Online Languages Courses & Certifications

The Mandarin Chinese 1: Chinese for Beginners certification course is a 19 hours approximate course that is a beginner level course offered by the intuition Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Coursera. The course is delivered in an 100% online mode to all the participants. This course is a 10 week-long programme focused on making the students learn Mandarin.

The Mandarin Chinese 1: Chinese for Beginners training course used short plays, lectures, and interactive exercises along with cultural tips for helping the learners to orally speak Chinese whenever required in real-life scenarios. The end of the 10 weeks marks the learning of the fundamental capacity of the oral Mandarin language. Also, the candidates will be getting an end certificate to justify their learnings. 

The Mandarin Chinese 2: Chinese for Beginners certification course by Coursera, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, takes almost an approximate time of 18 hours to complete. This course is a beginner level Mandarin course for those who wish to get familiar with the fundamental speaking knowledge of Mandarin. The programme is taught online with the benefit of getting a completion shareable certificate.

The Mandarin Chinese 2: Chinese for Beginners training course is basically a continuation of the course, Mandarin Chinese 1: Chinese for beginners by Coursera. This particular programme is 10 week long programme that uses lectures, plays, exercises, and different tips on Chinese culture. This knowledge helps all the candidates to become confident while orally speaking Mandarin while facing real-life circumstances.

The Mandarin Chinese 3: Chinese for Beginners certification course by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Coursera takes almost around 21 hours to complete. This is a beginner level course in the Mandarin language, and especially directed at those who have some idea of this language. Being taught online, the completion shareable certificate is also generated that may be printed provided specification has been opted by the participants instead of the audit mode.

The Mandarin Chinese 3: Chinese for Beginners training course is mainly a continuation of the course, Mandarin Chinese 2: Chinese for beginners by Coursera. This course includes a 10 weeks curriculum that involves different kinds of exercises, plays, lectures, and Chinese culture tips. All these from the syllabus will help in learning Mandarin and speak it in different real-life scenarios in life. This specialization shall also help in passing the only official proficiency test in Chinese language, HSK level 1 or 2.

The Basic Oral Chinese Conversation Program online course aims to teach Mandarin, the most widely spoken language in the world, and introduce the culture and history of China and Taiwan. The Basic Oral Chinese Conversation Program certification by IIT Ropar covers various topics of communication in Mandarin, such as self-introduction, shopping, dining, travelling, etc. 

The Basic Oral Chinese Conversation Program certification course also includes the basics of Chinese grammar and writing systems, as well as some cultural aspects of Chinese-speaking countries. The course is suitable for beginners who have no prior knowledge of Mandarin and who have completed class 10. The course is delivered online by a qualified and experienced Chinese teacher, who uses interactive methods such as dialogues, exercises, games, songs, and poems. A final exam is required at the IIT Ropar campus to receive a completion certificate, or a participation certificate is given for online attendance.

The Certificate Course in Italian Language offers a 2.5 month duration programme. The certification course eligibility criteria is HSC or equivalent examination from a recognised board. The certification course is in a part-time mode and provides students with a strong Italian foundation.    

The Certificate Course in Italian Language by SK Somaiya College provides in-depth knowledge of the Italian language and culture that is valued in the globalised world. The students will be instructed to develop their learning strategies, emphasising the uniqueness of the Italian language and culture concentrating on structural similarities.

Also Read: Online Italian Courses & Certifications

Phonetics and Phonology: A broad overview program offers a foundation to develop one's knowledge of phonetics and phonology. It provides a conceptual framework and theoretical underpinnings of sound system analysis. Candidates joining this course will learn about articulation, phonetic properties, acoustic descriptions, International Phonetic Alphabet transcriptions of different languages in the world, phonological theory, and much more. It will include Indian language examples for relevance as well. 

Phonetics and Phonology: A broad overview certification is an elective undergraduate course in humanities and social sciences.  It is an eight-week course designed by the IIT Guwahati faculty in association with NPTEL. This online program will be available on Swayam, an online learning platform initiated by the Government of India’s Ministry of Education. 

The syllabus of the Phonetics and Phonology online course is designed by professor Shakuntala Mahanta of IIT Guwahati. The course has no prerequisites and is free for all to audit. It also offers a certification for interested candidates. There will be regular assignments and an optional offline exam at the end of the course for participants.

