About The University of California:
The University of California is a world-renowned Public research institution with 10 different campuses. UC was established in 1869 with just 40 students, and now, it houses over 200,000 students from California and other parts of the world across its campuses. The University has been identified for its innovations, discoveries and outstanding research facilities, no wonder it is constantly ranked as one of the best in the world.
The priority of the University is to provide an all-inclusive studying environment to everyone regardless of background and country. Local and International students wish to study on any of their campuses, partly because of its outstanding academic excellence and conducive learning environments with top-notch technology. UCLA and UC Berkeley have records as the top public universities in the US News and World Report rankings in 2020.
UC Online Education:
To further prove their support for all-inclusive studying, the University of California joined the edX consortium in 2012 to support the development and encourage the creation and international dissemination of online learning programs built on the edX Platform. Over 100 courses are available at UC Berkeley to more than 4 million students from different nations and regions. Massive Open Online Courses, Professional Certificates, and MicroMasters are all available at Berkeley (MOOCs).
List of Free Online Courses At The University of California:
Massive Open Online Courses from the University of California, Berkeley are available on a wide range of topics. The courses listed below are offered online by the University of California, Berkeley. Although there are paid online courses, you can register for any of the courses listed here and learn free of charge, some of them may require you to pay a token for the certificate which is optional.
1. Mastering Agile Software Development and Deployment
The master agile software development and deployment is a four(4) week course where you will be exposed to the concepts and methods for planning, creating, and changing big software systems utilizing Agile methods and industry-standard tools like GitHub, Pivotal Tracker, Travis CI, Heroku, and others.
To offer this course, you must have taken the course introduction to agile software development tools and techniques and Advanced Topics & Techniques in Agile Software Development. You also need Programming expertise in at least one computer-oriented language (Python, Java, etc.), familiarity with the theory and implementation of fundamental data structures (lists, hashes, queues, etc.), and knowledge of higher-order functions and functional programming fundamentals.
Key Learnings:
- Software Development & Deployment.
- Teamwork.
- Design Patterns for SaaS Apps.
- Software Maintenance(Enhancing Legacy Software Using Refactoring and Agile Methods)
- DevOps: Deployment, Performance, Reliability, and Practical Security
2. The Science of Happiness
The Science of happiness is the first massive open online course to examine the foundation of positive psychology. It was designed by the Greater Good Science at UC Berkeley to concentrate on positive psychology understanding that satisfaction is linked to having strong social connections and being kind to others.
This course is scheduled to run for 11 weeks of which you are to dedicate 4-5 hours every week to complete the course, you can also learn at your speed. Health professionals are allowed to register, they can earn continuing education units for their participation.
Key Learnings:
- You will learn about the multidisciplinary research that supports positive psychology and how it can be linked to other academic fields, like psychology, neurology, evolutionary biology, etc.
- The connection and rationale between happiness and science.
- You will be exposed to useful methods for building happiness, such as trying out a variety of activities that have been scientifically proven to promote social and emotional well-being while observing how your happiness develops over time.
- You will engage with some of the most interesting and practical scientific concepts while learning how to apply cutting-edge research to your own life.
3. Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Computation
This course is a free self-paced fundamental introduction to quantum mechanics and quantum computation. It will run for 26 weeks(you need to dedicate 5-12 hours each week) to complete the course on the edX platform.
To take part in this course, you must have a strong knowledge of basic linear algebra(vectors, inner products, complex numbers, matrices, eigenvectors and eigenvalues). Also, you must be familiar with ideas of computer science like algorithms, big-Oh notation, and elementary algorithms. You can have a diagnostic quiz after your registration and you will have access to online resources to refresh your background knowledge. This quiz is optional.
4. Writing for Social Media
The emphasis of this course is on efficient writing techniques for a social media setting. This course provides a framework for writing for social media by focusing on purpose, content and audiences, helping you be more effective at using these powerful platforms to deliver your messages.
This course is an instructor-paced course that will run for four weeks, it is not a self-paced course, unlike others.
Key Learnings:
- You’ll discover how to organize and compose articles that will convey your messages and hold readers’ attention.
- You’ll discover how to consider what a reader needs and wants from your business.
- Learn how to plan your writing strategy, as well as how to share your brand’s story, present your opinion, and engage your audience.
5. The Writing Process
This course is a 4 weeks course that focuses on writing techniques and best ways for writing and revising effective business documents. This course is for those interested in improving their professional writing.
Key Learnings:
- Build the confidence to plan documents with organizational strategies like subheadings, headings, proofreading for errors and identifying misused words.
- Learn how to identify audience and choose the best writing methods to address them.
- Improve your overall writing style, logic and every other thing writing requires to clearly express your self.
