Twenty years ago, online education made higher ed exponentially more affordable and accessible. Today, MOOCs are poised to do the same. MOOCs – or Massive Open Online Courses – are picking up momentum in popularity – at least in terms of initial enrollment.
Unlike regular college/ university courses, MOOCs can attract many thousands of enrollees around the world. They can come in the form of active course sessions with participant interaction, or as archived content for self-paced study. MOOCs can be free, or there can be a charge – either on a subscription basis or a one-time charge. Free MOOCs sometimes have a paid “verified certificate” option.
There are now thousands of MOOCs available worldwide from several hundred colleges, universities and other institutions of higher learning. For your convenience, we’ve compiled a list of 50 of the most popular MOOCs, based on enrollment figures for all sessions of a course. The ranking is based on filtering enrollment data for 3,200 free MOOCs on various elearning platforms.
Disclaimer: Some courses may include an affiliate link. Courses were chosen first based on the methodology with affiliate links only added after the ranking was complete.
NOTES:
- All-time MOOC enrollment numbers are obviously a moving target. Consider any figures here as merely a snapshot at time of writing, not as exact enrollment data.
- Primarily English-language MOOCs – or those with English subtitles – have been considered.
- The majority of top courses come from two platforms: Coursera and edX. The latter, in this case, amounts to MIT and Harvard courses, whereas top Coursera courses in this list come from several schools.
- Of the 185 courses considered (unique, not including versions of the same course), 66 were on Coursera and 55 on edX.
- There may be other MOOCs with higher enrollment figures than those presented here. Courses that require payment for full access were not considered.
- Due to differing schedules for course offerings, enrollment data for some courses may be changed over time as reported (causing some MOOCs to change position in rankings). If you have information on updated enrollment data, feel free to report through OnlineCourseReport’s contact page.
Some of the courses listed here have had no recent active sessions, and some do not have archived content. If you cannot find what you are looking for on a learning provider’s platform, check out our list of 5400 free online courses.
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49. Introduction to Computer Science / Harvard University
The MOOC CS50x Introduction to Computer Science, from Harvard on edX / HarvardX, covers the basics of computer programming for both comp sci majors and non-majors. Topics include algorithms and problem solving, abstraction, data structures, encapsulation, resource management, security, software engineering, Web development and more. Languages, markup and databases covered include C, PHP, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, and SQL.
Total enrollment since the course’s launch in Oct 2012 is about 348.5K. The course, which is currently archived, is taught by David J. Malan, PhD (computer science) et al. Malan is a professor of Computer Science and is the Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Computer Science at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard. Other members of the team are doctoral and undergrad students at Harvard.
Additional info:
Platform: edX
Institution homepage: Harvard University
Total enrollment: 348,476
Lecturers/team: David J. Malan, Rob Bowden, Zamyla Chan, Allison Buchholtz-Au
48. Competitive Strategy / Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)
LMU’s Competitive Strategy course is designed to help students learn how businesses and organizations strategize in interdependent circumstances. A 6-week module, the topics breakdown as follows: Take Care of Your Competitors, Why Firms Work Together, Complementary Products and Strategic Partnerships, Entering a New Market, Why Worry About Research and Development, and Designing Products Wisely.
Students complete a quiz following each lesson, and the class concludes with a final exam. All coursework is archived to allow students complete the class on a self-paced basis. The instructor is Tobias Kretschmer, Professor of Strategy, Technology and Organization at LMU, where his particular interests include economic and managerial aspects of high-technology industries.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)
Total enrollment: 352,332
Lecturers: Tobias Kretschmer
47. Financial Engineering and Risk Management / Columbia University
This program is designed to develop in students a strong foundation in the critical assessment of financial models–what makes them accurate and effective, and conversely, what makes models inaccurate and lacking in predictive capabilities. To this end, students will become acquainted with the various financial influences of historical economic events such as the financial collapse of 2008. A unique and distinguishing feature of this program is an interview module with Emanuel Derman, the renowned best-selling author of “My Life as a Quant”.
Throughout this course students will learn the ins and outs of stochastic models in order to evaluate an array of assets and securities including equities, fixed income, credit and mortgage-backed securities. The program’s instructor is Martin Haugh of Columbia University who holds the title of Co-Director of the University’s Center for Financial Engineering. For this reason, students in the course can take pride in knowing they are learning from one of the best in the industry.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Columbia University
Total enrollment: 352,443
Lecturers: Martin Haugh
46. IELTS Academic Test Preparation / The University of Queensland
The MOOC IELTsx is offered by the University of Queensland, and helps to prepare students for the most popular English-language test for those pursuing higher education in an English-speaking nation. The course centers around the core skills tested in the IELTS test, reading, listing, writing, and talking in English. Students enrolling in the course are offered over 80 hours of study materials immediately.
The course of study is flexible, and allows students to work with multimedia support and learning tools in the areas in which they feel they need the most practice. Reviews for the course are filled with stories of those –who after working through practice materials in the course– were able to successfully complete their test. If pursuing a higher education in an English-speaking nation is your goal, IELTSx is a tried and true preparatory method for acing the exam.
