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Online education, especially massive open online courses (MOOCs), is a great way to try out classes before pursuing a degree, affordably advance your career, or just relax in a way that’s more engaging than a passive Netflix binge.
Like e-learning platforms edX and Coursera, FutureLearn, a UK-based e-learning platform, offers over 1,000 online courses from schools like Cambridge, UCL, and The University of Kent — making it a particularly good option for e-learning content from global universities.
Below, we rounded up some of the most popular ones, in topics from fiction writing and career development to forensic science and nutrition.
Offered by: The Open University
Length: 8 weeks
In this course, established writers share their best tips for writing, from keeping journals to developing plotlines through research. Students also learn how to read as writers and offer good peer feedback.
Offered by: The Open University
Length: 8 weeks
Whether you’re interested in a cybersecurity career or just want to keep yourself safe, this course covers the basics, including how to recognize online threats and how to protect yourself.
Offered by: British Council
Length: 3 weeks
This short course walks students through the steps towards preparing for the three parts of the IELTS exam, covering the four criteria used to assess their English.
Offered by: Cambridge Assessment English
Length: 4 weeks
Designed for English teachers, this course shows how to transfer their skills to online teaching, from managing online classrooms to joining online teaching communities.
Offered by: British Council
Length: 4 weeks
No matter which language you want to teach, this course covers techniques that can apply to all language learning, including the benefits of using technology in the classroom.
Offered by: The University of East Anglia
Length: 2 weeks
This short course teaches beginner screenwriting students some basic screenwriting theory and formatting along with techniques for character and plot development.
Offered by: Monash University
Length: 3 weeks
For anyone interested in nutrition, this course talks about the benefits of macronutrients and antioxidants, and how certain foods can improve gut health, reduce IBS symptoms, and ward off preventable chronic diseases.
Offered by: The Open University
Length: 4 weeks
Learn how to lead with this course on management styles and techniques, which can help you do everything from making tough decisions to interacting with stakeholders.
Offered by: The University of Reading
Length: 5 weeks
This course provides in-depth looks at both anxiety and depression and then offers a potential aid: CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, which can help curb unhelpful thoughts and behaviors.
Offered by: The University of Southampton
Length: 8 weeks
If you’re planning on pursuing a scholarly project (such as a research essay), this course breaks down the fundamentals of academic writing and research so you can feel prepared rather than overwhelmed.
Offered by: The University of Strathclyde, Glasgow
Length: 6 weeks
For anyone interested in a forensic science career, this course covers the main methods of investigating a crime scene, before having you investigate a theoretical murder and present your case yourself.
Offered by: The Open University
Length: 4 weeks
Learn the very basics of Spanish, from introducing yourself to talking about where you live and what you do, and even ask for clarification if you don’t understand something.
Offered by: The University of Strathclyde, Glasgow
Length: 6 weeks
Diving into the science behind DNA research, this course helps you build out your own family tree using your genealogy data, family history, and even photographs.
Offered by: The University of Kent
Length: 4 weeks
This CPD-certified course provides an overview of what autism and the autism spectrum are, how autism is diagnosed, and what life with autism is like.
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