Free Social Science Courses & Certifications

Society can only ensure economic development by improving the quality of life for the underprivileged. To do that, intervention in various sectors, including education, health, transport, agriculture, microfinance, etc., is required. The Impact Evaluation Methods with Applications in Low and Middle-Income Countries programme by edX will equip you with the statistical and experimental tools necessary to measure the impact of such interventions. 

The Impact Evaluation Methods with Applications course will teach you how to design and conduct a Randomised Control Trial, how to use regression techniques, and other quasi-experimental methods to collect and evaluate data. That way, you will be able to determine which policies and innovations work, and which do not. 

International development practitioners and policy-makers, when equipped with this information, can accelerate the development process and improve the quality of life for those who are deprived. The Impact Evaluation Methods with Applications Programme is brought to you by Georgetown University and uses the Standard Policy Evaluation Toolkit, as recognised in the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics. 

The self-paced programme provides two tracks for students to pursue it; the paid certificate track and the free audit track. In the free audit mode, the candidates will be given access only for a limited duration. 

The Sociology XI Part-I Online Course is a massive open online course that is based on the subject of sociology as taught in Class XI. The course will be taught on the interactive online platform of Swayam and will focus on the features of social institutions, the process of socialization, and the relevance of culture. The course deals with the study of social institutions and encourages learners to question stereotypes in society.

The Sociology XI Part-I Training is led by Dr. Sheetal Sharma from the School of International Studies, JNU, New Delhi. The course will be supported by video lectures, online materials, and web resources that help learners to form an in-depth understanding of the subject. There will be self-assessment questions to help learners measure their progress. After completing all course steps and the assignments, students will get a Sociology XI Part-I Certification by NIOS and Swayam.

The Geography XII Part-II Online Course is a massive open online course that is taught based on the Class XII Geography textbook. This online certificate course provided on the Swayam learning platform explores the core topics of Geography including human resources, water and mineral resources, the agricultural system of India, and the geographical perspective on different issues.

The Geography XII Part-II Training will be headed by Dr. Tannu Malik of DESS, NCERT, New Delhi. The mode of delivery will include video lectures, reading materials, and web resources to elaborate on the topics. After a student completes all the online lessons and takes part in the assessment, they will be rewarded with a Geography XII Part-II Certification by NIOS and Swayam.

Also Read: Sr.Secondary: Geography (316)

The Geography XII Part-I Training is a massive open online course that educates learners about the topics of Geography in Class XII. The course will explore different environmental and social dimensions, principles of human geography, and the interaction of people and the environment. This online certificate course will be coordinated by By Dr. Tannu Malik of DESS, NCERT, New Delhi, and provided on the Swayam online learning platform.

The Geography XII Part-I Online Course is divided into different modules that are taught through video lectures, audio material, e-tutorials, and plenty of web resources. Those who are enrolled in the course will need to take part in self-assessments that include multiple-choice questions and other tests. Once all course evaluation is completed successfully, the learners will get the Geography XII Part-I Certification by NIOS and Swayam.

Also Read: Sr.Secondary: Geography (316)

The Economic History of India from 1857 to 1947 provides a broader perspective on the economy of India from a historical point of view. The Indian economy was subjected to constant shifts due to colonialism and this course discusses how the country has adjusted to said changes. The course discusses the impact of colonialism, imperialism, land settlements like the zamindari system, permanent settlements, the drain of wealth, economic nationalism, and more on the Indian economy and society.

The Indian economy has drawn its foundation from the colonial period, modelling many economic decisions and structural arrangements since gaining independence. The British colonial period made a great impression on the primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors. The course also discusses the effects of the hardships caused by famines in detail and how this affected the economy. 

The course explains the link between socio-economic & political structures and various historical events in the history of this country. The Indian economy has had to adjust itself accordingly with the occurrence of such events. The course delves into how the Indian economy was able to make the necessary changes moving forward.

The Sr.Secondary: History (315) Training is a massive open online course that introduces learners to the nature and different phases of Indian culture and human civilizations. The course provided on the senior secondary level is coordinated by Prof Dr. Azmat Noori of the National Institute of Open Schooling. The course includes 5 core modules and 1 optional module wherein the students can choose from the topics evolution of state or culture in India.