Additional info:
Platform: edX
Institution homepage: The University of Queensland
Total enrollment: 355,026
Lecturers: Iain Mathieson, Martin Dutton, Megan Yucel, Stephen Walker, Philippa Coleman
45. Improving Deep Neural Networks: Hyperparameter tuning, Regularization and Optimization / DeepLearning.AI
This course is designed to accommodate students who want to build a quick and actionable knowledge base concerning deep learning applications. The efficacy of this course is demonstrated in the actions of its alumni, 33% of whom were able to start a new career after graduating and 32% of whom reported a tangible career benefit to an existing career.
Course material is designed to build a firm understanding of the industry’s best practices in the construction of deep learning functionalities such that students will learn how to build a neural network in TensorFlow. Students will also be taught an array of industry ‘tricks’ and know-how that include practices like initialization, L2 and dropout regularization, as well as batch normalization and gradient checking. Course instructors include the renowned Andrew Ng, who is the founder of DeepLearning.AI and Co-Founder of Coursera.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: DeepLearning.AI
Total enrollment: 364,410
Lecturers: Andrew Ng, Kian Katanforoosh, Younes Bensouda Mourri
44. Work Smarter, Not Harder: Time Management for Personal & Professional Productivity / University of California Irvine
This course is all about building and mastering the knowledge and skills associated with improving productivity in various contexts–both professional and personal. Students of this course will learn the various dynamics involved in productivity assessment, critical analysis, and best practices in corporate environments. To this end, students will learn to work with a number of time management tools to advance productivity and efficiently manage resources.
This course challenges students to conduct self-evaluations as well, so that they can leverage a heightened awareness to improve time management in all areas of their lives. Margaret Meloni takes on the role of course instructor, and brings a lifetime of professional success and industry research to the table.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: University of California Irvine
Total enrollment: 364,410
Lecturers: Margaret Meloni, MBA, PMP
43. Social Psychology / Wesleyan University
The MOOC entitled, Social Psychology from Wesleyan University on Coursera, covers the why of human behavior. Topics include social psychology, decision making, persuasion, group behavior, personal attraction and more. Students of this course will also receive a network in the Social Psychology network (socialpsychology.org).
The course, which consists of 10-20 minute long lecture videos, is taught by Scott Plous, PhD (psychology) of Wesleyan. Videos, lectures, and other learning materials have been valued at a whopping $1,000. Scott Plous teaches courses in social psychology and has won several awards, including for teaching. In the past, to accomodate students’ schedules, the class has taken a one-week break to allow students to catch up with coursework and concepts.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Wesleyan University
Total enrollment: 367,712
Lecturers: Scott Plous
42. What is Data Science? / IBM
This course is designed to accommodate students who are looking to build a foundation in data science. The field of data science has functioned as guiding science since ancient egypt where governments employed it to gather census data and predict the flooding of the Nile River. Students will learn the history and evolution of data science as it pertains to the evolving uses and applications of information.
Today, data science plays a key role at the heart of growth in any industry that values data and information. Students of this program will learn the industry’s best practices–and how to leverage those practices in various applications. Students will learn from industry guru Rav Ahuja who is the AI and Data Science Director at IBM.
Another great feature of this course is that it applies towards multiple professional specializations and certifications. Students who complete this course can apply it to any of the following programs:
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: IBM
Total enrollment: 367,712
Lecturers: Rav Ahuja, Alex Akison
41. Seeing through Photographs / Museum of Modern Art
This course is designed to bring about a new and informed understanding of the visual arts as portrayed in photography. Students will study a wide array of different approaches and technologies associated with the arts of photography in order to foster a deeper appreciation. Students will also learn how to better assess visual arts for its themes, composition, and background.
This course is taught by Sarah Meister, whose exemplary career in the arts has led her to the position of curator at the Museum of Modern Art, which is considered by many to be the paramount art museum in the industry today. Her work with some of the greatest photographers of our era is what informs her work as an instructor.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Museum of Modern Art
Total enrollment: 368,910
Lecturers: Sarah Meister, Curator, Museum of Modern Art
40. Modern Art & Ideas / Museum of Modern Art
This course seeks to accomplish something exceedingly difficult, that is, bringing students up to speed on all the various sectors of modern arts without becoming too myopic within one area or another. To accomplish this difficult task, students will study interviews with some of the greatest and most renowned artists of the century, so that they can hear from artists themselves.
Further, students will be taught in the primary principles of artistic critique–that is, how to view art through an eye of understanding. To this end students will practice evaluating art in the context of cultural, political, or societal pressures and influence. And through these considerations students will learn how to relate the exploration of art to the exploration of identity. The program is taught by Lisa Mizzola, a well-known professional of the art community who oversees teaching and school programs at the Museum of Modern Art.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Museum of Modern Art
Total enrollment: 369,037
Lecturers: Lisa Mazzola
39. Introduction to Programming with MATLAB / Vanderbilt University
This program is designed to function as an entry point into the programming profession for those who have little to no experience. The programming system is taught through acclimating students to MATLAB, which is a special-purpose language chosen due to its versatility and its ease of use for beginners. It is also a programming language which offers great value and usefulness to professionals across various industries.
