Free or Low Cost University Level Education
With Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs), universities and professional associations have been able to make coursework in many disciplines available at little or no cost to a much wider audience. If you missed something in your education, a MOOC course can be an effective way to fill in the gap.
Keep in mind that in the MOOC environment you may have thousands or even tens of thousands of classmates. That makes MOOCs best for people who can learn well on their own or with limited interaction with the teacher(s).
Coursera.org – Take the world’s best courses, online, for free.
Coursera is an education platform that partners with top universities and organizations worldwide, to offer courses online for anyone to take, for free. Coursera is moving towards a primarily paid program format supporting microdegrees.
edX.org – Empowering learning in the classroom and around the globe.
EdX was created for students and institutions that seek to transform themselves through cutting-edge technologies, innovative pedagogy, and rigorous courses.
Our goals, however, go beyond offering courses and content. We are committed to research that will allow us to understand how students learn, how technology can transform learning, and the ways teachers teach on campus and beyond.
ComputerScience.org – Collects information on Computer Science degree programs and scholarships available to help pay for them.
Other General Education
Aunt Bertha – Provides links to a multitude of resources in the area, including health and wellness, financial, education and work related. Links to more than 1300 programs in the Round Rock area.
Edureka.co – Instructor led on-line training for tools and technologies used in the IT world. Offers courses individually and in groups as more in-depth master programs.
GCFLearnFree – Learn the essential skills needed to live and work in the 21st century. From Microsoft Office and email to reading, math, and more, GCFLearnFree.org offers more than 180 topics, including more than 2,000 lessons, 800+ videos, and 55+ interactives and games, completely free.
iCollege – Training for a plethora of professional certifications including PMP, Microsoft, Cisco, SixSigma, CompTIA, and ITIL. Other courses that are not certification related cover programming languages and other areas.
Master of Project Academy – Low cost monthly subsciption based online training for Project Management, ITIL, and Six Sigma.
Round Rock Public Library – Research and Learning resources available through the Round Rock and other local libraries. Some resources require a valid library card for access. Cards are currently free to Texas residents. Some resources can only be accessed from the library itself, but many can be accessed on-line. | 216 East Main Street, Round Rock, TX 78664 | 512.218.7000 or 512.218.7001
See the Research and Learning section of the web site for a complete list of resources available. Some that may be of particular interest:
Job and Career Accelerator: Combines all the elements needed for a successful job search: occupation surveys, job postings, resume and cover letter tools, and interview skills practice.
Learning Express: Help preparing for job tests, the GED, and several college and graduate school entrance exams.
Mango Languages: Learn a language online using material derived from native conversation and real-life situations.
ReferenceUSA Directory: Access millions of U.S. residential and business phone numbers and addresses. Conduct market and competitor research as well as business analysis by industry or geography. This can be very useful in preparing for an interview.
Lynda.com – LinkedIn’s online learning platform, with hundreds of courses covering technical, creative, computer, management skills and many other areas of interest to job seekers. Free access to this premium LinkedIn service is available through the Round Rock Library portal. You will need a Round Rock Library card to access it this way.
SkillPointAlliance.org – Offers Gateway: Job Training in several skills trades areas including Certified Nurse’s Aide, Machine Operator, Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing and Welding. Applications are required.
Udacity – Udacity brings accessible, affordable, engaging, and highly effective higher education to the world. Using nanodegrees in very specific areas, students develop a rapid understanding of new knowledge and skills to advance their education and careers.
Udemy – Udemy is a global marketplace for learning and teaching online where students are mastering new skills and achieving their goals by learning from an extensive library of over 55,000 courses taught by expert instructors.
Paid Professional Education
Several local companies offer professional training for certifications in demand in the Austin-Round Rock and surrounding areas. These programs ore often eligible for WIOA and TAA funds. Please speak to your local Workforce Solutions office about eligibility and availability of WIOA and TAA grants for your educational needs.
AARP Back to Work 50+ – A program for older women sponsored by the AARP Foundation. This program can help you gain the confidence, skills, and opportunities needed to find full-time employment, improve financial capability, and avoid poverty later in life.
Austin Community College – ACC provides the quality education and hands-on training you need and employers in the area demand. You can earn a degree, transfer to a 4-year university, or advance your career. Continuing education offerings can build new skills to advance your career or take it in a new direction.
Consulting Solutions – Offers training in high-demand skill areas including, Project Management, Oracle and Java, Microsoft Certified IT Professional, Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS), IMDBOS (Web Design, Mobile Apps, and Social Media), Cisco, Computer Support Certifications. Offerings are subject to change based on community needs.
Datacamp – Offers online training for Data Science, statistics, and machine learning using R, Python, and Data Visualization. Some introductory courses are free, while more advanced courses are available for a low monthly subscription.
Extellent – Formerly St. Edwards, Extellent offers training in business and Information Technology areas leading to industry standard certifications.
Galvanize – Web Development, Data Science, Entrepreneurship and Business Transformation. Works with employers to place their students.
General Assembly – Courses in Coding, Design, Data, Marketing and Business. Also offers small workshops.
