Yale University is a renowned institution with more than 300 years of experience in education. It boasts more than 12,000 enrolled students, according to its official website, and this includes over two thousand international scholars from 120 countries. It also has the Yale School of Management and the Yale Summer Session, two popular ways for new students to learn.
Yale offers hundreds of courses, many of which are offered online through Open Yale Courses (OYC). In this article, you will learn all about the best Yale online courses, both paid and free. Yale has online programs, certificate programs, online degrees, and more for Yale alumni and new students alike.
About Yale Online Courses
Yale online courses are aimed at a wide range of people, including full and part-time students, professionals, educators, and lifelong learners. The courses include high-quality lectures available in video and audio format, transcripts, and all necessary supporting materials. The course offering is widely varied, ranging from poetry to game theory.
Does Yale Offer Online Courses?
Yes, Yale offers online courses through various channels. Students have the option of signing up for free courses with no credits or paying to receive graded homework and certificates of completion through platforms like Coursera. Each one can have a positive impact on pre-college students and college students.
Open Yale Courses offer access to free lectures exclusively, with no option to obtain credits, degrees, or certifications. For students interested in earning credits, they can opt for courses offered through Yale Summer Online. Otherwise, you don’t have to be enrolled in a Yale program to take an online course.
What Can You Learn in a Yale Online Course?
You can learn within a wide variety of fields in a Yale online course, including humanities, social sciences, and physical and biological sciences. For example, you can sign up for courses in astronomy, chemistry, economics, history, and various languages including English, just to name a few.
Yale courses provide an online learning approach in a virtual classroom with college students. No matter what you learn, you’ll gain a tangible career benefit from the comprehensive introduction. You’ll work with respected faculty and learn practical tools for critical thinking and complex situations on the job.
Does Yale Offer Online Bootcamps?
Yes, Yale does offer an online bootcamp for web development. This is offered during its summer session in partnership with Flatiron School, which is ranked as one of the best coding bootcamps. You’ll learn about everything from digital marketing tools to how to be an effective leader in software development.
This bootcamp offers students the chance to gain industry-relevant web development skills over a short period of time. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the current job outlook for software developers is 22 percent between 2020 and 2030, which is double the average growth.
Best Yale Online Courses
According to statistics from Statista, Yale is one of the best universities in the United States, second only to UC Berkeley. A course from Yale will look good on your resume and help you learn from top professors and scholars. Below, you will find Yale Summer Online courses that can be taken for credit towards a degree.
| Course Title | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Discrete Mathematics | 5 weeks | $4,585 |
| Energy, Engines and the Environment | 6 weeks | $4,585 |
| Game Theory | 5 weeks | $4,585 |
| Intermediate Microeconomics | 5 weeks | $4,585 |
| Introduction to Computing for Engineers and Scientists | 5 weeks | $4,585 |
| Introduction to Cultural Anthropology | 5 weeks | $4,585 |
| Introduction to Full-Stack Web Development | 10 weeks | $8,885 |
| Multivariable Calculus for Engineers | 5 weeks | $4,585 |
| Race, Inequality, and Urban Education and Housing Policy | 5 weeks | $4,585 |
| Scientific Thinking and Reasoning | 5 weeks | $4,585 |
Discrete Mathematics
This online course is best suited for students with a background in mathematics. It explains discrete mathematics and covers basic concepts, including graphs, trees, connectivity, enumeration, and binomial coefficients. Students also learn about Ramsey’s theorem and Stirling numbers.
Energy, Engines and the Environment
This online course is designed for first and second-year students pursuing science and engineering majors, although it is also suited for students from non-science majors with an interest in energy sustainability and global warming.
The course covers thermodynamics and renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind, and biomass. It also introduces students to engines, combustion technologies, carbon capture and sequestration, and pollution resulting from the use of fossil fuels.
Game Theory
This course discusses game theory, which seeks to explain how and why people make decisions, as well as its applications in economic analysis. Throughout the course, students learn about multiperson decision problems, static and dynamic noncooperative games, Nash equilibrium, and sub-game perfect equilibrium.
Intermediate Microeconomics
This intermediate course on microeconomics focuses on the theory of allocating resources as well as its applications. Throughout the course, you’ll learn about the theory of choice, consumer and firm behavior, production, price determination in different markets, welfare, and market failure, all of which are relevant in the business world.
Introduction to Computing for Engineers and Scientists
This introductory course is best suited for students with some previous experience in programming. It introduces the fundamentals of MATLAB, C, and C++ and their applications for solving typical problems in engineering, math, and natural sciences. It also includes projects so students get a chance to apply their theoretical knowledge.
Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
This one-credit course offers an introduction to the fundamentals of cultural anthropology. Throughout the course, students gain the tools to discuss how specific social settings produce specific forms of knowledge and worldviews. Topics include cooperation and conflict, economics, religion, problem-solving, communication, and gender and sexuality.
Introduction to Full-Stack Web Development
This two-credit course introduces you to the fundamentals of web development and the application development lifecycle using Ruby and JavaScript, both of which are well-known languages in this field.
Throughout the course, you will also learn application programming interfaces (APIs) and acquire a basic understanding of object oriented programming. The course will also help you become proficient in database modeling, object relational mapping (ORM), and the application of the model view controller (MVC) framework.
Multivariable Calculus for Engineers
This course is worth one credit and is geared towards engineering and applied science students. It covers multivariable calculus with a practical approach to solving physics problems. Students will learn about partial derivatives, multiple integrals, three-dimensional spaces and vectors, and vector-specific calculus concepts and theorems.
Race, Inequality, and Urban Education and Housing Policy
This course uses Atlanta, Georgia as a case study to analyze spatial relationships and racial segregation in the southern US. It focuses on the way these factors have shaped opportunities for the residents in these areas of the country.