Instructors are eager to point out however, that this course is not a MATLAB tutorial rather, it uses MATLAB to illustrate core concepts insofar as they are helpful to introducing students to programming in general. This program is offered by Vanderbilt University’s Akos Ledeczi and Mike Fitzpatrick.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Vanderbilt University
Total enrollment: 369,823
Lecturers: Akos Ledeczi, Mike Fitzpatrick
38. Introduction to HTML5 / The University of Michigan
While there may be a large number of options for software that can seemingly create a webpage for anyone, this course is designed to teach students how websites are built–from the ground up. The value of learning such things is that students will be able to solve various problems encountered in web development that would act as a roadblock to the uninitiated. Thus this course is meant to aid anyone with a professional, scholarly, or personal interest in web development.
Students will also learn not only how to build websites, but how to improve upon their existing design. As such students will be familiarized with all the tools involved in such a process where the goal is to improve user experience. Students will learn Javascript and CSS3 in this context.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: The University of Michigan
Total enrollment: 370,460
Lecturers: Colleen van Lent, Ph.D. Charles Russell Severance
37. Programming Foundations with JavaScript, HTML and CSS / Duke University
In this course enrollees will build a foundational understanding of how to approach the problems of web programming–that is, how to evaluate a project, its challenges, and its solutions. By the end of the course, students will be able to demonstrate their newly developed expertise by building a website where others can upload images and use filters created by the students.
The course curriculum is designed around fulfilling the following five benchmarks:
- Critical thinking and problem solving in programming
- Writing Javascript code successfully
- Using HTML to successful build website design elements
- Adding styles to web pages using CSS IDs
- Making a web page interactive with Javascript commands
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Duke University
Total enrollment: 375,224
Lecturers: Susan H. Roger, Robert Duvall, Rowen Astrachan, Andrew D. Hilton
36. A Life of Happiness and Fulfillment / Indian School of Business
A fundamental exercise of human thinkers for thousands of years has been to answer the question, “what is happiness?” In this course, enrollees will cover a range of interdisciplinary concepts and research in order to understand what the concept of happiness truly means across a range of traditions and sciences.
If you are wondering if such a topic is able to provide a return on the investment, check out the following: 41% of enrollees started new careers after completing this course, 31% reported gaining a tangible benefit in their existing careers, and 11% got a pay increase or promotion. And this is a perfect indication of the validity in studying happiness–achieving a better understanding can yield benefits across many divergent sectors of daily life.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Indian School of Business
Total enrollment: 383,313
Lecturers: Dr. Rajagopal Raghunathan
35. Child Nutrition and Cooking / Stanford University
A primary tenant of this course is the fact that one’s nutrition early in life sets into motion consequences that will be experienced by the individual all throughout life. With this in mind, it is crucial to provide children with the nutritional support that they need in order to grow into healthy and productive adults. This is a challenge made all the more difficult by the increased dominance of processed foods and fast foods.
In this course, students will learn how to combat these problems through realistic and helpful cooking practices. These practices are informed by the most current culinary and nutrition sciences from around the world. Maya Adam delivers this course in bit-sized segments meant to slow introduce students to the vast world of nutrition and cooking science. Maya Adam is a lecturer at Stanford University and is well known for her book, “Food Love Family: A Practical Guide to Child Nutrition.”
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Stanford University
Total enrollment: 398,198
Lecturers: Maya Adam, MD
34. English Grammar and Style / The University of Queensland
The MOOC Write101x: English Grammar and Style is an introductory level English course offered by the University of Queensland. Noted in reviews for being a patient overview of English grammar, the MOOC steps students through 8 weeks of rudimentary English reading, writing, and speaking topics. Whether taken as an upgrade to students with basic English usage, a refresher course for polyglots, or an introductory linguistics course focusing on English, the course provides for a massive potential audience of would-be better English-language users.
The MOOC is currently taught by three University of Queensland community members and draws from a depth of experience in English tutoring, linguistics, and communications studies pedagogy.
Course programming is particularly multimedia, and includes video interviews, mini-lectures, readings, quizzes, writing activities, and writing assignments.
Additional info:
Platform: edX
Institution homepage: The University of Queensland
Total enrollment: 414,432
Lecturers: Roslyn Petelin, Amber Gwynne, Megan Porter
33. HTML, CSS, and Javascript for Web Developers / Johns Hopkins University
This course is designed to effectively introduce students to the nuance and art of web development. Good web development treds a tightrope between usability and functionality, that is, there is the user’s site experience and the backend server to consider. This course prepares students to work on problems on either end of the equation.
Each of Yaakov Chaikin’s courses has reached the “#1 Top Rated Course” designation on Coursera. This widespread popularity has often contributed to his grounded and highly rational approach to building skills that are most relevant in the real world. For example, in this MOOC enrollees will cover the basics of building a webpage with HTML and CSS. And after these foundations have laid out, the course concludes with an introduction into the more advanced applications of Javascript.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Johns Hopkins University
Total enrollment: 422,232
Lecturers: Yaakov Chaikin
32. Google Cloud Platform Fundamentals: Core Infrastructure / Google Cloud
The Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is a collection of technologies that contribute to many of the advances across various high tech industries today. Cloud-based services are the new craze when it comes to fast and affordable scaling in the digital dimension. This MOOC is designed to accommodate students with an interest in this area by building a foundational understanding of the GCP and its applications, so that students can further expand on these basics and build toward areas of professional expertise.
