Finance and Business

These professors offer advice, news and insight into economics, marketing and business.

1. @Nouriel: Nouriel Roubini teaches at the Stern School at NYU and is a well known economist and entrepreneur.
2. @WayneMarr: This professor of business will help you understand the current economy and offers insights into the business world.
3. @allenweiss: This Twitter user is the founder and CEO of MarketingProfs.com and was formerly a professor at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University.
4. @ProfCarol: Check out this feed for posts from economics professor Carol Dickson-Carr.
5. @aaker: Jennifer Aaker is a Professor of Marketing at Stanford University and posts regularly about Internet marketing, branding and social media.
6. @AndyLynch360: This marketing professor at Southern New Hampshire University uses his feed to share news and tidbits about marketing with readers, students and colleagues.
7. @sjones9200: Professor Susan K. Jones shares insights into Internet marketing and e-commerce through her feed.
8. @jflyons: Visit this feed for professorial advice on econ and marketing.

Technology

Get an in-road into the world of cutting edge technology with these professors’ feeds.

9. @courosa: Read this feed to hear from Alec Couros, Professor of Educational Technology and Media.
10. @hmason: Hilary Mason’s feed is full of tweets on computer science, data and the Internet.
11. @sknode: UMUC Professor Steve Knode posts about emerging information technologies here.
12. @chw131: John Wu will keep you in the loop about open source, web development and engineering though the variety of posts he hosts here.
13. @DaveAdkins: Visit Professor Adkins’ blog to learn more about social networking and technology.
14. @nickbilton: Nick Bilton is the lead technology writer for the NYT, but when he’s not doing that, he’s an adjunct professor at NYU.

Science and Math

Check out these feeds to learn more about biology, math and more.

15. @MarcusduSautoy: Learn more about both science and math through the tweets on this professor’s feed.
16. @professor_astro: This University of Texas at Austin professor shares his enthusiasm for astronomy on this feed.
17. @eric_mazur: Harvard professor Eric Mazur offers research, links and more on physics and technology here.
18. @bstockwell: Check out this feed for posts on biology, chemistry and medicine from a professor at Columbia University.
19. @salsb: In this feed you’ll hear from biophysicist and professor Fred Salisbury.
20. @mathematicsprof: This professor of mathematics specializes in partial differential equations but has a feed that’s full of math of all kinds.

Liberal Arts

From sociology to anthropology, you’ll find informative feeds through these professors.

21. @kinggary: Check out this feed for great information from Harvard professor Gary King on statistics and social research.
22. @BonesHolmes: This professor at UNCG is a real life Dr. Temperance Brennan from the TV series Bones, with posts on skeletal biology, paleopathology, biohistory and forensics.
23. @pamelarutledge: Dr. Pamela Rutledge is a media psychology professor and shares her thoughts through this feed.
24. @toddkashdan: This professor is a psychologist interested in research the positive side of life and what makes us happy.
25. @donnabrazile: Donna Brazile has lots to offer readers both as a professor and as a former political strategist.
26. @kevinkarpiak: You can hear this professor talk about cultural anthropology by checking out his feed.
27. @BKPundit: This professor of political science has plenty to say about modern day politics.

Communication and Media

On these feeds you’ll find all kinds of great information on new media, journalism and communications.

28. @davidgerzof: This social media professor at Emerson talks about blogging and his company BIGfish on this feed.
29. @drcarp: Learn more about new media from professor Serena Carpenter here.
30. @robertstevenson:Those hoping to get some insights into mass communications should check out this feed from Professor Stevenson.
31. @GreensladeR: Roy Greenslade is a professor of journalism, but he’s also got advice to give from his own experiences as a freelance journalist.
32. @penningink: Read through posts about public relations and consulting on this professor’s feed.
33. @rmack: Rebecca MacKinnon has been a professor at several prestigious institutions, not to mention a reporter at CNN, and is always willing to share her thoughts on news, journalism and activism in her feed.

Fine Arts

With writers and artists calling these feeds home, you’ll get to see into the mind of not only a professor but a professional in the arts as well.

34. @mikejjohnson: Read Mike Johnson’s feed for insights from his life as a professor at the Berklee College of Music, musician and producer.
35. @drkent: Dr. Kent Gustavson is a professor and a classical composer, though his feed doesn’t always stick to that topic.
36. @yvettegr: Here you’ll find posts from Helian Yvette Grimes, a writer, designer, editor and, of course, professor.
37. @lonniehodge: This professor is also a writer and journalist who shares all kinds of interesting tweets with his students and readers.
38. @j_l_r: Check out this Stanford professor’s feed to learn more about media in art and art history.
39. @alicejrobinson: On this feed you’ll hear from an English professor at Arizona State University that writes about interesting topics like digital literacy, social media and even video games.

Law

Learn a little bit about the law from these law professor feeds.

40. @thejimjams: Read this feed to get interesting news from professor and best-selling author James Hirsen.
41. @PrivacyProf: Rebecca Harold shares her expertise with privacy and security law on this feed.
42. @shaunjamison: This law professor tweets on law and much more.
43. @jimmilles: Check out this blog for tweets both silly and seriously law related.
44. @stevemeltzer: Here you’ll find a feed by Professor Meltzer on business, privacy and non-profit law, as well as other topics.

Medicine

Study the history, future and present of medicine with these teaching medical professionals.

45. @DoctorRobin: California-based professor and physician Robin Eckert shares her thoughts on the medical field here.
46. @history_geek: Want to learn more about the history of the medical field? Try reading this feed from professor Holly Tucker.
47. @moorejh: Jason H. Moore is a director and professor at Dartmouth Medical School, and tweets on topics like genetics and bioinformatics here.
48. @DrToddMFG: Follow this professor to learn more about his career at the NYU School of Medicine, sports medicine and more.
49. @DrAmorWellness: Learn more about non-profit health initiatives from this professor specializing in Public Health and Prevention.
50. @DoctorBernstein: Those who have an interest in hair loss can learn more from Robert M. Bernstein M.D., a Clinical Professor of Dermatology at Columbia University.

One of the wonders of the Internet is that it can bring the world to you instead of your needing to find the time and money to explore the traditional way. The following virtual tours bring opportunities to explore cities, famous landmarks and buildings, museums, college campuses, and even outer space. You can learn how things are made, explore the human body or that of a life-sized whale, and visit ball parks and theme parks. There is even a section of incredible virtual tours that Google Earth has compiled that shares the world in a whole new way.

Cities

From historic cities hundreds of years old to newer cities, these tours take you all around the world.

1. Pompeii, Italy. Explore the ruins of this famous Italian city.
2. Ancient Rome in 3D on Google Earth. Find out here how you can take a look at ancient Rome.
3. Virtual Tour of the Forbidden City. Download the software that will allow you to take a 3D tour of the imperial palace in China in the 15th century.
4. Historic Centre of Prague. Use Google Maps to take a 360-degree panoramic tour of the historic center of Prague.
5. Historic Centre of San Gimignano. Go to Italy and explore this city that was once an important connection for travelers making a pilgrimage to Rome.
6. Historic Centre of Siena. Explore this ancient Italian city that still embodies the spirit of a medieval city.
7. Historic Centre of Urbino. Once a huge draw for artists of the 15th and 16th centuries, this city in Italy still retains the Renaissance feel it had then.
8. Historic Centre of Cesky Krumlov. Visit this town in the Czech Republic for an example of a medieval town of central Europe.
9. Historic City of Toledo. This Spanish city was once home to citizens of three major religions and reflects that culture today.
10. Historic Walled Town of Cuenca. Take a look at this outstanding example of a fortified city from the medieval times.
11. Old City of Salamanca. Explore one of the oldest universities in Europe when you take this tour.
12. Old Town of Avila with its Extra-Muros Churches. View the amazing stone fortifications and the Gothic cathedral in this Spanish town.
13. Old Town of Caceres. The architecture here reflects the battles between the Christians and the Moors that took place here.
14. Old Town of Segovia and its Aquaduct. Featuring a well-preserved Roman aquaduct built around AD 50, this city offers plenty of amazing sites.
15. Santiago de Compostela (Old Town). Take a look at these ancient buildings of the city that were built in the 11th century.
16. Ephesus. Tour this ancient Turkish town that reflects ancient Roman times.
17. Colonial Williamsburg. Get a street overview of colonial Williamsburg, then click on certain features to learn more about each of them.
18. Oslo. Go to Oslo where you can explore the Nobel Peace Center, the Viking Ship Museum, and several landmarks of the city.
19. Berlin. Visit some of the magnificent churches in Berlin, but don’t forget to see the Berlin Wall, too.
20. Tour San Francisco. This site provides a combination of photos and 360-degree panoramas of the major highlights throughout the city.

Famous Landmarks and Buildings

Take these tours to visit the Taj Mahal and the Palace of Versailles in the same day.

21. Explore the Taj Mahal. Take a virtual look around the grounds and inside the Taj Mahal.
22. Stonehenge. Google Maps presents this virtual tour of Stonehenge.
23. Holy Trinity Column in Olomouc. Visit this stunning monument in the Czech Republic.
24. Mill Network at Kinderdijk-Elshout. The famous windmills of the Netherlands are just one element in the entire network of water handling–all of which can be seen here.
25. Paris, Banks of the Seine. No need to travel to Paris to see the romantic banks of the Seine that cut through the city. Take this virtual tour instead.
26. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Explore the grounds of this famous site just outside of London.
27. New 7Wonders. This site is taking votes right now to determine the new seven wonders of the world. They have many virtual tours posted in order to help voters decide. Examples include Machu Picchu, Easter Island, the Statue of Liberty, and the pyramids of Giza.
28. Mount St. Helens. Get a 360-degree view of this famous volcano, including a comparison of 2003 and 2006.
29. Supreme Court Tour. Select a room, including select justices’ chambers, and get a 360 view of each.
30. US Capitol Virtual Tour. Tour the United States Capitol building here.
31. The Little Mermaid. Go to Copenhagen and see the famous statue sculpted by Edvard Erichsen that commemorates the story written by Hans Christian Andersen.
32. Vatican. Take a tour of the grounds and the cathedral at the Vatican.
33. Pisa. Look from the top as well as take a peek inside this famous leaning tower.
34. Palace of Versailles Go to France with Google Maps to take a tour of this famous French palace.
35. Mount Vernon Virtual Mansion Tour. View the estates and gardens of George Washington on this tour.

Museums

Take a peek inside these museums to learn about history, read ancient books, or view some of the most revered works of art available.

36. Louvre. Visit this famous museum virtually, including both the buildings and collections.
37. Musee d’Orsay. Often overshadowed by the Louvre, this outstanding museum in Paris also deserves a visit.
38. Van Gogh Museum. Head to Amsterdam to explore the works of Van Gogh.
39. The American Museum of Photography. Click on these links to go to each exhibit, where you can view photographs from the museum.
40. Visit the Prada Art Collection with Google Earth. Let Google take you to Madrid to view the Prada art collection.
41. The Rothko Panoramic Tour: A New Way to See Art. Take a look at this Mark Rothko exhibition that was at the Tate Modern.
42. Frissiras Museum. This museum in Athens provides an artist listing, and when you select each, you can view three works from that artist.
43. The Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. Tour the galleries here that showcase art and architecture of the ancient Near East.
44. Rare Book Room. Take a look at and even read some of the most rare books in existence on this tour.
45. The Virtual Museum of Japanese Arts. Learn about the culture of Japan by studying their arts at this virtual museum.
46. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Go room-by-room through the entire museum when you take this virtual tour.
47. UAE Interact Virtual Museum. Explore this virtual museum from the United Arab Emirates that includes a look at ancient tools, toys, fossils, coins, and more.
48. The Virtual Museum of Iraq. Examine eight different eras of Iraq’s history from ancient times to the 16th century.

College Campuses

Whether you are looking for a future school or just appreciate the beauty of the grounds surrounding institutes of higher learning, take these tours to do both.

49. Harvard Virtual Tour. Explore the grounds of this landmark campus and even go behind doors normally closed to visitors.
50. University of Denver. Take a look around the campus and hear from students as they describe snowball fights during the winter and quality classes all year.
51. University of Miami. Look at a campus map, hear from students, and take a look at the individual colleges for specific courses of study.
52. Middle Tennessee State University. Find out what’s going on at the public university in Middle Tennessee.
53. Berklee College of Music. Learn why students come from all around the world to study at this school.
54. Suffolk University. Study arts and sciences, business, or law at one of the many campuses located in Boston, MA; Madrid, Spain; and Dakar, Senegal.
55. Philadelphia University. Find out about this unique campus that provides an interdisciplinary approach to education.
56. College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University. This unique environment includes two schools–one all girls school and one all boys school–that share a campus and the history of the Catholic church.
57. Winthrop University. This historic school includes virtual tours of the buildings, research complex, public art, and landmarks.

Outer Space

These virtual tours offer a glimpse at a world far beyond the everyday existence.

58. Touring Mars with Google Earth. See what it’s like on Mars with this virtual tour.
59. Arounder Moon. Take a virtual tour of the Earth’s moon here.
60. A Virtual Journey into the Universe. Click through the planets in the solar system to learn about each. Note that this tour is a bit dated and still considers Pluto a planet.

How Things are Made

Learn how cars, chocolate, guitars, and more are made with these tours.

61. Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky. Take a virtual tour of this automobile plant to see how these cars come into being.
62. Discover Hershey: Making Chocolate. This video tour takes you virtually through the chocolate-making process at one of the most famous chocolatiers in America.
63. How People Make Things. From Mister Roger’s Neighborhood, these six videos take you into the factories where these items are made, including crayons, fortune cookies, and guitars.
64. Ocean Spray’s Live Bog Cam. While not technically a tour, this link takes you to a live camera showing an actual cranberry bog.

Humans and Animals

Find out about cardiovascular disease or take a look at the body of a life-sized whale here.

65. Vital Signs: Understanding Cardiovascular Disease. Take part in this virtual exhibit courtesy of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute that explores cardiovascular disease.
66. Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society Virtual Whale. Examine a life-sized whale on this virtual tour under the sea.

Ball Parks

Visit a few of the baseball fields where some of the top teams play.

67. Wrigley Field. Tour the new Wrigley Field in Chicago.
68. Great American Ball Park. Go to Cincinnati to see where the Reds play their games.
69. Target Field. This ball park is soon to open. Get a sneak preview here.
70. Progressive Field. Get 12 different 360-degree views of several aspects of the home of the Cleveland Indians.
71. Nationals Park. Check out this field that opened in 2008.

Theme Parks

Explore Disney World, Disney parks in other locations, Legoland, and more with these theme park tours.

72. Disney World Virtual Tour. Learn how you can explore Disney World in 3D.
73. Harry Potter Theme Park. Get a preview of the soon-to-be-open Harry Potter theme park here.
74. Disneyland Paris Virtual Tour. Visit Disneyland Paris with this tour.
75. Disney’s California Adventure Virtual Tour. Save your feet and explore the park from your computer.
76. Disneyland Virtual Tour. Go to Disneyland with this virtual tour.
77. Fantasy Island Amusement Park. Take a tour of this amusement park in New Jersey.
78. Legoland California. Take this tour using Google street view to explore the Lego theme park in California.

Google Earth Virtual Tours

Google Earth has an outstanding collection of virtual tours that are not to be missed. Take a look at this list for a sampling of what’s available.

79. Cathedrals 3D Tour. View famous cathedrals all over the world.
80. Castles and Palaces 3D Tour. Take a look at the stunning beauty of castles and palaces around the world.
81. Major League Baseball Stadiums. Baseball fans will love this tour of the baseball stadiums. This is a good complementary tour to the baseball field tours above.
82. Art Museums 3D Tour. Take a look at famous museums around the world.
83. Beijing Tour. Go to China to learn about Beijing.
84. National Registry of History Places. Take a look at the historic places included on the National Registry.
85. AIA 150 3D Tour. Visit the 150 favorite structures in America that have been selecting in conjunction with the American Institute of Architects 150th anniversary celebration.
86. United States Capitol Buildings. How else could you tour all the capitol buildings in one day?
87. Universities. Explore the campuses of some of the most popular and beautiful universities.
88. Libraries. While everyone knows the inside of libraries contain a wealth of information, don’t forget that the outside often has plenty to share too.
89. Skyscrapers Tour. These gigantic buildings have only been around for the past 100 years or so, but inspire awe to those who see them.
90. Rail Stations Tour. Visit rail stations around the world with this educational tour.
91. Bridge 3D Tour. Bridges represent the melding of art and function in a special way. View some of the most astounding bridges in 3D.
92. Great Green Buildings. Take a look at some of the buildings in the US that have received the highest level of certification from the Energy Department in an effort to save the environment.
93. Geosights of Utah. Utah is home to some of the most amazing geological formations. Take this tour to see them as well as other sights of Utah up close.
94. Google Earth Sky. This selection from Google Earth includes several opportunities for exploration of the universe beyond Earth.
95. Google Earth Ocean. Explore above and beneath the earth’s oceans to learn about coral reefs, rising sea levels, sea life, ship wrecks, lighthouses, and much more.
96. Rome Colosseum. If Rome is too far off your travel map, visit virtually to see the famed Colosseum.
97. Trevi Fountain. While in Rome, take a detour to this magical fountain.
98. Sydney Opera House. View this beautiful structure from all angles without leaving your computer.
99. Arc de Triomphe. Visit this famous landmark in Paris without having to dodge traffic.
100. Shurakuen Buddha. Tour the site of this magnificent Buddha in Tokai, Japan.

General

When you’re not sure where to start, browse the different categories on these video collections from MIT, HBO, Harvard, and more.

1. The Open Video Project: This easy-to-search open collection features documentaries and lectures from Johns Hopkins, the Internet Moving Images Archives, and a lot more.
2. HBO: You can watch special HBO presentations on YouTube, from TV shows to documentaries.
3. Academic Earth: Schools like MIT, Harvard, Yale, UCLA, Princeton and Stanford share lectures and videos in all disciplines on this site.
4. Videos Posted by Harvard University Press: Harvard University Press uploads videos and interviews about literature, medicine, history and the environment on Facebook.
5. MIT Open Courseware: Get connected to the audio/visual resources from each of MIT’s departments here.
6. TED: Watch TED videos from industry leaders and everyday people who are changing the world one step at a time in politics, art, business, science and technology.
7. NYT Shorts: The New York Times’ short films delve into the behind-the-scenes issues and lives of talked-about topics and personalities in entertainment, politics and beyond.
8. TIME: Just as the magazine covers all avenues of culture, science and politics, so do the captivating videos on Time.com.
9. Hulu: You can watch your favorite TV programs or get more informative reports and videos from news stations, home and garden channels, history channels, and more.
10. Netflix: With a paid subscription, you can watch certain videos — including documentaries and foreign films — online for no extra charge.
11. Georgetown University: Featured videos from Georgetown’s archive include talks with faculty and experts about the environment, history, U.S. politics, international relations, and more.
12. MIT World: Watch groundbreaking lectures and speeches from MIT discussing the energy crisis, climate change, business, technology, the arts, and more.
13. Yale Open Courses: Yale has uploaded literature, history, architecture, science and economics lectures onto YouTube for public viewing.
14. Princeton Event Streaming Media: You can download streaming video lectures about the global economy, neurology, biology, and other subjects.

Science

From space exploration to chemistry experiments and endangered animals, science geeks will find all kinds of fascinating videos here.

15. NASA Connect: From meteorology to astronomy, these educational videos teach kids all about science.
16. NewScientist: NewScientist’s videos explore new trends in robotics, computers, video games and virtual technology, health sciences, and more.
17. Nature Online video streaming archive: Nature.com’s video archive includes presentations and shows about archaeology, the environment and space.
18. Discovery Channel: Watch full episodes of popular Discovery Channel shows like Man vs. Wild and Mythbusters here.
19. Science Hack: ScienceHack videos are screened and filtered by actual scientists and cover biology, chemistry, physics, robotics, engineering, and more.
20. Free Science Videos and Lectures: From the health sciences to chemistry experiments, you’ll find a range of popular science videos here.
21. National Geographic: Visit NatGeo’s online video collections for awesome images and coverage of the environment, space, animals, and live streaming videos through WildCams.
22. CalTech Today: Science videos from significant lectures and guest speaker series at CalTech are archived here.
23. Chance Videos and Audios: Dartmouth has organized lecture series — mostly dealing with science and math — from 2000, 1998 and 1997 right here.
24. Online Neuroscience Lectures: UT Dallas’ lecture archive also includes videos from Johns Hopkins and other institutes.

Technology and Engineering

When you want to explore the next big thing in Internet, robotics, mechanical engineering and gaming, head to these video collections for news, tutorials and more.

25. MIT TechTV: MIT’s technology collections show experiments, tech culture, and more.
26. AtGoogleTalk’s Channel: Also known as @Google Talks, this YouTube channel features interviews and lectures from writers, tech execs and other leaders in new media and Internet.
27. Computers and Math Videos: ScienceDaily’s computers and math videos include sub-categories like nanotechnology, video games and artificial intelligence, and robotics.
28. Popular Science: The videos here can be a fun but informative resource for anyone who’s into gadgets, technology and science.
29. Wired: Watch videos on Wired.com to learn more about gaming, gadgets, spacecraft, and more.
30. Computer History Museum: Watch the ComputerHistory channel to find out what’s next in the world of computers, the Internet, usability, and more.
31. CNET: CNET’s tech news videos will teach you about iPhones, GPS, Google, airplanes and more.
32. UW CSE Video Collection: Undergraduate capstone design videos from University of Washington computer science and engineering students are archived here.
33. Mathematical Sciences Research Institute: You can watch streaming video and media files from the MSRI from Fall 2004-Fall 2009.
34. MechanicalEngineering.tv: Channels on this site include technology, physical and science, mechanical design, and CAD CAM.
35. Oxford Internet Institute: From Internet regulation to web research to microblogging, the OII is a good resource for dissecting tough tech questions.
36. Technology: The New York Times’ Personal Tech and David Pogue, as well as CNBC Technology News, contribute to this video collection.

Politics and History

Browse these video collections to supplement courses or projects in politics, economics, history, culture, and journalism.

37. American Memory: The Library of Congress’ American Memory features 15 collections of American history videos documenting Teddy Roosevelt, Coca-Cola advertising, 9/11, theatre, and more.
38. NARA on Google Video: The National Archives offers public viewing of films and newsreels from NASA, World War II and more.
39. History Channel: You can watch full episodes, short clips or specials on History.com.
40. PBS: PBS is an excellent source for news, history and politics, and videos include in-depth discussion from The NewsHour and more.
41. John F. Kennedy School of Government: This video archive has videos from 2000-2008, including full lectures about global climate change, improving leadership skills, and more.
42. Biography.com: The Biography Channel’s website allows you to watch full episodes of shows about Mark Twain, Abraham Lincoln and Henry Ford, as well as regular programming and features about broader topics in history.
43. FreeDocumentaries.org: On this site, you’ll find documentaries that comment on culture, history, world events, politics, and the media.
44. History Highlights: Get original videos from enormously important and riveting moments in history, like the fall of the Berlin Wall.
45. EASE History: You can watch hundreds of videos from historical events from the early 1900s to today.
46. LinkTV: LinkTV is "television without borders" and is a good source for getting more detailed coverage about global issues and current events.
47. American History in Video: You’ll learn all about American history from 1492-the late twentieth century on this site.
48. Smithsonian: From archaeology and anthropology to folklife events, the Smithsonian YouTube resource is a great resource for all history students.
49. Famous Moments in American History: From Ben Franklin to Benedict Arnold to Molly Pitcher, watch videos about famous early Americans here.

Language and Literature

Here you can get help learning a new language or watch interviews with your favorite authors.

50. BBC Languages: BBC offers online video courses in German, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese and more.
51. Foreign Language Videos: OhioLINK’s open-to-the-public has beginning language videos here.
52. Barnes & Noble Studio: You can watch video interviews of top authors here.
53. Booknotes: Booknotes has archived over 800 streaming videos with authors.
54. Bookstreaminc: Watch video interviews with top-selling authors like Al Franken and Wiliam Mann.

Arts and Music

From Carnegie Hall to the National Theatre and the Whitney Museum, these videos take you to the most distinguished art and music institutes in the world.

55. MoMA: The Museum of Modern Art’s online communities page connects you to video collections — including interviews with artists and exhibition tours — via YouTube, Facebook, iTunes U and other outlets.
56. Roland Collection of Films on Art: Download films for just $1.99 each, from categories like landscapes, religious art, architecture and the environment, and archaeology.
57. Arts and Culture: LA Times arts and culture videos highlight certain artists and special art events.
58. Whitney Watch and Listen: Here you can watch featured videos with artists, about exhibitions, museum news and more.
59. Bravo TV: Watch full episodes or special features about fashion, art, design and more.
60. Sundance Channel: Get previews and clips from soon-to-be aired or released films, plus online specials from comedy, fashion, independent movies, and more.
61. National Theatre: On this website, you can download video recordings from London’s National Theatre.
62. BlueGobo: Musicals and musical clips have been uploaded onto this site, from Annie Get Your Gun to Fosse to Les Miserables.
63. From the Top: PBS’ From the Top lets you watch full episodes from Carnegie Hall’s youngest performers.
64. MTV: Explore music videos from up and coming artists as well as established celebrities.
65. Style.com: Vogue’s Style.com videos include designer profiles and interviews, fashion show coverage, and more.
66. Interior Design TV: On this channel, you’ll get to tour showrooms and listen to interviews with top interior designers.

Social Sciences, Philosophy and Religion

These video collections help to make philosophy courses and discussions more accessible.

67. A&E: A&E programs like Hoarders and Intervention will teach you a lot about mental disorders and societal trends.
68. Heidegger: This collection of philosophy videos from Berkeley focuses on Heidegger and Descartes.
69. Young Philosophers: SUNY Fredonia’s website shares philosophy lectures on ethics, the philosophy of religion, free will, research, and more.
70. Philosophy Free Audio and Video: From Gandhi to Henry David Thoreau, you’ll find a variety of philosophy lectures, speeches and videos here.

News

For streaming video and analysis of current events, check out these news videos from CBS, ABC, PBS, C-SPAN and others.

