Are you a high school graduate that dreams of studying Psychology? If yes, then, this article contains free online Psychology courses for beginners that you can study from home or anywhere at your own pace and obtain a certificate at the end of the course.

Psychology is the scientific study of human behavior, cognitive attitude, performance, and mental functioning. This field of study is of huge importance because it explains how and why people behave the way they do.

The study of Psychology will enable you to build critical thinking skills that will shape you to be a professional psychologist. As a psychologist, you will help people to improve their decision making, stress management, and behavior by understanding their past behavior so as to predict their future behavior accurately.

Meanwhile, this will help people to excel in their careers, communicate better, and have better relationships as well as more self-confidence.

You can skim through the table of contents below so as to have an idea of what to expect in the article.

Can I teach myself Psychology?

Of course! You can teach yourself Psychology online. There are lots of free online Psychology courses for beginners that will give you comprehensive knowledge in the field.

You can stay in the house, office, or anywhere and learn at your own pace online. Luckily, you can find these free online Psychology courses for beginners as you read down on this page.

Is it possible to learn Psychology online for free?

Yes, it is very possible. Online courses have reduced the burden of several persons who wish to study at home or from anywhere on their own while working. Most of these online courses are free while others are paid.

Presently, you can study for free online to acquire a degree in Psychology. You can check out the free online Psychology courses for beginners in this article.

Can I get a certificate in Psychology online?

Yes, you can. Most online programs contain a similar curriculum and award the same certification just like on-campus programs.

Online programs such as Psychology will give you the knowledge and hands-on training required to enter the labor market or advance further in the field for a graduate degree.

How can I start online Psychology classes for free?

Before you start your Psychology classes online, make sure that you have a constant electricity supply, a steady internet, and a computer or a tablet. Alternatively, you can use a Smartphone but we recommend a computer so that you can have enough comfort.

Once you have these at your disposal, you proceed by making a search on the internet for free online Psychology courses. When you find the courses, you can now select the exact Psychology course that meets your needs and enroll.

Make sure you check if the Psychology course you have chosen is free or paid afterward, you can now enroll and begin your study.

Luckily, we have compiled a list of the best free online Psychology courses for beginners in this article. So, you don’t have to worry about searching online. Just continue reading down the page to access all of these courses.

Free Online Psychology Courses for Beginners

Below is a compilation of top free online Psychology courses for beginners. These online courses are offered by some of the best universities and academic institutes across the globe through their virtual learning platforms.

Additionally, they have the same curriculum and offer the same certification as on-campus Psychology programs. These free online Psychology courses offer students the skills and knowledge to enter the workforce just like their campus-based graduates.

Hence, free online Psychology courses for beginners are as follows:

• Introduction to Psychology: The Psychology of Learning
• What is a Mind?
• Introduction to Psychology: Developmental Psychology
• Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)
• The Science of Happiness
• Psychology of Personal Growth
• The Psychology of Criminal Justice
• Psychological First Aid
• Exploring Play: The Importance of Play in Everyday Life
• Introduction to Psychology: The History and Science of Psychology

Introduction to Psychology: The Psychology of Learning

This is one of the best free online Psychology courses for beginners available for learners across the globe. Through this course, students will learn the renowned experiments in history as well as the present theories of learning.

In addition to this, you will get to know how to study the difference between instinctive and learned behaviors, and the different approaches used in learning.

The Psychology of Learning is designed for those that wish to study Psychology. It is also designed for students that have a bachelor’s degree in other fields of study who wish to expand their science and research skills.

This online course is taught by Assoc Prof Matthew Mundy.

• Paid certificate
• Start date: Self-paced
• Duration: 2 weeks (6 hours a week)

[sc_fs_course html=”true” title=”Introduction to Psychology: The Psychology of Learning” title_tag=”p” provider_name=”Monash University via FutureLearn” provider_same_as=”https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/psychology-of-learning” css_class=”” ] This course will also teach you the impact of positive and negative consequences on learning behaviors and the length to which people learn from watching and mimicking other persons. [/sc_fs_course]

What is a Mind?