Through a series of hands-on labs students will become accustomed with all the various tools and applications associated with navigating the GCP and working within it. Another tangible benefit of this MOOC is that it can be applied to several professional specializations and certifications. Here are two programs which this MOOC can be applied to within Coursera:
- Networking in Google Cloud Specialization
- Cloud Engineering with Google Cloud Professional Certificate
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Google Cloud
Total enrollment: 439,716
Lecturers: Google Cloud Training Program
31. Fundamentals of Graphic Design / California Institute of the Arts
Graphic design is an intersection between art and marketing and thus represents a popular career path for artistic individuals who are also business-minded. Graphic design represents an excellent career choice as well, as it becomes more and more prevalent across various industries that utilize marketing efforts in the visual medium. This MOOC prepares enrollees to leverage existing skills and talents in order to take their graphic design skills to the next level.
The course is taught by Michael Worthington, who is the founding partner of Counterspace in LA, California. Counterspace achieved national recognition for its niche in working with cultural issues within the design space. Under his tutelage, students will cover these four primary areas of study:
- Implementing the fundamentals of color theory
- Learning to typeset text and experiment with fonts and forms
- Evaluating the dimensions and qualities of composition
- Creating your own unique images
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: California Institute of the Arts
Total enrollment: 449,217
Lecturers: Michael Worthington
30. Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies / Princeton University
This MOOC is designed to bring you up to speed on all things cryptocurrency. Bitcoin is used at the poster child to illustrate concepts for course discussion, but the intent of this course is to bring students to a greater understanding of cryptocurrency technologies in general. How secure are cryptocurrencies? How do they work? What technological advances can we expect in cryptocurrency in coming years? After completing this MOOC enrollees will be able to answer all of these questions and more.
Arvind Narayanan is a top-tier player in advocating for data anonymization. He has demonstrated through his research that companies abuse their powers to collect data on consumers. This research led to his working on the Princeton Web Transparency and Accountability project, which is aimed at uncovering and correcting the data-abuse of large corporations.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Princeton University
Total enrollment: 450,962
Lecturers: Arvind Narayanan
29. Marketing in a Digital World / Illinois University
Marketing in 2020 is defined almost entirely by the digital tools of the marketer, and being able to use such tools effectively is crucial for success. This course is meant to build a strong foundation in introductory concepts of digital marketing while also building familiarity with the industry’s most helpful tools.
Digital marketing has been one of the most promising areas of the American job market for years. This fact combined with the top tier instructor of this MOOC contributes to it being one of the most popular courses on Coursera. The course instructor, Aric Rindfleisch, is the Executive Director of the Illinois MakerLab located at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and writes for several of the top marketing journals in the industry.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Illinois University
Total enrollment: 452,120
Lecturers: Aric Rindfleisch
28. Using Python to Access Web Data / The University of Michigan
This course is designed to accommodate students who want to progress in their studies of Python programming applications and functionalities. This MOOC in particular is part of a sequence of courses meant to cover later materials of the textbook “Python for Everybody.” Prospective enrollees of this MOOC will want to complete chapters 1-10 before tackling this course.
The content in this MOOC covers three main areas–expression, variables, and conditions. Similarly, students will cover procedures concerning file manipulation, web scraping, and data parsing–essentially, the various dynamics relevant to converting raw web data into usable and organized information. Dr. Charles Russell Severance is the author of “Python for Everybody,” so he is the ideal instructor for this course.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: The University of Michigan
Total enrollment: 460,788
Lecturers: Dr. Charles Russell Severance
Enrollment: 462,785
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)
Total enrollment: 352,332
Lecturers: Tobias Kretschmer
27. Stanford Introduction to Food and Health / Stanford University
Maya Adam is a renowned player in the global health field. One of her primary concerns is the global epidemics of obesity, diabetes 2, and other diet-related diseases. In this MOOC enrollees will cover the introductory topics of food and nutrition science as it relates to an individual’s health across mental, physical, and emotional spectrums.
One of the defining features of this MOOC is its noticeable focus on holistic conceptions of health eating, rather than a focus on reductionistic measures primarily promoted in fad diets. This approach to nutrition science will take students through a range of interdisciplinary sciences and philosophies.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Stanford University
Total enrollment: 478,017
Lecturers: Maya Adam, MD
26. Excel Skills for Business: Essentials / Macquarie University
Microsoft Excel is one of the best tools for a businessperson to master, and this MOOC is designed specifically to increase one’s knowledge and comfort in using Excel in the context of business projects. Excel is an incredibly deep tool with enormous nuance and can take a long time to master, but by narrowing the focus of Excel in the context of business, students can develop an actionable skill set on a much more efficient time table.
