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In high school, I faced a pivotal choice between studying biology and French due to conflicting schedules. I ultimately chose biology, which became my favorite subject. But it’s intriguing to consider how educational experiences might have evolved with technology; what if I could have taken French at school while learning biology online at home?
No matter your age or background, there’s an array of biology courses available to engage your interest in the subject. In collaboration with Class Central, a prominent online course search engine, we examined a vast pool of over 5,000 biology courses. With an impressive following of over 135,000 individuals passionate about biology on our platform, we analyzed ratings and reviews to highlight the best options available.
The courses featured in this Best Courses Guide (BCG) come from esteemed institutions such as MIT, the University of Copenhagen, and the popular educational series CrashCourse. For those with specific interests within the realm of biology, we encourage you to explore our related BCGs as well.
BCG Statistics
- 6 courses are available for free or free-to-audit, while 1 is a paid course.
- 3 courses provide certificates upon completion.
- YouTube emerges as the most featured platform, hosting 4 courses.
If you’ve ever fantasized about taking a course from MIT, this is your opportunity! Prepare to dive deep, as this course is akin to being an undergraduate student at MIT. The course “Introduction to Biology – The Secret of Life,” recognized as one of Class Central’s Top Online Courses of All Time, has garnered numerous positive reviews. Taught by an esteemed geneticist and mathematician, this course emphasizes scientific thinking and explores crucial concepts linking genetics and health. While previous knowledge in high school biology and chemistry can be beneficial, it is not a prerequisite for enrollment.
In this course, you can expect to learn:
- The foundational principles of modern biology, including genes, proteins, and diseases
- Insights into biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, recombinant DNA technology, and genomics
- The structural and functional aspects of DNA, RNA, and proteins, and how molecular alterations can influence biological functions
- The impact of heredity on human health and disease
- Molecular biological techniques
This course lays a robust groundwork in biology, equipping you to comprehend the contemporary medical landscape. It also serves as a prerequisite for several advanced biology courses offered by MIT (refer to our Cell Biology BCG for more options). Should this course pique your curiosity, don’t miss out on our Genetics BCG.
A past participant remarked, “This is the best online course I have ever taken. With absolutely no prior knowledge of the concepts, Professor Lander guided me through the material, making the experience enjoyable.” – Victoria.
Provider: edX
University: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Instructors: Eric S. Lander and Graham Walker
Time Commitment: 80-160 hours
Enrollment: 235,000
Rating: 4.9 (146 reviews)
Cost: Free for auditing
Certificate: Paid option available
If obtaining a certificate is not your priority but you’d like to reinforce your understanding with quizzes and exams, explore more free biology courses on MIT OpenCourseWare. You can stream videos directly through Class Central and access additional materials and assignments via the providedDirect link.
Returning to our BCG list is the ever-popular CrashCourse with “Biology by CrashCourse”. Over the course of eight hours across their engaging videos, you’ll cover:
- Carbon, water, biological molecules, plant, and animal cells
- ATP, respiration, photosynthesis, membranes, and transport mechanisms
- Mitosis, meiosis, DNA, heredity, evolution, and genetics
- Taxonomy and the distinguishing features of various animal species
- Comprehensive insights into major biological systems, including the nervous, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, and excretory systems
- Dive into archaea, bacteria, and protists along with ecological concepts
Additional CrashCourse playlists can be found in our Linguistics, Anatomy, Human Physiology, Ecology, and Astronomy BCGs, known for their concise and entertaining delivery.
“Hank Green is my hero. Though I excelled in physics and biology, no class ever captivated me quite like CrashCourse does.” – inserian, YouTube learner.
Provider: YouTube
Institution: CrashCourse
Instructor: Hank Green
Time Commitment: 8 hours
Views: 28 million
Rating: 4.8 (8 reviews)
Cost: Free
Certificate: No
Delving into the more comprehensive “Origins – Formation of the Universe, Solar System, Earth and Life” course will take you through 12 modules exploring the inception and evolution of life on Earth. As reviewed by Henning Haack, the course encompasses topics such as:
- The formation of elements and the development of the Solar System
- Geological foundations and the dawn of life on Earth
- Microbial existence and the Cambrian Explosion
- The evolution of marine organisms and significant adaptations
- Terrestrial plant evolution and vertebrate development through mass extinctions
- Climate changes impacting life’s evolution and diversity
Participants reflect on how the course enriches their understanding of life’s evolutionary journey.
