Best Harvard Online Courses

What if you could get the Harvard experience without stepping foot on campus or spending a fortune? It’s possible, thanks to the assortment of online courses from Harvard. These courses are featured on the edX platform with options in a variety of subjects. 

Benzinga is here to help you identify the best Harvard online courses. Get started now.

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Featured Course: Money, Markets and Morals

Develop ethical reasoning skills as you consider the moral limits of markets.

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Quick Look: Best Harvard Online Courses 

Here’s a quick glimpse at our top picks: 

• CS50’s Introduction to Computer Science by HarvardX  
• CS50's Computer Science for Business Professionals by HarvardX 
• CS50's Web Programming with Python and JavaScript by HarvardX 
• Data Science: Machine Learning by HarvardX 
• Introduction to Probability by HarvardX 
• Improving Your Business Through a Culture of Health by HarvardX 
• Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies by HarvardX 
• Money, Markets and Morals by HarvardX 
• Technology Entrepreneurship: Lab to Market by HarvardX 

What Makes an Online Harvard Course Great?

Keep these factors in mind as you evaluate your options to find the best fit: 

Free Enrollment 

The courses on our list of top selections are accessible free of charge. This means you can get a world-class education without the steep price tag. 

A Verified Certificate

You can pay an additional fee when you enroll to add a verified certificate. When you reach the finish line, it will be rewarded to you, and you can share it with your current or potential employers to showcase your expertise. 

Self-Paced 

It’s best to avoid online courses that impose strict deadlines that don’t quite work with your schedule. The options from our list are self-paced and allow you to work when it’s convenient. 

Best Online Harvard Courses 

Here are Benzinga’s top picks for online Harvard courses. We’ve also included a description of each selection to help you make an informed decision. 

Who it's for: Individuals who are interested in learning the fundamentals of computer science and programming 

Price: Free (add a verified certificate for $199)

CS50’s Introduction to Computer Science is a 12-week covering the foundational elements of the subject and the art of programming. 

You’ll learn how to think algorithmically and solve problems as you work through lessons on abstraction, algorithms, data structures, resource management, software engineering, web development and so much more. Plus you’ll become acclimated with core programming languages, like CSS, HTML, JavaScript, Python and SQL. 

The class is a component of the following professional certificate programs: 

• Computer Science for Game Development
• Computer Science and Mobile Apps
• Computer Science for Artificial Intelligence
• Computer Science for Web Programming

The course is co-facilitated by David J. Malan, the Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Computer Science, and Doug Lloyd and Brian Yu, both senior preceptors in computer science. 

Expect to spend 6 to 18 hours per week working through the material. 

Enroll now.

2. CS50's Computer Science for Business Professionals by HarvardX 

Who it's for: Founders, managers, product managers and decision-makers 

Price: Free (add a verified certificate for $199)

Professor David J. Malan also presents this introductory course on computer science that caters to business professionals — particularly founders, managers, product managers and decision-makers. 

You’ll learn the essentials of computer science through a top-down approach and develop the confidence to make technology-related decisions within your firm. 

CS50's Computer Science for Business Professionals features detailed instruction on these core concepts: 

• Cloud computing 
• Computational thinking 
• Internet technologies 
• Programming languages
• Technology Stacks 
• Web development 

It requires a 6-week commitment to reach the finish line. 

Enroll now. 

3. CS50's Web Programming with Python and JavaScript by HarvardX 

Who it's for: Individuals with programming experience in any language 

Price: Free (add a verified certificate for $199)

This intermediate course offering from Harvard X is a component of the Computer Science for Web Programming professional certificate program. It delves into the design and implementation of web apps and features interactive projects that teach how to write and use application program interfaces (APIs). You’ll also learn how to develop user interface designs (UIs) and utilize cloud services. 

In just 12 weeks, CS50's Web Programming with Python and JavaScript covers these program languages and critical topics: 

• CSS
• Django 
• Git
• HTML
• JavaScript 
• Python 
• SQL, Models and Migrations 
• Testing, CI/CD
• Scalability and Security 
• User Interfaces

Instruction is provided by David J. Malan and Brian Yu. 

It’s best if you complete CS50’s Introduction to Computer Science or have programming experience in any language before you sign up. 

Enroll now. 

4. Data Science: Machine Learning by HarvardX 

Who it's for: Individuals who are interested in learning more about machine learning 

Price: Free

Intrigued by machine learning and its effectiveness and uses in everyday life? Consider this in-depth course that pulls back the curtain to explore the science behind this popular and effective technique. 

Data Science: Machine Learning spans 8 weeks and counts towards the Data Science professional certificate program. Here’s what you can expect to learn while enrolled: 

• Machine learning basics
• Popular machine learning algorithms 
• How to build a recommendation system 
• The significance or regularization 
• How to conduct cross-validation to avoid overtraining 

Instructor Rafael Irizarry is a professor of biostatistics. 

Enroll now. 

