Free Social Science Courses & Certifications

The Digitalization in International Relations Certification Course is a 100% online programme provided on the Coursera website. The course offered by the faculty of Saint Petersburg University aims at imparting knowledge about the consequences of digitalization in international relations and its impacts on world politics.

The Digitalization in International Relations Online Course will discuss the prevailing issues concerning cybersecurity and information security along with the national and international dimensions of digital electoral technologies. The online course is instructed by Yarygin Gregory, Sytnik Anna, Tsvetkova Natalia, and Stadnik Ilona of St. Petersburg University.

Through the Digitalization in International Relations Training Course, learners will be introduced to the notion of big data and big diplomacy in connection with social networks. Upon the completion of course assessment and practice tests, candidates will get a shareable digital course certificate.

This massive online open course on ‘Consumer Psychology’ is a study of the determinants and influencing aspects that lead consumers into buying certain products or goods from the markets. It is a discussion of psychological reasons that persuade a consumer into the market and an analysis of the consumer behavior and actions. This online certification course is provided by the education platform Swayam in association with the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL). 

This is an undergraduate level program that is categorized into humanities and social sciences with psychology are conducted for eight weeks through the online platform. The course curriculum is delivered through videos, online resources, books, and references. 

The ‘Consumer Psychology’ online certification program equips students with the E-certificate and credit points after completing the course of study in this All India Council for Technical Education(AICTE) approved program. This training is conducted by Prof. Naveen Kashyap, an associate professor of Psychology from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati.

The ‘Development Research Methods’ online course is designed for the students to get an overview of the implementation of development methods and development research strategies while writing dissertations and theses. This massive open online course is provided by the free online education portal Swayam in collaboration with the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning. The course classes are scheduled online for eight weeks. 

The course curriculum consists of four modules and is delivered through videos, lectures, weekly assignments, and a final examination at the end of the program. The instructor for this online training program is Rajshree Bedamatta, an associate professor teaching economics from the department of humanities and social sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati.

The ‘Development Research Methods’ online certification program enables students to get the certificate of achievement and credit points after completing this elective course and assessments successfully. This certification course is recognized by the All India Council for Technical Education.

The ‘Energy Economics And Policy’ online course is delivered to focus on the various aspects of energy that affect the producers and consumers of energy. This course enables students to discuss the application of the principles of the economy. It is about the concept of energy as a resource and its relevance with the environment and climate to analyze the policies governing energy supply. This certification program is provided by Swayam and the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL) for a period of eight weeks.

The free online course is an elective program for undergraduate and postgraduate level students. The tutor for this massive open online course is Prof. Shyamasree Dasgupta from the school of humanities and social sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology Mandi. The classes of this course are offered through video, lectures and assessed by weekly assignments and a final certification exam. 

The ‘Energy Economics And Policy’ certification course enables students to get a course certificate and credit points by the end of this course. 

The ‘Globalization and Culture’ online course is offered for the students to build their understanding of the concept of ‘Globalization’ and its impact on society, culture, and the world as a whole. This course enables students to understand the multi-dimensional perspective of globalization such as capital markets, new media, and other technologies of communication. This is a free learning course provided by the Swayam online platform and the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL). 

The faculty for this training program is Prof. Anjali Gera Roy from the department of humanities and social sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur. The students of this course will be able to discuss and analyze the theoretical and practical aspects of Globalization through videos, lectures, weekly assignments, and the final exam.

The ‘Globalization and Culture’ online certification course enables students to gain a certificate and credit points at the end of this elective course recognized by the All India Council for Technical Education.

The ‘Introduction to Abstract and Linear Algebra’ online certification course is developed for the students to get introduced to the theories and principles involved in the domain of abstract and linear algebra. This free online training is provided by the Swayam online education portal in collaboration with the National Program for Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL). The classes of this program are held in the virtual platform with the videos and lectures aided by books, references, and other resources for a period of eight weeks.

This core course is drafted for the undergraduate and postgraduate students of the engineering and science fields to gain from the theoretical and practical insights on the applications of these mathematical concepts. The course instructor is the associate professor Sourav Mukhopadhyay, faculty in the department of mathematics at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur.

