Free Online Psychology Courses
If you’re curious about psychology, discover free online psychology courses that can teach you about the field.Disclosure: This page contains advertisements from our partner school network that are not related to free courses.
Taught by faculty at many of the top universities in the country, these free psychology courses cover topics including mental health disorders and treatments, research methods, and the science of resilience. If you’re not ready to commit to a bachelor’s program yet, these free courses are a great way to explore the field.
Types of Free Online Psychology Courses
There are several types of free psychology courses available online. Some courses are offered via university-developed sites, like MIT OpenCourseWare or Open Yale Courses, while others are hosted on independent MOOC platforms, like Coursera and edX. While some courses involve short video lectures, others offer only written materials, each with its own pacing and structure.
These courses offer an opportunity to explore the field of psychology without financial commitment, and many offer certificates of completion that can boost your resume or LinkedIn profile.
Limitations of free psychology courses include limited access for free users and lack of college credit. Additionally, courses directly from universities may be several years old, and may not include the most up-to-date research.
Here are the free online psychology courses that can boost your knowledge, skills, and resume:
Free Online Introductory Psychology Courses
Check out these free online introductory psychology courses for an overview of the field, including foundational theories, history, and even mental health disorders and common treatments.
Introduction to Psychology
- Developer: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Delivery: MIT OpenCourseWare
This introductory course, designed for independent study, explores how the mind works. Covered topics include cognition, perception, emotion, learning, memory, child development, personality, psychopathology, and social interaction.
Taught by Professor John Gabrieli, MIT neuroscientist, the course includes lecture videos, reading assignments, one free online textbook, short quizzes, and comprehensive exams to test your knowledge. While this course does not offer credit or certification, it offers an interesting look into how the mind works.
Introduction to Psychology
- Developer: Carnegie Mellon University
- Delivery: Open Learning Initiative
This introductory course explores the history of the field, research methods and principles, and many facets of psychology theory including intelligence, lifespan development, and psychological disorders. The course has been updated to align with the DSM-5, the most current diagnostic manual used by psychologists in the field.
Reading material, videos, animations, self-assessments, and interactive exercises are included. No scored assessments, college credit, or certificate of completion are offered.
Introduction to Psychology
- Developer: Yale University
- Delivery: Open Yale Courses
Recorded during Yale’s spring semester of 2007, this course offers an introduction to the study of thought and behavior through downloadable materials and two exams. No course moderation or certificate of completion is offered for this course.
With a dose of humor and relatability, Dr. Paul Bloom explores traditional introductory psychology theories including perception, decision-making, and memory, and off-beat topics like love, lust, hunger, art, fiction, and dreams.
Introduction to Clinical Psychology
- Developer: University of Queensland
- Delivery: edX
Taught by faculty at the University of Queensland, this course covers the basics of psychotherapy, including the features of common mental health disorders, like anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia, as well as evidence-based treatments for each. Exploring relatable topics like stress, intelligence, and personality, this course offers an overview for individuals curious about mental health and therapy.
Graded assignments and a shareable certificate of completion are available for $249, though the course is free to audit for a limited time.
Free Online Psychology Courses on the Brain, Behavior, and Memory
If you’re curious about human behavior, mental health, and the inner workings of the mind, these free online psychology courses on the brain, behavior, and memory are well worth exploring.
Abnormal Psychology
- Developer: Doane University
- Delivery: edX
This course explores the diversity of human behavior, helping students identify abnormal behavior attributed to various psychological disorders based on DSM-5 diagnostic criteria. Students learn how physical, psychological, and social factors influence human behavior and how psychological disorders are identified and treated.
This course is taught by Dr. David Kays of Doane University. Graded assignments and a shareable certificate of completion are available for $119, though it is free to audit for a limited time.
Social Psychology
- Developer: Wesleyan University
- Delivery: Coursera
Taught by Dr. Scott Plous of Wesleyan University, this seven-module course allows students to learn at their own pace over about 37 hours. It uses video and reading material to explore why people do what they do based on the latest social psychology research.
Covering topics like decision-making, group behavior, and persuasion this course offers research-based information that is applicable to daily life. Students complete five assignments and receive a certificate of completion to add to their LinkedIn profile.
The Psychology of Thrill-Seekers
- Developer: Emory University
- Delivery: Coursera
Taught by Dr. Kenneth Carter of Emory University, this course explores sensation seeking, a trait we all possess. You’ll learn more about people who crave intense or novel experiences, even when risk is involved, and the psychology and neuroscience behind thrill-seeking behavior.