5. Introduction to Probability by HarvardX 

Who it's for: Individuals who are interested in learning more about statistics, how they work and its usefulness in everyday settings 

Price: Free (add a verified certificate for $139)

Introduction to Probability aims to help students comprehend data, engineering, economics, finance, philosophy and science. You will discover proven strategies to resolve technical challenges and leverage these solutions in a variety of settings. 

Professor of the Practice in Statistics Joseph Blitzstein begins the course with an overview, orientation and FAQ session. He then divides the lessons into 7 units: 

• Unit 1: Probability, Counting and Story Proofs
• Unit 2: Conditional Probability and Bayes' Rule
• Unit 3: Discrete Random Variables
• Unit 4: Continuous Random Variables
• Unit 5: Averages, Law of Large Numbers and Central Limit Theorem
• Unit 6: Joint Distributions and Conditional Expectation
• Unit 7: Markov Chains

You should be familiar with high school level algebra concepts and basic Calculus before you enroll. 

The best outcomes are obtained by students who allocate 5 to 10 hours per week over 10 weeks to complete the course. 

Enroll now. 

6. Improving Your Business Through a Culture of Health by HarvardX 

Who it's for: Current business owners 

Price: Free (add a verified certificate for $149)

In just 9 weeks, you can revolutionize your company, foster a healthier work environment and boost earnings. This exceptional course from HarvardX will show you how. 

Improving Your Business Through a Culture of Health is presented by distinguished faculty from the Harvard Business School and Harvard TH. Chan School of Public Health and dive deeper into the Culture of Health. There’s also detailed guidance on implementing this culture in your entity to not only enhance the well-being of your employees but gain a competitive advantage, minimize costs, increase revenues and strengthen your company’s reputation. 

You can take the 1st step towards transforming your company’s culture with the healthy environment your employees deserve. 

Enroll now. 

7. Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies by HarvardX 

Who it's for: Aspiring and current social change entrepreneurs 

Price: Free (add a verified certificate for $199)

Facilitated by Jorge Paulo Lemann Professor Tarun Khanna, Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies raises awareness of entrepreneurial opportunities in rapidly expanding emerging markets. It also teaches you how to evaluate these opportunities and appreciate various challenges to lead to entrepreneurial solutions. 

Ultimately, you’ll walk away with an understanding of how entrepreneurship and innovation are leveraged to help distinguish social issues in emerging economies. 

This course requires a 6-week commitment. Expect to spend an average of 3 to 5 hours per week working through the material. 

Enroll now. 

8. Money, Markets and Morals by HarvardX 

Who it's for: Individuals interested in how markets govern different facets of society and the moral and ethical implications

Price: Free (add a verified certificate for $99)

Money, Markets and Morals examines moral limits that can possibly be used to govern market exchanges along with goods and social practices that should not be available for sale. These include the purchase of college admission, babies, citizenship, votes along with the right to immigrate, discriminate, pollute and the list goes on. 

The class also discusses the viability of markets and whether they should govern criminal law, education, health care and privacy. 

It ‘s instructed by award-winning professor Michael J. Sandel and consists of 12 segments: 

• The Ethics of Supply and Demand: Linestanding
• The Ethics of Supply and Demand: Price Gouging
• Environmental Protection: The Walrus Quota
• Consenting Adults: Organ Sales, Hard Jobs
• Betting on Life and Death: Life Insurance
• Betting on Life and Death: Death Pools
• Betting on the Housing Market
• Markets in Politics: Voting
• Markets in Politics: Refugee Quotas and Immigration
• Employment Discrimination: Lookism
• Employment Discrimination: Racial Discrimination and Base Desires\
• Market, Incentives, and Norms

You can finish the course in 8 weeks. 

Enroll now. 

9. Technology Entrepreneurship: Lab to Market by HarvardX 

Who it's for: Aspiring and current entrepreneurs who want to explore the benefits of implementing tech in their businesses 

Price: Free (add a verified certificate for $99)

Technology Entrepreneurship: Lab to Market is a collaborative effort between the Laboratory for Innovation Science at Harvard and the University of California San Diego. You’ll discover how entrepreneurs merge budding technology with prospects and customer needs to cultivate innovative businesses. 

Below is an overview of what you can expect to learn over the 5 weeks: 

• Section 1: Problem Solving and Systematic Innovation
• Section 2: Matching Needs and Seeds
• Section 3: Generating Business and Operating Models
• Section 4: Determining Readiness and Market Fit
• Section 5: Financing Your Venture

The course is co-instructed by Charles Edward Wilson Professor of Business Administration Karim Lakhani and Jacobs Family Chair in Management and Engineering Leadership Vish Krishnan. 

Enroll now. 

Find Your Harvard Online Course

Continue your education through an exceptional platform that gives you exclusive access to top professors from Harvard University. While there are several courses to choose from, we’ve made the evaluation process easy for you by compiling a list of options worth considering. 

These courses are available free of charge and allow you to upgrade your enrollment to add a verified certificate. Even better, you can work through the course any time of the day or night when your schedule permits. Review our top picks, and get started today.