+500 Free Online Courses in Architecture, Art, Design & Engineering

Today, a broad number of students across the globe cannot afford the higher tuition of traditional colleges and universities, which has caused many of them to search for alternatives. With nearly three million students currently enrolled in fully online degree programs and six million taking at least one online course as part of their degree program, it seems that online education and free online courses have clearly become one of the most popular higher education alternatives.

There are a number of reputable platforms that offer free online courses and programs regarding architecture. The continually improving reputation of online learning has also helped fuel its expansion, as initial skepticism has faltered in the face of evidence that shows that online learning can be just as effective as face-to-face education.

What Colleges Offer Free Online Courses?

In this article, we tried to gather some free online courses from the world’s leading universities — Stanford, Yale, MIT, Harvard, Berkeley, Oxford, and more. You can download these audio & video courses (often from iTunes, YouTube, or university websites) straight to your computer or mp3 player.

1. Design Courses:

[irp posts=’150126′]


2. Architecture Courses:

[irp posts=’91300′]

Some other helpful links

  • MIT OpenCourseWare: Architecture: Launched inIn 2003 by MIT as an online platform through which absolutely anyone can access the same course contents as paying students – for free.
  • Harvard Online Learning: A collaborative partnership involving Harvard, the Allston-Brighton community, and the City of Boston
  • Delft University of Technology OpenCourseWare: Similar to MIT, TU Delft also has an OpenCourseWare platform – albeit less extensive.
  • EdX: ArchitectureEdX is a non-profit online initiative founded by MIT and Harvard University, offers free interactive classes from some of the world’s top schools.
  • Open Online Academy An online platform similar to Edx, offers a more selective range of courses relating specifically to architecture, art, and design.

3. Environment & Natural Resources Courses

  • Adaptation to Climate ChangeFree iTunes Video – Charlie Kennel, Cambridge
  • Americans and the Global Forest – Free iTunes Audio – Lynn Huntsinger, UC Berkeley
  • Australian Environmental HistoryFree iTunes Audio – Richard Broome & Katie Holmes, La Trobe University-Australia
  • Blue Planet: Introduction to Oceanography – Free Online Video – Edwin Schauble, UCLA
  • Climate Change: Law and Policy – Free Online Video – Free iTunes Audio – Free iTunes Video – Cymie Payne, Daniel Farber, UC Berkeley
  • Education for Sustainable Living: EnvironmentFree Online Video – Multiple profs, UCLA
  • Energy Regulations and the Environment – Free Online Video – Steven Weissman, UC Berkeley
  • Environmental Economics – Free iTunes Audio – David Zilberman, UC Berkeley
  • Environmental Law and Policy – Free Online Video – Bob Infelise, UC Berkeley, UC Berkeley
  • Environmental Politics and Law Free Online Video – Free iTunes Video – Free iTunes Audio – Free Video & Course Materials – John P. Wargo, Yale
  • Food and the Environment – Free iTunes Audio – Free Online Audio– Nathan Sayre, UC Berkeley
  • Global Warming: Understanding the Forecast – Free Online Videos – Free iTunes Video – Free Online Video & Course Info – David Archer, University of Chicago – David Archer, University of Chicago
  • How Climate WorksFree Online Video – Free iTunes Video – Multiple Profs, Princeton
  • International Environmental Law – Free Online Video – Free iTunes Video – Free iTunes Audio – Web – Cymie Payne, UC Berkeley
  • Intro Environmental Science – Free iTunes iOS Course – Brian Lower, Ohio State
  • Introduction to Earthquakes, Their Causes, and Effects – Free Online Video – Free iTunes Video – Web – Richard Allen, UC Berkeley
  • Introduction to Environmental Economics and Policy – Free iTunes Audio – Free Online VideoWeb – Peter Berck, UC Berkeley
  • Introduction to Literature and the Environment – Free Online Video – Free iTunes Video – Ken Hiltner, Princeton
  • Introduction to Permaculture – Free Online Course Video – Will Hooker – North Carolina State
  • Microeconomic Theory with Application to Natural Resources – Free Online Video – Free iTunes Video –  Calanit Kamala, UC Berkeley
  • Mitigating Agriculture’s ImpactFree iTunes VideoFree Online Video –  Gordon Geballe, Yale
  • RadarFree iTunes Video – Kevin Kloesel, University of Oklahoma
  • Renewable Energy & Alternative Fuels (Law & Policy) – Free Online Video – UC Berkeley
  • Sustainable LivingFree Online Video – Multiple profs, UCLA
  • The Atmosphere, the Ocean, and Environmental Change – Free Online Video – Free iTunes Audio – Free Online Video & Course Info – Ronald B. Smith, Yale
  • Wildlife Ecology  – Free iTunes Video – Free Online VideoWeb – William Bean, UC Berkeley
  • Woods Energy Seminar – Free iTunes Audio – Multiple Professors, Stanford

4. Art & Art History Courses


5. Music & Performing Arts Courses

  • Basic Concepts of Music TheoryFree iTunes Video – Jamie Henke, U. of Wisconsin
  • Dave Conservatoire (Music Theory Lessons) – Free Online Video – David Rees, Royal College of Music, London
  • Free Music Courses (Multiple Offerings) Free Online Video – Berklee College of Music
  • Introduction to Theatre and Drama ArtsFree Online Video – Missouri State, Robert Bradley
  • Introduction to World MusicFree Online VideoFree iTunes VideoSyllabus – Missouri State, John Prescott
  • Jazz and CultureFree iTunes Audio – Andrew Barnes, Arizona State
  • Listening to Music – Free Online Video – Craig Wright, Yale
  • Politics in Music – Free iTunes Audio – Free Online Audio – Courtney Brown, Emory Craig Wright, Yale
  • The Ethics of Jazz (Lecture Series)Free Online Video – Herbie Hancock, Harvard
  • The Langauge of MusicFree iTunes VideoFree Online Video – Amy Muchnick, Missouri State
  • The Unanswered Question: 6 Lectures on Music Free Online Video – Leonard Bernstein, Harvard

6. Engineering (Mechanical, Civil, and Electrical) Courses


References:
* Openculture “1100 Free Online Courses from Top Universities”. Accessed 18 Feb 2015.
* Education Portal “List of Free Online Architecture Engineering Courses & Programs” Accessed 17 Feb 2015.
* Archdaily Whelan, Jennifer. “Four Ways to Learn About Architecture for Free” 16 Jun 2014. ArchDaily. Accessed 20 Feb 2015.

Arch2O.com
Logo