I like to learn. My guess is that most people enjoy learning if the topic is interesting enough. I often think about getting a Masters Degree in creative writing, however, when I think about saving up for one or the loan debt as a result, it gets a bit overwhelming. That’s why I am tremendously excited to share with you a little website called Coursera.
Coursera is a wonderland for those want to get more education on a variety of topics for free. Yup, free. Though these courses are not accredited, they are taught by professors from Stanford, Princeton, The University of Michigan, The University of Pennsylvania, and other university lending credit to the course and professor simply because of the institution behind them.
Here is the about section from the website:
About Coursera We offer high quality courses from the top universities, for free to everyone. We currently host courses from Princeton University, Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, and University of Pennsylvania. We are changing the face of education globally, and we invite you to join us.
The section that I am most interested in, which may come as no surprise, is the humanities section. Since I am a glutton for punishment, I signed up for three courses. They are listed below. Why did I sign up for these specific courses?
Because I am a writer and most writers like to learn. I believe there are a lot of stories that can be forgotten as time moves on and many of them contain elements that could be extracted and inserted into a story I might be writing. History, Greek and Roman Mythology, and fantasy and science fiction are three of my favorite subjects.
A History of the World since 1300
Jeremy Adelman
This course will examine the ways in which the world has grown more integrated yet more divided over the past 700 years. Princeton University
Fantasy and Science Fiction: The Human Mind, Our Modern World
Eric Rabkin
We understand the world — and our selves — through stories. Then some of those hopes and fears become the world. University of Michigan
Greek and Roman Mythology
Peter Struck
This course will focus on the myths of ancient Greece and Rome, as a way of exploring the nature of myth and the function it plays for individuals, societies, and nations. University of Pennsylvania
Here’s to hoping that my desire to learn is not larger than the amount of free time I have to do it!
Cheers,
Bob
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