There are five assignments included in the course, and a shareable certificate is offered upon completion that you can add to your LinkedIn profile.
Free Online Psychology Research Courses
For learners interested in discovering the research process in the field of psychology, these free online psychology research courses cover a variety of research methods and approaches.
Introduction to Psychological Research Methods
- Developer: University of Queensland
- Delivery: edX
This course, taught by Professors Wen Wu and Blake McKimmie, explores how to conduct psychological research, perform data analysis, and communicate findings in a research report.
This self-paced, seven-week course can be completed in 1-2 hours of study per week and culminates in a certificate of completion for $249. Students can also audit the course for free and access all of the course materials for a limited time.
Methods for Quantitative Research in Psychology
- Developer: American Psychological Association
- Delivery: Coursera
This course explores research designs, variables and measurements, and data interpretation. It is taught by Dr. Mike Stadler of the American Psychological Association and is part of the Psychological Research Specialization on Coursera, a three-course series that also includes the Ethics of Psychological Research and Statistics in Psychological Research.
The nine-module course allows students to learn at their own pace through approximately seven hours of content including 21 assignments. Students receive a certificate of completion to share on their LinkedIn profile.
Qualitative Research in Psychology
- Developer: American Psychological Association
- Delivery: Coursera
This course explores how questions arising from observations and experiences become the basis for qualitative research projects. It covers the basics of qualitative research methods, such as interviewing and observations, along with their history and philosophical foundations.
Taught by Dr. Mike Stadler of the American Psychological Association, this course is free to access without earning a certificate. A certificate of completion is available for a $129 fee.
Free Online Psychology Courses to Improve Well-Being
Whether you’re seeking the secret to happiness, better success at school, or resilience in the face of crises and stress, these free online psychology courses can help improve your overall well-being.
Positive Psychology
- Developer: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Delivery: Coursera
Taught by Dr. Barbara Fredrickson, a Kenan Distinguished Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, this course covers research findings in positive psychology and their practical applications to help students live fulfilling, meaningful lives.
This course packs eleven hours of content into six modules, including six quizzes to assess your learning. It culminates in a certificate of completion that can be shared on your LinkedIn profile.
BerkeleyX: The Science of Happiness
- Developer: University of Berkeley
- Delivery: edX
Taught by Dr. Dacher Keltner and Dr. Emiliana Simon-Thomas, this course covers positive psychology principles that promote a happier life. It focuses on the foundational principle that happiness is linked to strong social connections, allowing students to learn practical ways to boost their own happiness.
A shareable certificate of completion is available for $169; otherwise, it is free to audit the course. This self-paced course takes approximately 11 weeks to complete, with 4-5 hours of study per week.
Psychological First Aid
- Developer: Johns Hopkins University
- Delivery: Coursera
This course teaches students how to provide psychological first aid in a crisis by implementing the RAPID Model, which stands for reflective listening, assessment of needs, prioritization, intervention, and disposition. Taught by Professor George Everly, this course equips students to respond to crisis events in a variety of public settings to mitigate psychological impacts, including trauma.
Six hours of content over five modules, including four assignments, culminate in a certificate of completion that can be shared on your LinkedIn profile.
Be a Better Learner Using Psychology
- Developer: American Psychological Association
- Delivery: edX
This course shares findings from cognitive psychology to help students study more effectively, revealing the most effective and efficient learning strategies. It is self-paced and can be completed over approximately eight weeks with 2-5 hours of study per week.
A shareable certificate of completion is available for $129; otherwise, it is free to audit the course. Taught by Dr. Kyle Smith of the American Psychological Association, this course delves into topics like metacognition and memory and evaluates popular study strategies.
Building Personal Resilience: Managing Anxiety and Mental Health
- Developer: Harvard University
- Delivery: edX
Learn how to face stress, anxiety, and burnout using five research-backed skills in this course taught by Harvard Medical School faculty Dr. Luana Marques. Rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), this course offers skills to help students interrupt the stress-inducing cycle of negative thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
This self-paced course can be completed in six weeks with only 1-2 hours of study per week. It can be audited at no cost. Students seeking a certificate of completion can obtain one for $219.
Frequently Asked Questions About Free Online Psychology Courses
You can learn psychology for free by taking free online psychology courses hosted on platforms such as Coursera and edX. Many of these courses are offered by renowned universities and provide an introduction to fundamental psychological principles as well as niche topics in the field.