6. Bridging Differences:
Bridging Differences is an 8 weeks course that was developed by UC Berkeley’s GGSC(Greater Good Science Center) it is recommended to everyone dealing with disagreements and conflicts, with a focus on college campuses. In this course, you will discover fundamental, researched-based rules and techniques for promoting cordial relationships, conversation, and comprehension through differences.
The popular Bridging Differences Playbook from the GGSC serves as the basis of the course and it has already been extensively used by leaders in business, government, and other contexts. The course provides top techniques based on real life case studies and empirical research. It will concentrate on how these research-based methods may be utilized to resolve the conflicts and divisions that appear in our daily relationships and many sectors, with a special emphasis on university and colleges.
Key Learnings:
- How to encourage and promote friendly relations between people who may be in conflict with one another but belong to different groups.
- Why overcoming differences is beneficial to people and communities, and why it’s necessary for higher educationHow to become aware of, recognize, and protect yourself from prejudices.
- What “bridging disparities” entails—and doesn’t entail—as well as when doing so might be risky or unhealthy.
- How to connect and find things in common with others who may appear to be different from you.
- communicating in a way that breeds connection and understanding.
7. Academic and Business Writing:
This free online course is a 6 weeks course that introduces learners to academic and business writing. The focus here is on structure, vocabulary, grammar, editing, and publication.
Key Learnings:
- Improve your essay writing and persuasive writing skills.
- Develop your self-editing, proofreading, tone, revision, and vocabulary skills.
- Develop your writing and communication skills in English.
8. Empathy and Emotional Intelligence at Work:
In 4 weeks, this course teaches you how to apply research-based techniques to boost cooperation, build empathy and trust, and produce more creative, successful, and fulfilling work experiences. The course also analyzes the psychological and neuroscientific foundations of collaborative and empathic actions.
The course is closely related to “the Science of Happiness” and ” Foundations of Happiness at Work”. The social and emotional competencies that support healthy interactions at work are explained in this course. It emphasizes the fundamental and connected skills of empathy and “emotional intelligence,” also known as EQ, which refers to the ability to recognize and control our feelings.
Key Learnings:
- Recognize the fundamental features of human nature that support fundamental human needs.
- Understanding the foundation of human behaviours.
- Skills needed to maintain a good social relationship.
9. Journalism for Social Change(J4SC):
Journalism for social change is a course that aims to foster social change. Learning how to use solution-based journalism to promote positive social change was necessary due to the increased production of fake news by the mainstream media.
Whether it’s women’s rights, immigration crisis, child exploitation, criminal justice, or poverty, J4SC serves as a platform to investigate and write about policy and justice problems that pique your interests and passions. You will be exposed to excellent problem-solution-based journalism throughout the course. Most of the case studies revolve around young children who are in danger. Throughout the course, your findings will be published and will have a real, immediate impact.
Key Learnings:
- Solution-based journalism(giving the same importance to problems and their solutions).
- Learn how to create social change with journalism and media.
- Learn how to be an effective agent of social development.
- You will learn how to Contribute to public discourse.
10. The Foundations of Happiness at Work:
The last but not the least course on this list is the foundations of happiness at work. The course focuses on various research-backed and practical ways of boosting happiness at work. It also provides means of gauging the levels of happiness within the company.
It is a self-paced course available for four weeks it starts by explaining the happiness and presenting the argument that workplace happiness enhances both individual employee performance and organizational performance as a whole. The primary factors that current studies have identified as influencing workplace happiness are also examined, with an emphasis on behaviours like cultivating a mindset of gratitude, developing a strong sense of purpose, and developing sincere, cooperative connections with others. The typical constraints to job happiness at the individual and cultural levels will also be identified in the course.
The course ends by providing a realistic framework for employee well-being and presents approachable methods for assessing employee happiness in an organization. It also provides a strategy to boost workplace happiness. You can also adopt this strategy in your work life, and organization.
Key Learnings:
- How to increase happiness within yourself and others in your organization.
- The importance of happiness at work. (Social, personal and professional advantages of happiness.)
- Identifying major hindrances to achieving workplace happiness.
Associated programs: Professional Certificate in The Science of Happiness at Work
In Conclusion
University of California just like every other renowned higher institution give learners the chance to take any of the short courses listed above for free with an opportunity to further the course by paying a token, which is optional. You can decide to upgrade your skill and knowledge in that course if you wish. Also, some courses are prerequisites for another course, so you must go through the course for a better understanding. Although each one has been designed to stand on its own, foreknowledge is an added advantage.
The Free Online Courses You Can Take at the University of California will help you develop new technological, social and soft skills to either start a new career or develop your social skills, it’s a given. You have the freedom to attend classes whenever and wherever you choose with online courses. All the courses are well curated and the purpose will be achieved if you go for the one that you need the most. Good luck.