15 Free Online Psychology Courses For Beginners

Are you a high school graduate who 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 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. If it is your aim to pursue a career as a psychologist, taking free online psychology courses for beginners will help you test the waters before diving into the main program at the university level.

In addition to the online course, you may read criminal psychology books or take free online child psychology courses to boost your knowledge of other areas of psychology. Then when you complete the courses and want to apply for a befitting institution to earn a degree as a psychologist, we have a list of the best colleges for psychology in California that you can look through but if you’d rather continue studying online here is a list of online masters in psychology for you to choose from.

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 by taking online courses. 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 online for free to acquire a degree in psychology. You can check out the free online psychology courses for beginners curated here.

Can I Get a Certificate in Psychology Online?

Yes, you can get a certificate in psychology online. 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 online psychology classes, make sure that you have a constant electricity supply, a steady internet connection, and a computer or tablet. Alternatively, you can use a smartphone but we recommend a PC 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 select the exact psychology course that meets your needs and enroll.

Ensure that 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
  • 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
  • Understanding ADHD
  • Positive Psychology
  • Learn Social Psychology Fundamentals
  • Introduction to PTSD: Treating Trauma and Managing Symptoms
  • Child Psychology – Managing Development
  • Schizophrenia

1. 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 who wish to study Psychology or who have an interest in psychology, prior knowledge is not required to enroll for the course. It is also designed for students who have a bachelor’s degree in other fields of study who wish to expand their science and research skills.

Start date: Self-paced

Duration: 2 weeks (6 hours a week)

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2. What is a Mind?

In this free online psychology course for beginners, students will learn how the mind works. Students will also learn and explore how to eliminate traditionally antagonistic approaches to understanding the mind and the most pertinent scientific and philosophical concepts for understanding our own minds.

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 who 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.

Start date: Self-paced

Duration: 6 weeks (3 hours a week)

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3. Introduction to Psychology: Developmental Psychology

Three different types of development occur in humans such as cognitive, social, and physical; all of them are 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.

The course has some very interesting and curious topics like the final stage of our lifespan, lifespan theories, introduction to human development, and stages of development. Prior experience is not required to enroll for this course.

Start date: Self-paced

Duration: 2 weeks (6 hours a week)

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4. The Science of Happiness

The Science of Happiness is one of the free online psychology courses provided by the University of California, Berkeley via edX. The course explores the true meaning of happiness and why it matters and teaches how to increase your own happiness and foster happiness in others.

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)

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5. 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

You can take this course if you have an interest in psychology, want to pursue a degree in psychology, or if you are on a personal growth journey. The course discussed personality and emotion, romantic and intimate relationships, and the interplay between cultures.

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

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6. The Psychology of Criminal Justice

This free online Psychology course for beginners will teach learners 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.

If you want to pursue careers in law enforcement, psychology, or law you should begin with this course to test the waters. No prerequisite knowledge is required to take this course and it is for beginners. The course itself is 100% free, the certificate is not free but it is optional.

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

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7. 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 from 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)

Enroll Now

8. 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. The course, Exploring Play: The Importance of Play in Everyday Life, is one of the free online psychology courses made available by the University of Sheffield for interested learners from around the world.

The course is designed for anyone who wishes to work or study in the fields 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.

Start date: Self-paced

Duration: 7 weeks

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9. Introduction to Psychology: The History and Science of Psychology

The course covers different topics in psychology including 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, as well as, psychological skills.

Start date: Self-paced

Duration: 2 weeks (6 hours a week)

Enroll Now

10. Understanding ADHD

Understanding ADHD is a free online psychology course for beginners offered on OpenLearn. In this course, learners will explore the experience of ADHD from the perspective of those who are diagnosed with the condition and their caregivers.

The course will then teach you about ADHD research, how the condition is diagnosed, as well as the risk factors and brain changes associated with the condition. The course is 100% free and offers a free statement of participation which is a certification confirming that you enrolled for the class and completed all the course activities.

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11. Positive Psychology

Positive Psychology is made available on Coursera by the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. The course consists of 6 modules with practical applications that you can begin practicing immediately to help you live a full and meaningful life.

11 hours is required to complete the course but the learning schedule is flexible meaning you can begin and complete the course at your own pace. Although it is taught in English there are over 20 subtitles to enable everyone from around the world to enroll thereby eliminating language barriers.

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12. Learn Social Psychology Fundamentals

Here is another free online psychology course for beginners. This course is a free tutorial on Udemy teaching research in psychology, how to see social influences in everyday behaviors, and how to develop a greater understanding of other people.

This course is not just designed for people pursuing careers in psychology, you can also enroll in this course if you work in HR or if you work in a position that lets you deal with other people like receptionist, clerk, customer care, or manager. There is no certificate for this course.

Enroll Now

13. Introduction to PTSD: Treating Trauma and Managing Symptoms

A large number of the human population suffers from PTSD, in fact, according to WHO, in 2019 more than 280 million people all over the world suffered from PTSD. However, there are treatments for PTSD and if you have an interest in psychology or are curious about how PTSD can be treated, then you should enroll for this course.

In this course, you will learn the treatment options for PTSD and self-care techniques to manage PTSD symptoms. The course takes between 1.5 to 3 hours to complete and consists of only two (2) modules. You will have to take a course assessment and score at least 80% to receive the certificate.

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14. Child Psychology – Managing Development

The course, Child Psychology – Managing Development, is one of the child psychology courses on Alison, an online learning platform. The course is a branch of psychology that will teach you the fundamental aspects of psychology for children of different age groups.

The course further explores common psychological problems faced by children and the approaches teachers and parents can take to help them. Therefore, not only aspiring or current psychologists can take this course but also parents, teachers, and others who work with kids.

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15. Schizophrenia

The course, Schizophrenia, is an intermediate-level course that takes 5 hours to complete and consists of only 5 modules. The course begins with an introduction to the disorder and gradually dives deep into symptom assessment and intervention.

The course is taught in English language but subtitled in over 20 languages to give the same opportunity to everyone from around the world to take the course without language barriers. There is a certificate at the end of the course but you have to complete the two quiz assessments to earn the certificate.

Enroll Now

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 to protecting people from emotional and physical harm and at the same time offering them the mental strength to combat psychological problems on a 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 and gradually work your way up the academic ladder.

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3 comments

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