List of Free
Online Computer Courses and Tutorials
See a list of the top free online computer courses and
tutorials. Learn about what courses are available and what topics they cover to
find the course that's right for you.
Online Computer Courses for Credit
Most of the free online computer courses and tutorials listed in
this article are made available to the public by the Open Course Ware (OCW)
project. Materials cover common software applications, programming, Mac OS and
the Internet and can be used by online learners for self-enrichment purposes.
Students who complete the courses and tutorials are not awarded academic
credit.
Individuals interested in learning about computer applications
while earning college credits might benefit from the online courses available
through Study.com. These resources offer an affordable alternative to enrolling
in a typical college course by providing registered members who pay a nominal
fee with access to short, illustrated video lessons and interactive quizzes
they can use to earn credit by examination. Lesson transcripts are also
available to everyone at no cost. Available computer courses include:
Business 109: Intro to Computing - Students get an introduction
to computer input and output devices, types of databases and the uses of word
processing and presentation software. Chapters also discuss web scripting
languages and internet communication standards and provide a short history on
the social impacts of computing.
Business 104: Information Systems and Computer Applications -
This course teaches students about data management, hardware and systems
technology, network types, information technology in the business world and
applications software. An introduction to programming and systems development
is also included.
Free Online
Non-Credited Computer Courses Harvard Extension School
Introduction
to Computer Science
Introduction to Computer Science is a free online course that
teaches students the basics of computer science. Through lecture videos,
students study various computer-related topics like operating systems, data
structures, debugging, computer forensics, computer networking and algorithms.
The 2-hour videos are offered in QuickTime and MP3 formats.
MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Computer Graphics
Computer System
Architecture
Computer System
Engineering
Introduction to
Algorithms
Introduction to
Computer Science and Programming
Introduction to C++
Introduction to
Programming in Java
Mathematics for
Computer Science
Network and Computer
Security
Structure and
Interpretation of Computer Programs
Computer Graphics is a free online course that introduces
individuals to algorithms, computer graphics and computer software. Students
learn from lecture notes and assignments. While it includes exams with
solutions, there are no solutions to the assignments. This course includes
links to C++ and ray tracing resources.
A graduate level course, Computer System Architecture focuses on
the software and hardware elements that go into computer systems. This
lecture-based course provides assignments and exams but does not provide
learners with solutions. Students have notes to help them complete the problem
sets.
Computer System Engineering is an undergraduate course that
teaches students about computer hardware and software systems. They also learn
about security, encryption, networking and virtual memory. The course includes
video and lecture notes, projects, assignments and exams. Students are required
to complete written communication exercises and two design projects.
This online course is aimed at individuals interested in
learning more about computer programming. Through a curriculum of lecture notes
and assignments, Introduction to Algorithms teaches students the connection
between computer programming and algorithms and how they're used to solve
computing problems. Exams with solutions are also included in this course.
This course is aimed at individuals with little-to-no
programming experience. An undergraduate course, Introduction to Computer Science
and Programming provides students with the skills to write basic computer
programs. The Python programming language is used in the course. In addition to
24 video lectures, this online course includes assignments and exams.
This OCW course is a fast-paced course for candidates interested
in learning C++ programming. Although Introduction to C++ can be taken by
students with little or no programming experience, those that have programming
experience may have an easier time. Students learn through lecture notes and
assignments complete with solutions.
Generally offered during a special 4-week term in January,
Introduction to Programming in Java is a free online course that introduces
students to software engineering. Utilizing lecture notes and assignments, this
course teaches students to develop software programs with problem-solving
features. Individuals taking this course should have some programming
experience.
Consisting of lecture notes, assignments and exams, Mathematics
for Computer Science teaches students the role of discrete mathematics in
computer science and engineering. This online course focuses on three main
areas: discrete structures, fundamental concepts of mathematics and discrete
probability theory. While exams provide solutions, assignments do not.
Network and Computer Security introduces students to various
network and computer security-related topics like cryptography, firewalls,
intrusion detection and secure operating systems. This course provides students
with assignments and exams, each with solutions.
Students are taught the principles of computation in the
Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs online course. Upon
completion, students can apply programming theories to solve abstract problems.
The curriculum includes lecture notes, video notes, projects and exams. An
online textbook for this course is available.
University State University
Computer
Applications for Instruction and Training
This online course is aimed at candidates interested in learning
more about the Macintosh Operating System. Apple iMovie, MS PowerPoint, Adobe
GoLive and Adobe Photoshop are introduced in the Computer Applications for
Instruction and Training course. OCW users should have these programs installed
before beginning the course tutorials. The course consists of nine lessons for
which video tutorials and assignments are available.
Microsoft
Microsoft
Office Training at Microsoft
The Microsoft Office Training course covers tutorials for all
Office programs, including Office 2007, Office 2010 and Office 2013 versions of
the software suite. The training tutorials are free and can be accessed by
anyone. These tutorials are not associated with the OCW project. While students
can become proficient in Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint, they can also learn
about OneNote 2007, MS Outlook 2010, SharePoint 2010, Access 2010 and Publisher
2007. The 2013, 2010 and 2007 MS Office tutorials all contain MS Word, MS Excel
and MS PowerPoint.