The Sr.Secondary: History (315) Certification Course has a duration of 24 weeks and is delivered through the interactive and engaging platform of Swayam. After completing the course and concluding all course steps, learners will get a Sr.Secondary: History (315) Certification by NIOS and Swayam. The course in history will help learners understand the social, economic, religious, and cultural development of India through different historical phases.

The Ancient Greek Hero course is being provided by edX in collaboration with Harvard University. It has been designed to provide the learners' exposure to Greek literature and culture. Participants can explore the literature and heroes of ancient Greece with the Homeric Iliad and Odyssey, the dialogues of Plato, the tragedies of Sophocles and many more.

Participants will gain knowledge about some of the beautiful works of ancient Greek literature and song-making spread for more than thousand years from the 8th century BCE till the 3rd century CE: the Homeric Iliad and Odyssey, Sophocles, and Euripides, songs of Sappho and Pindar, tragedies of Aeschylus, dialogues of Plato, and On Heroes by Philostratus. The course material has been designed to be easily accessible and transformative for a wide range of participants. Participants will be given access to a supportive learning community that showcases the methodology for "reading out" of ancient texts. These techniques will allow the participants having little or even no experience in this subject matter to see this literature as a magnificent and perfected system of communication. 

The candidates may choose any one of the tracks available to learn the course, one is the verified track and the other is the audit track. Both the tracks are self-paced but during the audit period, the course can be accessed only for a limited period. Whereas during the verified track, the course is open to be accessed for an unlimited period.

The Emerging Trends & Technologies in Library & Information Services (ETTLIS) certification course has been structured to provide a depth understanding of the technologies that are used in the modern-day library. The course is designed for all the interested candidates, who wish to study this genre. 

The course on  Emerging Trends & Technologies in Library & Information Services (ETTLIS) certification by Swayam and IIT Delhi will be helping the applicants to understand the topics of- Institutional Repository and Digital Library Services, QR Code, Ranking/Accreditation, Ask the Librarian, Library Automation, EM, and RFID implementation, Use of Social Media, Remote Login, Discovery Services, Outreach programs, Reference Management,  Consortia based Services,  Open Science, Web 2.0 and 3.0 based Services,  Open Access, Digitalization, Green Library Concept, Virtual Reality Tools,  and others. 

The Emerging Trends & Technologies in Library & Information Services (ETTLIS) certification syllabus, will be completed within a period of 16 weeks. The course will take a total duration of 40 hours to complete the entire curriculum.

Our perception of gender, gender norms and gender roles is defined by patriarchy to a great extent. We understand and perceive gender hinges on society's patriarchal construction, and it is therefore highly flawed. There is a need to deconstruct the patriarchal understanding of society and take up gender issues with greater enthusiasm. The Gender Sensitisation: Society, Culture and Change programme discusses these topics.

Candidates who enrol for the Gender Sensitisation: Society, Culture and Change diploma can earn up to eight credits of the undergraduate level. The Indira Gandhi National Open University has created this online diploma in the Humanities and Social Sciences domain. The two professors who lead the training will also refer to relevant books to provide an enriched understanding.

The Gender Sensitisation: Society, Culture and Change syllabus runs for 16 weeks and consists of over 20 carefully selected modules. In this diploma, candidates will study the concepts of gender, sexualities, masculinity in detail. They will also learn how gender intersects with family, work, health, law, media, language, etc.

The Plato, Socrates, and the Birth of Western Philosophy course is being provided and instructed by edX and the Tsinghua University. It has been built to give the learners an in-sight into the origins of the western philosophy. 

Participants of this course will study and analyse the works of Aristotle, Plato, Heraclitus and other originators of Western philosophy in a comprehensive study of ancient Roman and Greek philosophers. This will enable the participants to build a strong grasp of the basic spirit of the Western philosophy. They will be trained to inculcate deeper thinking abilities, explore noble values, and learn to examine the world around them in different ways. They will develop a new perspective towards their surroundings. They will understand the concept and history of philosophy, religion and culture. They will learn about the society, the culture, the rules, the traditions that prevailed during the ancient times and the factors that gave birth to this philosophy.

