Here are the forty most popular new Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) starting in January 2021, based on Class Central learners’ activity.

You can find the entire catalog of  15,000 free online courses offered by ~1000 universities around the world, on Class Central’s subject page.

Building your screenplay: the power of visual story-telling
University of Cambridge via edX
Learn to strengthen you skills as a screenwriter, while diversifying your knowledge and understanding of the demands of global film and TV production. Find out how to become a powerful visual story-teller; understand how to build effective structure within your screenplay; develop professionally transferable writing skills and communication expertise.

Foundations of Modern Finance II
Massachusetts Institute of Technology via edX
Learn fundamental principles of modern finance, including valuation models, methods for risk analysis, derivative instruments and investment management.

Web and Mobile Testing with Selenium
University of Minnesota via Coursera
The pace at which modern applications deploy new versions and features call for careful prioritization of testing effort and rapid execution through automation. Techniques and methods for testing of such applications will be the focus of this course. We will cover key concepts relevant to testing of web and mobile platforms, underlying techniques and the use of Selenium as a framework for automating testing of such applications.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in the Global Context
University of Glasgow via FutureLearn
Learn how to identify, assess the risk for, prevent and treat PTSD in a range of contexts.

Introduction to Python Programming
University of Pennsylvania via Coursera
This course includes an overview of the various tools available for writing and running Python, and gets students coding quickly. It also provides hands-on coding exercises using commonly used data structures, writing custom functions, and reading and writing to files. This course may be more robust than some other introductory python courses, as it delves deeper into certain essential programming topics.

Quantum Computing I: Fundamentals
Purdue University via edX
Learn the fundamental postulates of quantum mechanics and how they can be mapped onto present-day quantum information processing models, including computation, simulation, optimization, and machine learning.

Decision Making in Engineering Design
Purdue University via edX
In this course, you will learn the foundations of decision-making in the design of engineering products, processes, and systems.

Agricultural Water Management: Water,-Society and Technology Interactions
Wageningen University via edX
Optimize water governance- and technologies to meet increasing food demands around the world. Learn the fundamentals of agricultural water management from a social and technical approach.

Conflict and stress management
Saint Petersburg State University via Coursera
This course contains theoretical and practical materials on organisational culture, business communication, the main characteristics and reasons of conflicts in organisations, exit strategies and stress management.

Transformational Leadership for Inclusive Innovation
University of Toronto via Coursera
In this course, you will learn to be an inspiring and effective change agent by developing a toolbox of leadership skills for building and managing diverse teams. You will hear from experts who have led Gender Analytics in various settings from companies, to non-profits, to the government. In short, this course will help you develop skills to be a transformational leader as you work towards creating inclusive products, services, processes and policies.

Applied Data Science
Coventry University via FutureLearn
Develop your data science and analytics skills and improve your understanding of using data in the workplace.

Get Started With Digital Marketing
Coventry University via FutureLearn
What is digital marketing and why is it so valuable to businesses in today’s world? Find out with Coventry University Online.

Mindfulness: A Focus on Adolescents
University of Glasgow via FutureLearn
Get a hands-on introduction to mindfulness and its benefits.

Digital Design
Harvey Mudd College via edX
This first course in Digital Design will take you from Zero to One – from no previous experience, to being able to design amazing digital systems. This is the first step on the path to computer engineering.

Data Science for Smart Cities
Purdue University via edX
Learn various scientific techniques that will allow the analysis, inference and prediction of large-scale data (e.g. GPS vehicular data, social media data, mobile phone data, individual social network data etc.) that are present in city networks.

Intro to Analytic Thinking, Data Science, and Data Mining
University of California, Irvine via Coursera
In this course, we will begin with an exploration of the field and profession of data science with a focus on the skills and ethical considerations required when working with data. We will review the types of business problems data science can solve and discuss the application of the CRISP-DM process to data mining efforts.

Financial Investment & Risk Management
St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University via Coursera
All investors in the financial market including large invest companies and private investors face common challenges when they make asset allocation decisions: where to invest, how to fulfill their obligations and what risk to take. This course will help you to gain skills in making investment decisions in the financial market in the short- and long-term perspective.

Identifying and Responding to Domestic Violence and Abuse (DVA) in Pregnancy
Coventry University via FutureLearn
Discover how you can better support people experiencing domestic violence and abuse in pregnancy.

Health Information Technology Fundamentals
Johns Hopkins University via Coursera
In this course you will receive an overview of the health IT ecosystem and the types of technologies IT support staff interact with the most. You will be introduced to the role of electronic health records (EHRs), clinical decision support, telemedicine, patient portals, and medical devices..

What is Climate Change?
University of Colorado Boulder via Coursera
In this course, learners will become familiar with the scientific evidence that demonstrates human-caused climate change. We will explore how greenhouse gases cause the Earth to warm, and why our recent warming is attributed to human activities.

Why Does Media Matter for Development?
University of East Anglia via FutureLearn
Explore how the media can help to tackle poverty and inequality all around the world.

The Korean Alphabet: An Introduction to Hangeul
Sungkyunkwan University via Coursera
This course introduces Korean characters,’Hangeul’, and provides high-level knowledge related to Hangeul. In this course, the background of ‘Hangul’ is created, who made the Hangeul, and according to what principle it is systematically explained.

Leading Diverse Teams & Organizations
University of Michigan via Coursera
In this new course, you’ll gain evidence-based knowledge and practical tools to help you design and lead diverse, equitable, and inclusive (DEI) teams and organizations. You’ll better understand yourself and your personal identity in the workplace and gain new skills to identify privilege, implicit bias, and microaggressions in your organization and to take action as an active ally and change advocate.