The course offers a combination of urban history, analysis of educational policies including the Brown V. Board of Education supreme court ruling of 1952, and the evolution of housing policies. This is a one-credit course.
Scientific Thinking and Reasoning
This online course introduces students to fundamental topics in science and scientific inquiry. The course offers a platform for discussion and reflection on the importance of science and quantitative reasons in our day-to-day lives and explores the basic elements of the scientific process.
7 Best Free Yale Online Courses
| Course Title | Duration |
|---|---|
| Everyday Parenting: The ABCs of Child Rearing | 21 hours self-paced |
| Financial Markets | 33 hours self-paced |
| Introduction to Medical Software | 38 hours self-paced |
| Introduction to Negotiation: A Strategic Playbook for Becoming a Principled and Persuasive Negotiator | 31 hours self-paced |
| Introduction to Psychology | 15 hours self-paced |
| Moral Foundations of Politics | 45 hours self-paced |
| The Science of Well-Being | 19 hours self-paced |
The following free Yale online courses are an ideal option for students wishing to update their skills and knowledge in a variety of fields. Many of these courses are offered through Open Yale Courses, and others are available through Coursera. Students can follow along with the course content for free and have the option to pay a fee to obtain a certificate of completion if desired.
The Science of Well-Being
This is a widely popular online course offered by Yale. Students are presented with an up-to-date body of evidence on how we can increase happiness in our lives and build daily habits that contribute to our well-being. The course tackles common misconceptions regarding what happiness is and how to overcome them.
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Financial Markets
This course provides students with an understanding of how human societies manage risk and promote entrepreneurship. The course covers the functioning of a variety of industries, including banking, insurance, and security, and describes today’s best practices as well as possibilities for the future.
Introduction to Psychology
This introductory course provides students with the concepts and tools to help them understand basic human behavior through a scientific lens. Students learn about early childhood development, cultural differences and their influence on behavior, and how the brain is wired. Other topics include perception, communication, memory, decision-making, and social behavior.
Introduction to Negotiation: A Strategic Playbook for Becoming a Principled and Persuasive Negotiator
In this course, students are provided with a framework to help them analyze and shape negotiations, create effective arguments, and discover the motivations underlying an argument. The course also provides students with the opportunity to practice what they’ve learned by conducting negotiations with classmates and analyzing real-world scenarios.
Everyday Parenting: The ABCs of Child Rearing
This course provides parents with the tools and knowledge to help them adjust their parenting methods and help foster new behaviors in their children. The course is designed to help make students’ day-to-day easier at home and tackle common parenting misconceptions that may be undermining them with their children.
Moral Foundations of Politics
This course provides an overview of some of the major political theories in the Western world, from utilitarianism and Marxism. The course also offers the chance to discuss topics such as economic inequality, affirmative action, healthcare distribution, and the limits of the political power exercised by Western governments.
Introduction to Medical Software
This course is designed for third or fourth-year students majoring in computer science, biomedical engineering, and related fields, and offers an overview of the history and applications of software specifically designed for medical purposes.
It includes topics such as quality and risk management, data privacy, and cyber security. Students learn about the lifecycle of medical software, including identifying user needs, system requirements, software design, coding, testing, and validation.
How to Choose an Online Course from Yale
Choosing the right online course from Yale can be tricky. To help you select a course that will keep you engaged and motivated to stay on track, we’ve compiled some top things you should consider when selecting the best course for you.
- Consider your goals. First, you should decide what you want from the course. Is it for fun or work? What skills and knowledge are you wanting to enhance? What topics are you interested in learning? Answering these questions will help you narrow down your choices.
- Consider the available options. Now that you have an idea of what you want to accomplish, you should do some research and see what courses are available that would fit your criteria. Luckily, there is a wide variety of choices, so make sure to take some time and pick the ones that match your goals.
- Consider the course’s syllabus. Once you’ve narrowed down your choices, you should then take a look at the course specifics. Make sure to check out the syllabus of each of the courses you shortlisted to make sure that they include the topics you wish to explore.
- Consider your time and availability. Before committing to an online course, make sure you are clear on how much time you have available to dedicate to studying. Make sure to check how long the course will last and that you will be able to keep your commitment.
- Consider your budget. Because there are both paid and free courses available, you should also take time to consider whether you are willing to invest money. This will also narrow down your choices and help you make a decision accordingly.
Are Online Courses at Yale Worth It?
Yes, online courses at Yale are worth it. If you are looking to advance your skills in a particular field related to your work, consider a certificate, which will boost your resume. If you are hoping to learn more about web development, you can also consider the bootcamp that Yale offers in partnership with Flatiron School.
Yale is one of the top-ranking universities in the world, and when you sign up for one of its courses, you are guaranteed to receive a quality education. With breakthrough pricing and great options for career changers, Yale online college courses are an amazing voice for outstanding education from home.
Yale Online Courses FAQ
Yes, most online courses offered by Yale have scheduled live class discussion sections a few times a week. Students are required to attend and must have a webcam. The Yale School of Management Executive Education programs offer live class discussion as well.
Yes, you can earn credits by signing up for one of Yale’s online summer courses. Most courses offered during the summer period are worth one credit and will count towards your degree if you are a student enrolled at Yale.
Yes, some of the courses at Yale are self-paced, while others require you to adhere to a schedule. Depending on the course and learning option you have chosen, you may need to be available to meet live online for classes.
To attend an online Yale course, you are required to have a device with a strong Internet connection and a way to transmit video, which can be an external camera or a camera that’s built into your device. This type of enrollment still requires participation, although you might choose an audit option instead.
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