The Introduction to Bioethics course is a platform for learners to gain knowledge about the moral challenges faced in the fields of health, medicine and biotechnology. edX together with Georgetown University has come up with this opportunity for keen learners. The framework of the Introduction to Bioethics certification course has been built to introduce the participants to the various concepts that define bioethics along with its core concepts and skills. Participants will understand the fundamental moral issues that arise in health, medicine, and biotechnology. Some of the issues such as the vulnerability of illness and the fact of death are as old as life itself while some are new. 

We are facing many challenges due to the growth of modern technology which seems to have unsettled our basic ideology about human nature and our place in the world. The majority of the issues intersect with the issues of gender and racial equality and policies influencing the world's most vulnerable populations. Undergraduates, policymakers, health care professionals, and anyone interested in learning about philosophy or ethics should pursue this Introduction to Bioethics training course. The candidates can pursue this programme in two tracks, namely, paid and free. In the paid track also known as verified track, candidates will be given unlimited access to the course and a certificate of completion but in the free version, they will be provided access to the course materials only for a limited period.

Shakespeare remains the most staged, filmed, studied, and translated author amidst world literature. Stages, books, and other media from various cultures have localised, domesticated, and adapted this icon in several languages. To shed a holistic light on this writer, the Central University of Kerala has curated the Shakespeare Across Cultures programme, explaining how the world’s varying languages and cultures have influenced him and how he’s influenced them.

India’s numerous Shakespeare experts teach the Shakespeare Across Cultures certification syllabus, which deals with analysing Shakespeare through language discourses, geopolitics, identities, gender, race, how he’s negotiated on pages, screens, stages, classroom discourses, outlining his adaptations, etc. The training also touches upon vital concepts such as how Shakespeare’s adaptations evoke diverse cultures' responses, how they transfigured him in their cultural and literary terrain, and many more.

 A four-credit, elective programme for 15 weeks, the Shakespeare Across Cultures course by Swayam belongs to the ‘Humanities and Social Sciences’ purview. It’s intended for English literature postgraduates, featuring internal assessments and an external proctored test. Clearing these, the candidates can also obtain the curriculum certificate. 

The Methodology and Pedagogy of Teaching Social Sciences program by Swayam introduces Teaching and Learning Social Sciences, focusing on skills and methods for teaching social science, and instructional strategies. This program is based on student-teachers and working teachers in Social Science. The University of Calicut delivers the 15-week course.

The Methodology and Pedagogy of Teaching Social Sciences training will help learners to study the theoretical framework of Instructional plan in social science and how to implement it in classrooms. Learners will successfully understand all the fundamental ideas of Teaching Social Sciences. They will also learn relevant psychological theories and learn how to apply them in Social Science. 

Moreover, the Methodology and Pedagogy of Teaching Social Sciences certification course can be studied by any individual at any level of teacher education, including working educators to magnify their teaching skills. The syllabus combines practical and theoretical teaching to give a holistic learning experience.

The State and Local Governance: Machinery & Processes online programme is a postgraduate-level core course in the category of humanities and social sciences. It is a 15 weeks academic programme, equivalent to one semester of a regular university course. The mode of instruction will be through video lectures and e-texts, along with reading material. Candidates may participate in group discussions and frequent interactions with the teaching team to clear up any uncertainties.

The State and Local Governance: Machinery & Processes training will explore topics related to democratic, decentralized institutions and government-based agencies established at sub-district, district, and state levels and their procedures. It also includes the domains of the state legislature, administration, and essential institutions. Candidates will be familiarised with the evolution of local governance and its present system of municipal bodies, panchayat institutions along with their constitutional models.

The Government of India initiated the Swayam programme to provide a free education platform. They strive to achieve the three major principles of education policy, i.e. equity, quality, and access. To assure superior study material in the State and Local Governance: Machinery & Processes online course, UGC has been appointed by Swayam for non-technical postgraduate education.

The Solid and Hazardous Waste Management online programme is a four-credit, postgraduate-level course. It offers a chronological syllabus structure that includes various aspects of waste management, such as definition, characterisation, classification, collection, management, and transportation. Candidates will be instructed by Prof. V. K. Garg who is a dean at the School of Environment and Earth Sciences.

