In today’s world, e-learning has become the easiest way to enhance your skills right from the comfort of your home. Professionals who hardly get time to join any regular offline institute to acquire new skills find e-learning platforms nothing short of a blessing. They can easily upgrade their skills to accelerate their career. Or, it’s a boon for those who missed a chance to get a degree due to any personal or professional reason for not attending college. Hence, online learning platforms have made learning easier and more seamless than ever.

When it comes to the list of top online learning platforms, Coursera deserves a mention. It’s one of the most reputed and oldest online learning platforms that offer a versatile range of courses in collaboration with the finest universities in the world. In fact, it has also tied up with several private firms to offer a variety of online training sessions and courses to upgrade your skills.

In this review, we are going to unfold every aspect of Coursera ranging from pros, cons, features, courses, fees, quality of teaching, etc. to help you make a good decision. The review will exactly tell you whether you should invest your hard earned money or time in this e-learning platform.

PROS

• It has collaborated with prestigious universities and companies

Coursera has tied up with over 200 companies and colleges such as Stanford University, Imperial College, IBM, and Google to offer a versatile range of learning programs.

• Competitively priced degree courses

The courses offered by Coursera are quite affordable. Also, the degree programs are comparatively more affordable than campus degree programs.

• Multiple free courses

There are over 2500 free courses that one can learn anytime without paying a single penny.  However, one doesn’t get any certificate after completing a free course.

• Offline learning

Coursera also offers learners to download the course material for offline learning. One doesn’t need to be online always to learn the course. In fact, one can learn on the go without being online.

• High-quality courses

Most courses on the platform are being taught by reputed experts from various industries, universities, and companies. It also has a special feature called Beta Testers that monitors the course quality and keeps it to high standards.

 

CONS

• Complicated pricing

Coursera offers multiple subscription plans that are quite confusing for newcomers.

• Some courses are not beginner-friendly

There are courses that require some prior experience or knowledge to learn. The course material of such courses is designed in such a way that one must have had some prior knowledge.

• A limited number of courses in some niches

Coursera has some niches where one doesn’t find a good variety of courses. Only technology, personal development, and business categories have so many courses to learn. Rest categories have limited courses.

• Plus Membership is quite expensive

The subscription rate for Plus Membership is almost $399 a year which is quite expensive for many learners. However, it gives access to all categories, and one can learn whatever one wants to.

 

Know About Coursera

It is a prominent online learning platform where students, aspiring learners, and professionals can get their hands on various courses to learn. It offers a rich variety of courses along with certificates and degrees from top-notch universities, colleges, and companies.

It was founded way back in 2012 by Standford University professors named Daphne Koller and Andrew Ng. They aimed to bridge the gap between learners and productive courses from various universities and companies to make the learning process flexible, accessible, and cheaper for everyone.

Over a short time period, Coursera started becoming popular due to it’s collaboration with some big names in the world of education and companies such as Google, IBM, the University of Michigan, John Hopkins University, etc. The platform brought together accredited universities onboard to offer a versatile range of courses to ardent learners.

What makes Coursera different from other online learning platforms is it offers full-fledged degree programs from top global universities. One can find over 7000 courses, including short courses, bachelor’s degree courses, master’s degree courses, etc.

 

How Does Coursera Function?

Coursera has thousands of courses that are being taught by highly qualified experts and teachers in over 250 reputed universities, colleges, and companies all across the world.

The e-learning platform offers close to 7000 courses in various categories, including computer science, business, data science, IT, personal development, health, social science, physical science, engineering, humanities, arts, language learning, math & logic, and many more.

Every skill taught by the experts enables learners to achieve their vision and career goals. The best part is that after the completion of every course, Coursera offers a certificate that’s valid in most universities and companies.

There are also some free courses that come without a certificate. You can learn and acquire a new skill without paying a single penny.

Types of Courses Offered On Coursera

Coursera broadly offers courses in 11 categories, including

–              Data Science

–              Business

–              Personal development

–              Computer science

–              Information technology

–              Language learning

–              Health

–              Math and logic

–              Social sciences

–              Physical science & engineering

–              Arts and humanities

Every category has a versatile range of paid, free, degree, and certificate courses.

Courses are further categorized into 6 categories, including:

• Guided Projects

These are very short-duration courses designed for professionals who want to acquire certain skills in just a few hours. Here, learners will be using a tool called Rhyme to start working on a project in a virtual ecosystem.

It’s the best category to learn new job skills quickly. The duration normally ranges between 1 and 2 hours. The pricing starts from $9.99 a month.

• Free Courses

Coursera offers over 1700 courses where learners can get instant access to all the course material related to certain skills. However, these courses don’t provide certification. If you want to get a certification then you have to pay for it.

Most courses have a duration between 4 and 12 hours.

• Specializations

These courses are meant to acquire certain industry-specific specializations. If you are a working professional and want to upgrade your skills in a good manner then this category offers mastery over a specific skill. The duration of these courses ranges from 1 to 3 months. The pricing starts from $39 a month.

• Professional Certificates

These courses are meant to give an instant boost to your career or business. If you want to get a certificate for a certain skill to plan things for your future in a safe manner then these courses are designed for you. The courses take 1 to 6 months and pricing starts from $39 a month.

• MasterTrack Certificates

Coursera also offers high-degree programs via a flexible and interactive method. These are the special courses designed by the top universities’ master’s degree programs. The course brings the best of both worlds in a capsule form. The major highlight features are team-based learning, collaborative efforts, live expert instruction, feedback, etc. Moreover, the learners also get a chance to showcase their work samples and skills via real-world projects and assignments.