The ‘Chinese Language in Culture: Level 2’ online certification course is a study of the basics of the Mandarin language to gain knowledge of the culture and mandarin society. This language course helps one to acquire communication skills to relate better to the socio-cultural thought process and linguistic components of the community. The online course is provided by the Edx education platform in partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The classes in this program are conducted online for a period of eight weeks with students having to spend five to seven hours every week to complete the program.

The students of this course are led by the instructor, Haohsiang Liao who is the director of the Chinese language program at MIT. The participants of this introductory course are engaged with performance-based tasks to exhibit effective basic level writing, reading, and listening skills at the end of the program.

The ‘Chinese Language in Culture: Level 2’ online training program ensures the participants receive a course completion certificate after successful completion of the program.

The Advanced Level of Spoken Sanskrit certification by IIT Kharagpur is an 8-week online course. This online certification course is focused on providing a strong foundation in Sanskrit. With this Advanced Level of Spoken Sanskrit online course available via Swayam, students will gain a comprehensive understanding and appreciation of Sanskrit as a living language with its different semantic and syntactic tools. They will also learn about the rich literary legacy and deep further into its treasures with a greater sense of confidence and independence.

The Advanced Level of Spoken Sanskrit certification syllabus provides learners with the practice of speaking Sanskrit along with its precise grammatical structure. The Advanced Level of Spoken Sanskrit classes will be delivered online by Dr Anuradha Choudry who is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Kharagpur. The course is available for free and requires a student to sit for an examination if he/she wants to get a certificate. Get more details about this online certification course below.

The duration of the Business English Communication certification course is 8 weeks. This certification course covers a comprehensive curriculum such as reading, vocabulary, writing and grammar. The course also focuses on various aspects that are used in the business world. The course helps students to improve language skills for participating in the global business economy. 

There are no strict prerequisites for this course and any undergraduate students can join this certification course. The Business English Communication certification by NPTEL provides students with the required methods to develop English language and communication skills. This course is designed for students interested in improving their working knowledge of business English.

Also Read: Online Communication Courses & Certifications

Spanish is a global language, with over 500 million native speakers. If you want to learn conversational Spanish, enrol in the Basic Spanish 1: Getting Started course by edX. It is an ideal programme for gaining proficiency in the basics of Spanish. The training runs for seven weeks and will introduce the participants to A1-level mastery (according to CEFRL, Council of Europe 2001).

The Basic Spanish 1 online course houses activities for practising the four language skills, namely writing, reading comprehension, speaking, and listening comprehension. Once you take this training, you will be able to introduce yourself in Spanish and ask basic questions as well. Moreover, you will learn to hold basic conversations in this foreign language.

Furthermore, the Basic Spanish 1: Getting Started certification course is developed by Universitat Politècnica de Valencia, Spain. Throughout the training, you can make use of cultural notes, reference notes, and grammar explanations. It has a self-directed training approach with an introductory level of difficulty.

Students can choose either of the 2 tracks namely verified or audit tracks. If the student has chosen the verified track then he or she will be able to view and learn the materials for an unlimited period of time. Again, on the other hand, the candidates will be able to view the materials for a limited period of time only if they select the audit track.

With an introduction to learning the modern Chinese language, the Chinese Language in Culture: Level 1 certification course seeks to develop primary writing and reading skills in Mandarin. By the end of this programme, learners can converse and participate actively in everyday conversations. This seven-week-training also delivers on interpersonal behaviour culture, followed in such practising regions. 

Points the Chinese Language in Culture: Level 1 certification syllabus focuses on Mandarin pronunciation and Pinyin romanisation. Socio-linguistic language is communicated for students to pick up on social cues followed while conversing with people of the same culture. The curriculum advances at the instructor’s pace, so candidates will have to complete the module within the stipulated time.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology- an embodiment of rigour, invention, warmth, and quality, is the learning partner that offers the Chinese Language in Culture: Level 1 programme. It is replete with learning modules that are video recorded. Apart from these skill development and refinements, a completion certificate is purchasable and deliverable post-completion.

The ‘Teach English Now! Teaching Language Online’ certification course is developed for the students to improve their online teaching skills and gain insights on the implementation of the principles of second language acquisition. This online course is provided by the education platform Coursera in association with Arizona State University and VOXY. This course is scheduled to be completed within a period of twelve hours.