Design and Implementation of Digital Health Interventions
Imperial College London via Coursera
This course covers various themes around design, regulatory approaches, ethics, technology adoption, implementation and strategy as applied to digital health. These session cover areas to include data regulations, examples of data breaches in digital health, the challenges and opportunities of technology adoption and implementation with a focus on the non-adoption, abandonment, scale-up, spread and sustainability framework (NASSS Framework).

Social Psychology
Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu via Swayam
Social Psychology is one of the important areas of Social Sciences which tries to find out the characteristics of social behaviour of human beings. Man is a social animal and depends upon other individuals in every walk of life.

Psychology of Stress, Health and Well-being
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati via Swayam
Overall, this course systematically addresses the issues of health, adjustment and well-being. It reviews the topics of stress and health while adding happiness and well-being theory and research to enrich our understanding of both negative and positive side of human behavior.

US-China Relations: Past, Present and Future
National University of Singapore via edX
This course will provide an overview of the economic, military, political and cultural dimensions of the rising United States-China geopolitical contest. It will examine the strategic perspectives and mistakes of both countries, and suggest what can be done to prevent further escalation of the contest.

Advanced Fluid Mechanics: Fundamentals
Massachusetts Institute of Technology via edX
Learn the fundamental principles underlying fluid dynamics; including the kinematics of deformation, hydrostatics & buoyancy, inviscid flow and the application of Bernoulli’s theorems, as well as applications of control volume analysis for more complex problems of engineering interest.

African development – from the past to the present
Lund University via Coursera
Over a period of five weeks, the course covers a logical account of historical events and decisions that have shaped the current political-economical landscape of Sub-Saharan Africa – from the pre-colonial and the colonial era to the era of liberalisation, modern day Africa and the future prospects of the continent.

Training and Learning Online
University of Leeds via Coursera
Learning online is very different from face-to-face learning, as it often involves independent study and a different set of skills. On this course, you will develop effective online learning strategies that work for you, whether you are learning for work, leisure or for your studies, so that you can make the most of it.

Public Health Perspectives on Sustainable Diets
Johns Hopkins University via Coursera
This short course looks at the urgent need to address the sustainability of our food systems, including better understanding the complex relationship between diet and climate change. We’ll explore current research on dietary shifts needed in high, middle, and low-income countries to achieve both sustainability and food security goals and discuss evidence-based strategies to promote sustainable diets.

Introduction to Digital health
Imperial College London via Coursera
This course introduces the field of digital health and the key concepts and definitions in this emerging field. The key topics include Learning Health Systems and Electronic Health Records and various types of digital health technologies to include mobile applications, wearable technologies, health information systems, telehealth, telemedicine, machine learning, artificial intelligence and big data.

Multidisciplinary Research methods for Engineers
Delft University of Technology via edX
Engineering is no longer limited to working in a single domain; nowadays engineers increasingly work in multidisciplinary fields. After this course you will be able to carry out all stages of multidisciplinary research using appropriate research methods.

Information Security and Cyber Forensics
Devi Ahilya Viswavidyalaya, Indore via Swayam
This course is designed with the aim to create awareness, extend education and prepare the base for further studies in the area of information security, digital forensics and cyber laws. The course will be focusing on information systems, information security, security threats and risks, computer crimes, data security and backup, importance of digital forensic, issues in computer and mobile forensic and cyber laws in detail.

Human Resource Management
Loyola College of Social Sciences via Swayam
This course will give an overall understanding about the concept and practices related to Human Resource Management in Indian Context. This will cover the practical nuances of main functions of Human Resource Management in organisations. It will give a comprehensive understanding of the need and relevance of Human Resource systems in Indian organisations. The learner will also get a basic understanding of the Strategic Human Resource Management.

Construction and operation of pumps for nuclear power plants
National Research Nuclear University MEPhI via Coursera
The offered online course contains six modules and 22 lessons. It focuses on the following: “Brief historical outline of pump development “, “Classification and design of pumps”, “The main nodes of pump design”, “Pump stage theory “, “Pump characteristics”, “Pump operation in the system”. The course will be helpful for students majoring in Power Engineering and for power plant personnel who want to deepen their knowledge in the main equipment and components of power-generating facilities

Transforming Urban Mobility: Components of Transport Planning for Sustainable Cities
University College London via FutureLearn
Examine how different types of public transport can be employed to make urban transport more sustainable.

Django Features and Libraries
University of Michigan via FutureLearn
Gather all the skills you need in order to build Django-based web applications suitable for use.

Fundamentals of Prestressed Concrete
Purdue University via edX
Learn the fundamentals of prestressed concrete design and the mechanics of how prestressed materials work under load. The prestressing mechanism provides strength for tensile forces when the material is in service; a common example of use of prestressed concrete is in parking garages

Introduction to Psychology
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur via Swayam
This course is designed for better understanding of the self and others. It will help you understand the how and why of thinking, feeling, and action. This introductory psychology course will cover the major psychological constructs and principles, primarily focusing on the perceptual processes, learning, memory, emotions, genetic and environmental determinants of behavior and personality. I

Innovation and Information Technology Management
Indian Institute of Management Bangalore via Swayam
Information Technology (IT) changes the manner and scope in which businesses operate and compete. Innovations in IT have led some businesses to flourish, while others have faltered due to massive changes brought by this industry. IT is notoriously hard to manage. The challenge of managing IT is ensuring that the intended changes and innovations are realized, and the unintended ones are kept under control. This course will cover basic concepts of information technology management.