Thousands of creative courses offered by Coursera Plus - these are the half dozen that I'd opt for
Struggling to find the time for creative pursuits? Fret not, because online learning platforms like Coursera Plus have got you covered! This flexible learning platform offers thousands of courses in various creative fields, from graphic design to 3D world creation with Unreal Engine. Here's a rundown of some top picks for creatives:
01. Graphic Design Specialization by Calarts
Enough with the DIY graphic design! It's time to get some formal training. This four-course sequence by Calarts covers the fundamentals of graphic design, typography, image making, design history, and more. You can expect to spend around four weeks, provided you dedicate 10 hours each week.
02. Foundations of User Experience (UX) Design by Google
Are you creating user experiences without even realizing it? This first course of Google's seven-part series focuses on crucial aspects of UX, such as empathizing with users, defining pain points, coming up with design solutions, and creating wireframes, prototypes, and mockups for testing. It might just be the foundation you need in the ever-relevant field of UX design.
Modern and Contemporary Art and Design Specialization by MoMA
Further broaden your knowledge by delving into contemporary art, including photography, fashion, and design. Through this series of four courses, you'll get a deeper understanding of artists' and designers' processes, develop critical thinking and looking skills, and gain confidence when discussing modern and contemporary art and design. You'll need around four weeks to complete these courses.
The Art of Visual Storytelling Specialization by University of Boulder Colorado
Learn the ins and outs of video editing – a skill that's now essential for pretty much anyone promoting their work or product. This hands-on specialization includes storyboarding, technical camera functions, and the basics of non-linear editing programs like Adobe Premiere Pro. Expect to invest two months of 10-hour weekly commitment.
Game Design Professional Certificate by Epic Games
Want to stay ahead of the curve in visuals? Game design is a rapidly evolving field covering console and PC titles, mobile games, brand XR experiences, and VFX. Epic Games' Unreal Engine is a trailblazer in video game design as well as VFX and the creation of 3D digital twins for branding. This professional certificate encompasses game design fundamentals, level design, blueprint scripting, world-building, visual and audio development, and UX and UI design.
06. AI Foundations for Everyone Specialization by IBM
Though not directly related to creative work, a grasp of AI is increasingly crucial in creative industries. This course covers AI concepts, prompt engineering, and its applications across various industries. You'll engage in hands-on AI interactions without needing any coding knowledge, making it a valuable addition to your skillset.
- The Adobe Premiere Pro software, a popular tool in graphic design and video editing, is part of the Art of Visual Storytelling Specialization.
- The Calarts Graphic Design Specialization provides training in various fields, including typography, image making, and design history.
- Aspiring UX designers can benefit from the Foundations of User Experience (UX) Design course by Google, which emphasizes empathy, problem-solving, and prototyping.
- The Modern and Contemporary Art and Design Specialization offered by MoMA allows learners to explore contemporary art, photography, and design, improving their critical thinking and looking skills.
- The Game Design Professional Certificate by Epic Games covers game design fundamentals, world-building, visual and audio development, and UX and UI design, all using the Unreal Engine.
- The AI Foundations for Everyone Specialization by IBM can help those working in creative industries gain a fundamental understanding of AI, its concepts, and its applications.
- Digital art enthusiasts might find the four-course Calarts Graphic Design Specialization beneficial for their creative pursuits, investing around four weeks and 10 hours each week.
- The hands-on Adobe Art of Visual Storytelling Specialization takes a two-month commitment of 10 hours per week, focusing on storyboarding, camera functions, and non-linear editing software.
- Mobile game designers and other creatives interested in visual effects and 3D digital twins for branding can consider the Game Design Professional Certificate by Epic Games.
- In the ever-evolving field of game design, visuals, and VFX, understanding data-and-cloud-computing technologies could provide a competitive edge, as covered in the AI Foundations for Everyone Specialization by IBM.
- The vast learning platform Coursera Plus offers countless courses tailored to learners' creative interests, such as those focused on graphic design, 3D world creation, modern and contemporary art, video editing, and game design, as well as tech-related ones like AI and photography.