71. 60 Minutes: You can watch short clips or full episodes of 60 Minutes on the CBS website, here.
72. CSPAN: Even if you can’t stand to watch it on TV, C-SPAN online is a great resource for looking up reference videos and coverage of debates, House Sessions, and general news broadcasts.
73. BBC News: Watch videos from recent conflicts and news-worthy events around the world, as well as interviews with major personalities.
74. CNN.com: The breaking news videos from CNN.com range from seen-on-TV reports to web-only specials of international coverage.
75. Current.com: Current.com covers the most talked-about people and events in news, technology, the environment and entertainment.
76. ABC News: Watch streaming video, Good Morning America programs and news features here.
77. MSNBC TV: At the online station for "the place for politics," you’ll get commentary and video from Capitol Hill and beyond.
78. Reuters: This classic news service gets a new media update thanks to its broad video archive.
79. Newsweek Multimedia: You can watch video stories of trending topics like unemployment and the economy, as well as from the publication’s 7 Things feature.

Health Sciences

Whether you’re a medical student wanting to learn how to perform a surgery, or someone wanting to research a particular disease or condition, check out these video collections.

80. Health and Medicine: Health and Medicine is another ScienceDaily video collection covering all sorts of research studies, diseases and conditions, and health care issues.
81. Rice University: These health sciences videos tackle current topics in medicine, like the H1N1 virus, as well as more wide-ranging issues like health care reform.
82. WebMD: Watch a video to learn about virtually any disease or condition on WebMD.
83. Medical News Today: This authoritative health sciences reference offers streaming video clips that cover specific conditions, medical research, medical controversies, and more.
84. VideoMD: Expert physicians share their advice and analysis on this site.
85. Prevention TV: Prevention.com’s online TV channel tackles current health topics like aging, nutrition and fitness.
86. Videos of Surgical Procedures: This collection from MedlinePlus includes surgical procedure videos for the heart, bones, muscles, brain and more.
87. Medical Videos: Learn how to examine patients, diagnose diseases and more on this NSFW site.
88. Medical Students: Medscape’s resource page for med students includes a video section with interviews and more.
89. Video for Your Health: These videos combine news and health for families, smokers, kids, the elderly and terminally ill.

Business and Leadership

These videos highlight the people and campaigns that are changing the world, and can help you do the same.

90. FORA.tv: This website shares "videos on the people, issues and ideas changing the planet," from the environment to the economy to politics and culture.
91. dotSUB: You can watch activist videos in any language on this site.
92. Wall Street Journal: The WSJ archives videos for technology, markets, business, world news, and more.
93. Nobelprize.org: Watch videos of speeches, interviews and features about Nobel Laureates.
94. AllBusiness.com Video Library: Learn about entrepreneurship, green business and more when you watch these videos.
95. BW Video: Get interviews and whole programs devoted to investing, business and innovation.
96. Small Business Video and Audio Presentations: The IRS provides information videos for small business owners here.
97. Nightly Business Report: You can watch PBS’ Nightly Business Report for investing news, analysis on the economy, and more.
98. Bplans.com: This business planning resource offers video tutorials to help you get organized.
99. SmallBusinessNewz Videos: From marketing to franchises to sales to HR, these videos help business students and professionals become more responsible, successful individuals.
100. On Leadership: The Washington Post’s On Leadership video collection interviews people like Jeffrey Kindler and Zainab Salbi of Women for Women International.

French

French is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world and an official language in countries on nearly every continent. These courses will help you learn the famously romantic language for personal advancement or pleasure.

1. French I: Take this course to learn things like French grammar, pronunciation and get an introduction to French culture. [MIT]
2. French II: This course expands on the lessons from the previous course, encouraging students to improve their vocabulary and exercise their communication skills. [MIT]
3. Learn French: Use the language lessons on this site to improve your French or start from scratch. [French Assistant]
4. French for Secondary Students: Here you’ll find French lessons geared towards students in high school and above. [RealFrench]
5. French Revision: Get interactive with the lessons and activities on this site. [French Revision]
6. Learn French Online: This site offers hours of French listening lessons so you can hear the right way to pronounce words. [Loquella]
7. French: This BBC course will teach you the basics of French, with lessons on simple questions and answers. [BBC Languages]

Spanish

In a country with a large number of Spanish-speaking immigrants and natives, knowing the language can be a huge asset when it comes to giving you a leg up on getting a job or interacting with members of the local community. Use these tools to boost your Spanish language skills.

8. Spanish 1: This class is based around a series of videos that allow students to get a grasp on basic linguistic and cultural concepts of the Spanish language. [MIT]
9. Spanish 2: Students can continue to develop their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills through Spanish language videos in this beginning course. [MIT]
10. Spanish III: This course is at the intermediate level, asking students to write essays, expand their vocabularies and improve speaking skills. [MIT]
11. Spanish 4: In this course, students will improve their Spanish knowledge through the use of Spanish literature and other course materials. [MIT]
12. Oral Communication in Spanish: If you need to work on your spoken Spanish, consider this course where students watch Spanish-language movies and engage in communication exercises. [MIT]
13. Spanish Conversation and Composition: Through this course students learn to write in Spanish and use film, video and conversations to improve oral skills. [MIT]
14. Advanced Spanish Conversation and Composition: Expanding on the lessons of the previous course, this course will teach students not only about Spanish language, but culture as well. [MIT]
15. Spanish for Bilingual Students: Those who come from a Hispanic background and want to improve their knowledge of the language and the people who speak it should take this informative course. [MIT]
16. CALFNES Spanish: The materials in this course were developed to help Hispanics across the United States learn the language of their parents or grandparents. [USU]
17. Spanish: If all you want to know are some basic phrases this free course is a great place to start. [BBC Languages]

Italian

Whether you’re headed to Italy for business or pleasure or just want to impress the in-laws, these courses will help you brush up on your Italian.

18. Italian: Learn the essential phrases you’ll need to get by in Italy from this free course. [BBC Languages]
19. Beginning Italian: These self-study courses can help you learn Italian in your free time. [CyberItalian]
20. Interactive Italian: This site is home to over 20 different lessons on the basics of Italian. [Oggi e Domani]
21. Parliamo italiano!: Native English speakers can take advantage of the free lessons and learning materials found on this site to learn Italian. [Abruzzo]
22. Italian Electronic Classroom: Check out this e-class to deal with some of the basics of Italian as well as get help with some of the concepts that can be harder to grasp. [Centro Studi Italiani]

Portuguese

Take advantage of these free opportunities to learn both Brazilian and traditional Portuguese.

23. Portuguese: This site offers language lessons for both variations of the Portuguese language. [BBC Languages]
24. Brazilian Portuguese: From grammar to vocabulary, this site offers a wealth of information. [Saunalahti]
25. Portuguese Online: Here you can learn how to pronounce and put together phrases in Portuguese as well as a little about the culture of the nations that speak it. [NaviLang]
26. The Basics of Portuguese: Start at the beginning with your Portuguese lessons with these free courses. [easyPortuguese]

German

These free resources will help you learn the German language in no time.

27. German I: Students can begin their foray into German language learning with this introductory course. [MIT]
28. German II: This course will offer students the chance to learn more German and more about German culture. [MIT]
29. German III: A more intermediate course, students will improve their skills in speaking, reading, listening, and writing. [MIT]
30. German IV: This course is fairly advanced and teaches using German literature as a reference point. [MIT]
31. Germany Today: Intensive Study of German Language & Culture: Whether you want to live, work or just visit a German-speaking country, this course will educate you on the basics to make you look like a native. [MIT]
32. German: Take a look at this site to learn phrases that will help you order a beer or a bratwurst and more. [BBC Languages]

English

If you’re not a native English speaker, these courses can help you improve your written and oral communication skills.

33. Listening, Speaking, and Pronunciation: Look through the course materials offered here if you are a high-intermediate ESL student who wants to develop better listening comprehension and oral skills. [MIT]
34. Expository Writing for Bilingual Students: If you don’t quite feel confident in your English writing skills, consider this course to teach you the finer points of academic writing. [MIT]
35. Advanced Speaking and Critical Listening Skills: This course will help more advanced bilingual students learn to improve their spoken English. [MIT]
36. English Grammar in Context: Take a look at what this course has to teach you about the often confusing rules of English grammar. [OpenLearn]
37. English: With quizzes, lessons, videos and more this site will help you learn to speak and read English more easily. [BBC Languages]

Other European Languages

These courses cover only part of the wide range of languages spoken in European nations.

38. Polish: Give this course a try to learn some essential phrases in Polish. [BBC Languages]
39. Gaelic: Get access to basic vocabulary as well as lessons on this site. [BBC Languages]
40. Welsh: Play games, watch videos and use the free dictionary to improve your Welsh on this site. [BBC Languages]
41. Irish: Take a look at the language learning material here to watch videos designed to teach you Irish. [BBC Languages]
42. Dutch: If you’ve ever thought of learning Dutch you can test out the basics here. [BBC Languages]
43. Getting Started on Classical Greek: Learn the language that has inspired many scholars throughout history with tools on this site. [OpenLearn]
44. Greek: Whether you want to take a vacation, study the past or embrace the culture you’ll find great resources here. [BBC Languages]
45. Swedish: If you want to learn some of the basics of Swedish to help you get by or begin your learning process, this site is a great place to start. [BBC Languages]
46. Finnish: You can bring these Finnish lessons with you on your MP3 player to learn on the go. [BBC Languages]
47. Czech: Try out these lessons to get a handle on some essential phrases in Czech. [BBC Languages]
48. Russian: This site offers an opportunity to learn about Russian language and culture. [BBC Languages]

Chinese

In terms of native speakers, Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world, so it only makes sense to learn a little bit (or more) in an increasingly globalized economy.

49. Chinese I: Start your Chinese lessons with this course for total beginners in the language. [MIT]
50. Chinese II: Continue your Chinese education with this second level Mandarin course. [MIT]
51. Chinese III: While you would be best served with this material using the textbook for the course, it still has a lot to offer. [MIT]
52. Chinese IV: This course completes the foundation level sequence offered at MIT. [MIT]
53. Chinese V: Here you can learn some more sophisticated Chinese reading, writing and speaking skills. [MIT]
54. Chinese VI: If you want to learn more about the cultures and people of China, give these course materials a look. [MIT]
55. First Year Chinese I: Use these materials to start learning Chinese. [USU]
56. First Year Chinese II: This course will help you expand on the entry-level material from the first part. [USU]
57. Chinese: Here you’ll find tools to learn about Chinese characters, culture and the basics of language learning. [BBC Languages]

Japanese

Learning Japanese can be a great adventure for fun or business, and these courses can guide you along your path.

58. Beginning Japanese I: Learn the phonetic symbols and kanji characters of Japanese in this intro course. [MIT]
59. Beginning Japanese II: Take this course to build your skills in writing, reading and speaking Japanese. [MIT]
60. Intermediate Japanese I: This course will help you take your language learning to the next level. [MIT]
61. Advanced Japanese I: After you’ve mastered the basics, take this course to start learning more advanced elements of Japanese. [MIT]
62. Advanced Japanese II: These course materials will help you learn to use Japanese appropriately and in real life situations. [MIT]
63. Linguistic Theory and the Japanese Language: This course takes an in-depth look at Japanese grammar. [MIT]
64. Japanese: Learn some basic phrases to ease your way into mastering Japanese with this course material. [BBC Languages]

Asian Languages

Take these free courses and materials to learn other languages spoken in Asian nations.

65. Let’s Learn Korean: Here you’ll find some great audio lessons that can help you understand and speak Korean. [KBS World]
66. Korean Language: Simply register for this site and you’ll be on your way to accessing loads of free Korean lessons. [KOSNet]
67. Thai: If you want to learn Thai, start out with this education site full of courses and helpful materials. [Learning Thai.com]
68. Vietnamese for Beginners: From pronunciation to ordering at a restaurant, this site will have you speaking basic Vietnamese in no time. [Seasite]
69. Learn to Read Gujarati: You can learn the essentials of this Indian language here. [Ukindia]
70. Virtual Hindi: This site will help you learn to read and speak Hindi with lessons and videos. [NYU]
71. Urdu: This language, widely spoken in Pakistan, can be learned with a little help from this site. [BBC Languages]

Middle Eastern Languages

From Arabic to Hebrew, these courses will help you learn some of the most spoken languages in middle and near eastern countries.

72. Arabic: Check out this site for great speaking and reading lessons in Arabic. [Babel Arabic]
73. Learn to Read Arabic: If you don’t know Arabic it might appear impossible to begin to read but this course will get you started on the right track. [Ukindia]
74. Arabic Language Course: Here you’ll find resources to help you both learn to read and speak Arabic, all for free. [Mediniah Arabic]
75. Viewing Arabic Texts: This site offers help in learning how to read written Arabic and understand how to navigate through a text. [Arabic Online]
76. Hebrew: Whether for religion or travel, here you’ll find great resources for learning this ancient language. [ZigZag Networks]

African Languages

Use these resources to educate yourself on some of the many different languages spoken in Africa.

77. Learn Afrikaans: Check out this helpful site to learn this South African language. [Open Languages]
78. Learn Swahili: Whether you’re visiting Kenya or just want to learn a new language, this site can help you with the basics of Swahili. [Open Languages]
79. Learn Bemba: Here you’ll find resources to learn more about this language spoken in Zambia, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [Open Languages]
80. Yoruba: Increase your knowledge of this widely spoken language here. [Learn Yoruba]
81. Wolof: Take advantage of this course material to get a better grasp of this West African language. [Wolof Online]
82. Izifundo zesiXhosa: Learn to speak the language of South African leader Nelson Mandela here. [Sabelo]

Native American Languages

These resources will help you to learn a few of the languages spoken by native North and South American people.