In this free online Psychology course for beginners, students will learn how the mind works. Students will also learn how to eliminate traditionally antagonistic approaches in understanding the mind.

Above all, this online course is suitable for anyone who is interested in Psychology and the mind. In addition, it is designed for students, researchers, and professionals from different fields of study that work directly or indirectly with anything that deals with the brain and mind.

The fields of study where this is applied include neuroscience, psychology, psychoanalysis, philosophy, psychiatry, and neurology.

• $54 paid certificate
• Start date: Self-paced
• Duration: 6 weeks (3 hours a week)

[sc_fs_course html=”true” title=”What is a Mind?” title_tag=”p” provider_name=”University of Cape Town via FutureLearn (online)” provider_same_as=”https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/what-is-a-mind” css_class=”” ] This course will shed more light on the four different aspects of the mind including subjectivity, intentionality, consciousness, and agency. [/sc_fs_course]

Introduction to Psychology: Developmental Psychology

Three different types of development occur in humans such as cognitive, social, and physical; all of them well treated in this free online Psychology course for beginners.

Developmental Psychology will also teach you the impact that genes and the environment have on human development and determine if human development is continuous or not.

• Paid certificate
• Start date: Self-paced
• Duration: 2 weeks (6 hours a week)

[sc_fs_course html=”true” title=”Introduction to Psychology: Developmental Psychology” title_tag=”p” provider_name=”Monash University via FutureLearn (online)” provider_same_as=”https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/developmental-psychology” css_class=”” ] The course will take you through the major transitions that occur within the three types of human development. In addition, you will learn the relationship that exists between different human developments and psychological changes as well as study how and the reasons for its occurrence. [/sc_fs_course]

Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)

Early childhood is the duration that covers the life of a child from 0 to 6 years of age. Early childhood care and education (ECCE) is a multidisciplinary field that depends on the ideas from several fields including human development, psychology, sociology, and medicine, particularly neuroscience.

Additionally, this course will offer recommendations that will promote children’s learning through collaboration with parents, interaction with others, play, and assessment.

ECCE is taught by Dr. K. Arockia Maraichelvi.

• Paid certificate
• Duration: 15 weeks

[sc_fs_course html=”true” title=”Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)” title_tag=”p” provider_name=”Avinashilingam Institute” provider_same_as=”https://onlinecourses.swayam2.ac.in/cec21_ed11/preview” css_class=”” ] This free online Psychology courses for beginners will teach students how to plan and offer children a comfortable learning experience so that they can learn, grow, and develop confidently. Students will also learn from this course, the strategies needed to train children. [/sc_fs_course]

The Science of Happiness

In addition, this course will offer students practical methods that they can use to sustain their happiness. Using these strategies, students will be able to carry out lots of research that will promote social and emotional well-being and examine how their happiness changes in the process.

• $169 paid certificate
• Start date: Self-paced
• Duration: 11 weeks (4-5 hours a week)

[sc_fs_course html=”true” title=”The Science of Happiness” title_tag=”p” provider_name=”University of California via edX” provider_same_as=”https://www.edx.org/course/the-science-of-happiness-3″ css_class=”” ] This is one of the most popular free online Psychology courses for beginners that deeply teaches the origins of a happy and meaningful life. Here, students will be involved with practical lessons from this science so as to find out how advanced research can be applied to their own lives. [/sc_fs_course]

Psychology of Personal Growth

As one of the free online Psychology courses for beginners, Psychology of Personal Growth is made up of the following syllabuses:

• Introduction to Psychological Adjustment
• Understanding Yourself
• Exploring Your Emotion
• Romantic Love and Culture
• Intimate Relationships

Michelle YIK teaches this course.

• $50 paid certificate
• Start date: Self-paced
• Duration: 6 weeks (2-3 hours a week)

[sc_fs_course html=”true” title=”Psychology of Personal Growth” title_tag=”p” provider_name=”Hong Kong University of Science and Technology” provider_same_as=”https://www.edx.org/course/psychology-of-personal-growth” css_class=”” ] In this course, you will learn the crucial factors that affect personal growth. The course will also explore personality and emotion, romantic and intimate relationships, and the impact that culture and these factors have on a person’s growth. [/sc_fs_course]

The Psychology of Criminal Justice

This free online Psychology course for beginners will teach students how to use a psychological viewpoint to study the impact of the law and justice system. Students will also learn the psychology of law and some of the debates associated with criminal justice.