The ‘Introduction to Abstract and Linear Algebra’ online certification course enables the candidates to receive a certificate with two credit points by the end of this All India Council for Technical Education approved course.

The International Politics in the Korean Peninsula, Part 1 certification course is a social science course that can be seen on the platform of edX. The syllabus has been bifurcated into 2 modules which introduce and reviews the different political issues related to the inter-Korean relationship. 

This introductory level social science course has videos, quizzes, and discussions in Korean with English subtitles. The International Politics in the Korean Peninsula, Part 1 training introduces 2 kinds of cases in which politics is responsible for bringing tragedies. One case explains the hyperinflation in Zimbabwe, and the other one showcases North Korean political idolization. Ultimately this course will be good for answering why studying politics is important.

This online course Interdisciplinary Innovations for Population Ageing training consists of an eight-week online course. Hong Kong Polytechnic University offered and designed this course, which was delivered via the EDX platform. This online course is explained by top experts in the field.

We will start investigating and examining the method of incubating innovative ideas in three areas, namely the social sciences, design, and engineering, in this course. Individually, learners will acquire skills and knowledge from these disciplines, as well as understand the synergy generated when working toward innovations using an interdisciplinary approach.

Topics are specifically designed within the domains of social care programs and policies for the elderly, engineering for the elderly, and design for the elderly. In addition to meeting the need to equip global learners with interdisciplinary problem-solving skills to address the ageing challenge, the above MOOC will have included interdisciplinary perceptions, problem-solving models, case analysis, and assessment strategies to encourage learners to formulate innovative ideas for the ageing population in their own cultural and ecological contexts.

The learners can join the self-paced programme either for free or they can pay some amount. In the verified track, they need to pay the required course fee and get unlimited duration during which they can access the course. In the free track, they can audit it for a limited duration.

Also Read:

• Social Sciences Certification Courses
• Designing Engineering Certification Courses
• Design Innovation And Strategy Certification Courses

The Gender and Literature certification course explores gender theory within literary contexts. Designed for undergraduate and postgraduate students of English and Cultural Studies, this course delves into the construction and transformation of gendered classifications such as masculinity and femininity through selected literary texts and cultural analysis.

The Gender and Literature certification by Swayam covers key topics in Humanities and Social Sciences and English Studies. It provides students with a critical framework to analyze the intricate connections between gender dynamics and literary representation, enriching their academic journey and fostering deeper insights into gender issues within literature and society.

Also Read: Online Literature Certification Courses

The Spain of Don Quixote program is an immersive and informative experience provided to the candidates by edX through various means of video lessons, digital maps, and illustrated texts for a better learning experience. The Spain of Don Quixote is in association with Universidad Autonoma de Madrid and it takes the candidates on an exploration of Spain from the ancient era.

The program remains concentrated on the history of Spain between two periods- Baroque and Renaissance and sets the mood of how the culture used to be. It talks about the rich and cherished Spanish literature and art where many artists (Lope de Vega, Cervantes & Velazquez) received excellence in history’s first world empire, the monarchy of Spain.

The Spain of Don Quixote deals with the trendy fashion of Spain at that time in courts of Early Modern Europe, Spanish military and political machinery of the period, and American printing centers. The Spain of Don Quixote program describes the celebration of the huge cities, theatrical production, real geography, and polarised society of Spain and lets the candidates take a tour of the Spanish Golden Era. For candidates to get unlimited access they will have to pursue this course in the verified track. In case the candidates have chosen the audit track they will only be receiving limited course access.

With EdX’s Building Inclusive Cities online course, understand the drivers of socio-economic segregation and inequality in metropolises across the world. Learn to measure these two phenomena with analytical tools and solve the issue with smart urban design. This programme from the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands belongs to the social sciences domain and tries to incorporate urban planning, landscape designing, spatial inequality, municipal aspects, etc., in one curriculum.

Building Inclusive Cities is a seven-week long, intermediate-level course that allows students to access the learning content free of cost. For better understanding, edX recommends candidates to take Rethink the City MOOC before enrolling in this course. You will learn from leading architects, urban planners, and specialists from TU Delft’s Urban Design section.