83. Dakota Language Lessons: Visit this site to learn this Sioux language. [Dakota Language]
84. Internet Quechua Lessons: Try out your skills in this South American language through this site. [Ullanta]
85. Cherokee Language Lessons: Learn the language of the largest recognized Native American tribe from this helpful site. [Cherokees of California]
86. Navajo Language: Used in WWII as a system of coding, this language isn’t easy to learn but can be a great challenge for ambitious learners out there. [Native Languages]

Ancient Languages

These languages may not still be widely spoken but can help you understand modern languages or read ancient texts.

87. Beginning Latin: Grammar: Check out this course to learn the basics of Latin grammar and construction. [USU]
88. Getting Started on Classical Latin: Learning Latin can help make learning other Romance languages a lot easier, so take this course to learn the essentials. [OpenLearn]
89. Lessons in Aramaic: Many people will be familiar with this ancient tongue from Mel Gibson’s biblical epic The Passion of the Christ and you can learn some basic phrases in the language here, though it is not used as widely in the Middle East today. [Introductory Aramaic]
90. Self Study Sanskrit: With about only 15,000 fluent speakers left, this language isn’t widely used but offers a unique look into untranslated Hindu and Buddhist texts for those who are willing to learn it. [Acharya]

Linguistics

These courses can help you understand how language works, perhaps enhancing your ability to learn and understand a new one more easily.

91. Introduction to Linguistics: Get an introduction to some of the major issues in understanding how language works, differs across cultures and is understood differently in written, signed and spoken forms. [MIT]
92. Introduction to Philosophy of Language: This course explores some of the more philosophical aspects of language like truth, meaning and reference. [MIT]
93. Language Acquisition: Learn how language is learned as a child and how people learn new languages from this course. [MIT]
94. Language and its Structure I: Phonology: Take a look at these course materials to learn how to sound systems of different languages are organized. [MIT]
95. Language and its Structure II: Syntax: Learn what syntax is all about and find out more about the latest research in the field from this course. [MIT]
96. Language and its Structure III: Semantics and Pragmatics: In this course, you’ll learn the difference between semantics and pragmatics and what they each mean for how we understand and interpret language. [MIT]
97. Language Processing: Get a grasp on how language is understood by the brain in this course. [MIT]
98. The Linguistic Study of Bilingualism: Those hoping to learn another language might be well served in learning about some of the more technical aspects of how bilingualism works. [MIT]
99. Topics in Phonology: This course will help you to better understand spoken language. [MIT]
100. Language and Mind: Here you can learn some language essentials like how language works with the mind and how it’s acquired, processed and represented. [MIT]

Career

Check out these sites to learn how to ramp up your career.

1. Quint Careers: This career website offers information on building a great resume, changing careers, finding a job as an older worker and a whole lot more.
2. Teachers TV: If you’re an out-of-work teacher, this site offers a chance to learn more about the field and get ideas on how to work in the classroom.
3. Career One Stop: Pay a visit to this organization’s site to learn about new ways you can get on the path to career success from going back to school to changing your field.
4. Career Crafter Tutorials: This website isn’t about a career in crafting; instead it offers great advice and instruction on building, or rebuilding, a solid career.
5. eResumes: Check out the advice on this site to create a better, more streamlined resume.

Business

Build up your business knowledge and skills through these courses, tutorials and informative sites.

6. KnowThis.com: This site is full of tutorials to help you learn more about marketing.
7. LayNetworks: If you want to improve how you work and lead in the office, this site offers a great collection of tutorials.
8. Website 101: It can be a big asset to a business to have a website, so learn all you need to know about the process here.
9. Business Tutorials: Those hoping to start their own business will find a wide range of helpful articles and tutorials on this site.
10. Small Business Administration Courses: The U.S. government offers these free courses — some online and others free — to take at local business centers to help people of all ages build their entrepreneurial skills.
11. My Own Business: Many people use the loss of a job as a motivating factor to finally start their own business, and this site is full of tips on how to do it right.
12. Kutztown Small Business Development Center: Whether you want to start your own business or just want to brush up on what it takes to work in a successful one, this site can be a big help.
13. iLearn Small Business Courses: Check out the advice and information contained in these helpful business courses.
14. LearnThat: This site offers some basic business tutorials.
15. HP Learning Center: You can learn more about running the equipment in your office through these free courses from HP.

Management and Leadership

Give yourself the confidence and expertise it takes to be a good leader by checking out some of these free resources.

16. Training Time: Through the tutorials on this site, you can learn important skills like building a better workplace environment and training new employees.
17. Financial Management Training Center: Learning to manage the finances of a business can be just as important as managing the people, and these courses will help you learn to keep the cash flow in check.
18. Change Management: These courses will help you learn how to effect real changes in the workplace that can build a better working environment for you and your employees.
19. Management Help: While designed with nonprofits in mind, these courses offer some good advice for managers of for-profit outfits as well.
20. Leadership Training Tutorials: Take these free courses to learn what makes a good leader and how you can hone your skills to be better at working with others.
21. Business Balls: The name might be silly, but this site offers some truly great courses and information on building management skills.
22. Project Management Course: Through this resource, you can gain skills that can help you explain how you’d manage a project, if asked in an interview.
23. The Leaders Institute Tips: From remembering names to speaking in public, these articles will educate you on how to be a better leader one step at a time.
24. American Management Association: The podcasts on this site offer a chance to learn from other leaders out there.
25. Learners TV: Watch some of these videos to learn more about management of people, money and assets.

Academics

Spend your time away from the workplace learning about everything from calculus to global politics on these open education sites.

26. MIT Open Courseware: You too can take courses, not for credit of course, from one of the most well-regarded tech colleges in the United States.
27. Google Scholar: If you want to make sure you’re reading reliable, academic sources, use this student-focused search engine from Google.
28. Academic Earth: This site offers a wide range of lectures and courses from some of the elite scholars and schools in the nation.
29. iTunes U: Take courses through iTunes from schools and institutions with great academic reputations.
30. Forum Network: Here you’ll find free lectures from NPR and PBS on a wide range of interesting subject matter.
31. Princeton WebMedia: You don’t have to attend Princeton to listen to the great lecturers the school offers–all found through this site.
32. Harvard@Home: Hear from some of the world’s best-known scholars through the lectures on this Harvard site.
33. Open University: Get free courses of all kinds from this UK-based online university.
34. Carnegie Mellon Open Learning Initiative: Here you can listen to lectures and take courses from Carnegie Mellon.
35. Duke Law Center for the Public Domain: If you want to brush up on your knowledge of relevant law issues, take a look at this site.
36. Kaplan University: There are a few courses here on business, education and social sciences you can take for free.

Technology

For many unemployed workers out there, knowing as much as possible about technology can be a big asset in finding a new job. These sites will help teach you about a wide range of technological issues.

37. Computer Weekly: IT professionals, or those hoping to work in the field, can get all kinds of webinars and lessons on this site.
38. TechOnline: These webinars offer some pretty techie instruction on a number of subjects.
39. actDEN: Those who aren’t tech-professionals will appreciate this free site to learn more about how to use Microsoft’s Office suite.
40. W3Schools: Check out these web tutorials to learn HTML, XML, CSS, server maintenance and more.
41. Productivity Portfolio: If you’ve got five minutes you’ve got enough time to take these tutorials.
42. MuppetLabs: From a programmer’s virtual library to lessons on languages like Python and Perl, this site is full of information.
43. Geekpedia: Here you’ll find a huge collection of tutorials and articles to learn about all the big tech issues.
44. InPictures: If you work better from pictures than words, this site can make it much easier to learn about computer issues.
45. How-to-Geek: Those in need of lessons on working with computers and other gadgets will appreciate this large site.
46. Vista4Beginners: Some people have had a hard time learning how to navigate Vista, but this site has helpful guides to ease the process.
47. NetTuts: Here you can find lessons on keeping websites secure, using CSS and a whole lot more.
48. Tweako: This techie-focused site is full of tutorials and articles on topics computer and programming-related.

Essential Skills

If you’re out of work, chances are pretty good you need to save money. These educational sites will help you learn how to hem your own pants, maintain your car, and fix your own home.

49. Sewing Tutorials: Learn how to sew a wide variety of projects on this site.
50. What the Craft: From this site you can learn how to revamp your old wardrobe, mend things and sew great projects.
51. Cooking Tutorials: Save money by not eating out and learning how to cook healthy foods on this site.
52. Car Maintenance Guide: Don’t spend hundreds fixing things on your car when you can do it yourself by learning from this site.
53. DoItYourself.com: Learn how to do all kinds of things around the house without calling in the professionals with these tutorials.
54. The Bicycle Tutor: If you’re more of a bike person than a car driver, you’ll get tips on keeping your bike in order here.
55. Easy2DIY: From finishing a basement to solving minor plumbing problems, you’ll get help on this site.
56. SkillVids: Check out this site to learn how to fix things around your home–saving you money and giving you something to do.
57. Make Magazine: Get creative in your spare time and take on some of these home improvement projects.
58. DIY Home Improvements Depot: This site offers you a chance to learn how to be your own handyman or woman.

Reading and Writing

Learn a wide range of skills through these sites offering writing instruction and free literature.

59. Project Gutenberg: Read the classics from the thousands of public domain books contained within this site.
60. Literature.org: Find works of classic literature on this site from Twain to Descartes.
61. Bibliomania: This site collects thousands of free books so you can read them without even leaving the house.
62. SparkNotes:If you want to read a challenging book but want a little help understanding it, the free study guides on this site will be a big assistance.
63. Poewar Writer’s Resource Center: Whether you want to write better poetry or just want to sound better on your resume, take a look at this site.
64. Paradigm Online Writing Assistant: Learn what some common problem areas are when writing and how to make your written words better from this resource.
65. WikiBooks: This site contains loads of free online books on a huge range of subjects.
66. Library of Congress: The LOC is more than just home to millions of books, it also houses great archives of photos, audio recording and artifacts, many of which are available online.
67. Lifewriting: This site offers free writing classes to help you hone your skills.

Language Learning

Knowing how to speak another language can be a huge asset on a resume for a wide range of career paths. Check out these sites to learn the basics of dozens of languages.

68. BBC Languages: With numerous languages from Mandarin to Spanish offered, this site is a great place to learn the essential phrases of a new language.
69. Rosetta Project: Learn more about the variety of world languages out there with this research project and website aimed at documenting them all.
70. MIT Foreign Language and Literature: Take free language courses through MIT through their OpenCourseWare program.
71. LiveMocha: Trade your knowledge of English to someone else who speaks another language on this communal learning resource.
72. LingoPass: This site offers a free language learning exchange.
73. Teach Yourself Japanese: Here you can learn the basics of written and spoken Japanese.
74. Learn Spanish: Knowing Spanish can be a huge asset in many parts of the country, and you can start your language learning here.

Design and Creativity

Designers, creative or just interested parties who are out of work can brush up on their skills while looking for new jobs on these helpful sites.

75. DigitalArts: Here you can read news and find helpful tutorials on creative technologies.
76. KillerSites: This site offers visitors a range of tools to learn to design better, more accessible websites.
77. Media College: Learn to better handle a video camera and edit film through the tutorials here.
78. Photography Mentor: If you’ve always wanted to learn more about working as a photographer, then this site offers some indispensible advice.
79. Adobe InDesign Tutorials: Check out this resource to learn how to become an InDesign pro.
80. Website Tips: Those who’ve never built a website, or those who just want to know more about it, can find helpful tips and tutorials here.
81. Online Web Design Course: Learn the basics of designing a website through this free web design course.
82. QuarkEd Training: Knowing how to use Quark is a pretty big deal for many working in the design field, and the company offers free lessons here.
83. Designer Today: Here you can not only get updates on big design topics but also find hundreds of Photoshop tutorials.
84. PlanetPhotoshop: This website will help you learn to master both the fundamentals and more advanced aspects of Photoshop.

Finances

Managing money is important when you don’t have a steady stream of income, and these sites will teach you what you need to know.

85. Money 101: This site from CNN will help you learn all about the basics of managing money.
86. MoneyManagement.org: Here you’ll get a chance to build up your skills in money management through a series of courses.
87. WIFE: While geared towards women and families, this site offers great saving advice for people of all kinds.
88. Motley Fool: Learn more about investing and tracking the markets on this site.
89. WikiInvest: If you’ve never paid much attention to the markets, this site offers a wealth of information.

Multi-Subject

These sites offer a wide range of educational videos that will help you learn basic skills, work better and keep busy in your down time.

90. Video Jug: From eating sushi correctly to helpful business skills, this site offers some great video tutorials.
91. TrickLife: This site is home to thousands of tutorials that will help you fix up your house, promote your business and just about anything else.
92. MyTutorials: On this site you can search through existing tutorials or suggest one of your own.
93. Wikiversity: With almost 12,000 learning resources, this site offers a chance to learn about physics, business and much more.
94. Tutorial Ninja: The tutorials on this site are mostly tech-focused.
95. SuTree: Check out this site to watch thousands of instructional videos.
96. eHow: Formerly Expert Village, this site offers a range of instructional videos and articles.
97. Instructables: This site focuses on DIY projects, from creating great Halloween costumes to other fun ways to use your free time.
98. 5min: All of the tutorials on this site are five minutes and under.
99. Find Tutorials: Use this site to search through thousands of educational tutorials.
100. WonderHowTo: This how-to site is full of great and often practical instruction.

