by Abby Way

Created on: April 14, 2009   Last Updated: April 16, 2009

'No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers' dirty looks!'

Many people remember the gleeful chants of kids getting out of school for the summer, but later they realize that maybe they'd like to get back into school again. Yet, they don't have the time, money, or dedication to studying, or other factors hold them back.

There's a simple solution: taking courses online for free.

It might seem too good to be true, but there are actually many reputable universities that offer free courses with no strings attached!

Your other choice is to take more casual online courses that deliver lessons once a week by email, of which thousands are available, if you know where to look.

*University Courses*

1. MIT Link

Over 1,800 courses are offered online in many different areas, such as Architecture and Planning, Engineering, Health Sciences and Technology, Humanities, The Arts, and Social Sciences, Management Science, etc. Some sample courses:

Dialogue in Art, Architecture, and Urbanism

How to Make (Almost) Anything

Space Systems Engineering

The Lexicon and its Features

Marketing, Microchips and McDonalds: Debating Globalization

Law for the Entrepreneur and Manager

Interesting courses are available for almost every department and speciality!

2. UTAH STATE Link

82 courses are offered in areas such as: Anthropology, Biology, Economics, Education, Engineering, English, History, Languages, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology, and Theatre Arts. Some sample courses:

Technology for Professional Writers

Anthropology of Religion

Uncertainty in Engineering Analysis

Science of Sound

Power of Positive Parenting

3. TUFTS Link

46 courses are offered in these areas: Arts and Sciences, Dentistry, International Relations, Medicine, Nutrition Science and Policy, Veterinary Medicine. Some sample courses:

Blender 3D Design

Contemporary Biosocial Problems in America

Force and Strategy

Producing Films for Social Change

4. NOTRE DAME Link

39 courses are offered in various areas.

5. UMASS BOSTON Link

25 courses are offered in various areas.

6. YALE Link

13 courses are offered in various areas.

7. JOHNS HOPKINS Link

Courses related to public health, genetics, aging, and HIV/AIDs, among other topics, can be found here.

8. UC IRVINE Link

19 courses are offered in various areas, including five courses in Spanish and Portuguese.

*Other Institutions*

If the university courses don't interest you, there are thousands of casual online courses you can take, too.

1. ABOUT.COM Link

This site offers courses on many different subjects! This site is best place to start your search for free online courses. When you sign up, the first lesson is automatically delivered via email, and it will automatically deliver you another lesson at specified time intervals, to teach you to pace yourself and actually learn, rather than speed-read.

2. HOMEANDLEARN Link

Computer courses are offered here, from Microsoft Word to basic programming.

3. THIRDAGE Link

This site offers mainly health and wellness classes, but a plus is that they are instructor-led rather than independent-study!

4. DOCNMAIL Link

This site offers a variety of courses on different topics, from business to fun and games.

Enjoy your learning experiences!

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