Free Courses

This course examines the Sikh scripture from a doctrinal and historical perspective by providing an overview of Sikh teachings as well as the historical context within which the scripture evolved and became canonized.

Top chefs and Harvard researchers explore how traditional and modernist cooking techniques can illuminate basic principles in chemistry, physics, and engineering. Learn about elasticity, viscosity, mayonnaise, baking, and more!

Learn how global warming impacts human health, and the ways we can diminish those impacts.

Traces Albert Einstein’s engagement with relativity, quantum mechanics, Nazism, nuclear weapons, philosophy, the arts, and technology.

Learn what is involved in using data wisely to build a culture of collaborative inquiry. 

Understanding the context for the Ebola outbreak: What went right, what went wrong, and how we can all do better.

Learn about the Earth, life, and how we can search for life elsewhere in the universe.

An introduction to the study of bioethics and the application of legal and ethical reasoning.

Learn how to protect children from violence, exploitation, and neglect through law, policy, and practice in a human rights framework.

Learn about successful collaborations between families and educators and why they lead to improved outcomes for students and schools.

Join Harvard faculty in this online course to discover the physical history of the Jewish bible.

Examine best practices in child and family policies, advocacy, financing, and pathways to scale.

Combine literary research with data science to find answers in unexpected ways. Learn basic coding tools to help save time and draw insights from thousands of digital documents at once.

An overview of modern Chinese history, including the fall of the Qing and the end of imperial China.

Gain critical communication skills in writing and public speaking with this introduction to American political rhetoric.

Learn fundamental principles of architecture — as an academic subject or a professional career — by studying some of history’s most important buildings.

A gentle introduction to programming that prepares you for subsequent courses in coding.

Mobilize people to tackle tough problems and build the capacity to thrive through the dangers of change

Learn introductory programming and data analysis in MATLAB, with applications to biology and medicine.

Access to healthcare services is critical – but is it enough?