Literature and Language

These courses will help you learn to do a wide variety of things, from conversing with the elves of Lord of the Rings to analyzing the deeper meanings of zombies and vampires in popular literature.

1. Arguing with Judge Judy: Popular ‘Logic’ on TV Judge Shows: Ever felt like the plaintiffs on TV judge shows have some pretty questionable logic? This class addresses that subject directly, allowing students to pull apart courtroom excuses just like Judge Judy. [UC Berkeley]
2. The Adultery Novel In and Out of Russia: Who doesn’t love a good tale of adultery? This class asks students to consider it as a literary theme, however racy or immoral it may be. [U Penn]
3. The Vampire in Literature and Cinema: The growing popularity of vampires in popular media should make many students out there pretty jealous they can’t take this class focusing on the infamous bloodsuckers. [U of Wisconsin]
4. Invented Languages: Klingon and Beyond: You don’t have to be a sci-fi nerd to appreciate the subject matter in this course at the U of Texas focusing on the reasons, rules and social realities of created languages. [U of Texas, Austin]
5. Elvish, the language of "Lord of the Rings": This course was taught by the world’s foremost expert on this language, who was even a consultant to the makers of the films. While not practical, it certainly speaks to super fans of the series. [U of Wisconsin]
6. Harry Potter Lit: If you want to appreciate the Harry Potter novels as more than just a fun read, head to Ohio State to spend good money exploring the larger themes within the seven book series. [Ohio State]
7. Those Sexy Victorians: While sexy usually isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of an era shocked by the sight of ankle, this course delves into the interest in sexual matters behind the prudish exterior during the Victorian era. [Ole Miss]
8. The Living and UnDead: An Inquiry into Zombies in Cinema and Literature: While you might often feel like a zombie stumbling to your early morning classes, this course takes a deeper look at what is so fascinating and horrifying about these brain-craving monsters. [Ole Miss]

History

Learn about the aspects of history that are often overlooked in these courses.

9. The Phallus: Explore the role this part of the male body has played in society from the early, often sexist works of Freud to newer feminist theories. [Occidental College]
10. American Degenerates: Learn more about the relationship between writers and early Americans and their sense of personal identity in this course. [Brown]
11. Comparative History of Organized Crime: While the streets may be education enough for real gangsters, this course aims to teach students about the history and culture of the mafia around the world. [Williams College]
12. European Witchcraft: While so-called witches are still around today, you can learn about the origins of what people thought were witches and the often extreme and illogical measures they took to get rid of them. [Oneonta College]
13. Sex, Rugs, Salt & Coal: Not only does this course have a snappy name, it also is full of topics students find compelling, including sex, slavery, money and more. [Cornell]
14. Age of Piracy: Johnny Depp’s kooky but sexy Jack Sparrow has gotten many students interested in learning more about the pirating arts, and this course offers them the chance to take a look at the much less appealing, real-life lives of pirates. [Arizona State]

Sociology, Psychology and Anthropology

Gain a deeper understanding of social and cultural issues through these courses on often touchy subjects.

15. The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil: This course examines a question that many people ask themselves–how can good people do bad things? [MIT]
16. Border Crossings, Borderlands: Transnational Feminist Perspectives on Immigration: Here you can understand what feminists think about immigration. [U of Washington]
17. The American Vacation: Study your vacation time more closely with the knowledge this historical and social course offers. [U of Iowa]
18. Mail Order Brides? Understanding the Philippines in Southeast Asian Context: As off-putting as it sounds to most people, mail order brides are a real thing, and students at this prestigious university can learn why the phenomenon exists and is so prevalent in the Philippines through this course. [Johns Hopkins]
19. Whiteness: The Other Side of Racism: This course teaches students about their role as white members of society and has been much criticized for promoting guilt about students’ race. [Mount Holyoke College]
20. Alien Sex: Explore the weird, wild and depraved aspects of sex between humans and monsters alike. [University of Rochester]
21. Daytime Serials: Family and Social Roles: Students in Wisconsin can take this course that explores the familial relationships of characters on soap operas–essential for those who just can’t get enough of their programs. [U of Wisconsin]
22. It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine): While we all hope the world won’t be ending anytime soon, this course explores the variety of Armageddon scenarios out there and why we’re so obsessed with the end of it all. [Alfred U]
23. Purity and Porn in America: Through this course, students can learn about the role between sexuality and modesty–taking a hard look at the way it’s dealt with in modern society. [Alfred U]
24. UFOs In American Society: If you’re the Fox Mulder type, then you’ll be jealous of students at Temple U who get to learn more about the role of UFOs in popular culture in this course. [Temple U]
25. The Good, the Bad, and the Revolting: You might think you know what is revolting and what’s not, but this course offers to teach you what it really means to be disgusting, shameful and pitiful–among other things. [Alfred U]

Science

Make your science education a little more interesting with these courses that draw on sexuality, garbage and fiction for inspiration.

26. The Science of Superheroes: While it might sound like fun and games, this course takes superheroes as a means to teach students real lessons about physics. [U of California Irvine]
27. The Science of Harry Potter: Unicorns and magical spells might not be real, but this course addresses the magical happenings of the Harry Potter series through a scientific lens, applying physics to things like quidditch. [Frostberg]
28. Joy of Garbage: While it might sound like an ideal course for clutterbugs, this course is actually designed to teach students how to manage garbage and encourage them to make less waste and recycle more. [UC Berkeley]
29. "Far Side" Entomology: The much-beloved Far Side comics form the basis for this course that addresses the relationship between people and insects. [Oregon State]
30. Facial Reconstruction: This course isn’t so much ridiculous as it is weird, being one of the few in the country that teaches students how to puzzle together the bones of the face to help figure out the identity of recovered remains. [U of Montana]
31. The Amazing World of Bubbles: No, this course isn’t about bubble baths or even bubble wrap. Instead, it explores the energy potential of the bubble. [Cal-Tech]
32. FemSex: Women of all ages and orientations enrolled in this course, teaching women about different definitions of sex, orgasms, sexual norms and even taboos like incest. [Carleton College]

Technology

With technology becoming such a major part of everyday life, it’s no wonder these courses have sprung up on college campuses nationwide.

33. The Strategy of Starcraft: Fans of this game say it’s one of the most difficult to master, but this course at Berkeley aims to help students learn the game better through lessons from one of its creators. [UC Berkeley]
34. Cyberporn and Society: WIth the internet housing more porn that one could look at in a lifetime, this course explores the role of porn in the development of the web and the effects it has had on relationships and expectations. [U of New York - Buffalo]
35. Cyberfeminism: Learn just what the heck cyberfeminism is in this course. [Cornell]
36. Learning from YouTube: If you can’t figure out how to watch videos and learn on your own, this course will teach you how. [Pitzer College]
37. Personal Robots: Like something out of the Jetsons, this course offers students a chance to learn about the development of little helper robots. [MIT]
38. Human Computer Interaction: Whether you love or hate your computer, you can learn more about the relationships people develop with their machines from this course. [MIT]
39. The Anthropology of Computing: What role does your computer play in your life? In society? This course examines how computers function in culture and change human communications. [MIT]
40. Lego Robotics: Legos can help you build more than just that TIE Fighter, they can also be used to make real robots, as this course will show students. [MIT]
41. Human Beings and the Machines of Sunshine: While this course is based on the technical, it addresses more of the social issues that have arisen since machines have become more and more a part of daily life. [Rice]
42. Street-Fighting Mathematics: While math and street-fighting aren’t two things that logically fall together, this course shows students that there is a way to analyze fighting through a mathematical pattern–something that might get you beat up in the first place. [MIT]
43. Games and Civic Engagement: Learn about the role video games might play in the future of education and community programs through this course. [MIT]

Philosophy

These courses promise to help you think deeply about philosophical and religious issues while often using pop culture as a reference point.

44. The Simpsons and Philosophy: While the Simpsons may appear to be just good entertainment, this course shows the deeper philosophical issues under all those "d’ohs." [UC Berkeley]
45. Philosophy and Star Trek: Students who take this class will not only get to watch Star Trek, but delve into the issues the show discusses like time travel, a sense of reality, free will and more. [Georgetown]
46. Star Trek and Religion: Look at religion through the lens of the Star Trek world, with discussions that address both supporting and criticizing religion. [U of Indiana]
47. Myth and Science Fiction: Star Wars, The Matrix, and Lord of the Rings: Explore larger issues of myth and speculative fiction through these popular movies. [Centre College]
48. Taking Marx Seriously: The oddest thing about this course’s name is that it implies that people haven’t been taking Marx seriously, odd considering the antipathy towards the economist and social theorist since the Cold War. [Amherst]

Music

Explore music from some different perspectives in these courses.

49. Queer Musicology: According to this course, those who are homosexual create and experience music differently than their straight counterparts. While many experts in the field see this as a growing field of study, most outside were quite critical when this course was introduced in the 90s. [UCLA]
50. History of Electronic Dance Music: If you love clubbing or just the thudding beats of dance music, you can learn more about where it came from and where it’s going in this course. [UCLA]
51. The Beatles: True Beatles fans can learn everything there is to know about the band in this course, though unfortunately there is no extra credit for mastering their catalog on Expert on Rock Band. [UCLA]
52. Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang: Embrace your inner thug with this course that explores the history of gangsta rap. [Oberlin Experimental College]
53. Introduction to Turntablism: Students who have dreamt of being great DJs can add to their college experience by taking this class on the art and business of operating the turntable. [Oberlin Experimental College]

Visual Arts

From videogames to horror films, these courses help college students analyze visual culture.

54. Underwater Basket Weaving: Here it is, the course that has been the butt of numerous jokes about the declining quality of college education in America. Yes, it really exists and you can take it at this school and others for credit. [Reed College]
55. Muppet Magic: Jim Henson’s Art: Explore the fine art of elaborate puppetry through this course. [UC Santa Cruz]
56. Dirty Pictures: Take a look at the history and art of sexy, dirty and explicit photos in this course. [Rhode Island School of Design]
57. The Horror Film in Context: If you love a good scare, consider this course at Bowdoin to gain a better understanding of the format of the horror film. [Bowdoin College]
58. The Road Movie: From Easy Rider to Thelma and Louise, this course looks at the road trip movie and the concept of the journey. Curiously omitted was the college age favorite Road Trip. [Barnard College]
59. The Art of Sin and the Sin of Art: This course will look not only at controversial artwork but also at the practice of creating art and its moral implications. [Rhode Island School of Design]
60. The Art of Warcraft: A Closer Look at the Virtual World Phenomenon: Through this course, nerds and artists alike can learn about the aesthetics of the video game world. [Oberlin Experimental College]

Physical Education and Recreation

These courses help students all over the nation stay in shape and get active.

61. PE for ME: This course is pretty much phys ed for nerds, using physical activity to teach lessons about mechanical engineering. [MIT]
62. Xtreme Lit: If you like to get totally extreme, then this course would be for you, asking students to engage in sometimes adventurous recreational activities while reading authors who loved the great outdoors. [Northern Illinois]
63. Whitewater Skills: What would college be without learning how to manage some rapids? This course offers to teach students just that. [West Virginia U]
64. Circus Stunts: Whether you want to join the circus or just need a more interesting workout, this course can teach you all kinds of acrobatics. [Triton College]
65. The Art of Walking: While you would think that most able-bodied students would know how to walk by the time they entered college, this course hopes to teach them to do it better, and more consciously. [Centre College]
66. Tree Climbing: Students who never learned to climb a tree as a child can now receive college-level education in the subject through this course. [Cornell]
67. American Golf: Aristocratic Pastime or the People’s Game?: Through this course, students learn about the history and social aspects of golf. [Carnegie Mellon]
68. Knitting for Noobs: For many students, it’s totally worth the cost of a college course to learn how to knit a few scarves. [Oberlin Experimental College]
69. Golf Course Management: This practical course will teach students how to take care of those greens and pesky sand traps. [Tarleton State]

Popular Culture

Focusing on popular culture phenomena and icons, these courses catch a lot of guff for their seemingly superficial subject matter.