The students of this course are given the opportunity to study with one of the top instructors of Coursera, Emilia Gracia who is a senior global educator, and Dr. Katharine Nielson who is the chief education officer at VOXY. This language learning program of the English language enables students to explore innovative e-learning methodologies that can be implemented in virtual classrooms and the aspects of needs assessment, content curation, drafting lesson plans, and other techniques that provide effective online learning. 

The ‘Teach English Now! Teaching Language Online’ training program equips students with professional skills and a course certificate at the end of the program.

The Introduction to Applied Linguistics and TESOL course by FutureLearn is a part of the Study UK Campaign. It is developed by the University of Leicester. The university ranks in the top 20 Universities of UK for its teaching excellence and research. This six-week course includes a weekly study time of three hours. Also, TESOL stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.

The Introduction to Applied Linguistics and TESOL programme is free and online. Students can opt for additional benefits for a fee. They can either opt for an upgraded course for $74, or an unlimited one for $279 a year. At the end of the course, candidates have the option of joining the Applied Linguistics and TESOL community at Leicester. 

The instructor of the FutureLearn Introduction to Applied Linguistics and TESOL course is Prof Pamela Rogerson Revell. She is an associate professor of the Applied Linguistics and TESOL department at the University of Leicester. Involved in the research of TESOL and areas in applied linguistics, she teaches them as well, including online language learning. 

The course of Exploring English: Shakespeare by Future Learn enables candidates to improve their English language skills by having insights on the work of William Shakespeare and his prominent work on novels as well as plays. The course will offer the candidates the opportunity to master the basics of English and detailed knowledge of the work of Shakespeare and his theatre plays as well as his written art forms. 

The course provides training by using different formats of teaching that are through plays and novels. The course will impart the knowledge of English language skills by revolving around the life of William Shakespeare and the aspects of his prominent work of art. Through this course, the candidates will be able to explore worldwide themes that Shakespeare labels in the work of his lifetime. The course will take the candidates through five theatre plays of Shakespeare involving actors and experts from around the globe.

The candidates will be guided throughout the course which will also involve phrases and sentences popularly used by Shakespeare in his work which he introduced to the English language. 

The Tsinghua Chinese: Start Talking with 1.3 Billion People Course by Edx is meant for those who wish to learn the ancient Chinese language. Mandarin is a language spoken by more than a billion people globally, so knowing it is advantageous. Students can learn the language from an introductory level and then proceed to higher levels. 

Furthermore, the Edx Tsinghua Chinese online course uses the standard Romanised spelling for teaching Chinese, making it easier for students to learn. The programme incorporates reading and listening comprehension exercises, dialogues, Chinese characters, self-study tips, and Mandarin music to offer students an immersive and fun learning experience. Those interested in acing the HSK Chinese proficiency exam can also take the course.

Besides, the Edx Course on Tsinghua Chinese language is self-paced and free of cost for students to learn at their own time. Also, students who want the course certificate can pay a fee to gain an official certificate. A weekly commitment of two-three hours is adequate in finishing the training.

The ‘Study of Urdu Novel and Urdu Short Story (DSE)’ online course is delivered for the students of the undergraduate level and is part of the discipline-specific course of BA Urdu(Hons). This certification course is offered for the students to gain knowledge and understanding of the fictional dimension of Urdu novels and short stories. This online training is provided by Swayam, a portal by the ministry of education in India with the Consortium for Educational Communication (CEC).

The online classes of this program are scheduled for a period of six weeks and instructed by the professor from the Department of Urdu at the University of Kashmir, Dr. Mushtaq Hussain Magloo. This elective course enables students to develop a detailed understanding of the literary characteristics and features of Urdu novels and short stories.

The ‘Study of Urdu Novel and Urdu Short Story (DSE)’ online certification program equips the students with a course certificate after the completion of the course and the assessments with credit points.

The Mandarin Chinese Level 1 Certification Course is an introductory level language course that educates learners on the basics of the Mandarin language, one of the most popular languages in the business field. The course is available in a self-paced manner that allows learners to schedule learning at their convenience. The course has a duration of 6 weeks in total.