Course instructors each bring an impressive resume and background in business to the table. So enrollees of the course can rest assured that they are learning skills that are relevant to real world business. After completing coursework, students will be able to effectively complete these areas of excel work:
- Graphs
- Spreadsheet
- Microsoft Excel Tools
- Charts
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Macquarie University
Total enrollment: 487,584
Lecturers: Nicky Bull, Yvonne Breyer, Prashan S. M. Karunaratne
25. Buddhism and Modern Psychology / Princeton University
This course is meant to drive an exploration where students cover the evolution of ancient Buddhist tenets into the modern science of the mind as we know it, that is, modern psychology. This exploration is driven by the encouragement of the Dalai Lama to critically examine the link between western science and Buddhist ideas.
Specifically, enrollees of this MOOC will explore the question of how neuroscience informs eastern traditions such as meditation. Does neuroscience enhance the traditional understanding of meditation? Or does our understanding of neuroscience today refute these traditionally Buddhistic conceptions of meditation? Students who will complete this course will be able to answer these questions and more.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)
Total enrollment: 497,552
Lecturers: Tobias Kretschmer
24. Introduction to Psychology / Yale University
Psychology is a field of study that contributes to many other sciences and schools of thought, and as such interest in the subject grows year by year. In Introduction to Psychology MOOC, one of Yale’s top psychology professors delivers a foundational introduction to concepts, techniques, and theories that make up the field of psychology today, and directs the momentum that shapes where it is going.
Enrollees in this MOOC will build an understanding of how human beings communicate, persuade, think, feel, and more. This course is meant to refresh concepts for veterans of the industry and introduce new concepts to initiates of psychology, and vice versa. Moreover in this course enrollees will build skills in the following four areas:
- Reasoning
- Critical Thinking
- Abstract Thinking
- Analytical Thinking
- Problem Solving
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Yale University
Total enrollment: 505,701
Lecturers: Paul Bloom
23. Introduction to Python Programming
The MOOC Introduction to Computer Science (or CS 101) covers computer science foundations through several hands-on projects and coursework that exposes students to the Python programming language. Central projects include building a search engine as well as a simple social network.
Lessons center around (1) getting started, (2) repeating, (3) problem solving, (4) managing data, (5) responding to queries, (6) how programs run, (7) increasing the power of programs, and (8) the past, present, and future of computing. The course is taught by professor David Evans, a professor of computer science focusing on computer security at the University of Virginia.
Additional info:
Platform: Udacity
Institution homepage: N/A
Total enrollment: 515,476
Lecturers: David Evans
22. Introduction to Data Science in Python / University of Michigan
This course is designed to accommodate students and professionals who wish to further their understanding of the Python programming language. Enrollees will cover topics such as lambas, various forms of file manipulation, and the numpy library. By the end of the course students will be able to collect tabular data, cultivate it, and manipulate it in order to make inferential calculations of logic. In other words, this course will teach students how to collect data and then turn it into actionable information.
This MOOC is taught by Christopher Brooks, who is the Director of Learning Analytics and Research through the Office of Digital Education & Innovation located at the University of Michigan. He leverages his expertise to help students reach these core learning benchmarks:
- Understanding techniques related to CSV files
- Querying DataFrame structures
- Accessing and evaluating Python’s data science tools
- Explaining and completing samplings, distributions, and t-tests
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: University of Michigan
Total enrollment: 553,509
Lecturers: Christopher Brooks
21. Grammar and Punctuation / University of California Irvine
Writing and grammar are lifelong skills, but unfortunately most of the schooling we have in these areas occur very early in life and thus it only makes sense that our associated skills might dull over time. This course is meant to fill the demand of students and professionals who want to refresh their grammar and punctuation skills.
The instructors of this program represent masters of the english language from some of the top programs in the country. Completing this course will boost confidence in both the basics and the complexities by being able to excel in the following areas:
- Utilizing verbs in the correct tense and form
- Utilizing commas in the correct style and form
- Utilizing various sentence structures
- Writing more effectively
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: University of California Irvine
Total enrollment: 564,428
Lecturers: Tamy Chapman, Helen Nam, Brad Gilpin
20. AI For Everyone / DeepLearning.AI
Artificial intelligence is a topic of interest to many individuals and sectors of business. Anyone who wants to better understand the coming impact of automation–and how artificial intelligence will spur evolutions across various industries–will find an abundance of helpful information in this course. Of fundamental are the following questions:
- What is AI really capable of?
- How can AI apply to specific organizations?
- How does one build an AI strategy?
- How does one navigate the ethical concerns associated with AI?
One of Coursera’s top instructors, Andrew Ng, helps students answer these questions and more. Furthermore, the overall focus of this MOOC is positioned to apply to individuals in non-technical professions and thus information is framed in a business-operations context–meaning that this course will be of particular interest to individuals looking to build this business know-how concerning artificial intelligence.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: DeepLearning.AI
Total enrollment: 569,039
Lecturers: Andrew Ng
19. Technical Support Fundamentals / Google
The world of information technology is an industry which demonstrates explosive growth year after year with no signs of slowing down. As the industry grows so does the need for technical support professionals to bridge the gap between technology and consumers. In particular this course prepares enrollees to take on entry-level positions in the technical support job market.