70. Oprah Winfrey: The Tycoon: While no longer offered, this course gave students a chance to look deep into the life of one of the most successful and recognizable women in the world. [U of Illinois - Urbana]
71. How to Watch Television: Though most of us are pretty adept at turning on the TV and vegging out, this course aims to teach students how to watch TV actively. [Montclair]
72. Through the Darkness of Future-Past: An Exploration of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks: Delve into the weird world of this TV cult classic in this course. [Oberlin Experimental College]
73. Breaking the Rules: An Intellectual Discussion of Fight Club: While perhaps not the newest movie, this film (and the book it’s based upon, presumably) still elicits enough interest to have a course that talks all about the issues addressed within it. [Oberlin Experimental College]
74. Video Game History: Rise of a New Medium: Whether you loved your NES back in the day or can’t get enough X Box, this course teaches students about the history of games and where they’re headed in the future. [Oberlin Experimental College]
75. The Future is Lost: TV Series as Cultural Phenomenon: Some people might feel that Lost deserves its own course just because it’s so darn hard to figure out what’s happening on the series, but this course goes deeper, examining the popularity of shows like this and their expansion into other media. [Tufts]
76. Goldberg’s Canon: Makin’ Whoopi: While not offered since 2004, this course was the first and only to examine the sometimes controversial public persona of this comedienne, actress and now daytime talk show host. [Bates]
77. Chosen: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Those who were addicted to Buffy can now examine the series in-depth through the material presented in this course. [Oberlin Experimental College]
78. The Office: Awesome, Awkward, & Addicting: Let’s hope this course on the popular show isn’t nearly as uncomfortable to watch. [Oberlin Experimental College]
79. Calvin & Hobbes: This iconic comic was much more than just simple Saturday morning entertainment–or so this course aims to show. [Oberlin Experimental College]
80. Superheroes: What do superheroes really mean in our culture? Why create such figures? This course examines this and a myriad of other issues. [Oberlin Experimental College]
81. American Pro Wrestling: While the words "MIT" and "pro wrestling" may not be two you’d bring together, this course asks students at the tech-savvy school to think about the cultural implications of the often-theatrical wrestling world. [MIT]
82. American Soap Operas: What is it about soap operas that makes them so addicting? Students at MIT get a chance to delve into the logic behind these series in this course. [MIT]
83. It’s News to Me: the Role of Media in Your Life: Most of us may not even realize how big of a role the media plays in our lives, but this course aims to bring it to the forefront. [Ole Miss]
84. Zombies in Popular Media: Every year it seems like there are more and more movies about zombies. What is the fascination with these fictional creatures? Students at Columbia College can take this course and become zombie experts. [Columbia College-Chicago]

Food and Drink

Everybody has to eat, so why not learn more about it from these courses?

85. Food and Power in the Twentieth Century: In this course, students learn how sometimes having all the food means having all the power. [MIT]
86. Kitchen Chemistry: Students in this course will learn how to turn their kitchens into their own private laboratories, teaching them not only about science but about cooking as well. [MIT]
87. Cultural Aspects of Food: Do foods from your childhood elicit specific emotions from you? This course will delve into what the cultural connections we have with food are and why these relationships are so strong. [Oneonta College]
88. Campus Culture and Drinking: As many students may have been sad to learn, this course doesn’t encourage students to go get trashed, instead asking them to more carefully consider the social and cultural aspects of drinking on campus. [Duke]
89. From Ban to Bar: The History, Politics, & Taste of Chocolate: Chocoholics can take their love of the sweet substance one step further and learn how it goes from the field, gets processed and ends up in their mouths. [Oberlin Experimental College]
90. Maple Syrup: The Real Thing: While most students won’t be pursuing a career as a maple syrup maker, this course offers to teach them everything they need to know about the business, should they decide they need a career change. [Alfred U]

Life Skills

College doesn’t just have to be academic, as these courses that provide valuable life lessons prove.

91. Tightwaddery, or The Good Life on a Dollar a Day: While the title might elicit some laughs, this course offers some sage advice on breaking the bonds of consumerism and fighting back against the status quo. And if that isn’t part of a well-rounded college education then what is? [Alfred]
92. Finding Dates Worth Keeping: Students who find themselves constantly falling in love (or just in bed) with Mr. or Mrs. Wrong can take this course to learn to make better dating decisions. [University of Sioux Falls]
93. Field Equipment Operation: It might have a fancy title, but this class gets down and dirty with teaching students how to drive a tractor. [UC Davis]
94. Getting Dressed: While many students wouldn’t have made it to college without some idea of how to get dressed in the morning, this class takes it one step further and takes a look at what it really means to wear those Uggs or backwards baseball cap. [Princeton]
95. Biblical Model for Home and Family: Here you’ll find a female-only course that will make all but the most traditional women bristle. With lessons on how to properly serve your husband and bake cookies, it’s useful, no doubt–but the lack of a male counterpart course is questionable. [Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary]
96. Furniture Making: While you might already feel like you know how to build furniture after a few intense Ikea assemblies, this course will teach you more in-depth ways of building just about anything around the home. [MIT]
97. How to Learn (Almost) Anything: While it might seem odd to take a course on how to learn from the rest of your courses, this practical class from MIT asks students to use technology and tools to stretch their minds. [MIT]

Miscellaneous

These courses touch on a wide range of interesting, if not always normal, subject matter.

98. Nonviolent Responses to Terrorism: Recent news reports tell that most students today don’t even know what year 9/11 happened. With the memory of terrorism in the distant past (or so it seems) this course seems more and more relevant as anger fades and the American public grows tired of conflict. [Swarthmore College]
99. Stupidity: What better topic to rail against at college than stupidity? This course examines it at depth from literary, social and philosophical perspectives. [Occidental]
100. Daylighting: No, this course doesn’t refer to the opposite of moonlighting, it is designed to help students learn to better light things with, what else, the sun. [MIT]

Digital arts is a growing field, with lots of educational resources available. You can get a university-level education in digital art by taking advantage of open courseware, which we’ve highlighted here. Read on, and you’ll find 100 excellent courses that will help you develop your skills and knowledge in digital art.

Art

These courses cover the study of art in general.

1. Studying the Arts and Humanities: In this course, you’ll learn more about both arts and humanities. [Open University]
2. Philosophy of Art & Aesthetics: Take this course if you’re interested in learning about the thought that goes into artistic creation. [Minnesota State University]
3. Introduction to Art History: Introduction to Art History offers students a look at art throughout history. [University of Utah]
4. Feeling and Imagination in Art, Science, and Technology: In this course, you’ll get an education in creativity and development. [MIT]
5. Art and Technology: This course will help you understand the relationship between art and technology. [Capilano]
6. Art and Understanding: Take this course if you’d like to get a better understanding of the major concepts in art. [Columbia]
7. Visualizing Cultures: In this course, you’ll create visual representations of various cultures. [MIT]
8. Introduction to the Visual Arts: Check out this course to get an education in visual language. [MIT]
9. Art History and its Publications in the Electronic Age: Follow this course to learn how art is created in the electronic age. [Rice University]
10. Historical Foundations of Visual Technology: Through this course, you’ll be able to get the history of visual technology. [DePaul]

Web Design

Follow these courses to learn how to program web sites, Internet multimedia, and more.

11. Introduction to Web Design: Learn the basics of multimedia web design from this course. [Indiana University]
12. Web Based Information Systems: You will learn about cookies, protocols, forms, and more from this course. [University of Alberta]
13. Web Design: Check out this interactive course to learn more about designing on the web. [Miami Dade College]
14. Introduction to Computers: In order to create digital art, you will most likely need to understand how to use a computer. Check out this course to get the basics of programming, the Internet, and more. [Berkeley]
15. The Future of the Internet: In this course, you can learn more about important issues in the Internet’s future. [Stanford]
16. XML Foundations: Get the essentials of creating with XML through this course. [Berkeley]
17. Introduction to Multimedia Programming: You’ll learn about programming for navigation, information design, and more in this course. [Monash University]
18. Interactive Multimedia Production: You’ll learn the basics of Flash 9 through this course. [Utah State University]
19. Foundations of American Cyber-Culture: This course is all about culture online, including new media and the open source movement. [Berkeley]
20. Beginning Web Design Course: You can pick up the basics of web design from this course. [About]
21. Software Engineering for Web Applications: Follow this course, and you’ll learn the essentials of creating a web application. [ArsDigita University]
22. Learn and Apply HTML: Give yourself a solid foundation in HTML through this course. [Utah State University]
23. Web Programming: Create web pages and interactive content through the skills and knowledge you’ll gain from this course. [University of Washington]
24. Multimedia & World Wide Web: You will be able to use multimedia technology like Flash, CSS, and JavaScript with the help of this course. [DePaul]
25. Web 2.0: In this course, you’ll learn more about creating and using Web 2.0. [Weber State University]
26. Java: Follow this course if you want to learn about programming in Java. [University of Minnesota]
27. Introduction to Macromedia Flash: This course is all about the basics of Flash. [Sofia]
28. Basic HTML: Basic HTML will teach you all of the essentials you need to know about creating in HTML. [University of Washington]
29. Ethics and the Law on the Electronic Frontier: Follow this course, and you’ll learn about important ethical and legal issues online. [MIT]

Film, Video and Animation

These courses are for students interested in the creation of moving images.

30. Film as Visual and Literary Mythmaking: Understand the concept of myths in filmmaking through this course. [MIT]
31. Digital Animation: This course will teach you the essentials of digital animation. [Technology License]
32. Philosophy of Film: Check out this course to learn about the philosophy of film. [MIT]
33. Advanced Projects in the Visual Arts: Personal Narratives: This course will show you how to create a movie and explore cinema narrative. [MIT]
34. Survey of 3-D Animation: In this course, you will get a good understanding of creating animations using Maya. [DePaul]
35. Using Video and Audio to Establish Tone: With this course, you’ll learn about setting tone through both video and audio. [Connexions]
36. Special Topics in Cinematic Storytelling: Follow this course, and you’ll learn more about the creation of stories in cinema. [MIT]
37. 2D Motion: In this course, you’ll get the essentials of creating motion in 2D. [University of Colorado]
38. Comedy: Get a better understanding of the use of comedy through this course. [MIT]
39. DHTML Animation: Follow this course to learn how to animate for the web. [About]
40. Algorithms for Computer Animation: Check out this course to find out more about the algorithms that make up computer animations. [MIT]
41. Digital Video: An Introduction: In this e-seminar, you’ll follow a filmmaker and create your own digital video project. [Columbia]
42. Documenting Culture: In this course, you’ll get a better understanding of capturing culture on film. [MIT]

Gaming

If you’re interested in creating games, be sure to check out these courses.

43. Living on the Grid-Playing and Deconstructing Logic Games: Follow this course in order to learn more about strategy in logic games. [OER Commons]
44. Instructional Games: This course will help you learn more about creating instructional games. [Utah State University]
45. Videogame Theory and Analysis: This course will help you learn about video games in culture and education. [MIT]
46. Game Design: Learn all of the essentials of game design from this course. [Technology License]
47. Creating a Science of Games: This course takes game design beyond entertainment. [Rice University]
48. Game-Based Learning: This course will help you see how games can be used for learning. [OER Commons]
49. Man + Machine: Understanding the Development of Real-Time Interactive Computing: In this course, you’ll learn more about interactive computing and gaming. [Connexions]
50. International Politics in the New Century-via Simulation, Interactive Gaming, and ‘Edutainment’: Check out this workshop in order to learn more about gaming and politics. [MIT]
51. Game Design Project: In this course, you’ll learn how to design a game of your own. [Utah State University]
52. Thinking Strategically: Follow this course in order to think more strategically when designing games. [Rasmussen]
53. Games and Information: In this course, you’ll get an understanding of strategy games. [UC San Diego]
54. Build a Video Game: This straightforward course offers instruction on building an educational video game. [TeacherTube]
55. Videogame Theory and Analysis: Learn more about video game theory through this course. [MIT]
56. Game Programming: You’ll learn all about programming games through this course. [Eastern Michigan University]

Digital Imaging

These courses offer an education in photography and beyond.

57. Language of the Image: This course will help you learn how to communicate with an image. [News University]
58. Introduction to Photography and Related Media: Follow this course in order to learn the essentials of photography and other digital media. [MIT]
59. Adobe Sample Courses: Here you’ll find training in Photoshop and beyond. [Adobe]
60. Picturing the Family: This course will help you find new meaning in family photographs. [Open University]
61. Introduction to Photography: Get a broad introduction to creating photographic images from this course. [MIT]
62. Holographic Imaging: You can learn more about the creation and practice of holography from this course. [MIT]
63. Photography and Truth: You’ll be able to learn how photography offers communication as an art form from this course. [MIT]
64. Reading Visual Images: You can better understand how to interpret visual images from this course. [Open University]
65. Adobe Photoshop Basics: Check out this course to get the basics of Photoshop. [About]

Interaction and Usability

Better understand how people use digital art through these courses.

66. User Interface Design and Implementation: If you want to learn about designing for the user, be sure to check out this course. [MIT]
67. Communicating in Cyberspace: This course will offer you a better understanding of communication online. [MIT]
68. Experiences in Interactive Art: In this course, you’ll be able to get an understanding of how to create digital interactive art. [MIT]
69. Signals, Systems, and Information for Media Technology: Get an education in audio and visual signals from this course. [MIT]
70. Ambient Intelligence: This course will help you learn more about human-computer interaction. [MIT]
71. Designing the User Interface: This course will help you better understand the visual art of user interface design. [Open University]
72. Creating Interactive Multimedia: Through this course, you’ll get an understanding of the creation of multimedia elements online. [Queensland University]
73. Human Computer Interaction: Follow this course in order to learn about usability and interaction. [University of Washington]
74. People-Centered Design: You will learn how to design with people in mind through this course. [Open University]
75. Common Sense Reasoning for Interactive Application: This course will help you learn how to better use common sense in your design. [MIT]
76. Accessibility in Interaction Design: You will learn the essentials of designing for disabled persons through this course. [Open University]
77. Human-Computer Interaction Seminar: Want to learn more about designing for human-computer interaction? Don’t miss this seminar. [Stanford]

Media

Learn all about media studies from these courses.