The Building Inclusive Cities online training by DelftX includes historical examples of urban designing, case studies of selected cities, and video lectures with English transcripts. Architects, urban planners, and geographers can benefit from the course, utilizing urban inequality’s insights to devise urban policy and design solutions accordingly. The learners can pursue the programme either in paid or free mode. In the paid mode, candidates will be provided a certificate of completion and unlimited access and in the free audit mode, they will be given access only for a limited period. 

This introductory course on Globalization’s winners and losers: Challenges for developed and developing countries by edX, provides the learner with an insightful journey on Business management and is apt for students to build their foundations essential for a promising career. This course is offered by edX, an online education provider with association Georgetown university. Aimed at building essential business acumen, Globalization’s winners and losers: Challenges for developed and developing countries online course on business management provides the learners with a curriculum taught by professors from Georgetown University. The course provides self-paced online courses that can be pursued with an audit session and an extended upgrade period as well. The audit mode has a limited period of access whereas the verified mode has unlimited access to the course.

Globalization’s winners and losers: Challenges for developed and developing countries training is focused on Business management skills ideal for developing and developed countries with importance for various key topics such as Global poverty, classical and modern economic theories, Globalization trends, industrial and trade policies, National security threats, policies for strengthening a developed country and so on. Along with flexible learning systems and a comprehensive curriculum, Globalization’s Winners and Losers: Challenges for Developed and Developing Countries course is ideal for aspirants who want to build a strong career with relevant skills.

The Theory of Change for development certification course introduces the learners to an approach of Theory of change or ToC which will help them to understand developmental and social interventions and the causes of these changes. This introductory Theory of change for the development program on social studies is offered by edX, a top online provider for education, and the program is crafted by the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg which is popularly known as Wits University. The Theory of Change for development by edX is brought to the students as a series of graded assessments with online lectures taken by top faculties of Wits university. Like the majority of the edX courses, this course also comes with the flexible learning options of free audit sessions and verified track accounts. 

This Theory of change for development certification is commonly centred around deeply exploring the ToC approach which is considered both as a product and process for describing many contributors to change, levels of results that are an outcome of program implementation. 

Did you realise that cities occupy only 3% of the earth’s land area, but nearly 50% of the world’s population resides in them? Furthermore, cities cause more than 70% of global carbon emissions. For understanding how metropolitan regions, responsible for sustainability challenges and urbanisation, hold the key to resolving the issues, join the Sustainable Urban Development certification course.

The Sustainable Urban Development certification syllabus offers a trans-disciplinary, systemic, and holistic approach to combat 21st century’s sustainability challenges. The curriculum encompasses knowledge from disciplines, including urban planning, urban engineering, urban design, systems analysis, social sciences, policymaking, and entrepreneurship. The MOOC trains candidates in understanding these concepts in the metropolitan context.

Sustainable Urban Development by edX is a part of the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS Institute) educational programme. The seven-week course is drafted by Wageningen University and Research and TU Delft. The introductory training from Social Sciences domain necessitates no minimum requirements about academia or profession. Besides, the course offers students a chance to explore the sustainability issues in their cities and hinterlands.

Learners are free to select anyone from the audit or the verified track to finish learning the programme. Both these tracks are self-paced and can be completed at their own pace. The verified track is paid and offers unlimited access to the materials of the course whereas on the other hand, the audit track offers free but limited course access.

Coursera’s Age of Jefferson course provides a comprehensive look into the life and times of Thomas Jefferson. The seven-part course, with each part comprising lectures, readings, and a tour of institutions and places pivotal to the life of Jefferson, is a place for anyone looking to know the historical figure on a personal level.

The institutional tours offered by Coursera’s Age of Jefferson course are quite in-depth, with an abundance of knowledge regarding the work done by Jefferson in Monticello Estate and the University of Virginia, and how the work brought about a significant change in his life and philosophy. The curriculum reading also includes a lot of letters and other writings penned by Thomas Jefferson. The syllabus also covers the famous letter the historical figure wrote to James Madison, named “the earth belongs to the living.”

