Are Coursera Courses Accredited in 2024?

Coursera hosts hundreds of accredited universities and renowned institutes. The institutions themselves offer course completion certificates.

All the other online learning platforms issue certificates of completion, but these certifications have little value as an accredited institution does not give them as Coursera does.

This article focuses on the needs of learners who want to do an accredited course online and are looking for a platform and accredited courses. Let this article guide you on how to find accredited courses on Coursera and answer your doubts about it.

Let’s begin with your first doubt.

Are Coursera Courses Accredited?

Yes, numerous courses hosted by Coursera are taught by accredited institutions.

Coursera courses offered by a school or an already accredited organization are deemed accredited.

Let me be clear: Coursera’s own courses and Coursera as a whole (platform) are not accredited. It is only a host of accredited courses.

Are Coursera Certificates Accredited? 

Coursera collaborates on various courses with universities, government agencies, and well-recognized and accredited organizations to bring its learners top-notch education. The certifications offered by these accredited institutes are mainly accredited.

It is important to remember that a 3rd party organization like the ACE does not accredit Coursera certificates. However, Coursera Certification still has immense recognition value in the eyes of an employer.

Coursera certificates can help you enhance your resume or college application, increasing your chances of landing an acceptance offer. Having Coursera certificates creates an impression that you are hard-working and possess the required skills for the job or the college course. If you are thinking of enrolling to get a Coursera Certificate, then check out our list of the best Coursera certificates & courses.

How To Find Accredited Coursera Courses?

To find accredited courses on Coursera, look for already accredited universities. In most cases, you will find that an accredited institution or university offers accredited courses. To give you an example, here is a list of 10 universities on Coursera that are accredited – 

1. University of Pennsylvania
2. University of Michigan
3. Duke University
4. Georgia Institute of Technology
5. University of London
6. Johns Hopkins University
7. Stanford University
8. Yale University
9. University of California, Berkeley
10. Columbia University

Another way to find accredited courses on Coursera is to read the course description of your desired course. Look for these points mentioned below to make sure if a course is accredited- 

• The course provides college credits 
• Other universities or organizations recognize the course.

Please note some courses on Coursera do not come with ACE credit recommendations, but a particular organization or industry can recognize these courses.

Accredited Courses From Coursera

Coursera provides different options for learning programs, but the three types that offer accreditation are mentioned below.

Individual Course:

Check courses from your niche on Coursera to check for accreditation. Refer to the FAQ section and description of the course, where you will usually find the answer to whether a course is accredited and how many credits it offers.

Top Recommendations-

1. Deep Learning Specialization

This course by DeepLearning.AI has a total recommended credits of 10 on the official ACE websites

2. Financial Management Specialization by the University of Illinois

With this course, you get credits that will count toward your degree learning. Your progress on Coursera can be transferred if you are admitted or enrolled in an offline degree program.

MasterTrack Certificate:

MasterTrack courses offered by accredited universities on Coursera will provide credits 9 out of 10 times. As I pointed out, an accredited university will provide you with a widely recognized certificate as it is bestowed upon you through the university.  

Top Recommendation

1. Social Work: Practice, Policy, and Research by University of Michigan

MasterTrack® Certificate for the course mentioned above may reduce the credit hour requirement for the Master of Social Work from 60 to 45.

2. Instructional Design by the University of Illinois

On completing this MasterTrack course, you earn credits that can be carried forward at the campus of the Univesity of Illinois if you get through admission to a Master’s degree. 

3. Construction Engineering and Management

This MasterTrack certificate will earn you credits that will count towards your degree on-campus at the Univesity of Michigan.

Degree Programs:

Most degree programs, be they master’s or bachelor’s degrees, are offered by accredited universities on Coursera. These degree programs can get you college credit for prior learning.

Top Recommendations-

1. Master of Science in Electrical Engineering by the University of Colorado Boulder

You gain 30 credit hours by completing this degree program. This course is a part of the college degree at the University of Colorado Boulder.

2. Bachelor of Information Technology By Illinois Tech

Illinois Institute of Technology brings this accredited degree, which can be completed 100%  online.

Does Coursera Give You Credits?

Yes. Coursera courses receive college credit recommendations from the American Council on Education’s (ACE) College Credit Recommendation Service.

Here is a list of a few courses and their recommended credits I stumbled upon during my research.

Course Name	Valid Through	Recommended Credits
IBM Full Stack Cloud Developer Professional Certificate	05/01/2022 -04/30/2025	18
Google IT Support Professional Certificate	12/01/2022 -11/30/2025	15
IBM Data Analytics with Excel and R Professional Certificate	05/01/2022 -04/30/2025	15
Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate	08/01/21 -07/31/24	12
IBM Data Science Professional Certificate	10/01/2021 -09/30/2024	12
IBM Data Analyst Professional Certificate	10/01/2021 -09/30/2024	12
IBM Applied Data Science Specialization	02/1/2022 -01/31/2025	12
IBM Data Engineering Professional Certificate	05/01/2022 -04/30/2025	12
Deep Learning Specialization	04/01/2022 -03/31/2025	10
Google UX Design Professional Certificate	08/01/21 -07/31/24	10

Note- Recognizing credits depends on university policies and the university’s discretion. Contact them personally to confirm credit recommendations. 

Benefits Of Accredited Courses On Coursera

If you are still wondering how finishing an accredited course on Coursera benefits you instead of a traditional education program, let me tell you the six benefits of taking accredited courses on Coursera.

• Coursera courses that are accredited count towards a degree and other academic credentials.
• On Coursera, you can enroll for an accredited course without prerequisite qualifications and requirements.
• Studying on Coursera requires a laptop and the internet, thats it. Study from anywhere, any time. You can download the free Coursera app to learn on the go.
• You can do multiple courses at once and earn numerous certificates for the same, all in the same month or year, depending on your course and your pace. 
• Courses are more affordable than college tuition and school fees.
• Coursera brings you a virtual study session with top instructors instead of having you travel to a far-off state or city just for a course.

Related Read:

• Are Coursera Certificates Worth It
• How Much Does Coursera Cost

Final Verdict: Coursera Courses Are Accredited In Various Colleges & Universities

Be assured that Coursera Courses are accredited due to who they partner with. 

Coursera as a platform is not accredited, but the universities and a few organizations that place their course on this platform are already accredited, making the certifications and courses offered by these esteemed educational partners accredited, too.

I encourage you to take advantage of these courses brought to you by Coursera and start your journey to a bright future today.

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