The Mandarin Chinese Level 1 Training will be led by Estella Chen, founder, and CEO of MandarinX. The course will be taught through video lectures and reading materials along with special pronunciation lessons to improve proficiency in the language. Once all lessons are completed along with the assessments, learners will receive the Mandarin Chinese Level 1 Certification by edX and MandarinX.

The Mandarin Chinese for Business Certification Course is a self-paced online course that equips learners with the skills and knowledge of Mandarin Chinese required for business. The course is offered at the intermediate level and aims to introduce learners to the nuances of Chinese business culture and etiquette along with important Mandarin phrases. The course has a duration of about 6 weeks approximately.

The Mandarin Chinese for Business Training will be conducted by Estella Chen, founder, and CEO of MandarinX. The course contents are designed and developed with the assistance of Dr. Haohsiang Liao, Director of the Chinese Language Program at MIT. Once all course procedures are completed, learners will be able to receive the Mandarin Chinese for Business Certification by edX and MandarinX.

Edx has 2 self-paced tracks that can be opted for by the students to learn the programme. During the free version of the course which is the audit track, one can get limited time to view the course and learn it. To view and learn the course for a lifetime the students will have to upgrade to the paid verified track.

The Mandarin Chinese Level 3 Certification Course is a 6-week long online course that educates learners on Chinese vocabulary and compound sentence structures. The course is offered in a self-paced style that allows learners to proceed at their own convenience. The course offered at an intermediate level will introduce learners to the formation of complex sentences in Mandarin Chinese.

The Mandarin Chinese Level 3 Training will be coordinated under the leadership of Estella Chen, founder, and CEO of MandarinX. The course will be taught through video lectures, course materials, pronunciation lessons, and webinars to convey the relevance of the topics. Once you complete all course lessons and the assessments, you will be rewarded with the Mandarin Chinese Level 3 Certification by edX and MandarinX.

Two self-paced tracks are available on edX, One is the free audit track and the other track is the verified one which is paid. To get only learnings for a limited period one can pick out the audit track whereas the paid track is designed to offer unlimited access and a certificate of completion.

The Mandarin Chinese Level 2 Certification Course is a self-paced online course that explores the fundamentals of Mandarin Chinese with a special focus on tones, intonation, vocabulary, sentence structures, and other important topics. This introductory level course can be covered within a duration of approximately 6 weeks. The course will help learners gain an in-depth understanding of Mandarin Chinese.

The Mandarin Chinese Level 2 Training will be led by Estella Chen, founder, and CEO of MandarinX. The Mandarin course will be taught via video lectures, readings, specialized pronunciation lessons, and the like. Once all lessons and assessments are completed, learners will get the Mandarin Chinese Level 2 Certification by edX and MandarinX.

Two self-paced tracks are available on edX, One is the free audit track and the other track is the verified one which is paid. To get only learnings for a limited period one can pick out the audit track whereas the paid track is designed to offer unlimited access and a certificate of completion.

The ‘Miracles of Human Language: An Introduction to Linguistics’ online certification course is a study of the various fundamental aspects of language and is about the domain of linguistics. In this course, students are delivered with insights into the features of linguistics and the internal structures of languages. This certification program is provided by the Coursera education platform in collaboration with Leiden University and Meertens Institute for the course content and instruction.

The students can complete the modules, videos, quizzes, readings, and other exercises of the course within an approximate period of twenty two hours. The course modules are offered with subtitles in languages such as Arabic, French, Portuguese, Greek, Italian, Vietnamese, Bulgarian, German, Russian, Turkish, English, Spanish, Romanian to enable students from different countries to get an optimized learning experience. 

The ‘Miracles of Human Language: An Introduction to Linguistics’ online training program helps students earn a course completion certificate at the end of the program. The course instructor for this training is Professor Marc van Oostendorp from the Meertens Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts & Sciences.

The A Bridge to the World: Korean Language for Beginners Ⅰ Certification Course is an online introductory course on the Korean language. The course introduces learners to both formal and informal usage of the Korean language. The course is offered by the top language instructors at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU). Students can access this 100% online course on the Coursera platform.

