There’s never been a better time to take an online course and learn something new. Whether you’re looking to improve yourself professionally, become a better cook, or take up a new hobby, there’s a course for you. We’ve rounded up 50 of the best online courses for becoming a well-rounded man. See what skills and knowledge you’re missing and fill in the gaps.
Related: 50 Books to Expand Your World View
Table of Contents
Personal Development
Improve yourself with a personal development course. These are offered on a variety of topics, including productivity, success, and physical health.
Productivity Masterclass: Create a Custom System that Works from Skillshare: If you struggle to get everything done during the week, check out this course for advice on how to create a productivity system that works for you. This course will teach you simple techniques that can work for any situation.
Learn How to Motivate Yourself: Master Self-Discipline and Get Things Done from Skillshare: For some, the struggle to complete tasks isn’t about time management, but rather their internal drive to get stuff done. This course will teach you the psychology of motivation and techniques to motivate yourself.
The Science of Success: What Researchers Know that You Should Know from the University of Michigan via Coursera: Make yourself more successful by learning what factors predict success in life. This course will correct common misconceptions about success and give you data to back up the most common traits and habits of successful people.
Become a Superlearner 2: Learn Speed Reading and Boost Memory from Udemy: Speed reading is a great tool to have. By reading faster, you will be able to read more of whatever you’re interested in, whether it’s literature, news articles, or non-fiction.
Double Your Confidence and Self-Esteem from Udemy: Having self-confidence will breed success in every area of your life. This course will teach you mental techniques to increase your self-confidence and help you become more successful in your professional and personal life.
Critical Thinker Academy: Learn to Think Like a Philosopher from Udemy: Critical thinking skills are paramount to understanding the information you take in every day. This course will teach you the basics of logic and argument analysis as well as how to identify logical fallacies. By the end you’ll be able to effectively analyze all the media you consume.
Simplify Your Life in 30 Days from minimalism.co: If everything feels overwhelming, try a minimalist approach for a month. Minimalism doesn’t have to mean getting rid of all your possessions. In this course you’ll learn the benefits of having and doing less, such as mental calm and increased productivity.
Maintain Your Body for Long-Lasting Health and Mobility from Creative Live: If you’re tired of feeling sore and exhausted after a long day of work, the course can help. You’ll learn the basics of mobility and how to keep your body in tip-top shape for whatever exercise you want to do. You’ll also learn how to correct your posture and prevent injuries.
E.F.F.E.C.T. Fitness: Increase your fitness with online classes from the Atlanta-based E.F.F.E.C.T. gym. The gym offers a number of classes to take online but it’s best known for its bootcamp classes. There are classes for everyone, no matter where you are on your fitness journey.
Money Management
Money management skills are important for any man. If you’re just starting out or need to get out of debt and back on track, try one of the beginner personal finance courses. For more advanced topics, try a course about creating passive income or investing.
Smart About Money courses: This is a series of courses produced by a non-profit called the National Endowment for Financial Education. The courses are completely free and you can pick and choose which ones will be most helpful for you. Some courses include “my earning plan” and “health care costs.”
Financial Peace University from Dave Ramsey: Dave Ramsey is a personal finance expert who takes an anti-debt approach and encourages people to only use cash to prevent overspending. While his methods won’t work for everyone, many people have been able to pay off large amounts of debt by following his system. Check out his course and see if it’s a good fit for you and your personal finance goals.
Frugal Living from Udemy: If you’re ready to get serious about saving money, this course will help you change your mindset around spending. Learn how to think frugally and how to identify places in your budget where you can save money.
Planning for a Secure Retirement from Purdue University: This is another free course from a reputable source. It’s designed for someone looking to plan for their retirement at any stage of life, but it’s especially suited for people who haven’t thought much about their retirement plans.
A Beginner’s Guide to Passive Income from Udemy: Creating passive income streams can help you earn more while working less. In this course, you’ll learn some of the simplest methods for creating passive income, including affiliate marketing, writing an ebook, and creating your own online course.
Investing 101: The Complete Online Investing Course 2020 from Udemy: If you’re interested in investing your money, this course will help you wade through all your options. You’ll learn how to invest in the stock market wisely to earn a big return.
Cooking
Every man should know his way around the kitchen. Whether you’re a complete beginner or are looking to improve your skills, there’s a course for you. You can even impress your friends and family by learning about high-quality coffee, wine, and cocktails.
