Summer Moocs Recommendations

Love holidays but get a little restless after a few days off? If you’re the type who likes to keep your brain active while your body relaxes, summer is the perfect time to dip into a MOOC—a massive open online course.

MOOCs are free, online courses run by top universities and institutions from around the world. You can learn on your own time, from anywhere—even poolside. Whether you’re curious about psychology, digital marketing, coding, sustainability or even dog grooming, there’s a MOOC out there with your name on it.

Why Try a MOOC Over Summer?

MOOCs are ideal if you want to:

• Try a subject before committing to a formal qualification
• Explore new interests or refresh your skills
• Stay productive without pressure
• Enhance your resume with microcredentials

They’re also a great first step before pursuing recognised qualifications in areas like tech, marketing, mental health, or business leadership.

Top MOOC Platforms to Check Out in 2025

Coursera

Partnered with universities like Stanford, Yale, and Monash, Coursera offers thousands of short courses. Many are free to audit, with optional certificates available for a fee.

• Recommended this summer: The Science of Well-Being (Yale), Google UX Design, AI for Everyone (Andrew Ng)

edX

Founded by Harvard and MIT, edX features university-level MOOCs in areas like data science, engineering, ethics, and business.

• Hot pick: Introduction to Computer Science (Harvard), Climate Change: The Science (UNSW), MicroMasters in Business Analytics

FutureLearn

Based in the UK, FutureLearn delivers short online courses with a strong social learning component—ideal for curious beginners.

• Worth trying: Understanding Anxiety, Debunking the Myths of AI, How to Teach Online

Udemy

Unlike traditional MOOCs, Udemy offers low-cost, skill-focused video courses led by experts, including coding bootcamps, Photoshop training, and leadership tips.

• Summer standouts: Digital Marketing Masterclass, Python for Beginners, Mindfulness for Productivity

Where Can You Go From Here?

Falling in love with learning again? That’s often what happens. A summer MOOC can be the perfect first step into a new career path—or a warm-up before enrolling in a nationally recognised online course.

Popular online qualification areas include:

• Information technology and coding
• Health, counselling and psychology
• Marketing, communication and content creation
• Business and project management

You might just use this summer to launch a new professional chapter.

Tips for a Smooth Summer Study Session

• Set a small goal—1–2 hours per week is enough
• Choose a course with topics you’re genuinely curious about
• Use a phone/tablet-friendly platform if you’re on the go
• Don’t stress about finishing—just explore

And yes, we recommend keeping the sand out of your laptop.

Start browsing online short and certificate courses to turn your summer scroll into something meaningful.