There are so many free and valuable online courses you can take to skyrocket your career prospects in Canada. Thankfully, most of these courses can be taken from the comfort of your home.
Learning from home or distance learning is one of the many benefits of the digital age and online courses are the trend now. There are different online courses you can take in Canada free of charge.
We will be reviewing 30 of the best free online courses in Canada.
Online Courses in Canada
Online courses in Canada and other parts of the world are taken through online learning platforms like; Coursera, Udemy, EdX, and many more. More so, taking an online course can give you the insights you need into a new course or career path, or interest.
In addition, if you are already on a career path, it can give you a boost. The best thing about taking online courses in Canada is that whether or not you are studying in Canada, you have access to different online courses. These courses are accessible from some of the best universities in fields like health, humanities, technology, sciences, environment, management, etc.
Furthermore, online courses are particularly great for people who couldn’t get admission into their Canadian university of choice. It gives them a platform to experience learning, although virtual, in the university and they can take a further step by getting certifications.
Institutions that Offer Free Online Courses in Canada
Some of the universities that offer free online courses in Canada include:
- University of Alberta
- University of Toronto
- McMaster University
- Queen’s University
- University of British Columbia
Below are the 30 best free online courses you can take in Canada.
1. Indigenous Canada
The Indigenous Canada course is particularly useful for learning the indigenous history and culture of Canada. It is a 12-week course offered by the University of Alberta. You should take the course if you’re interested in History or other related fields.
2. Gender Analytics for Innovation
With this course, you will learn about gender identity and how to create solutions towards achieving gender equity. The gender analytics for innovation course runs for 4 weeks. In addition, the University of Toronto offers this course.
3. Paleobiology: Dinosaur Paleobiology
Also referred to as Dino 101, this course teaches about non-avian dinosaurs, their anatomy, eating patterns, adaptation, origin, and extinction. The University of Alberta offers this course and it runs for 12 weeks.
4. How to code: Simple Data
If you have an interest in coding with no knowledge or experience, this one course is for you. With the simple data course (how to code), you will learn to write programming with basic and simple codes. In addition, at the end of the course, you will be able to design a simple and interactive game. The University of British Columbia offers this course and it runs for 7 weeks.
5. Data for Machine Learning
The Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute offers the Data for a machine learning course, and it teaches data and its role in the success of applied machine learning. In addition, it is a 4-week course.
6. App Design and Development for iOS
This app design and development course are offered by the University of Toronto and it is accessible on Coursera. In this course, you will learn basic programming skills needed for the design and development of apps for iOS software. In addition, it is a 5-week course.
7. Software Architecture
Software development is a skill that is currently in high demand. If you are considering a career in it, you can start with the software architecture course offered by the University of Alberta that runs for 4 weeks.
In this course, you will learn how to apply design principles, patterns, and architecture to create flexible and reusable apps you can maintain.
8. Plant Bioinformatics
The plant bioinformatic course is a good choice for botanists with an interest in molecular biology and plant genetics. The University of Toronto offers this course and it runs for 8 weeks. In addition, in this course, you will learn how to analyze the biological information of plants with computers and statistical techniques.
9. Bugs 101: Insect-Human Interactions
If you have an interest in insects and you are looking to become an expert in analyzing insects, the Bugs 101course will set you off on the right path. The University of Alberta offers this course and runs for 13 weeks. Also, in this course, you will learn the biology, diversity, and ecology of insects and how they interact with humans.
10. Introduction to Psychology
The introduction to psychology course is an exceptional way to get all the basic knowledge you need to start a career in Psychology. With the increasing need for mental health experts, this is one course you should take if you have an interest in this field. The University of Toronto offers this course and it runs for 13 weeks.
11. Aboriginal Worldviews and Education
The Aboriginal Worldview and education course are suitable for history enthusiasts. You will learn about original and indigenous history from different parts of the world. In addition, the University of Toronto offers this course and it runs for 6 weeks.