Online Cooking School from America’s Test Kitchen: There’s something here for everyone, regardless of their cooking abilities. Learn the basics, like knife skills, spices, baking, and cooking, or up your game with one of the advanced skills courses. ATK tests all their recipes and techniques rigorously, so you can trust you’ll be getting your money’s worth with these classes.
Alice Waters Teaches the Art of Home Cooking from Masterclass: If most of your home-cooked meals come pre-packaged, take the time to learn how to prepare fresh food at home. Alice Waters will teach you how to stock your pantry, use herbs and spices, cook fresh vegetables, and choose the ripest in-season fruits.
Thomas Keller Teaches Cooking Techniques I: Vegetables, Pasta, and Eggs from Masterclass: This course will help you build the foundational cooking skills that every man should have. When you learn how to make fresh pasta, you’ll really impress your friends and family.
Low and Slow BBQ at Home from Craftsy: Learn basic barbecue techniques from an expert in this course. You’ll learn about rubs, sauces, and grilling and smoking techniques. There’s also recipes for brisket, pulled pork, ribs, and chicken.
From Plant to Cup: Brew an Amazing Cup of Coffee from Skillshare: If you’re a coffee drinker who’s ready to up his game, this course is for you. Learn how to select great coffee, brew techniques, and how to taste properly to truly appreciate the flavor.
James Suckling Teaches Wine Appreciation from Masterclass: Knowledge about wine will help you easily maneuver any social or business situation. It makes you appear knowledgeable and professional.
Lynnette Marrero and Ryan Chetiyawardana Teach Mixology from Masterclass: Just like knowing about wine, being able to mix drinks is a valuable skill. Whether you want to enjoy your favorite drink at home or craft a cocktail for guests, this course will teach you recipes and techniques to prepare your favorites.
Homemaking Skills
Don’t write off this section as “old school.” The modern man needs to know how to keep a clean and tidy home. In addition to courses about cleaning and organizing, you’ll also find classes in basic home maintenance, gardening, personal style, and interior design.
Real Organization: How to Declutter and Organize Any Space! from Udemy: If you feel like your home can never stay tidy, it might be time for you to declutter. By removing excess stuff from your home, you’ll be able to easily organize and maintain a clean space. If the idea of getting rid of your belongings is stressful, use this course to guide you.
How to Clean Your House Like a Pro from Dengarden: After you’ve decluttered, cleaning will become much easier. Learn the best ways to clean every area of your home as efficiently as possible from a former professional house cleaner.
My DIY University from Family Handyman: Having basic home maintenance skills will save you a ton of money. This website offers courses on basic skills like how to stop a running toilet as well as more advanced projects, like building a deck.
Ron Finley Teaches Gardening from Masterclass: Ron Finley will teach you how to garden anywhere — he got his start on a small strip of dirt on the curb. In this course, he’ll teach you how to grow your own food.
Houseplants 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Indoor Gardening from Udemy: Keeping houseplants alive doesn’t have to be impossible. Learn how to care for plants indoors and spruce up your home with a natural touch.
Tan France Teaches Style for Everyone from Masterclass: Having a good understanding of style will go a long way. Before you’re even able to establish yourself, your appearance speaks for itself. Make great first impressions by learning the fundamentals of great style.
Kelly Wearstler Teaches Interior Design from Masterclass: If your home is furnished by the same pieces you’ve had since college, it’s time to upgrade. Learn from a professional interior designer the basics of great home design and get inspired to create a space that speaks to you.
Academic Courses
Brush up your academics by learning about a new subject. You can learn a new language, increase your media literacy, learn about the intricacies of government, or study literature.
Learn a new language with Rosetta Stone: If you’ve ever wanted to learn a second language, Rosetta Stone is the way to go. Learning a second language can open up a number of travel and career opportunities. You can choose from 25 different languages.
Understanding Medical Research: Your Facebook Friend Is Wrong from Yale via Coursera: Stop being fooled by big flashy headlines or “fake news” sites. Being able to decipher scientific research requires a lot of knowledge. Learn how to critically interpret medical studies and identify which studies are legitimate. You’ll be able to measure the validity of any scientific research you’re reading.
How the U.S. Government Works and How to Get Involved from Georgetown University via edX: This course offers a foundation of government systems with actionable steps you can take to make your community better. If you’re looking to make a difference but aren’t sure where to begin, this course is for you.