Also, the Age of Jefferson online programme is entirely an online learning experience, with no strict lecture timings, allowing you to tackle the course at your own pace. The certification training, alongside the video lectures, also has a ton of reading material paired up with weekly graded tests to put your newly acquired knowledge to test. On course completion, you will be rewarded with an industry-revered certificate by Coursera.

The Star Trek: Inspiring Culture and Technology programme explains how Star Trek, which was initially a failed series, became supremely influential. Today, this cult favourite encompasses additional television series, feature films, and a world of fan memorabilia and conventions. Undertaking this seven-week course, you will understand why people resonate with Star Trek, how it has inspired generations to ask essential questions about their identity and relation with their surrounding world. 

Through the Star Trek: Inspiring Culture and Technology certification syllabus, you will explore how Star Trek’s motion pictures and live-action tv shows impacted audiences globally. Offered by the Smithsonian Institution - the curriculum features trained instructors to explain the relationships between Star Trek and culture, History, society, and technology. The training also includes clips from the films and shows, experts’ opinions, and debate sessions with fellow fans. 

EdX’s Star Trek: Inspiring Culture and Technology course is an introductory free programme under the ‘History’ category. It features no enrolment prerequisites, a self-direct schedule, and a purchasable e-certificate. The institute offers this curriculum under the CBS Consumer Products’ license. 

Sustainable development is the need for an hour for continuing the existence of humans on Earth. We are developing our technologies and life every day but somewhere at the cost of harming mother nature. Utilizing resources without giving a thought to their renewability is becoming a reason we are observing nature. Sustainable development is one solution to protect mother earth for future generations. The Sustainable Development in the 21st Century with Ban Ki-moon is an initiative by Yonsei University for the people who are willing to be a part of the change and wish to help Earth. 

Sustainable Development in the 21st Century with Ban Ki-moon training is provided by Ban Ki-moon and it focuses on the agenda of 2030 and the five pillars of sustainable development. The pillars include interdependence of people, prosperity, planet, peace, justice, and partnership. This is the self-paced online course available on the portal of Coursera for guiding the students about the process, rules, regulations, and technological advancements done so far in sustainable development. The candidates shall also receive Sustainable Development in the 21st Century with Ban Ki-moon certification by Coursera by the end of the course. 

The Cosmopolitan Medieval Arabic World Certification Course is a 100% online course that explores the historical significance of the Arabic Medieval World. The history course available on the Coursera platform has a flexible structure that is convenient for candidates. The course will take the candidates to the Middle Ages and marketplaces of Cairo along with historiographical debates.

The Cosmopolitan Medieval Arabic World Training will be led by Prof Dr. Petra Sijpesteijn of Leiden University. The course will be taught through video lectures, reading materials, and engaging practice exercises to enhance the knowledge of learners. Once all course procedures are completed, candidates will receive The Cosmopolitan Medieval Arabic World Certification by Coursera and Leiden University.

The International Politics in the Korean Peninsula Training is a self-paced online course that discusses the core aspects of the Chinese World Order and its political relationship with Korea. The course will be taught on the online edX platform in the Korean languages with English subtitles. The course instructors for the certification course are Doong-Joon Jo, Professor of International Relations, and Soyun Chang of the Seoul National University.

The International Politics in the Korean Peninsula Certification Course discusses the topics including the challenges and characteristics of the Chinese World Order in China and East Asia. This course in social science will be taught through video lectures and course materials. After completing the graded assignments and exams, learners will receive an International Politics in the Korean Peninsula Certification by edX. 2 different tracks are offered by Edx, one is the audit track and the other one is the verified track. During the audit track, the candidates will be able to learn the materials of the course for a limited period, and the verified track will offer unlimited hances to view and learn the course materials.

The Interpreting Vernacular Architecture in Asia online programme is a six-week course and requires a study effort of up to two to three hours a week. The free programme is designed by the University of Hong Kong under the subject of architecture. Interpreting Vernacular Architecture in Asia study is an introductory-level self-paced course instructed by David P. Y. Lung and Howard Davis.

The central focus of the Interpreting Vernacular Architecture in Asia online course is architecture but from an ordinary person's viewpoint. The course teaches the derivation of stories behind these structures in Asia, primarily because of the rich diversity. Candidates will learn the complexity of social, cultural, and economic changes in these regions and how it affect their decisions. 