The purpose of the Solid and Hazardous Waste Management training is to educate candidates about solid waste which includes biomedical, radioactive, plastic, and electronic waste, along with MSW, fly ash, and others. Candidates also acquire a holistic understanding of the legal framework associated with waste management, as well as several recovery options.

Moreover, Swayam is an education platform initiated by the Government of India to provide courses free of cost. After completing the Solid and Hazardous Waste Management postgraduate course, candidates are required to pay a fee for the final proctored exams and attend the same at the given centre.

The Israel State and Society course by Coursera sheds light on different aspects and sides of the country of Israel. The course explores the history, politics, culture, and the economy of Israel. The certification course presents the culture and history of Israel in many different lights. 

The Coursera Israel State and Society course is an attempt to showcase multiple perspectives on the country and to delve deep into the heart of the country. It is an attempt to expose the learners to cutting-edge academic research on the country to help them understand the land and its various elements.

Furthermore, the Coursera Israel State and Society course is a self-paced learning online course that allows the learners to train at their convenience. You will be learning through different sessions hosted by experts who will share their research and studies on the topics. Students will receive quizzes to solve, as well as an online portal, to put forward their questions after every session.

A Global History of Architecture Certification Course equips learners with limitless opportunities to acquire a larger-than-life experience of looking through the lens of history and historical architecture with its variations. Beginning with First Societies and proceeding with the 16th century, the curriculum enwraps all the valuable learnings of architectural history. This course is not intended to run as a linear narrative but with a more global adaptation of concepts with a stressed focus on different architectural instances.

Through the programme pedagogy, course participants will learn about the impact of the introduction of iron in the 9th century BCE on the development of architecture and regional politics. They will also acknowledge how newly found and developed religions like Hinduism and Buddhism bore new architectural understandings by and large in society. The course is self-paced but can be accessed only for a limited period during the audit track.

Each lecture imparted by an experienced pedagogue deals with architectural transformation arising from a dynamic cultural symbolism. The course material covered in lectures will be supplemented by additional readings from the textbook- "A Global History of Architecture" which would hone the textual knowledge of candidates and help them revisit what they have learned through modules. Lastly, the verified certification would make up a great addition to the learner's resume.

This Communication Skills expert programme by Swayam is a training course for speaking the Arabic language. It is the Ministry of Human Resource Development’s initiative, in association with Swayam, to create better speakers of this vernacular. Thus, you will be adept at expressing yourself in Arabic, writing it, and maintaining a conversation with its native speakers.

This Communication Skills training course is a 12 weeks diploma programme that focuses on core skills. It will introduce you to a plethora of Arabic terms and expressions which will assist you in ordinary life situations. Completing this training will help you learn how to use such expressions, correctly, effectively, and confidently.

The experiential training model will supplement your coaching for this Communication Skills programme curriculum. The instructor will provide you with multiple real-life situations where you must intelligently carry the communication. This will help you practice how to speak the language in various circumstances. 

Additionally, an academic expert will oversee your education in the Communication Skills training programme. He is an individual with in-depth knowledge and immense experience in teaching the Arabic language effectively. Thus, this course will become an exciting journey for you in learning how to communicate in Arabic.

As explained by the faculty at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, An Introduction to Microeconomics online course is 12-week learning in microeconomics. It assesses economic theories of individuals as enterprises and their contribution to a country’s economic landscape.

An Introduction to Microeconomics certification syllabus includes a comprehensive study of humanities and social sciences. Topics generally discussed involve core economics subjects such as market environments, price discrimination, cost functions, isoquants, and comparative statistics. The lecturers give online and book references for students to read and learn with the curriculum.

Set at a postgraduate level of study, Prof. Vimal Kumar teaches An Introduction to Microeconomics certification course. He is currently an Associate Professor at IIT Kanpur and comes from a sound professional and academic background. Students can opt for an e-certificate by paying a nominal fee and appearing for a proctored test.