The duration ranges from 4 to 7 months and pricing starts from $2000. It’s the best option for learners seeking credits or certificates right from the university.

• Degrees

Coursera also offers full-fledged degree programs from the leading universities in the world. It has multiple bachelor’s and master’s degree programs that can be pursued online from anywhere in the world. The bachelor’s degree programs are available in marketing, business administration, computer science, and applied arts, and sciences. However, master’s degree programs are available in IT, computer science, data science, engineering, MBA, entrepreneurship, International relations, accounting, finance, public health, etc.

The duration ranges from 2 to 4 years. The pricing starts from $9000. Degree programs are meant for students who want a certification or degree right from the university or college.

Coursera Pricing & Plans

Coursera charges for every certificate or degree course. The course fees start from $39 per month. However, the non-certificate courses are offered for free. But, if you are keen to take a subscription plan to Coursera Plus then you have to pay $59 per month and $399 a year.

What Do You Get In Coursera Plus Subscription Plan?

Coursera Plan is further divided into 3 subscription plans, including

• Single Learning program

It is meant for learners who want to acquire certain skills or a topic to earn a certificate. The pricing ranges between $49 and $79 a month. It gives access to all the courses in a specific learning program to earn a certificate.

• Coursera Plus Monthly

It gives access to over 7000 courses and specializations that can be learned in a short time period. One can earn multiple certificates and get a 7-day free trial that can be canceled anytime. The plan costs $59 a month.

• Coursera Plus Annual

This is a yearly plan that costs $399 a year. It is meant for long-term learners who wish to complete long and multiple courses in a year. It gives access to over 7000 courses and specializations with unlimited certificates. The plan comes with a 7-day free trial and 14-day money-back assurance.

 

How to Get Started on Coursera to Find & Learn a Course?

The e-learning platform comes with a user-friendly interface and comprehensive search function helping learners to pick an apt course as per their requirements. Here are the steps to find a course:

–              First of all, open an account on Coursera

–              Click on Join for Free

–              Enter your full name along with a registered email address

–              Create a password

–              Click on the confirmation mail sent to your registered email id

–              Click on the link given in the mail

–              Once you signed in click on Explore to find various courses

–              Click the category and subcategories to find the relevant courses.

 

Tips To Find the Best Course On Coursera Easily

If you are confused or don’t know how to pick the right course for yourself then follow these quick tips.

–              Take help from the filter feature

There is a Filter feature on the website that helps you to narrow down your search for the best courses as per your requirement. Pick filters such as skills, level, language, job title, etc, to get the relevant courses easily.

–              Go to ‘About this Course

Here, you can find out the details related to the course you have selected. The section helps you to know the topics, skills, and knowledge the course offers.

–              Go to ‘Syllabus of the course

To know the course syllabus and contents in a detailed manner you can go to this option.

–              Go to ‘Read reviews

Here, you can find out the reviews given by previous learners about the course. It will help you to know the experience shared by previous learners and the credibility of the course. The section also comes with a ‘Ratings’ feature to check the ratings given by previous learners.

–              Check the instructor

Every course listed on Coursera comes with instructor details and ratings. You can find it right in the course description. From here you can easily get to know about the trainer’s performance, biography, experience, ratings, etc.

–              Take a trial-version

If you have doubts in your head then you can take a trial period of 7 days. It automatically adds to every paid course. One can get a refund in 7 days in case they don’t like anything.

 

Coursera Alternatives

 

–  Udemy

Udemy is also a quite reputed online learning platform. However, Coursera is way better than Udemy in terms of course structuring and the credibility of certificates. Coursera certificates are being offered by some of the finest universities.

–  EdX

In terms of certification and full degree programs, both Coursera and edX are similar. However, when it comes to affordability and versatility of subjects, Coursera is a clear winner.

–  LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning is also a great e-learning platform. However, when it comes to content quality, free courses, and degree programs, then Coursera outshines LinkedIn Learning clearly.

 

Is Coursera Worth Your Money & Time?

Compared to other e-learning platforms, Coursera offers a huge lineup of courses in a versatile range of categories. Moreover, it has multiple courses with degrees and certificates that can help any professional or student to build a career in any field. The best part is that it offers certifications and degrees from prestigious universities for it’s online courses.  With a 7-day free trial, money-back assurance, a team of highly qualified trainers from top-notch companies and universities, and a variety of courses, Coursera is definitely worth every penny.

 

FAQs

What are the most popular courses on Coursera?

There are many. However, some of the best courses are Introduction to Psychology by Yale University, Financial Markets by Yale University, Machine Learning by Stanford University, Writing in the Science by Stanford University, etc.

How to enroll in a course?

You need to signup first. After successfully registering yourself, you need to pick either a free or paid course. Also, pick a course that you want to pick with the help of filters. After that, click on Enroll button to get started.

Do courses come with deadlines?

Yes. Courses on Coursera have deadlines. In case you miss your deadline, just click on a Reser Deadlines option to move to a new course schedule. However, degree programs come with stringent deadlines that can’t be modified and penalties are also charged.

Is there any age limit to pursue courses?

Yes. The minimum age should be 13 years to pursue any course on Coursera.

Can one use the certificate in their resume?

Yes. One can easily do that. Coursera has tied up with multiple universities and companies.