This course is offered by one of the largest tech giants in the world, Google. Thus enrollees can enjoy confidence that they are learning industry-relevant skills. After completing the course students will be able to demonstrate any of these skills in the following areas:
- Understanding binary system functionalities
- Assembling a computer from scratch
- Understanding how the internet works
- Understanding how computer applications function
- Utilize industry-relevant problem solving methods
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Google
Total enrollment: 579,553
Lecturers: Google
18. R Programming / Johns Hopkins University
The MOOC R Programming is presented by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and functions as part of Coursera’s data science specialization. The courses begin by teaching students how to install and configure R (the de facto programming language for data science and statistics work).
The course continues by helping to step students through reading data into R, accessing R packages, writing R functions, debugging, profiling R code, and organizing and commenting R code. A certification is available for the course, which takes four weeks of study to complete with a cohort. Since its creation, the course has garnered over 950,000 students. The course is taught by Roger D. Peng, Jeff Leek, and Brian Caffo.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Johns Hopkins University
Total enrollment: 579,988
Lecturers: Roger D. Peng, Jeff Leek, Brian Caffo
17. The Data Scientist’s Toolbox / Johns Hopkins University
The MOOC the Data Scientist’s Toolbox is presented on the Coursera platform by Johns Hopkins University. The course is part of Coursera’s popular data science specialization, and has produced many pleased students since its creation particularly demonstrated in the following metrics: 35% of enrollees were able to make a career change after completing the course; 32% of of enrollees were able to obtain tangible career benefits. Topics covered include an introduction to common tools and ideas that data scientists use in their workflow.
A conceptual knowledge of how data can be turned into actionable information is covered through the early stages of the class. This is followed by the course’s practical sections on markdown, git, GitHub, R, and RStudio. Goals for the end of the course include the ability to identify and classify data science problems, as well as the establishing of a Github account with basic Git knowledge. The course is taught by Roger D. Peng, Jeff Leek, and Brian Caffo.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Johns Hopkins University
Total enrollment: 582,180
Lecturers: Roger D. Peng, Jeff Leek, Brian Caffo
16. Write Professional Emails in English / Georgia Institute of Technology
English is a notoriously difficult language to master, and this difficulty is only magnified in contexts where there are unique expectations or protocols–such as in business or demanding culturally sensitive situations. With this in mind, this course is meant to prepare individuals to navigate the nuances of the english language particularly in the case of email communications in business.
Enrollees in this MOOC will work on practicing different styles of written formality, how to organize content, and how to close out emails. Coursework is meant to accommodate those who wish to increase their efficiency, accuracy, and productivity in business emails.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Georgia Institute of Technology
Total enrollment: 588,155
Lecturers: Gerry Landers
15. First Step Korean / Yonsei University
Korean is becoming an increasingly dominant cultural force on the global stage. With this in mind, instructor Seung Hae Kang delivers a foundational education in the Korean language. Coursework constitutes an elementary-level program and consists of five lessons with four units that focus on delivering four central skills. Each lesson contains a variety of exercises to enhance one’s command of the Korean Language.
Specifically, enrollees in this MOOC will be able to complete the following three tasks after completing the course:
- Reading and writing the Korean alphabet
- Communicating with basic everyday Korean expressions
- Learning the relevant basics of history in Korea and cultural tie-ins
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Yonsei University
Total enrollment: 665,497
Lecturers: Seung Hae Kang
14. Speak English Professionally: In Person, Online & On the Phone / Georgia Tech University
Speaking English professionally is a baseline for success in many different professions and pursuits. To this end, this MOOC educates enrollees how to approach professional communication in various contexts–specifically, how to communicate in-person, online, and on the phone. Through this five week course students will learn how to make a strong introduction, how to convey one’s ideas and messages, as well as how to deal with more demanding or tense professional situations.
This MOOC is taught by Amalia Stephens, who has taught english in schools around the world, and has written for several of the top publications in America including the New York and Georgia newspapers as well as business publications of top companies.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)
Total enrollment: 668,938
Lecturers: Amalia B. Stephens
13. Python Data Structures / University of Michigan
This MOOC covers chapters 6-10 of the textbook “Python for Everybody” and is a continuation of the series that covers all the material of the book. Specifically in this course students will build an understanding of how to use Python’s built-in data structures such as lists, dictionaries, and tuples.
Charles Russell Severance acts as the course instructor, which is an ideal coupling as he is the author of the textbook referenced in this course. Charles leverages his expertise to help students learn concepts in the following four areas:
- How to explain the principles of data structure
- How to create programs that read and write data
- How to store files using Python dictionaries
- How to accomplish multi-level tasks using sorting or looping
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: University of Michigan
Total enrollment: 680,605
Lecturers: Charles Russell Severance
12. Understanding IELTS / British Council
The MOOC Understanding IELTS: Techniques for English Language Tests if offered by FutureLearn, the UK’s first MOOC platform. The course focuses on preparing students for IELTS (International English Language Testing System) tests, the most popular English language test for higher education and global migration. IELTS tests are used by over 9,000 organizations and recorded over 2.2 million individual administrations last year.