The 12-week Energy Resources, Economics, and Environment program is suitable for undergraduate or postgraduate students in Energy Systems Engineering. This is a multidisciplinary elective course in the humanities and social sciences category, where candidates will familiarise themselves with the necessary skills to undertake macro-decision-making for society. While the training features IIT Bombay’s faculty members, it also entails several trained teaching assistants.

Following the course structure at IIT Bombay, the Energy Resources, Economics, and Environment training have a systematized syllabus that teaches about vital tools needed for economic analysis. Candidates will also learn about measuring the impact of energy systems. Instructors teach this by reviewing available energy resources and learning how to quantify their scarcity and depletion.

The Energy Resources, Economics and Environment online course discusses basic economic concepts and how to apply them to energy systems. Candidates will learn about the tools and procedures for project economics related to large-scale decisions. The course wraps up with fundamental concepts of environmental and welfare economics required to analyze energy systems and their environmental effects.

The objective of econometrics is to measure economic relations. Therefore, the Introduction to Econometrics certification course by Swayam aims to use financial data, mathematical models, and statistical tools to bring empirical evidence to various economic theories. The course is equipped with theory concepts as well as practical training, allowing candidates to apply and practice problems and solutions. 

The Introduction to Econometrics certification syllabus covers numerous technical concepts like classic linear regression model, multiple linear regression model, application of F statistics, dummy variable models, qualitative response models, and the like. The course deals not only in economics but also in social science and pure science. 

Besides, the Introduction to Econometrics online course is taught by eminent Prof. Sabuj Kumar Mandal from the prestigious IIT Madras. This 12-week, AICTE approved course helps students get a broad overview of econometrics, data analysis, humanities, and social sciences and prepares them to explore the field further.

Environmental Impact Assessment is an online course that can be pursued by both undergraduate and postgraduate students. The certificate programme is 12 weeks in duration. Developed and instructed by Prof. Harshit Sosan Lakra, a faculty at IIT Roorkee, the course is an AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education)-approved programme. The course will ecological impact assessment, environmental aspects and impacts risk assessment, EIA methodologies, and the like. 

The Environmental Impact Assessment Certification Course will provide detailed glimpses of Environmental Impact Assessment. It is the process of examining the possible impacts and consequences of proposed development and projects. Environmental Impact Assessment Certification is a free programme offered by Swayam and IIT Roorkee jointly. However, the certificate will be conferred only to the learners who sit in the exam and get the percentage of marks specified by the authorities.

The Environmental Remediation of Contaminated Sites online course is an environmental engineering programme, developed by IIT Roorkee and University of Rhode Island. Aspirants with a Bachelor’s or Master’s in Sciences can take up this curriculum. Assistant professor Bhanu Prakash Vellanki from IIT Roorkee along with Prof. Thomas Boving from University of Rhode Island will instructs the course, through numerous interactive learning sessions and written assignments.

The Environmental Remediation of Contaminated Sites certification syllabus splits into four learning modules. It further divides into subtopics covered over 12 weeks. These include remediation processes, law, regulations, groundwater, solidification, and more. A prior understanding of biology, chemistry, and physics is crucial to enroll in this training. Moreover, the course supports industrial learning through Degremont, Nalco Water, Thermax, and Veolia Water, and other companies.

The Environmental Remediation of Contaminated Sites certification is an AICTE approved FDP (Faculty Development Programme). Students can also avail of a certificate if they opt for it. They will have to pay a nominal fee and meet the criteria mentioned for the certificate. This certificate will be verifiable on NPTEL’s website.

The Air Pollution and Control certification by IIT Roorkee is a 12-week online course. This online certification course is aimed at providing learners with the knowledge and understanding of the causes and effects of air pollution and their controlling mechanisms. The Air Pollution and Control certification syllabus will equip students with an in-depth understanding of air pollutants, pollution inventory and modelling. Through this online course from IIT Roorkee, students will also learn the impacts of air pollution on various aspects such as human health, policy and a variety of contemporary technological innovations for the betterment of air quality.

The Air Pollution and Control online course includes a total of three credit points and is delivered via Swayam. Undergraduate and postgraduate students can enrol in this online certification course and find opportunities in industries dealing with emissions and air pollution control. The Air Pollution and Control classes will be delivered online by expert faculty.