“…Initially, I expected a focus on astronomy, but I remained engaged and expanded my knowledge across biology, chemistry, and geology.” – Kristina Šekrst.
Provider: Coursera
University: University of Copenhagen
Instructor: Henning Haack
Time Commitment: 23 hours
Enrollment: 35,000
Rating: 4.7 (636 reviews)
Cost: Free audit
Certificate: Paid option available
For students affiliated with one of over 1,500 partner institutions, Biology 101 on Study.com potentially offers college credit. Topics covered in this course include:
- Foundational biological terms and necessary concepts
- Molecular biology, cell structure, and metabolic processes
- Diversity in biology including genetics and ecological principles
Study.com also features an AP Biology Exam Prep course that includes practice questions to bolster your learning.
Provider: Study.com
Time Commitment: 24 hours
Cost: Paid
Certificate: Yes
If animated presentations enhance your learning experience, the Amoeba Sisters Biology Learning Playlist on YouTube utilizes a creative and engaging cartoon approach. This channel, helmed by a former high school biology teacher and her cartoonist sister, covers:
- The essence of scientific inquiry and laboratory practices
- Classifications of living organisms and essential biological processes
- Cellular mechanisms and the interplay of ecology
- Human body systems and their functions
“I appreciate the dedication you both pour into these educational videos; they’ve been a great support for my nursing studies.” – PieceOfReis, YouTube learner.
Provider: YouTube
Institution: Amoeba Sisters
Instructors: Pinky and Petunia
Time Commitment: 12 hours
Views: 6.2 million
Cost: Free
Certificate: No
For high school students aspiring to take their biology studies to the next level, the Advanced Placement (AP) program in the U.S. and Canada enables students to earn college credits. “AP Biology Video Essentials” equips learners with essential knowledge necessary for excelling in the AP exam, encompassing fundamental biological concepts using a variety of visual aids.
- Key topics include natural selection, genetics, ecological interactions, and more.
“This video series is an indispensable resource for preparing for the AP examination. I’m grateful for this!” – AgithaBugPrincess, YouTube learner.
Provider: YouTube
Institution: Bozeman Science
Instructor: Paul Andersen
Time Commitment: 10 hours
Views: 2.7 million
Cost: Free
Certificate: No
Another valuable resource is the AP Biology Playlist, which assists learners in preparing for their exams through practice questions.
This course includes multiple-choice and free-response questions addressing various biological concepts, ensuring comprehensive exam readiness.
Provider: YouTube
Institution: Advanced Placement
Instructors: Kirstin Milks, Chris Monsour, Margaret Evans
Time Commitment: 14 hours
Views: 2.2 million
Cost: Free
Certificate: No
Why You Should Trust Us
Class Central, often likened to a TripAdvisor for online education, has successfully helped 80 million learners find their next course. For over a decade, we have meticulously compiled a catalog of 250,000 online courses and 250,000 reviews contributed by users. Our team members are also online learners, collectively completing over 400 online courses across diverse subjects, including biology.
Having personally undertaken more than 200 online courses, I possess a solid grounding in a variety of topics, which enhances the insights shared in this guide.
Our Selection Criteria
Curating the best online courses can be a complex challenge, even for seasoned online learners. Here’s how I approached the evaluation for this article.
Initially, I navigated the Class Central catalog and various online resources to identify a mix of free and paid open courses, some offering certification. You need not enroll in a traditional university to explore biology effectively.
Next, I focused on several key factors when selecting courses:
- Renowned Institutions: I prioritized courses created by prestigious institutions with a strong reputation in biology.
- Instructor Expertise: I assessed instructors based on their vast teaching experience in biology and their ability to present material engagingly.
- Course Content: I sought courses that span a variety of topics, covering both introductory and advanced biological concepts.
- Learner Feedback: Analyzed student reviews (where available) to gauge the overall quality and effectiveness of each course.
To thoroughly evaluate each course, I watched sample course videos and reviewed syllabi. Information was synthesized from these resources, compiling ratings from the Class Central database, which boasts thousands of reviews submitted by users, along with scores from the course providers themselves. Defining the parameters for our recommendations, I aimed to spotlight courses across a spectrum of biological subfields.
Ultimately, this selection process is guided by a mix of reliable data and informed intuition, allowing me to confidently endorse these recommendations as effective pathways for learning biology.
Source
www.classcentral.com