The course centers around familiarizing students with all portions of the test, understanding the assessment process, and getting feedback from other students on written and spoken English skills. The course has received almost 700000 students in its two runs, and is taught by Chris Cavey.
Additional info:
Platform: FutureLearn
Institution homepage: British Council
Total enrollment: 690,567
Lecturers: Chris Cavey
11. Algorithms, Part I / Princeton University
Building an understanding of algorithms is a crucial part of becoming a successful programmer. To this end, enrollees in this MOOC will cover the basics of working with data structures, applications, and Java implementations–and the principles of using these in the context programming efforts. This MOOC is the first of two part sequences in a series.
Specifically, part I covers introductory data structures, sorting procedures, and searching algorithms. The course is taught by industry leaders, Kevin Wayne and Robert Sedgewick. These two have demonstrated the efficacy of their collaborations before–they co-authored two widely celebrated textbooks, Computer Science: An Interdisciplinary Approach and Algorithms, 4th Edition.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Princeton University
Total enrollment: 754,531
Lecturers: Kevin Wayne, Robert Sedgewick
10. Financial Markets / Yale University
The MOOC Financial Markets, from Yale University on Coursera, covers finance and risk management; efficient markets vs behavioral finance; debt vs equity; real estate, regulation and enterprise; forward futures and options markets; monetary policy; critical elements of the financial infrastructure and other topics. Content for the course is also available in Chinese. Total enrollment since the course’s launch is just under 775,000. The course, which is currently archived from a Fall 2014 session, is taught by Robert Shiller, PhD (economics) of Yale.
Shiller is a professor of Finance at the Yale School of Management, and the Sterling Professor of Economics, Department of Economics and Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics at Yale. He won the 2013 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, and has written extensively on economics, financial markets and related topics, including a number of books and a regular column for the NY Times.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Yale University
Total enrollment: 771,530
Lecturers: Robert Shiller
9. Neural Networks and Deep Learning / DeepLearning.AI
Deep Learning is a pathway of machine learning that is driving cutting edge developments in artificial intelligence. Building a background in deep learning will open many doors and lead to many professional opportunities. The coursework is designed to provide students with more than a cursory understanding of deep learning–students learn how deep learning actually works.
To accomplish this tall order of educating students, a highly talented team has collaborated on this MOOC. Andrew Ng, Younes Mourri, and Kian Katanforoosh represent renowned industry leaders. After completing this course, students will be able to meet to the following benchmarks:
- Understanding major trends and technologies that drive Deep Learning
- Being able to develop fully connected neural networks
- Being able to efficiently implement vectorized neural networks
- Understanding the key functionalities of a neural network’s architecture
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: DeepLearning.AI
Total enrollment: 868,472
Lecturers: Andrew Ng, Younes Bensouda Mourri, Kian Katanforoosh
8. Chinese for Beginners / Peking University
Chinese culture and business plays an increasingly important role in the global development of influences. More and more individuals are taking a professional or personal interest in Chinese language and culture. For this reason, Xiaoyu Liu offers this course to give enrollees a jumpstart in learning to speak Chinese. Specifically, this is an ABC Chinese Course for beginners and covers both phonetic forms and daily expressions.
That is, enrollees will learn how Chinese characters are drawn and how to parse the various elements into meaning. After completing this course students will be able to carry basic Chinese conversations and understand common expressions and cultural concepts.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Peking University
Total enrollment: 870,224
Lecturers: Xiaoyu Liu
7. Successful Negotiation: Essential Strategies and Skills / University of Michigan
Having strong negotiation skills is a prerequisite for success in many areas of life. Particularly in business negotiations are often the fulcrum on which many of the world’s most notable business developments turn one way or another. With this in mind, many individuals desire to build better negotiation skills. In this MOOC enrollees build just that–negotiation skills–that follows a procedure model based on the following four steps:
(1) Prepare: Plan Your Negotiation Strategy
(2) Negotiate: Use Key Tactics for Success
(3) Close: Create a Contract
(4) Perform and Evaluate: The End Game
The MOOC is offered by the University of Michigan’s George Siedel, who is a world renowned legal scholar. Enrollees in this course will benefit from decades of his research and personal achievements in the legal fields and areas of negotiation.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: University of Michigan
Total enrollment: 941,278
Lecturers: George Siedel
6. COVID-19 Contact Tracing / John Hopkins University
The COVID-19 epidemic has fueled many changes in our world, but among the most distinctive is the multidisciplinary collaborative effort of many different industries to develop new methods for tracking its impact. Tracking COVID-19 contact points is a real way for people to intervene and lessen the impact of the virus.
Specifically, those enrolled in this MOOC will cover a variety of subjects and build skills in the following areas:
- How to consider the history of the coronavirus, its infectious period, and its symptomatology
- How to build an infectious contact timeline through tracing at-risk contacts
- How to develop case investigation strategies and intervention protocols
- How to explore of ethical considerations involved in contact tracing
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Johns Hopkins University
Total enrollment: 1,026,926
Lecturers: Emily Gurley, PhD, MPH
5. English for Career Development / University of Pennsylvania
This MOOC represents a unique collaboration between UPENN and the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of English Language Programs. This course is designed to accommodate non-native english speakers who desire to cultivate better communication and language skills in the context of professional advancement.