Experts will explain the link between cultural identities and vernacular buildings through real-life examples. The course aims at providing a new perspective and appreciation towards ordinary built environments. Students can also opt for an official and verified certificate by paying a fee after completing the course. While opting for the free track, the candidates will be provided access to the course only for a limited period. 

The Gender and Sexuality: Applications in Society certification course by edX imparts knowledge and skills to the candidates in the concepts of sexuality and gender which includes personal narratives, parallel histories, intersectionality, contested narratives, laws & limits, rights margin, the performance of masculinity, pop culture & art, activist art, frame health, health margin, illness margin, equity action plan and issues in society.

The Gender and Sexuality: Applications in Society training programme covers concepts like social justice organizing. The participant will understand the difference between gender and sexuality in various contexts. They will also explore the history of sexuality studies. As a result of learning this humanities programme, the candidate would be able to understand the intersections of nature and culture with the human being.

The certification awarded on the completion of the programme is verified by the institution and signed by the instructor. So, it adds more value to the CV of the candidate and provides better job opportunities. The certificate can also be shared with the LinkedIn profile. There are 2 tracks of study which can be chosen by the students. In the case where the selection is Audit mode, the students will be getting access for a limited period and if the selection is Verified mode then the access automatically becomes unlimited.

As the social setup is dynamically changing including one of its evolving parts, Gender, it calls for a need to understand its complexities from different cultural and historical settings. The introductory course on genders and why it matters is apt for candidates who want to understand these important concepts. Offered by edX, an online education provider, and presented by the University of Hong Kong (HKU); this short certification course taken by the experienced instructors of HKU, combines the goodness of a comprehensive curriculum with a flexing learning system to get the best learning experience for the aspirants.

The course mainly highlights the diverse genders prevailing in the changing society in a comparative and descriptive study along with case studies in which key concepts like Gender discrimination, gender in politics, education, and work, gender gaze, gender in the digital age, sexual harassments, sexual violence, gendered assumptions and biases and so on.  The candidates may choose your path while they enroll in any of the paths. In case the audit mode is selected by the students they will be able to access the programme materials for a limited time. In case the verified mode is considered then there is unlimited access to the course for the candidates.

The certified course on Visualizing the Birth of Modern Tokyo is offered by MIT Visualising Cultures and the Smithsonian Institute. The course deals with the emergence of modernity helping in the transformation of Tokyo city from the era of gas-lit 1870s to the Jazz-based 1930s. The course will cover content in terms of daily life, nightlife, neighborhoods, and the city’s challenges with its vagaries of nature. The students get to learn the tradition of “100 views” which it depicts the city in a composite way to witness both the excitement and losses. 

The learning of Visualizing the Birth of Modern Tokyo Online Certificate course is designed for the duration of 4 weeks and the student needs to put in an effort of 1 to 3 weeks every week. The Visualizing the Birth of Modern Tokyo Course is self-paced and in the format of a course as the learners will be able to witness multiple viewpoints. The Visualizing the Birth of Modern Tokyo Certification course will bring several scholars from different disciplines for their instructions or arguments. The Visualizing the Birth of Modern Tokyo Course will cover the concepts of cosmopolitanism and ultranationalism which made Tokyo city imperial by nature. The candidates will be choosing between 2 tracks, Audit, and Verified for pursuing the course. During the verified mode, the candidates will be getting unlimited access whereas during the audit mode, the candidates will be receiving limited period access.

According to experts, with evolution, Edx has unlocked a middle ground between chance and determinism. This is what the learnt course instructor will discuss in the Libertarian Free Will: Neuroscientific and Philosophical Evidence program. Your program instructor, Mr Peter Tse, is a professor at Dartmouth College, USA. 

The edX Libertarian Free Will online training course will be covering the philosophical and neuroscientific aspect and perspective of free will. It will also allow you to discern the arguments against free will. During the course duration, you will be learning how internal operations have bestowed upon humans the power to imagine and deliberate. Understanding how this can alter the future courses of action will also be a part of the curriculum.

