Are you fascinated by genetics and want to delve deeper into the subject? You don’t necessarily have to be enrolled in a university to access top-rated online genetics courses. With Class Central’s database featuring over 500 genetics courses, we’ve curated the best online genetics courses for you in this Best Courses Guide (BCG). These courses are offered by renowned institutions like Duke University and MIT, led by experts in the field.
Embark on a journey through the realm of genetics, starting from fundamental principles to advanced applications, as you unravel the mysteries of life’s genetic code.
While these courses do assume a basic understanding of biology, beginners can easily look up unfamiliar terms as they progress. Additionally, for further insights and discussions, there’s a genetics subreddit at r/genetics/, and many courses feature interactive discussion forums.
Click on the shortcuts below for detailed information:
Here are our top picks
Courses Overview
- 6 courses are available for free or free-to-audit, and 1 course is paid.
- These courses collectively have over 230,000 enrollments and 870,000 YouTube views.
- 3,000 individuals are following the Genetics subject on Class Central.
Introduction to Genetics and Evolution, featured in Class Central’s Best Online Courses of All Time list, is a free-to-audit college-level course that requires no prior biology knowledge. It covers topics like recombination, population genetics, molecular evolution, and adaptive behavior. The course also delves into speciation, applied evolution, and the analysis of evolutionary trees.
Supplementary resources such as texts and videos are provided for those who wish to explore the subject further.
A satisfied learner commented, “Excellent class! Dr. Noor is an outstanding professor…very down to earth with a good sense of humor. All topics are explained clearly. Exams can be challenging, but are reasonable.”
Provider: Coursera
| University: Duke University |
| Instructor: Mohamed Noor |
| Time Commitment: 25 hours |
| Enrollment: 163,000 |
| Rating: 4.8 (15,000) |
| Cost: Free Audit |
| Quizzes/Assessment Items: Free |
| Certificate: Paid |
If you’re looking for an in-depth exploration of genetics, consider MIT’s three-course series on Genetics, covering fundamentals, analysis, applications, population genetics, and human traits. Designed for learners with some background in biology, these courses emphasize scientific thinking, data interpretation, and practical applications.
By the end of the series, you’ll have a comprehensive understanding of genetics in real-life scenarios, genetic terminology, quantitative methods, and genetic relationships and inheritance patterns.
A learner commented, “Great course, but might be quite hard to follow without a relatively good grasp on previous subjects (that and being willing to revisit your math knowledge if you’re not too math-oriented).”
| Provider: edX |
| Institution: MIT |
| Instructors: Michael Hemann, Peter Reddien, Mary Ellen Wiltrout, Darcy Gordon, Caitlin Friend |
| Time Commitment: 28-42 hours (course 1) |
| Enrollment: 16,000 |
| Rating: 4.5 (4) |
| Cost: Free Audit |
| Quizzes/Assessment Items: Paid |
| Certificate: Paid |
Ever wondered why all bacteria aren’t identical despite reproducing by cloning? Explore the mechanisms that contribute to genetic diversity in bacteria with the free course “Bacterial Genetics” by Ninja Nerd on YouTube. This concise 40-minute course explains concepts like conjugation, transformation, transduction, and transposition in a clear and accessible manner, making it a perfect starting point for beginners.
A reviewer noted, “…Ideally, you would already know some biological terms, or be prepared to look them up while going through this short course.”
| Provider: YouTube |
| Institution: Ninja Nerd |
| Instructor: Zach Murphy |
| Time Commitment: <1 hour |
| Views: 273,000 |
| Rating: 5.0 (3) |
| Cost: Free |
| Quizzes/Assessment Items: No |
| Certificate: No |
Delve into the fascinating world of human behavioral genetics with the “Introduction to Human Behavioral Genetics” course by the University of Minnesota on Coursera. This course explores the interplay between genetics and behavior, covering topics like gene-environment interaction, quantitative genetics, molecular genetics, and psychiatric genetics.
Professor Matt McGue encourages learners to critically analyze complex questions in the field of genetics, including the genetic aspects of intelligence, psychiatric illnesses, and aging.
A pleased learner shared, “This is an AMAZING class that I keep recommending to everyone I possibly can.”
| Provider: Coursera |
| Institution: University of Minnesota |
| Instructor: Matt McGue |
| Time Commitment: 26 hours |
| Enrollments: 35,000 |
| Rating: 4.8 (576) |
| Cost: Free Audit |
| Quizzes/Assessment Items: Free | Certificate: Paid |
Join Professor Dave Farina on a comprehensive journey through Biology/Genetics with his highly popular YouTube course “Genetics” by Professor Dave Explains. Covering a wide range of topics from basic cell biology to advanced genetic engineering, this course is packed with informative videos to enhance your understanding of genetics.
A fan of the course remarked, “Man, I love these videos. Been watching since forever.” – @SmittyWerbenjagermanjensen.
| Provider: YouTube |
| Institution: Professor Dave Explains |
| Instructor: Dave Farina |
| Time Commitment: 6 hours |
| Views: 600,000 |
| Likes: 3,700 |
| Cost: Free |
| Quizzes/Assessment Items: No |
| Certificate: No |
Immerse yourself in the world of molecular genetics with the “Classical Papers in Molecular Genetics” course by the University of Geneva on Coursera. This course delves into groundbreaking genetic experiments and papers that have shaped our understanding of genetics over the years.
Gain insights into the lives of renowned scientists and their contributions to genetic discoveries spanning across various organisms and species.
A learner shared, “Amazing course! Very well designed and delivered. It was specially delightful to have some historical context to the papers, as well as insight into the biography of the scientists themselves.”
| Provider: Coursera |
| Institution: University of Geneva |
| Instructor: Dominique Belin |
| Time Commitment: 27 hours |
| Enrollments: 25,000 |
| Rating: 4.7 (238) |
| Cost: Free Audit |
| Quizzes/Assessment Items: Free |
| Certificate: Paid |
Explore the intricacies of genetics with Study.com’s “Biology 102: Basic Genetics” course, which offers a fundamental understanding of genetic principles. Whether you’re pursuing academic credit or simply seeking knowledge, this course covers topics ranging from inheritance and evolution to DNA technology and genomics.
Additionally, Study.com provides other genetics-related courses like “Genetics 101: Intro to Genetics” and “Basic Genetics for Teachers: Professional Development.”
A satisfied learner mentioned, “I liked that Study.com broke things down and explained each topic clearly and in an easily accessible way. It saved time when preparing for exams.”
| Provider: Study.com |
| Time Commitment: 16 hours |
| Cost: Paid |
| Quizzes/Assessment Items: Paid |
| Certificate: Paid |
Why You Should Trust Us
Class Central serves as a trusted platform for online education, assisting 80 million learners in discovering their next educational endeavor. With over a decade of experience in curating online courses, we’ve compiled a collection of 250,000 courses and 250,000 user reviews. Our team at Class Central is comprised of avid online learners, having collectively completed more than 400 online courses, including full online degrees.
Personally, I have completed over 200 online courses, encompassing a wide array of subjects, including biology and genetics.
How We Made Our Picks and Tested Them
Searching for the best genetics courses can be overwhelming, even for seasoned online learners. Here’s an insight into the methodology used to curate and evaluate these top picks.
Initially, a comprehensive search was conducted through Class Central’s Catalog and other online platforms to identify a diverse range of free and paid genetics courses. Course syllabi, ratings, and reviews were meticulously analyzed, integrating data