12. Mountains 101
If you are studying Geology or related fields, the Mountains 101 course will give you the opportunity of becoming a mountains expert in no time. In it, you will learn the origins, formation, evolution, and importance of mountains. The University of Alberta offers this course and it runs for 12 weeks.
13. Business Foundations
If you have no knowledge about business and you are interested in it, you should leverage the Business foundation course offered by the University of British Columbia. This course spans 6 weeks, and in it, you will learn terminologies, concepts, and frameworks required to understand business.
14. Business Communications
The business communication course is also offered by the University of British Columbia and pairs well with the course mentions above. You will learn business writing, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills. It also runs for 6 weeks.
15. Introduction to Marketing
The course Introduction to Marketing about consumer decision making, pricing strategies, and many more. In addition, the University of British Columbia offers this course and it runs for 6 weeks. However, to take this course, you need to take the preceding two courses before you can register for it.
16. Communication Strategies for a Virtual Age
A modern course for a modern world. In the communication strategies for a virtual age course, you will learn effective communication strategies that befit this virtual age we are in. The University of Toronto offers this course and it runs for 4 weeks.
17. Palaeontology: Ancient Marine Reptiles
In this course offered by the University of Alberta, you will learn the diversity, adaptations, convergence, and extinction of ancient marine reptiles. This course runs for 4 weeks.
18. Science and Religion
While taking the science and religion course, you will explore the possible relationships between two of the biggest forces in the world and understand their relationships. The University of Alberta offers this course and it spans 12 weeks.
19. Health Professional Teaching Skills
The University of Toronto offers this course and it is to be taken in levels. The Level 1 of this course will teach you the foundations of being a health educator.
Level 2 will teach you strategies you must have as a health educator while level 3 will teach you how to become a professional health educator. In addition, each level of Health Professional Teaching Skills course runs for 4 weeks which brings it to a total of 12 weeks.
20. DNA Decoded
This course is offered by McMaster University and it runs for 4 weeks. While taking the DNA Decoded course you will learn all about the DNA; structure and replication. Moreover, it is a great choice for molecular biologists and geneticists.
21. Finance for Everyone: Markets
Are you a novice in the world of finance? Then the finance for everyone course is suitable for you. It is a four weeks duration course offered by McMaster University. Also, in this course, you will learn the basics of business, bonds, stocks, markets, and finance.
22. Writing Video Game Scenes and Dialogue
If you are new to the world of video games design, this course is great for you. It is a six-phased course offered by the University of British Columbia.
23. Learn to Program
Want to learn how to program? This course will teach you the fundamental building blocks of programming and how to create fun and useful programs using Python. The University of Toronto offers this course and it runs for 7 weeks.
24. UX Data Analysis
The UX Data Analysis course is a self-paced course offered by HEC Montreal. In this course, you will learn how to analyze data for creating user-centered products for brands.
25. UX Design
Like the course mentioned above, the UX Design course is also a self-paced course offered by HEC Montreal. Moreover, it is one of the skills that are in high demand. In addition, you will learn how to create user-centered designs and products for brands and businesses.
26. Water-Related Health
This is a self-paced course offered by Queen’s University. In this course, you will learn human health at individual and population levels as well as how water affects human health.
27. Global Water Use and Climate Change
This is another self-paced course offered by Queen’s University. It will take you through the use of water by humans and how the user contributes to climate change.
28. Science Literacy
The science literacy course teaches critical thinking, the differences between science and pseudoscience, and many more. It is offered by the University of Alberta and runs for 4 weeks.
29. Digital Capital Markets
This course runs for 6 weeks and is offered by Queen’s University. While taking the digital capital market course, you will learn the concepts for analyzing digital market quality, understanding algorithms, and many more.
30. Enterprise Selling
The enterprise selling course is also offered by Queen’s University and is self-paced. You will learn essential marketing concepts, how to align marketing and sales strategies. Most importantly, you will learn how to find and qualify customers and conduct sales conversations.
Conclusion
Online courses make learning more fun and diverse. We can see from the above that there are different online courses offered by some of the best universities in Canada to select from. In addition, they are free although you have to pay a fee for certification.