Moreover, the Libertarian Free Will course by edX is a free-to-enrol program. You can access the entire course material without any monetary charges. And what’s more, you can also earn a program certificate by paying a certificate fee. It is a shareable certificate with a signature of the course instructor. 

EdX's Salmon, People, and Place is a six-week online programme offered by the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The training emphasises the human-nature relationship between salmon and indigenous people from North America, especially Alaska Natives. The curriculum establishes how salmon are instrumental in defining the well-being and cultures of Alaskan societies.

The online Salmon, People, and Place programme also include observation of present-day critical issues. Students get familiar with climate change, habitat alterations, and management activities, disturbing the relationship between salmon-dependent Natives and salmon. The edX course will also stress the significance of a healthy salmon ecosystem, one of the only ones remaining on Earth.

The certificate programme in Salmon, People, and Place entails a quick online procedure on the edX website. Upon concluding the syllabus, students will be equipped with the know-how to host and facilitate dialogues outside the classroom. The introductory training from the environmental studies domain is instructor-led and will run on a fixed course schedule. The learners can pursue the programme in two varied tracks; paid and free. In the free mode, the candidates will be given access only for a limited duration. 

Tourism is one of the biggest and fastest-growing industries in the world. It heavily contributes to the worldwide economy and is responsible for providing jobs to millions of people. However, all of this growth comes at an environmental cost. The edX Sustainable Tourism: Society & Environmental Aspects MOOC will bring your attention to its impact on our natural and social environment.

With the help of the Sustainable Tourism: Society & Environmental Aspects online course, you will realize what effects travel has on cultures and the surroundings of famous destinations worldwide. You will also understand how tourism is a complicated occurrence, as is evident by its sensitivity to worldwide changes. These changes include economic affairs, pandemics, dynamic consumer behaviour, climate change, and terrorist activities.

As part of the Sustainable Tourism: Society & Environmental Aspects MOOC curriculum, you will be provided with a range of weekly insights. These contain social study approaches, systematic observations, historical backdrops, and general theoretical foundations. The course is awarded as ‘Best of All-time’ by Class Central. The learners can pursue the programme in two tracks, namely, the verified and audit. In the audit mode, the candidates will have access to the course only for a limited period. 

The certification path on the e-learning course on Appraising the wider Economic Benefits of Transport Corridor Investments by means of edX focuses on improving the capabilities of the path-taker with recognition of transport corridor so that he/she can efficaciously enhance transport corridor programs to boost the economic growth of Asia, decrease poverty, and create many job opportunities. Appraising the wider Economic Benefits of the Transport Corridor Investments program additionally teaches the students many case studies of old and new corridor initiatives, assessing the spatial impact of corridors, the effect of corridors on women and small businesses, socio and economic benefits, adverse effects of cross-border corridors, private sector co-investment, and so on. 

The self-paced schooling makes learning at ease whilst the enterprise-oriented projects introduce candidates to practicalities. Given the fact that edX is renowned as the arena's best learning source, pursuing the Appraising the Wider Economic Benefits of Transport Corridor Investments course might be useful for the ones wishing to kick-begin their profession in the Transport Corridor Investments. There are two tracks for learners to pursue the course; verified and audit modes. In the free audit mode, the learners will have access to the course only for a limited period of time. 

The Evaluating Social Programs certification imparts knowledge to the participants in the concepts of evaluation which includes scaling up, sample size, randomization, generalizability, cost-effectiveness analysis, threats in evaluation, measurement, RCT and analysis of evaluation. The candidate will learn about the key components of randomized evaluation through the Evaluating Social Programs training.

The participants will learn to measure the outcomes and manage data through this Evaluating Social Programs online course. They will also explore the techniques which are used for interpreting results. The candidate would be able to understand the threats in evaluation and they will be able to determine the sample size by pursuing this course. This course covers concepts like randomization and Randomized controlled trial.

The Evaluating Social Programs certification of completion is awarded to the successful participants and is verified by the institution. The instructor of the programme duly signs it. This certificate will add weight to the profile as well as the curriculum vitae of the participant. In addition to this, it welcomes bright career prospects. The Evaluating Social Programs certification benefits can be directly shared to the LinkedIn profile.