MIT OPEN COURSEWARE (OCW) | Free Courses with Certificate
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Gives Thousands of free courses provided from MIT by Professors and Doctors of MIT.
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What is OCW?
OCW is a free and open publication of material from thousands of MIT courses across the entire MIT curriculum. That’s courses from every MIT department and degree program, and ranging from the introductory to the most advanced graduate level.
Each OCW course includes a syllabus, some instructional material (such as lecture notes or a reading list), and some learning activities (such as assignments or exams). Many courses also have complete video lectures, free online textbooks, and faculty teaching insights. While some OCW content is custom-created for online use, most of it comes straight from the MIT classroom.
How do I use OCW?
You can freely browse the OCW collection and use it at your own pace. There’s no signup, no enrollment, and no start or end dates.
MIT doesn’t offer credit or certificates for using OCW. Instead, use OCW to guide your own life-long learning, or use OCW to teach others. Knowledge is your reward!
OCW is made for sharing. Download and save files and complete courses for later. Send them to friends and colleagues. Modify or remix OCW content for any non-commercial use – just remember to credit OCW as the source. It’s all allowed and encouraged, per the terms of our Creative Commons license.
More details are in the Using OCW Materials FAQs.
For Teachers
The free materials on OCW are used by educators around the world in teaching, adapted and integrated into curricula that inspires and empowers learners. And by sharing MIT faculty’s teaching approaches with the world, OCW is also a setting for reflective dialog about the craft of teaching and using Open Educational Resources (OER).
We encourage you to start by exploring OCW’s Educator page which highlights content created and curated just for educators.
For Learners
When you find a course of interest, begin by skimming the syllabus and calendar. This tells you the course goals, key topics, and the sequence of what is taught and studied.
It’s up to you to decide what and how you’d like to learn. Study the materials in a course from beginning to end, or select individual concepts found in different courses. You can let your curiosity be your guide, or refer to About the MIT Curriculum to learn about degree requirements and course sequences used by MIT students.
Some popular destinations include:
- Courses with Video or Audio Lectures
- Most Popular Courses
- OCW Scholar Courses
For more inspiration, read OCW Stories from students and self-learners.
Top Frequently Asked Questions
How do I register to use MIT OpenCourseWare?
There’s no registration and no enrollment to use OCW. It’s all open! You can skim through courses, read pages, watch videos, download any files—all without registration, anytime, anywhere.
Can I get credit or certification for learning with MIT OpenCourseWare?
OCW does not offer any degree, credit, or certification. For MIT online courses with certificates of completion, visit:
- MITx Online/MITx on edX
- MITx MicroMasters
- MIT xPRO
- MIT Bootcamps
- MIT Management / Sloan Executive Education
For questions about these programs, please contact them directly.
Why doesn’t every MIT OpenCourseWare course offer video lectures?
We know that video lectures are important. In recent years, OCW has substantially increased its video content. However, the high cost of video production means we can only provide video for some of the courses we publish. Your financial support can help fund more video content.
Can you suggest a sequence of courses to study?
To see what courses MIT requires for its degree programs, refer to the MIT curriculum guide and individual department and program websites. Please note that OCW cannot offer degrees or course credit.
How do I get a copy of the course pack or readings for a particular course?
The course packs or reading materials used in many MIT courses contain proprietary and copyrighted work that MIT faculty and students are only permitted to use within their classrooms. OCW cannot provide these materials under our license. Your local library may be able to help you find free copies of these works.
I have more questions…
Please see our complete Help & FAQs section, or contact us and a member of the OCW team will get back to you.
Enroll / Apply for Courses
There are Thousands of free courses provided from MIT by Professors and Doctors of MIT.
List of Courses Departments:
- Electrical Engineering and Computer Science 257
- Urban Studies and Planning 189
- Sloan School of Management 184
- Mathematics 179
- Mechanical Engineering 144
- Literature 126
- Supplemental Resources 117
- Architecture 112
- Global Studies and Languages 110
- Civil and Environmental Engineering 104
- Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences 104
- Brain and Cognitive Sciences 94
- Political Science 91
- History 88
- Aeronautics and Astronautics 84
- Physics 79
- Economics 74
- Linguistics and Philosophy 73
- Science, Technology, and Society 68
- Engineering Systems Division 66
- Music and Theater Arts 66
- Anthropology 65
- Health Sciences and Technology 64
- Biology 63
- Materials Science and Engineering 63
- Comparative Media Studies/Writing 62
- Women’s and Gender Studies 59
- Nuclear Science and Engineering 48
- Chemical Engineering 44
- Media Arts and Sciences 44
- Biological Engineering 38
- Chemistry 38
- Experimental Study Group 28
- Edgerton Center 25
- Institute for Data, Systems, and Society 20
- Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation 10
- Concourse 5
Note: All courses are Free and available anytime anywhere.
You can search for you course HERE.
See also:
Introduction To Computer Science from Harvard University and edX
Google Professional Certificates
International Computer Driving License – ICDL Base
