization Advanced Course online builds a heightened understanding of the topic. You also have the opportunity to showcase your newly acquired by purchasing the course certificate. Lastly, you also have the privilege to negotiate the programme modules at your own pace, thanks to the self-paced nature of the course. 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.

From Crime to Punishment: an Introduction to Criminal Justice certification is a short 4 weeks course that is run by The University of York, and is found on the FutureLearn platform. This online programme falls under the category of Law courses. With this course, one will understand what a crime is, and how the route from crime to justice prevails.

From Crime to Punishment: an Introduction to Criminal Justice certification syllabus deals with crimes that take place in England, and Wales. When a crime happens there is always a prime suspect, and the course will take the participants on a journey from finding a suspect, doing investigation, then prosecution, and finally adjudication.

From Crime to Punishment: an Introduction to Criminal Justice training will ensure that candidates put their foot inside a proper courtroom, and then slowly discover the correct processes of criminal justice, Criminal Law, and the main institutions that participate in justice proceedings like police, and courts.