MOOCs

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are a great way of pursuing academic enrichment! There are literally 1000s of *FREE* online courses to choose from. From learning to code, to learning Japanese, from immersing yourself in historical periods, to understanding more about engineering, MOOCS offer huge variety.

If you scroll down, we have a list of some of the best MOOC providers, where you can go and research your interests.

If you would like a bit more guidance, click here for our subject-specific MOOC recommendations.

Three reasons why MOOCs are great:

• If there’s an interest you have, you can pursue it via a MOOC, well before your teachers will teach it on a school syllabus e.g. you might be 15 years old and really keen to learn more about a particular period in History, or about Black Holes in Physics, but the GCSE syllabus doesn’t explore it. Well, a MOOC will let you go on your own exponential journey!

• If you think you might be interested in a subject, but you don’t quite know yet - do a MOOC and it will cement (or not) your decision from a much more informed place e.g. you think you might want to do Accounting or Finance at University? Well, most people can’t study Finance before they apply to university so doing a MOOC is a great way of showing both a passion but also discovering if you really do like it!

• If you have come across something in class or online and really wished that, rather than skimming over it, you could explore it more depth - there’s a good chance there’s a MOOC on it!

So what is a MOOC?!

• Free online course that shows off your ability to show you are a self-starter.

• Short weekly videos / lectures that offer you a step-by-step walk through of your area of interest, sometimes supported with tasks to do along the way.

• Not only proves you are independent enough to pursue your own interests, it shows a genuine PROVEN interest in your specific area of study, rather than simply claiming you have one, but not being able to provide proof.

• Some of the main providers are listed below - as you will see, some top universities (Harvard features prominently!) in the world provide these courses, which are great name drops on the Personal Statement too!

• Courses vary in length but showing you can do 6-8 hours self-directed study, spread over a month or two, is a great undergraduate skill. And again will impress your Admissions Tutors.

• You do NOT need to purchase the certificate at the end of courses.

• Courses are targeted at lots of age/expertise ranges so you should perhaps run a course via your subject teacher (or us here at EM) to see if it is suitable for your ability. But aim high - even if you don’t understand everything being taught, you can still see all the possibilities that lie out there!

• Don’t forget to keep your Common Place Book whilst you are working through your MOOC!