Specifically, enrollees in this course will learn how to better evaluate job offerings, participate in interviews, and understand professional demands. To accomplish these tasks students will build skills in the following areas:
- Communication
- English Language
- Career Development
- Writing
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: University of Pennsylvania
Total enrollment: 1,123,603
Lecturers: Brian McManus, Robyn Turner
4. Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python) / University of Michigan
The University of Michigan’s Programming for Everybody (Getting Started with Python) is the first course of five in the program’s Python for Everybody Specialization. An introductory-level class, students need no prerequisites and only a basic understanding of fundamental mathematical concepts. The lecturer, Charles Severance, is a Clinical Associate Professor at the university’s School of Information, where he specializes in programming, database design, and Web development.
In particular, Dr. Severance has excellent experience in the emerging ed tech sphere, helping to build programs such as Sakai, Moodle, Blackboard, ANGEL, and more. This course delivers over 7 weeks and includes 5 chapters that cover variables and expressions, conditional code, functions, and loops and iteration, among other topics.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: University of Michigan
Total enrollment: 1,975,581
Lecturers: Charles Severance
3. Learning How to Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects / UC San Diego
The MOOC Learning How to Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects covers a number of learning techniques that are utilized in a wide array of fields. Subject matter includes learning about the two main (and very different) ways in which our brain learns, as well as how the brain tends to “chunk” information. The course is geared towards anyone who is actively seeking to learn new skills or information, and who is ready to assess and improve the way they learn.
While educational theory is covered, the course also covers a wide number of practical learning tips. To date, the course has garnered more than one million enrolees, only the second MOOC to achieve this benchmark in history. The course is taught by Dr. Barbara Oakley, a professor of engineering at the University of Oakland, and Dr. Terrence Sejnowski, a professor at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: UC San Diego
Total enrollment: 2,633,758
Lecturers: Terrence Sejnowski, Barbara Oakley
2. The Science of Well-Being / Yale University
The science of well-being is a science with a wealth of benefits to offer the individual–both professional and personal. This MOOC is designed to elevate one’s vectors of happiness, gratitude, and fulfillment by leading enrollees through a series of lessons and challenges.
The MOOC is led by Laurie Santos who endeavors to illustrate the architecture of the mind and cognition as it relates to happiness. There are certain features of the mind that typically conflict with one’s pursuit of happiness. Understanding these hindering features provides the basis for circumnavigating them–and by completing the course enrollees will learn how to do just that.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Yale University
Total enrollment: 3,120,269
Lecturers: Laurie Santos
1.Machine Learning / Stanford University
The MOOC Machine Learning, from Stanford University on Coursera, covers machine learning, data mining, and statistical pattern recognition at a broad level. More specifically, topics include supervised learning, unsupervised learning, best practices in machine learning, case studies and application of learning algorithms for building smart robots, text understanding, computer vision, medical informatics and more.
Total enrollment since the course’s launch in Oct 2011 is over three million students, making the MOOC the most well enrolled in the history of online education (at time of this writing)! The course, which is archived, and which led to the founding of Coursera, is taught by Andrew Ng, Ng is an associate professor of Computer Science at Stanford and Chief Scientist of Baidu. He co-founded Coursera with Daphne Koller, another Stanford computer science professor. Ng is Chairman of Coursera, while Koller is President.
Additional info:
Platform: Coursera
Institution homepage: Stanford University
Total enrollment: 3,739,475
Lecturers: Andrew Ng
Reason for updates:
When this ranking was originally written, no comprehensive data source for MOOC enrollment numbers was available. For this reason data was assembled piecemeal from available resources, many of which were published at different times and did not look at all MOOC platforms. As our ranking has received more attention we have obtained more exact enrollment data from MOOC platforms and professors, which we are incorporating into the ranking as we receive new numbers. Note that this may mean that individual MOOCs may change position in the rankings.
REFERENCES
Some information for this list is referenced from the following Web pages and sites.
- http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/edtechresearcher/2014/01/the_first_year_of_edx_research_findings_to_inform_online_learning.html
- http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/mooc-completion-and-retention-context-student-intent
- http://harvardx.harvard.edu/multiple-course-report
- http://thedata.harvard.edu/dvn/dv/mxhx/faces/study/StudyPage.xhtml?globalId=doi:10.7910/DVN/26147&studyListingIndex=1_3e705cc9acc624ec58fa1c90a2c3
- https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/05/10/new-study-low-mooc-completion-rates
- http://www.katyjordan.com/MOOCproject.html
- http://odl.mit.edu/mitx-working-papers/
- http://harvardx-mitx-year2.odl.mit.edu/appendix.html
- http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2381263
- http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2382242
- https://weatherhead.case.edu/news/2013/05/08/a-class-of-75000-aspiring-leaders-flock-to-professor-boyatzis-mooc