A Bridge to the World: Korean Language for Beginners Ⅰ Training deals with the basic structure and characteristics of the Korean language that is apt for beginners. The course will be taught through videos, reading materials, and practice exercises. After a learner completes all course lessons and the assessments, they will be eligible for the A Bridge to the World: Korean Language for Beginners I Certification by Coursera.

The First Step Korean certification course is an elementary-level programme that has been designed by Coursera. The syllabus of this Korean language course consists of 4 units with 5 lessons were all listening, speaking, and reading skills are taught. 

The main topics of the First Step Korean training include the different expressions of the Korean language that a person uses. The students will learn about different clear ways to introduce themselves, and will also be able to shed light on their daily activities of themselves by using instances from the families in the Korean language. The course completion always ends with a sharable certificate being awarded to all the enrolled students.

The Introduction to Korean certification course is a 6 weeks course that is responsibly designed by Hanyang University, and Futurelearn jointly. The course is all set to give a solid introduction to the Korean language. It will prepare, present, and then ultimately explain how to indulge in real Korean language conversations. 

The Introduction to Korean training is for the novice who will be learning different kinds of Korean greetings, phrases, numbers, grammar, and spelling. This course will be sharing the presentation, and explanation of the culture of Korea, and its language thereby inculcating the skills of communication. When the course is on its way, the candidates will be able to apply real Korean knowledge to have proper Korean conversations.

The Introduction to Korean 2 certification course is a 6 weeks course. During this course, the contents of the programme are taught for 3 hours on a weekly basis. This is an online course that will help each and everyone who enrolls to learn Korean speaking skills in a better manner. 

The Introduction to Korean 2 training course will give everyone a taste of the Korean language. This course has been specifically designed for the betterment of Korean communication skills. The improvements can be seen in the areas of Korean greetings, phrases, numbers, spellins, vocabulary, and grammar. Not only will the culture improve but also the candidates with this certification will also help in learning the activities of this language.

The Introduction to Italian certification course is a 6 weeks course where 3 hours of weekly study is offered by Futurelearn. If students have a dream of visiting different cities like Rome, Venice, or Florence and exploring their culture, then this course is the best suited for this bunch of students.

The Introduction to the Italian training programme is spread over 6 weeks in which regular conversational skills can be developed. The students will be learning to introduce themselves in different situations or ask questions, and also talk about their interests, culture, and food tastes. The curriculum will be taught through thorough assistance of short videos that will introduce different grammar and vocabulary patterns in the Italian language. The certification will be offered which is subject to students choosing the different course options available.

English for Journalists, Part 1 programme by edX is an English language development instruction course. It focuses on journalism students and professional journalists interested in improving their English proficiency. It is also useful for students aspiring to study journalism and build a career in this field. It is a programme with a duration of five weeks.

English for Journalists, Part 1 online course covers important topics useful to journalists across the globe. These include topics such as ethics in journalism, the job of a journalist, citizen journalism, local vs global journalism, and inclusive journalism. The U.S Department of State has sponsored this programme.

Moreover, English for Journalists, Part 1 certification is offered by UC Berkeley as a part of the U.S Department of State’s MOOC Camp. It has been created in partnership with the Voice of America, Regional English Language Office in Central and South-eastern Europe, and English language educators across Eastern and Central Europe. This programme also offers a certificate upon completion, containing the university logo and instructor’s signature.

Language is an indispensable part of our society. No matter where you come from, the words you use and how you use them are fundamental to your cultural identity. However, in today’s increasingly globalized world, linguicide, or the loss of a language, is happening more rapidly than you can imagine, and it is happening everywhere. But thanks to initiatives like the Language Revival online course, there is still some hope. 

As the language revival movement is emerging as a significant and effective response to linguicide, the Language Revival course by edX will introduce you to its techniques and fundamental principles. You will first learn why we need to revive endangered languages, and then you will learn how. Language revival takes more than just recovering literacy and lost letters; it involves a complex and deep engagement with identity, history, human rights, and well-being.

The Language Revival Securing the Future of Endangered Languages training will also get you up to speed with what’s currently being done worldwide, and how effective those techniques have been. The University of Adelaide has developed this five-week online certification program. The communication course is only available in English, and learners can get 2 tracks to get enrolled in the programme, one is the audit track, and the other is the verified track. The audit track is free but it offers limited access to the course whereas the verified track is chargeable and the course material access is unlimited.