Image by RizÂka, via WikiÂmeÂdia ComÂmons
In South Korea, where I live, there may be no brand as respectÂed as Habodeu. ChilÂdren dream of it; adults seemÂingÂly do anyÂthing to play up their own conÂnecÂtions to it, howÂevÂer tenÂuÂous those conÂnecÂtions may be. But what is Habodeu? An elecÂtronÂics comÂpaÂny? A line of clothÂing? Some kind of luxÂuÂry car? Not at all: it is, in fact, the KoreÂan proÂnunÂciÂaÂtion of HarÂvard, the AmerÂiÂcan uniÂverÂsiÂty. PracÂtiÂcalÂly everyÂone around the world is aware of HarÂvard’s presÂtige, but relÂaÂtiveÂly few know that you can take many of its coursÂes online withÂout payÂing tuition, or even applyÂing. In fact, you can find a list of more than 130 such coursÂes right here, all availÂable to take right now.
Those lookÂing to start buildÂing a base of techÂniÂcal skill might conÂsidÂer IntroÂducÂtion to ComÂputÂer SciÂence or IntroÂducÂtion to ProÂgramÂming (of which there’s even a verÂsion for lawyers). Once you’ve got a hanÂdle on codÂing, you could move on to othÂer coursÂes in data sciÂence or machine learnÂing and artiÂfiÂcial intelÂliÂgence.
If your sciÂenÂtifÂic interÂests lie elseÂwhere, HarÂvard also has such online offerÂings as FunÂdaÂmenÂtals of NeuÂroÂscience, The EinÂstein RevÂoÂluÂtion, and SciÂence & CookÂing for both physics and chemÂistry. If you’d preÂfer to shore up your knowlÂedge of reliÂgion, there are also coursÂes on ChrisÂtianÂiÂty, Judaism, BudÂdhism, HinÂduism, Islam, and Sikhism through their scripÂtures.
Faith in art can also be satÂisÂfied through, to name just a few examÂples, MasÂterÂpieces of World LitÂerÂaÂture (with speÂcialÂized coursÂes in masÂterÂpieces modÂern and ancient); the life and work of ShakeÂspeare and such speÂcifÂic plays as HamÂlet, The MerÂchant of Venice, and OthÂelÂlo; pieces of music includÂing Beethoven’s 9th SymÂphoÂny and Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring; and coursÂes on JapanÂese books and ChiÂnese humanÂiÂties. But then, since we hapÂpen to live in what the ChiÂnese call “interÂestÂing times,” perÂhaps you feel a more urgent need to take coursÂes on AmerÂiÂcan govÂernÂment and its conÂstiÂtuÂtionÂal founÂdaÂtions, civic engageÂment, the modÂern media enviÂronÂment, and resilient leadÂerÂship. You can even take the blockÂbuster course on jusÂtice from the politÂiÂcal philosoÂpher Michael Sandel: a huge celebriÂty here in Korea, inciÂdenÂtalÂly, even by Habodeu stanÂdards. Find the comÂplete list of free online coursÂes here. Also see our list, 1,700 Free Online CoursÂes from Top UniÂverÂsiÂties.
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RelatÂed conÂtent
An AniÂmatÂed Michael Sandel Explains How MerÂiÂtocÂraÂcy Degrades Our DemocÂraÂcy
HarÂvard Puts Online a Huge ColÂlecÂtion of Bauhaus Art Objects
Based in Seoul, ColÂin Marshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂter Books on Cities and the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles. FolÂlow him on the social netÂwork forÂmerÂly known as TwitÂter at @colinmarshall.