U.S. Public Policy: Social, Economic, and Foreign Policy from Harvard via edX: Voting without a clear understanding of each candidate’s policy views is like throwing a dart blindfolded. Learn about the basics of American public policy and develop a stronger understanding of your own political views.
Citizen Politics in America from Harvard via edX: Learn about the forces that affect American elections. By knowing about the groups targeting voters to sway their opinions, you’ll be better equipped to identify reputable sources of political information.
Race and Cultural Diversity in American Life and History from University of Illinois via Coursera: In 2020, conversations about systemic racism in America have become more open and widespread. It’s important to have a strong historical understanding of how racism has affected the nation over time. This course will give you a foundation from which to grow in your understanding of racial justice issues.
The Modern World: Global History from 1760 to 1910 from University of Virginia via Coursera: If it’s been a while since you’ve thought about pre-World War II history, this course will give you a great refresher. Learn about the beginnings of global democracy and the industrial revolution, and movements that still impact us today.
Sports and Society from Duke University via Coursera: Sometimes it can be difficult to explain our love for sports to someone who just doesn’t get it. This course will give you talking points about the wider impact of sports on society. You’ll learn about the ways sports are related to many social issues, including gender, race, economics, and culture.
American Literature from MIT Open Courseware: This course offers a great foundation in classic American literature. Instead of reading full-length novels, you’ll read excerpts from books and select poems to get a feel for a number of American authors.
Shakespeare’s Life and Work from Harvard University via edX: Learn Shakespeare without reading any of his plays in full! This course is perfect for someone who wants to have a basic understanding of Shakespeare’s work without having to wade deep into the text. You’ll learn different scholarly interpretations of his work and examine his cultural impact.
Greek and Roman Mythology from University of Pennsylvania via Coursera: If you’ve ever envied people who have a strong foundation in Roman and Greek myths, this course will help you become one of them. After learning the basics, you’ll be able to find influences of mythology in literature and other modern media.
Masterpieces of World Literature from Harvard University via edX: Expand your horizons with this world literature course. You’ll cover authors and books from all over the globe and by the end you’ll be a much more cultured reader.
Hobbies
Every man should have his own hobbies. If you’re looking for a new passion, check out these ideas. You’ll find classes on music, art, woodworking, photography, videography, and more.
Learn to Read Music from Skillshare: Before considering learning an instrument, it’s important that you know how to read music. While some musicians can get away with playing only by ear, having a foundational understanding of musical notation will make learning new pieces much easier.
Guitar for Beginners from Berklee College of Music via Coursera: Once you know how to read music, you’re ready to learn a new instrument. In this beginning guitar course, you’ll learn hand placement, basic chords, and how to play basic melodies.
Piano Lessons for Beginners from Flowkey: If the piano is more your speed, try this set of basic lessons from Flowkey. You’ll learn how to play with your left hand and your right hand separately before using both at the same time. You’ll also learn basic chords and how to play some famous piano melodies.
Woodworking for Mere Mortals: This website has a number of courses for picking up woodworking as a hobby. Learn how to set up a workshop no matter how much space you have or tackle some simple weekend woodworking projects.
Daniel Negreanu Teaches Poker from Masterclass: If you’ve ever wanted to learn poker or improve your skill, this is the course for you. Learn from a six-time World Series of Poker champion and be ready to take on any opponent.
Garry Kasparov Teaches Chess from Masterclass: Chess is the ultimate intellectual game. Knowing how to play and the ability to play well shows the world what kind of thinker you are. Learn from one of the world’s greatest chess players in this course.
Fundamentals of DSLR Photography from Skillshare: Taking photos with your phone can work well, but if you’re ready to take your photography to the next level, you’ll need to learn about DSLR cameras. There’s quite a bit to learn in order to get started and this course will teach you all the basics.
YouTube for Beginners from Skillshare: If you’ve got a passion to share with the world through video, but never knew where to start with YouTube, this course is for you. In this class you’ll learn the basics of starting a YouTube channel, best practices for shooting video, and how to edit and upload videos.
The Ultimate Drawing Course—Beginners to Advanced from Udemy: Drawing doesn’t have to be something only naturally talented artists can do. Learn the basics of drawing and you’ll be amazed at the types of art you can create.
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