78. Introduction to Media Studies: You can better understand how the culture of media works through this course. [MIT]
79. History of New Media: This course will offer you an introduction to new media and the way it is used. [LeMill]
80. Designing Sociable Media: In this course, you’ll learn more about creating design for a social use. [MIT]
81. Media Industries and Systems: Find out what is shaping the media industries and systems today. [MIT]
82. Fundamentals of Computational Media Design: Get hands on design, digital art, and more through this course. [MIT]
83. Electronic Media: Get a great understanding on new electronic media through this course. [Abilene Christian University]
84. Media in Cultural Context: You will learn more about the cultural context of media by studying this course. [MIT]
85. Five Steps to Multimedia Storytelling: Follow this course to learn about creating multimedia stories. [News University]
86. Multimedia Arts: This course offers a better understanding of the art in multimedia. [Technology License]
87. New Media Literacies: This course will help you explore new media, including video games and social networking. [MIT]
88. Media Art: You can learn art practices, production techniques, and more in this course. [Capilano]
89. Media Art II: Get even more media art education through this second course from Capilano. [Capilano]

Graphic Design

Check out these courses to learn the essentials of graphic design.

90. Blender 3D Design: You will learn how to use Blender in order to create animation, objects, and other art from this course. [Tufts]
91. Graphic Design Basics: Pick up the basic concepts in graphic design from this course. [About]
92. Graphic Design: This graphic design course offers a variety of theories and skills relating to visual communication. [Miami Dade College]
93. Computer Graphics: Learn more about visual computer design through this graphics course. [MIT]
94. Illustration: This course is full of excellent instruction for using Adobe Illustrator. [Miami Dade College]
95. Art of Color: This course will help you better understand the use of color. [MIT]
96. Introduction to Design Inquiry: Find out how computation is used in design from this course. [MIT]
97. Digital Typography: You’ll learn more about the use, manipulation, and history of typography through this course. [MIT]
98. Symmetry: You will learn the details and concepts of symmetry by following this course. [Open University]
99. Interrogative Design Workshop: Check out this workshop in order to learn more about interrogative design. [MIT]
100. Interrogative Design Workshop: Follow this course in order to learn how to find your voice in design. [MIT]

Even if you can’t attend an Ivy League college, you can still take advantage of the intellectual and professional resources that many have to offer through the colleges’ websites. Here, we’ve put together a list of 100 great video lectures you can watch to learn from some of the leading experts in fields as diverse as astronomy and economics.

Science

Check out these video lectures and courses to learn about biology, astronomy, physics and more.

1. ASTR 160 – Frontiers and Controversies in Astrophysics: Professor Charles Bailyn teaches this course in astrophysics that focuses on black holes, dark energy and extra-solar planets. [Open Yale]
2. PHYS 200 – Fundamentals of Physics: Those who have a good background in math and physics can get a great review from this course offered by Professor Ramamurti Shankar. [Open Yale]
3. Jane Goodall: Reason for Hope in a Complex World: Known for her work with chimpanzees, Jane Goodall is a leading authority on primatology and anthropology, and in this lecture she speaks on issues related to finding hope for our future. [Harvard @ Home]
4. String Theory, Black Holes, and the Laws of Nature: String theory provides promise in unraveling the mysteries that surround the laws that govern the universe and Professor Andrew Strominger discusses his insights into this theory and its relationship to black holes in this lecture. [Harvard @ Home]
5. Changing Habitats… Vanishing Species: Check out the video of this symposium at the Harvard Museum of Natural History that brings together a collection of scholars to discuss environmental changes, species loss and human impact. [Harvard @ Home]
6. Socks Before Shoes: Unraveling Cell Division: Professor of molecular and cellular biology at Harvard, Andrew Murray, explains the process of cell division in this video lecture and offers some insights into what might cause abnormalities. [Harvard @ Home]
7. A COMPLETE Search for New Suns: The COMPLETE project aims to map 1,000s of light years of star forming material in the Milky Way and you can learn all about it from Alyssa A. Goodman, Professor of Astronomy at Harvard in this lecture. [Harvard @ Home]
8. Evolutionary Dynamics: Recent advances in our understanding of evolutionary dynamics are discussed by Professor Martin Nowak in this course with regard to genes, behavior and much more. [Harvard @ Home]
9. Science in the News: Stem Cells and Cloning: Join Harvard medical students as they explore some of the moral and ethical issues that surround the use of stem cells in this lecture. [Harvard @ Home]
10. Unlocking the Promise of Stem Cells: Harvard’s newly opened Stem Cell Institute is introduced in this video lecture, providing information on how the institute plans to move research on stem cells from the lab to the clinic. [Harvard @ Home]
11. Observing the Birth of the Universe: Lyman Page, Professor of Physics, delivers this video lecture on the origins of our universe, using humorous and accessible means to explain complex concepts. [Princeton]
12. Sequencing the Human Genome: Want to learn more about the process of sequencing our genome from start to finish? This lecture from Craig Venter can help you to become more informed on the subject whether you’re interested for fun or scholarly exploration. [Princeton]
13. Einstein’s Biggest Blunder: A Cosmic Mystery Story: Alex Filippenko from the University of California, Berkeley delivers this lecture on one of the best-known thinkers and theorists of the 20th century. [Princeton]

Health and Medical

Here you can learn about cutting-edge innovations in the health and medical fields.

14. Living Healthier, Living Longer: Part I: This multi-part series on health begins with this lecture on the latest research in aging and men’s and women’s health issues. [Harvard @ Home]
15. Living Healthier, Living Longer: Part II: Part two of this lecture series addresses current research in cancer, nutrition, exercise and stress management. [Harvard @ Home]
16. Living Healthier, Living Longer: Part III: Check out this lecture for information on memory, sleep and alternative medicine. [Harvard @ Home]
17. Reproductive Health in the 21st Century: Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study has provided this lecture which addresses the social, ethical and scientific elements of issues in reproductive health. [Harvard @ Home]
18. Genetically Modified Foods: Worried about eating foods that have been genetically modified? This lecture offers you the chance to listen in on Harvard students discussing the myriad of ethical, health and historical issues involving altered foods. [Harvard @ Home]
19. Global Health: A Panel Discussion: This panel includes representatives from the government, the pharmaceutical industry, and educational and medical institutions to discuss global health issues like AIDS. [Harvard @ Home]
20. Reforming Our Health System: Why Neither Candidate Has the Answer: Get a different perspective on the issue of health care in America from this lecture offered by Marcia Angell. [Princeton]
21. Human Systems Explorer: Technology and healthcare meet in the development of the Human Systems Explorer. Listen to Dr. Michael Parker explains how it works in this online lecture. [Harvard @ Home]
22. Watch What You Eat: Ruth Reichl from Gourmet Magazine delivers this lecture on the realities of food consumption, especially in relation to eating meat and the commodification of animals. [Princeton]

History

Improve your knowledge of American, world and ancient history with these informative video lectures.

23. CLCV 205 – Introduction to Ancient Greek History: This course traces the development of Greek culture in regard to politics, the arts and philosophy from the Bronze Age to the late classical period. [Open Yale]
24. HIST 119 – The Civil War and Reconstruction Era, 1845-1877: Learn about this tumultuous period in American history from Professor David Blight in this course that explores the causes and consequences of the Civil War. [Open Yale]
25. HIST 276 – France Since 1871: Francophiles can indulge in these free video lectures that cover social, political and economic changes in France from 1871 into the modern age. [Open Yale]
26. Women and War in the Twentieth Century: Learn from top scholars about how women have played a role in the wars of the 20th century from guardians of the home to front line terrorists. [Harvard @ Home]
27. Brown v. Board: Looking Back, Looking Forward: Brown vs. the Board of Education was a historic case and this video lecture provides an insightful retrospective using a panel of several of the attorneys on the case as well as a discussion of desegregation and civil rights. [Harvard @ Home]
28. Benjamin Franklin: Scientist, Diplomat: Professor Dudley Herschbach discusses the inventions of Ben Franklin like the lightening rod in this lecture. [Harvard @ Home]
29. Oliver Cromwell: Commoner to Lord Protector: Oliver Cromwell played a big role in 17th century English politics and this lecture offers background on his rise to power as a military and political leader. [Harvard @ Home]
30. Interpreting the Past with Professor Laurel Ulrich: Check out this lecture to learn about revolutionary ideas in America and how it has affected everyday life. [Harvard @ Home]
31. Keynote Address: Lincoln and Douglas: The Debates that Defined America: Part of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions, this lecture explores one of the most historic debates that has ever taken place in American history. [Princeton]
32. America’s First Cause: Harvey C. Mansfield delivers this lecture on the writings of Alexis de Tocqueville, focusing on his work Democracy in America. [Princeton]
33. How Obscenity Became the Litmus Test for the First Amendment: Fans of the First Amendment, the one regarding freedom of speech, will find this lecture by Rochelle Gurstein to be of particular interest. [Princeton]
34. Baptized in Blood: Moral Reflections on the American Civil War: Harry S. Stout, Professor of American Religious History at Yale University, explores some of the ramifications the American Civil War in regards to the religious legacy and just conduct during the battles. [Princeton]

Political Science

Whether it’s the history of politics or present-day issues you’re interested in, you’ll find interesting material in these lectures.

35. State of the Global Environment: Public Policy: Four Harvard professors discuss the role of scientists, artists and economists in global climate change in this video lecture. [Harvard @ Home]
36. Teaching American Politics: Being objective when teaching highly charged issues like politics can be hard, but this lecture gives some insights into ways you can deliver the material without a clear bias. [Harvard @ Home]
37. Women Without Money: Watch this video lecture for discussions on welfare reform, surrogacy, the global sex trade and more. [Harvard @ Home]
38. International Relations: New Approaches in a Complex World: Our world has gotten ever smaller with advances in technology, communication and travel. This lecture addresses the issues that have developed from the rise of China as an economic power. [Harvard @ Home]
39. A World in Conflict: Panel Discussion: In this discussion, you’ll hear opinions on September 11th in regard to dealing with legal prosecution, global strategic policy, ethics and war. [Harvard @ Home]
40. Perspectives on China: Reform and Sovereignty: Professor MacFarquhar delivers this lecture on the key elements of the politics, economics, history and future of China. [Harvard @ Home]
41. Border Connections: Mexico/U.S. Relations: Relations with Mexico are a hot-button issue, especially in regard to immigration. Dr. Jorge Castañeda addresses the changing relationship between the Mexico, the US and South American in this lecture. [Harvard @ Home]
42. A New American Empire?: Should the U.S. be able to regulate relations within other countries? Professor Rosen discusses the implications of this use of power in this video lecture from Harvard. [Harvard @ Home]
43. The Free Man and Free Government in Political Theory: Ellis Sandoz explores some of the basics of political theory in this focused lecture. [Princeton]
44. Compassionate Conservatism: Whether you agree with conservatives or not, this lecture will allow you to learn more about what makes the movement popular with so many people. [Princeton]

Engineering, Technology and Mathematics

From satellite security to cubic equations, these videos are helpful for those interested in a variety of fields.

45. BENG 100 – Frontiers of Biomedical Engineering: Learn the basics of biomedical engineering from Yale professor W. Mark Saltzman. It presents material in a way both those with a science background and those without can understand. [Open Yale]
46. The Fluid World: Flows, Films and Foams: Check out this lecture for a crash course in fluid dynamics from Howard Stone, Professor of Chemical Engineering and Applied Mechanics. [Harvard @ Home]
47. Hyper-Encryption by Virtual Satellite: This lecture addresses the failure of computer systems to provide network security and offers a solution in hyper-encryption. [Harvard @ Home]
48. Curtis McMullen: The Geometry of 3-Manifolds: An issue long a mystery in mathematics may finally have been solved by a Russian mathematician as this lecture discusses. [Harvard @ Home]
49. Solving Cubic Equations: Cubic equations may not be anything new but this lecture takes a modern approach to addressing them. [Harvard @ Home]
50. Bipedal bugs, galloping ghosts and gripping geckos: BioInspiration for Rapid Running Robots: Lovers of sci-fi and robotics will appreciate this lecture that provides some interesting information on the origins for plans of the most modern robotic designs. [Princeton]
51. Anytime, Anywhere: The Recent Revolution in Wireless Communications: With wi-fi all the rage, it can be tempting to simply take the phenomenon for granted. This lecture explains some of the details behind the emergence of this revolution in communication. [Princeton]
52. Perspectives on High Performance Computer Architecture: History and Challenges: Learn about the history and development of computer architecture and internal systems in this techie-lecture. [Princeton]
53. Rip, Mix, Burn, Sue: Technology, Politics, and the Fight to Control Digital Media: Like most people, you’ve probably used your computer to burn a CD before. This lecture explores some of the legal issues that surround the use of digital media. [Princeton]
54. Escher and the Droste Effect: Hendrik Lenstra, Professor of Mathematics, gives this lecture on the Droste effect, or the appearance of ever smaller pictures within a larger picture, giving a sense of infinite recession of space. [Princeton]
55. Matchsticks, Scramjets, and Black Holes: Numerical Simulation Faces Reality: Learn how the numbers translate to reality in this lecture from Elaine Oran, Senior Scientist for Reactive Flow Physics at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. [Princeton]

Finances

These lectures cover topics in economics and business to help you stay informed.