The study of the still-life or still-life painting is the depiction of inanimate objects, focusing on their qualities of form, texture, composition, and colour. If you want to learn and understand the art of still life painting, Swayam’s OVAL-005: Study from Still Life course will help you gain in-depth knowledge about the elements and principles of the subject. 

The OVAL-005: Study of Still Life programme is a diploma course which is designed to teach the basic principles of still-life painting and the elements of the art-form to learners. The course can be completed in approximately 12 weeks and is taught by a top instructor from IGNOU. You will learn the subject using various audio-video multimedia and state-of-the-art technology to give you an enriching learning experience.

The OVAL-005: Study from Still Life course by Swayam is an online course. The programme offers video lectures and specially prepared reading material that can be downloaded or printed by the candidate. The course is currently ongoing, and you can enrol in the course to begin learning with the other students.

The course Reading Religious Conversion, served by edx aims to make us learn about the functions of religious communities. In this course, we will go through each section every week, starting from an introduction to the world of conversion. Women 's conversion, conversions between religions, what are the myths associated with conversions.

 All these will be covered under a time period of 12 weeks, where each pursuer needs to dedicate their 4-8 hours of every week to advance efficiently and quickly. You can also cap the timings according to your will and flexible time. Any graduate-level student or professional who has a clear knowledge and understanding of historical events can opt-in for this course. And after successful completion of the course, every student will receive an official certificate which will help to increase your job prospects. Certificates provided to the candidates will be signed by the instructors and there will be a logo of the institution.

The ‘Appreciating Linguistics: A typological approach’ online course is developed for the students to study the language forms and functions, the process of language acquisition, and the description of natural language. This course will focus on the different languages and their linguistic attributes along with the grammatical implications. This free online certification course is provided by the Swayam online portal in association with the National Program for Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL).

The course instructor for this online program is Prof. Anindita Sahoo teaching linguistics at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. The elective program for the undergraduate level students is categorized under the humanities and social sciences domain and enables the students to gain a comprehensive understanding of the concepts through the online classes aided by videos, lectures, and other online resources.

The ‘Appreciating Linguistics: A typological approach’ online certification course offers the students the course certification with credit points after successfully completing the program according to the qualifying standards.

Swayam’s Introduction to World Literature online course introduces its candidates to the vast world of writings, produced in various languages, cultural contexts, and nations. While the program doesn’t claim to cover all time periods and every single one of their literary traditions, it does aim to familiarise learners with the English Language’s representative texts, available today. This short, 12-week training belongs to the English Studies’ and ‘Humanities and Social Sciences’ categories, set at the postgraduate level. 

An elective program, the Introduction to World Literature certification syllabus covers numerous vital learnings. These include classics such as Don Quixote, Beowulf, Indian literature from the likes of Tagore, Kamala Das, short stories, American literature like Toni Morrison, Alice Walker’s Everyday Use, critical theory, women writers, contemporary authors, and more. What’s more, IIT Madras’s renowned educator, Professor Merin Simi Raj, teaches this in-depth curriculum. 

Furthermore, the Introduction to World Literature program also furnishes course-end certificates to interested learners who sit for Swayam’s proctored exams. Upon clearing all the certification criteria and clearing the assessment, students can earn themselves an e-verifiable certificate to display their acquired knowledge in this subject.

Literary criticism is the analysis, study and interpretation of a literary text or school of thought. It is a medium for the critic to explain and defend her judgement and evaluation of a text and provide the readers with some relevant biographical and historical information. This enriches the reader’s understanding of a literary work and helps them appreciate it more. Literary Criticism (From Plato to Leavis) by Swayam is an attempt to provide students with an understanding of the subject by analysing some significant texts.

The Literary Criticism online course is an AICTE approved Faculty Development Programme (FDP). The training is designed by the accomplished faculty of IIT Madras. The course curriculum will take you on a journey through different literary works that have been studied and analysed for decades for their brilliance and relevance.

In addition, the Literary Criticism certification by Swayam includes a digital certificate verified by NPTEL at the end of the course for those who qualify for the certification exam. Candidates can verify their certification online.  The programme belongs to the English literature studies domain.