There are several free online resources for the
student who wants to learn about architectural design and engineering,
but no free online degree programs or accredited courses in
architecture. Free courses available on architectural history, design,
software and technology will help the student decide if he or she would
like to pursue an accredited degree.
Earn the Lowest-Cost college credit from free courses!
Most free courses don't lead to college credit.
Education Portal Academy's free courses do!
Here's how it works:
1. Watch free video lessons.
2. Take free quizzes.
3. Pass an exam to earn real college credit.
Free online architectural courses do not have any prerequisites
because they do not offer accreditation or degrees, but some do assume a
background in engineering and
design.
Course formats include videos of classroom lectures, lecture notes and
slide presentations. MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW) modules also include
related images and videos, which are not instructional but do give the
student an idea of the types of projects he or she would work on as an
architectural student.
Free Online Course List
This is an introductory course reviewing architectural theory and
history for the novice. Students learn to create scale models to build
livable environments and explore different ways to use space.
This course focuses on how buildings accommodate people's needs for
function and comfort in living and working space. The way the limits and
allowances of architectural design work with and against each other is
examined.
This is an in-depth, math-heavy course that applies the principles of
building technology to thermal comfort, ventilation and daylighting.
Tests of building technology theory are conducted in and outside the lab
in real-life situations. The student needs access to special software
for parts of the course.
This graduate-level course focuses on the political, social and
functional human needs that contribute to the way cities are designed.
Traditional and modern city form theories are studied with an emphasis
on social needs and the efficient use of space.
The lecture notes available for this graduate-level course are from
visiting architects and professors. Topics covered are the integration
of architecture into urban and rural landscapes, the use of geometry,
generative design and computer-aided design. A strong math and
architectural background is helpful.
Recognizable structures from around the world are analyzed for
composition and design. The course is broken down by materials used,
including masonry, concrete, timber and metal, with a focus on how best
to preserve these structures. This is a graduate-level coursel.
This is a course on designing a waste water treatment plant, with an
in-depth analysis of the structural and chemical elements in building
such a plant. This is useful for someone interested in pursuing
architectural engineering
for environmental systems. Lecture notes and exams are available in
English on the site and some background in chemical engineering is
assumed.
Tufts offers a self-paced course with video and .pdf tutorials on
creating 3-D designs using Blender 3D Software. The course teaches the
student how to use software in architectural design and is appropriate
for beginners.
These lectures examine nature's integration with human-built cities
and structures, covering the evolution of human-built structures from
ancient to contemporary times. There are no prerequisites, though as a
seminar it is only offered to graduate students or upper-level
undergraduates.
A series of 24 lectures comprises a course on architecture focused on
ancient Roman urban architecture and its impact on global architectural
evolution. The video lectures cover architectural technology,
military-style planning characteristics of Roman architecture and iconic
buildings such as The Coliseum. The professor also discusses urban
architectural development in southern Europe, the Mediterranean, the
Middle East and North Africa.
Earn Real Credit from Free Courses
While the free courses above don't award credit directly, there are two widely recognized and
affordable options for students to gain real college credit.
Option #1: Pass a CLEP Exam
The College Board's 33 CLEP exams allow you to test out of
your general education requirements. Credit is accepted at 2/3 of
colleges and universities in the U.S.
Option #2: Prepare a Portfolio
LearningCounts.org helps you prepare a portfolio that
proves your knowledge. A faculty expert then recommends how much credit
should be awarded. The process is call 'prior learning assessment'.
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