56. ECON 159 – Game Theory: This video course teachers the basics of game theory like dominance, backward induction, Nash equilibrium, evolutionary stability, commitment and much more. [Open Yale]
57. ECON 252 – Financial Markets: Check out this economics course from Professor Robert Schiller which aims to explain financial theory in relation to banking, insurance, securities, futures institutions and where these may be headed in the coming years. [Open Yale]
58. Understanding the Crisis in the Markets: A Panel of Harvard Experts: Get some insights into the factors affecting the market crisis affecting the world economy from leading experts in the fields of economics and finance in this online lecture. [Harvard @ Home]
59. The Business of Baseball: Whether you’re just interested in sports business or have a true love of the game, this lecture will give you some insight into the business workings behind baseball using the Boston Red Sox as an example. [Harvard @ Home]
60. Entrepreneurial Women: Pamela Thomas-Graham, President and CEO at CNBC, delivers a lecture that reflects on some of the issues women face in the business world. [Harvard @ Home]
61. Amazon.com: Customer Experience Matters: Learn from experience as Jeffrey Bezos delivers this lecture on business practices at his alma mater, Princeton. [Princeton]
62. Beyond Freakonomics: New Musings on the Economics of Everyday Life: Well-known author and professor at the University of Chicago, Steven Levitt, offers his insights on economics in this video lecture. [Princeton]
63. The Economics of Climate Change: Risk, Ethics, and a Global Deal: Climate change isn’t just a big deal for the environment, it impacts economics as well as this lecture discusses. [Princeton]
64. Philanthropy…It’s Definitely Not for Wimps: Reflections on Faith and Finance: Gain some insight into how religious philanthropy functions from this video lecture. [Princeton]

Social Sciences

These video lectures allow you to learn a little more about the inner workings of human society and the mind.

65. PSYC 110 – Introduction to Psychology: Get a better understanding of how your (or others’) minds work with this intro course from Professor Paul Bloom. You’ll cover topics like child development, communication, learning and much more. [Open Yale]
66. Women, Men, and Food: Putting Gender on the Table: This lecture explores the relationship between gender and food at all stages of production. [Harvard @ Home]
67. The City of Sardis: Approaches in Graphic Recording: For a thousand years the city of Sardis was a thriving metropolis forming a bond between Asia and Europe. This lecture explores how representations of this city have changed over time with special attention to archaeology from the site. [Harvard @ Home]
68. In the War Zone: How Does Gender Matter?: In Western society, war has been a traditionally male occupation. This lecture explores how defines gender roles, drawing on scholars from all over the world for insight. [Harvard @ Home]
69. Gender and Race: Together at Last?: Both people of racial minorities and women have experienced much discrimination over the centuries. This lecture explores how issues of race and gender have influenced the study of women’s history in the U.S. [Harvard @ Home]
70. Women and Economic Development: With special focus on the Self-Employed Women’s Association in India, this lecture illuminates women entrepreneurs’ challenges and successes, past and present. [Harvard @ Home]
71. On the Relation of Science and the Humanities: While often a clear line is drawn between the humanities and the hard sciences, this lecture explores how each relies on the other and are essentially interwoven. [Harvard @ Home]

Literature

Learn more about your favorite authors from these free video lectures.

72. ENGL 220 – Milton: Check out this course to learn about poet Milton, his contemporaries, poems and lasting influence on the field of poetry.[Open Yale]
73. ENGL 291 – The American Novel Since 1945: This series of video lectures will take you through a collection of American novels and will cover topics like the relationship between readers and authors and the place of the novel in history. [Open Yale]
74. ENGL 310 – Modern Poetry: If you feel you don’t know much about modern poetry, give these video lectures a chance. You’ll get help understanding poets like Yeats, Pound and Eliot. [Open Yale]
75. Fifty Years in Media: Changes in Journalism: The face of the popular media has changed a lot in the last 50 years due to technology and societal advancements. Listen as journalists from Harvard’s class of ’55 talk about their first-hand experience dealing with these changes. [Harvard @ Home]
76. W.B. Yeats: Among School Children: Professor Helen Vendler gives this lecture, complete with analysis, on the Yeats poem "Among School Children."[Harvard @ Home]
77. Rediscovering Homer: Poetry and Performance: Learn more about the Iliad in this lecture series from Professor Greg Nagy. [Harvard @ Home]
78. Onetti and the Shadows of Faulkner and Borges: Those unfamiliar with Urayguan author Juan Carlos Onetti can learn more about his work and it’s place in literature from this lecture. [Princeton]
79. Moby-Dick: Polyphony: Learn how Biblical references and imagery are used in popular literature of the 20th century, namely Moby Dick, in this lecture. [Princeton]
80. Absalom, Absalom!: Lexicon: Robert Alter explores ideas of the Bible and American literature in this video lecture, part of a larger series. [Princeton]
81. Words and Rules: The Ingredients of Language: Steven Pinker from MIT delivers this lecture at Princeton on the elemental components of our language and languages worldwide. [Princeton]
82. Jane Austen and War: Learn how Jane Austen was influenced by war in this lecture from Professor Claudia Johnson. [Princeton]

The Arts

Check out these videos for information on the arts including painting, music and film.

83. Manet and Cézanne: The ‘Heroics’ of Modernism: Gain a little insight into modern art history in this lecture from academic Carol Armstrong. [Princeton]
84. Create Dangerously – The Immigrant Artist at Work: This videotaped lecture is delivered by Edwidge Danticat, award-winning writer, and explores the role of Haitian artists. [Princeton]
85. Blue Notes and Butterflies: Black Women’s Vocality: Columbia University professor Farah Jasmine Griffin wrote a book on Billie Holliday and explores some of the issues from her book regarding black women vocalists in this lecture. [Harvard @ Home]
86. Bach Manuscripts: Recovery of the Hidden Archive: What would you do if you found over half a million records thought to have been lost of composer Bach? This professor explores just that, a find of a lifetime, in this lecture. [Harvard @ Home]
87. A Conversation with Mira Nair: Filmmaker Mira Nair, known for such movies as Monsoon Wedding, recounts her creative journey in this video. [Harvard @ Home]
88. Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony: Then and Now: Music aficionados can take in this lecture for free and learn about how the Ninth Symphony has remained important throughout the years. [Harvard @ Home]
89. Do Movies have a Future?: David Denby, from the New Yorker, gives this lecture on his projections for the future of the film industry. [Princeton]

Philosophy and Religion

Gain insights into spirituality and the workings of the human mind in these video lectures.

90. PHIL 176 – Death: Everyone has questions about their own mortality. This course aims to address some of the philosophical issues related to death and dying. [Open Yale]
91. PLSC 114 – Introduction to Political Philosophy: In this video lecture series, you’ll examine some of the major texts and thinkers who have influenced political theory and practice in Western tradition. [Open Yale]
92. RLST 145 – Introduction to the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible): The Old Testament played an important role both in the thought of ancient Israel and on much later Western civilization. This course explores in detail the affects of the Bible, especially in relation to the Near East. [Open Yale]
93. Justice: A Journey in Moral Reasoning: Renowned professor Michael Sandel explores issue of political philosophy in this lecture and film that takes you inside a Harvard classroom to discuss issues of ethics and justice. [Harvard @ Home]
94. Manifestations of Shiva: If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about Hinduism, this lecture is a great place to start. You’ll learn about the mythology, imagery and pilgrimage sites that are associated with the god Shiva. [Harvard @ Home]
95. Islam and America: Islamic Scholars Respond: This series of lectures provides a background on the tenets and history of Islam, the relationship of Islamic nations with the West, and the long-term implications of 9/11. [Harvard @ Home]
96. His Holiness the Dalai Lama Visits Harvard: Whether you’re a Buddhist yourself or just have great respect for the Dalai Lama, you can listen to his speech delivered at Harvard in 2003 to a full house of students, professors and staff. [Harvard @ Home]
97. God and the Inner City: This documentary explores the battle for the souls of people in the inner city and focuses on several faith-based groups trying to help those who need it most in troubled areas in America. [Princeton]
98. The Rise and Fall of Italian Jewry From 1839-1939 and the Revival of Italian Judaism in Italy and Israel: Dan Vittorio Segre, an Italian professor, delivers this lecture on the history of Judaism in Italy from the 19th century until the horrors of the Holocaust and then into the post-war period. [Princeton]
99. God, Blood, and the Temple: Part one of a multi-part series on sin, Paula Fredriksen discusses some of the many aspects of sin in this lecture. [Princeton]
100. God, Nature, or Man: Whose Law for a Free People? The Experience of Islam: If you’re interested in learning a little more about Islam, watch this video lecture from Princeton that explores law in islamic faith and nations. [Princeton]

Even though students who choose to get an education from an online school do not have to worry about moving to a new city, finding housing, setting up meal plans or uprooting their entire schedule for school, selecting an online school is still incredibly important and requires thorough research. The U.S. Department of Education cautions prospective students against picking a school too hastily and not considering important factors like accreditation, transfer credits, student services and career placement assistance may get you into trouble after it’s too late.

Perhaps the most important thing to find out during your initial search for an online school is accreditation. If the school you’re researching is not accredited, it may be very difficult, if not impossible, for you to find a job after graduation. Other schools and employers look for accreditation status as a way to verify a school’s quality. To become accredited, an institution needs to meet the standards set forth by an approved accrediting agency. For help understanding which accrediting agencies have been approved by the U.S. Department of Education, visit this page on ED.gov, which explains how and where the Secretary of Education lists these groups. The top six accrediting agencies to look for are the regional accrediting agencies. If your school has been determined to meet the standards of a regional accrediting agency, the school’s website will state that it has been accredited by one of the following groups: the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, New England Association of Schools and Colleges, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Not all online schools are accredited by one of these agencies, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t qualified to award degrees. Other accrediting agencies you may come across include the Distance Education and Training Council and the Accrediting Council of Independent Colleges and Schools.

Besides ensuring an institution’s quality, accreditation protects students against diploma mills. The U.S. Department of Education recommends that students educate themselves on diploma mills so that they know how to spot them and avoid being scammed by the fraudulent organizations. Diploma mills pose as fake colleges, universities and technical skills. After taking students’ tuition money, they may send out fake assignments and class work, tricking the student into thinking he or she is working towards a degree. Diploma mills, however, are not qualified to award any type of degree or certificate, and the diploma that the student receives is totally worthless. To find a list of diploma mills and unrecognized accrediting agencies, ED.gov lists several resources connecting students to sites that uncover these illegal or unqualified organizations.

The U.S. Department of Education also aims to help online students pick a school by providing resources about researching the benefits of career or technical schools. Many online schools fall into this category, and it is important for prospective students to understand the type of education they will get by attending a vocational school rather than a liberal arts or more traditional type of college. To learn what kinds of questions you may want to ask yourself during this search, turn to this page on ED.gov. Examples include “What preparation do you need for a particular job?” and “Will employers accept the training as preparation for employment?”

Before enrolling in an online program, students should also consider their particular learning habits and capabilities. Since online programs are mostly self-driven, students who are prone to laziness or procrastination may find it hard to succeed in this type of environment. They may also want to consider the extra costs they will accrue, including extra software programs and computer equipment.

Once you start researching online schools and academic programs, you will find that there are two types of online education. The first kind of online education offers for-credit courses and charges tuition, evaluates your work and eventually grants you a diploma or certificate. If you graduate from this type of program from an accredited school, the workforce will welcome your degree and your training, deeming you knowledgeable and a capable professional or scholar in your field. The second kind of online education is referred to as open courseware and does not grant diplomas or even credits. Individuals wanting to brush up on certain skills, learn about a new subject for their own personal fulfillment, use online resources to supplement traditional class work, or prepare for a typical course in a subject of which they lack a general understanding, will benefit from open courseware classes. These classes do not hold any practical merit in the outside world or the workforce, as they do not grant credit or even evaluate your work. Once you have determined your basic educational goals and needs, you can then start to research how you will perform in the different learning environments.

The environment for open courseware study is much different than that of traditional online schools that grant degrees. Anyone can access an open courseware class, curriculum, course materials and course information for free, giving the public a chance to complete a course from a well-known or even Ivy League university free of charge and without having the stress of passing or failing. Popular schools that have opened up classes for free include MIT, Tufts University, UC Berkeley and others. Students can click on the course to access the syllabus for the class, and many times, that syllabus will be the exact same one the professor used for his or her traditional class on campus. Open courseware classes also open up many more learning possibilities for students, as there is no specific degree program to follow, and students can choose to take classes whenever they want and in whatever subject they want. MIT’s open courseware list, for example, features subjects like civil and environmental engineering, health sciences and technology, computer science, anthropology, chemistry, economics, business, women’s studies, history, physics, literature, urban planning, nuclear science and more. There is no academic advisor or administrator who will limit the number and type of classes you take in this format.

Online education programs that are offered through an online university or online portal from a traditional, campus-based university do not offer as much freedom as open courseware, but they do offer students more focus. Self study can be difficult for students who are predisposed to procrastination, laziness, distractions and the inability to decide on classes or even meet deadlines. Depending on what kind of personality and work ethic you have, you may be more likely to finish a program if your degree depends on it and if you’ve invested tuition in the program. Online universities also offer students the ability to interact with professors and other students through live lectures, online chats, live podcasts and of course, e-mail. Many open courseware classes are broadcast over video streams or podcasts through iTunesU, but they offer no mutual interaction between professor and the student who is learning from home. Depending on your educational goals and your particular work ethic, you may find that only one of these methods of online self study works for you.