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10 Universities Offering Free Science Courses Online

Free online courses in science are offered by real schools. Learn which science courses are available, what topics they cover and which ones lead to real college credit.

Take Free Courses. Earn Real College Credit.

Most free courses don't lead to college credit. Education-Portal.com's free courses do!

Here's how it works:

  1. 1. Watch free video lessons.
  2. 2. Pass an exam to earn real college credit.

Free Online Science Course Info and Requirements

Schools with free online science courses, such as OpenCourseWare programs, do not generally require students to register in order to gain access to courses, but they also do not usually award college credit for completion of the class. A few courses are available though, that prepare students for College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams that may qualify for college credit at some schools. The free courses on this list are self-taught and may require up-to-date computer systems to properly view course materials, such as slides and PDF files.

Education Portal

Education Portal offers free courses that prepare online learners to earn real academic credit that's accepted by nearly 3,000 colleges. In order to potentially earn credit, students can choose between the CLEP exam and the Excelsior College credit-by exam option.

The General Chemistry course introduces students to the periodic table, atoms, chemical bonding and nuclear chemistry. Intro to Biology offers course chapters in a variety of areas, such as biochemistry, cell biology, ecology and animal reproduction. Each chapter includes videos that last about 5-10 minutes. The Intro to Natural Sciences class covers an array of subjects, including human anatomy, geology and thermodynamics.

African Virtual University

This international university offers several online courses in English for students from around the world. The Inorganic Chemistry course includes QuickTime videos and PDFs of lecture notes to teach students about the configuration of elements and the periodic table of elements.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The OCW initiative at MIT includes dozens of undergraduate and graduate-level courses related to science. Many of the courses include lecture notes, assignments, exams and video clips. Organic Chemistry I is an undergraduate course where users learn about the structure of organic molecules, in addition to organic chemistry vocabulary. Students learn how to write transformations and how to draw structural representations and aromatic compounds. The course includes exams and their solutions for students to look over if they wish.

The Rise of Modern Technology studies the history of science while examining philosophy, social structure, magic and folk knowledge. The course includes readings from Aristotle, Einstein, Darwin and Freud. Students must purchase the majority of these works, but some readings are available for free download. Lecture notes and information on the class assignments are available on the course website

Tufts University

Tufts University also offers multiple OCW courses related to the sciences. Students have access to an image gallery and PDF files while enrolled in Agricultural Science and Policy I. The course is focused on natural resource conservation, policy analysis, ecological agriculture and livestock production. Students can also complete assignments if they desire. Students can look at the microscopic study of cells, in addition to various body systems, while enrolled in the Histology: Study of Cells, Tissues and Organs course.

Tulane University

The online science course in Mineralogy from Tulane includes PDF files of lecture notes for students to use as they learn about atom arrangements and how to identify different minerals. The course also includes a list of links to websites related to mineralogy.

University of Massachusetts at Boston

UMass Boston offers OCW courses in several areas of the sciences, including biology, chemistry, and the environmental, ocean and earth sciences. Online materials vary by course; for instance the General Biology I class provides access to pre-lab assignments, tests and lecture handouts. This course includes an overview of various life processes.

The Introductory Oceanography course teaches students about the history and the geographical context of oceans. Students learn about continental shelves, slope types, marine ice and types of tides. Lecture notes, images and a final exam are provided online.

University of Southern Queensland

The University of Southern Queensland is located in Australia but offers several free online courses to students from around the world. Its General Science course is a preparatory class that teaches students about the fundamentals of science, scientific measurements, the human body, science safety and the scientific method. Modules are used in the class, each with their own set of objectives, key concepts, topics and tests.

University of Texas at Austin

Field Techniques is intended for advanced geography students looking to learn how to compile field data. Online students learn about the different levels of supervision, how to make professional judgments and environmental data. Notes are included on hand leveling, describing soils, vegetation and hydrology. Students have access to a number of additional readings on a variety of topics.

Utah State University

This school also offers an array of courses in the science fields, including ecology, biology and physics. Its General Ecology course covers topics on natural selection, population dynamics, mutualism and food webs. The class includes access to 21 lectures, including audio lectures. It's physics course in Quantum Mechanics teaches students how to comprehend quantum mechanics at a research level and provides 37 lectures in PDF format.

Yale University

Free online courses from Yale are available in the scientific fields like astronomy, ecology, chemistry, physics and geology. Its course on The Atmosphere, the Ocean, and Environmental Change includes video and audio elements available through YouTube. Lecture topics include the hydrostatic balance, the greenhouse effect, convective storms and ocean currents. Lecture videos for the course last anywhere from about 5-50 minutes.

One of its physics offering, the Fundamentals in Physics I, is intended for students who have been properly prepared in mathematics and physics. They'll learn about quantitative reasoning and Newtonian mechanics, gravitation and waves. Parts of the course are available on YouTube and iTunes, and students are allowed to join virtual study groups. Lecture topics include the laws of motion, relativity, harmonic motion, fluid dynamics and parallel axis theorem.

Earn Real Credit from Free Courses

While the free courses above don't award credit directly, you can earn credit by passing an exam and transferring credit to your college. There are two widely recognized and affordable options for exams that award credit.

Option #1: CLEP Exams

The College Board's 33 CLEP exams allow you to test out of your general education requirements. Credit is accepted at 2/3 of colleges and universities in the U.S.

Option #2: Excelsior College's Credit-by-Exam

Excelsior College offers over 40 exams that lead to transferable credit. You can also earn three full degrees by taking free online courses and earning your credit by exam.

Learn how Education Portal Academy will pay you to earn credit!

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