The Psychology of Criminal Justice comprises the following syllabuses:

• Investigating the crime scene
• Interviewing the witness
• Identifying the suspect
• Questioning the suspect
• Getting ready for trial
• The trial (Part 1)
• The trial (Part 2)
• Epilogue

Mark Horswill and Blake McKimmie teach this online course.

• $99 paid certificate
• Start date: Self-paced
• Duration: 8 weeks (1-2 hours a week)

[sc_fs_course html=”true” title=”The Psychology of Criminal Justice” title_tag=”p” provider_name=”University of Queensland” provider_same_as=”https://www.edx.org/course/the-psychology-of-criminal-justice” css_class=”” ] This free online Psychology course for beginners will teach students how to use a psychological viewpoint to study the impact of the law and justice system. [/sc_fs_course]

Psychological First Aid

This free psychology online course will enable students to offer psychological aid to anyone in an emergency by utilizing the RAPID model (Reflective listening, Assessment of needs, Prioritization, Intervention, and Disposition).

It is also applied to people having psychological problems of accidents, rape, suicide, homicide, robberies, etc. Studies show that the RAPID model has a huge impact on advancing personal and community relationships.

The syllabuses contained in this course include:

• Introduction
• Reflective Listening/Rapport
• Assessment and Prioritization
• Intervention and Disposition
• Self-Care and Wrap-Up

It is taught by George Everly.

• Paid certificate
• Duration: 5 weeks (1-3 hours a week)

[sc_fs_course html=”true” title=”Psychological First Aid” title_tag=”p” provider_name=”John Hopkins University” provider_same_as=”https://www.coursera.org/learn/psychological-first-aid” css_class=”” ] Through this course, students will have the insight to offer help to injuries beyond the physical. You can apply the RAPID model in the health sector, workplaces, military, and faith-based organizations. [/sc_fs_course]

Exploring Play: The Importance of Play in Everyday Life

Play is a basic part of innovation and creativity that occurs in different subjects, careers, disciplines, and industries.

It is designed for anyone that wishes to work or study in the field of Psychology, playwork, childhood studies, play therapy, hospital play, teaching, and childcare. If you wish to have a better understanding of little children and play, then, this course is a sure bet for you.

Elizabeth wood teaches this course.

• $104 paid certificate
• Start date: Self-paced
• Duration: 7 weeks
• Venue: The University of Sheffield via FutureLearn (online)

[sc_fs_course html=”true” title=”The Importance of Play in Everyday Life” title_tag=”p” provider_name=”University of Sheffield” provider_same_as=”https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/play” css_class=”” ] This online psychology course will explore the meaning of the play and current discussions on how play changes. From this course, students will learn how to have different thoughts about the play. [/sc_fs_course]

Introduction to Psychology: The History and Science of Psychology

The course covers different topics in Psychology such as the science of psychology, the origins of psychology, early behavioral psychology, cognitive psychology, and clinical psychology.

Knowledge gained from this course will help you to build your scientific skills.

Associate Prof Matthew Mundy teaches this course.

• Paid certificate
• Start date: Self-paced
• Duration: 2 weeks (6 hours a week)
• Venue: Monash University via FutureLearn (online)

[sc_fs_course html=”true” title=”The History and Science of Psychology” title_tag=”p” provider_name=”Monash University” provider_same_as=”https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/history-science-psychology” css_class=”” ] This course teaches the history of modern psychology and how it became a multi-disciplinary field of study. [/sc_fs_course]

Conclusion

Psychological studies play a crucial role in everyday living thereby leading to new discoveries and applications in the field by top researchers.

Presently, psychology is applied in protecting people from emotional and physical harm and at the same time offering them the mental strength to combat psychological problems on daily basis. Modern psychology helps to identify and manage psychological issues like relationship failures, financial problems, suicide, etc.

If you wish to gain foundational knowledge in Psychology, you can try any of these free online Psychology courses for beginners.

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