12 Online Computer Science Courses Worth Taking

Code Yourself! An Introduction to Programming

Coursera offers this introductory online programming class that teaches Scratch, a beginner-friendly visual programming language. The course covers fundamental computing principles and shows students how to think like software engineers. The curriculum includes designing a computer program, integrating visual and sound effects, and reusing code to make something new. Learners who complete the course can pay to get a shareable certificate.

Provider: University of Edinburgh and Universidad ORT Uruguay

Duration: 12 hours over 4 weeks

Lessons: 4 modules with lectures and assignments

Topics Covered

• Computer programming
• Scratch
• Algorithms

Cryptography

This class is part three of the five-course Coursera cybersecurity specialization. Coursework applies flexible deadlines to cover classical and modern cryptography. Students learn practical applications and complete programming assignments. Other courses in the cybersecurity specialization include usable security, software security, and a cybersecurity capstone project.

Provider: University of Maryland

Duration: 18 hours

Lessons: 7 modules; includes practical learning projects, videos, quizzes, and readings

Topics Covered

• Number theory
• Public-key cryptography
• Digital signatures
• Message authentication codes
• Computational secrecy

Building a Basic Website

This free 12-lesson class — the first MOOC from University of Massachusetts Amherst — helps students develop the design skills to build basic websites. The journalism department created this course for a general audience. Subjects include styles of navigation, aesthetic choices, and basic HTML and CSS. The class also explores using templates, integrating images, and adding plugins and other extra features to websites.

Provider: University of Massachusetts Amherst

Duration: Self-paced

Lessons: 12 lessons

Topics Covered

• Design principles
• CSS
• HTML5

Databases: Relational Databases and SQL

This self-paced MOOC from Stanford Online joins four other database-related classes from Stanford University. The curriculum introduces concepts in relational databases and SQL. Learners need strong backgrounds in basic computer science, including programming and computer science theory. The class includes access to detailed lecture notes. Participants can pay a fee to receive shareable certificates upon completion.

Provider: Stanford Online

Duration: 2 weeks (8-10 hours per week)

Lessons: Videos, quizzes, exercises

Topics Covered

• SQL
• Relational databases
• Relational database management systems

Secure Software Development: Requirements, Design, and Reuse

This self-paced introductory class, offered through edX, explores the basics of secure software development. Students learn to create secure software and respond to attacks effectively. The class requires basic software development knowledge for software developers, software engineers, and other professionals. The course is one of three in the Secure Software Development Fundamentals Professional Certificate program.

Provider: The Linux Foundation

Duration: 7 weeks (1-2 hours per week)

Lessons: Final exam for students paying for the verified track

Topics Covered

• Secure design principles
• Security basics
• Reusing external software
• Supply chain evaluation

Introduction To Computational Thinking And Data Science

Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) department of electrical engineering and computer science offers this introductory data science course through its open courseware program. This class can help students who do not have computer science experience. The curriculum covers machine learning, classification, and clustering.

Provider: MIT

Duration: 3 hours per week (15 weeks)

Lessons: Lecture videos, programming assignments, problem sets, lecture notes, final exam

Topics Covered

• Optimization problems
• Confidence intervals
• Sampling and standard errors
• Understanding experimental data

Introduction To Computer Science And Programming

Ideal for people with little or no background in programming, this course from MIT's open courseware program helps develop the skills to write small programs. Students learn to use Python and understand fundamental theories of computing. The curriculum explores optimization problems, confidence intervals, classification, and experimental data.

Provider: MIT

Duration: 3 hours a week (15 weeks)

Lessons: Problem sets, lecture videos, exams with solutions

Topics Covered

• Python
• Computing theory

Computer System Engineering

Computer system engineering from MIT's Electrical Engineering and Computer Science department provides a foundation in software and hardware engineering. Students design distributed systems to solve problems in the real world through hands-on projects.

Provider: MIT

Duration: 5 hours per week (14 weeks)

Lessons: Design projects, lectures, recitations, written assignments, quizzes

Topics Covered

• Operating systems
• Networking
• Distributed systems
• Security

Introduction to Data Science with Python

HarvardX's intermediate, self-paced course provides practical experience with using Python to answer real-world questions. The curriculum focuses on machine learning and the foundations of data science. In the final week of the class, students complete a capstone project. The free program offers an optional paid upgrade, which delivers a shareable certificate after completion, graded assignments, and exams.

Provider: HarvardX

Duration: 8 weeks (3-4 hours per week)

Lessons: 8 lessons, capstone project

Topics Covered

• Linear regression
• Classification and logistic regression
• Model selection and cross-validation
• Hypothesis testing

Computer Science: Algorithms, Theory, and Machines

Princeton offers this intermediate-level class through Coursera. Students complete hands-on learning projects and can adjust deadlines to fit their schedules. The course focuses on the connection between computation theory, applications programming, and the history of computer science.

Other topics include algorithms, computability, logic design, and machine architecture.

Students need previous experience with Java programming.

Provider: Princeton University

Duration: 10 weeks (20 hours)

Lessons: 10 lessons, videos, readings, quizzes

Topics Covered

• Theory of computing
• Turing machines
• Combinational circuits
• Central processing unit

Computer Architecture

Available through Coursera, this advanced Princeton University class teaches students to design different computer architectures. Learners complete practical projects and explore performance improvement of out-of-order processors and superscalar architecture. The course does not offer a completion certificate.

Provider: Princeton University

Duration: 11 weeks (50 hours)

Lessons: Videos, readings, quizzes

Topics Covered

• VLIW processors
• Branch prediction
• Memory protection
• Parallel programming

Intro to Theoretical Computer Science

This self-paced theoretical computer science class welcomes intermediate students with a basic understanding of introductory algorithms and computer programming. It explores complexity classes, approximate solutions, and unsolvable computer problems. Students learn to use tools to handle complicated algorithmic problems. The course does not require prior knowledge of theoretical computer science.

Provider: Udacity

Duration: 2 months

Lessons: 7 lessons, instructor videos, interactive quizzes, exercises

Topics Covered

• Algorithms
• Programming
• Theoretical computer science