List of Free Online Electrical Training Courses and Learning Materials

A few different places online offer free electrical training courses or learning materials. We've listed a few of our top picks below.

Note that some courses listed are completely free while others are free to audit, meaning you have limited-time access to course materials but don't receive instructor feedback or a certificate.

1. Georgia Institute of Technology

The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) offers the beginner-level course Introduction to Electronics through the online learning platform Coursera.

This course covers the basic components of electronics as well as the basic operation of common appliances. It includes seven modules:

• Introduction and Review
• Op Amps Part 1
• Op Amps Part 2
• Diodes Part 1
• Diodes Part 2
• MOSFETs
• Bipolar Junction Transistors

This is a longer course that takes about 46 total hours to complete, but the self-paced format gives you flexibility in your learning.

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) offers a Circuits and Electronics 1: Basic Circuit Analysis course through the online course library edX.

This is an introductory course taught by the CEO of edX himself, Professor Anant Agarwal. It's the first of three courses in the Circuits and Electronics series. Students can take the whole series or individual courses.

In this course, students will learn:

• construction of simple digital gates using MOSFET transistors
• how to design and analyze circuits using the node method, superposition, and the Thevenin method
• how to employ lumped circuit models and abstraction to simplify circuit analysis
• how to use intuition to solve circuits
• measurement of circuit variables using tools such as virtual oscilloscopes, virtual multimeters, and virtual signal generators

The course is self-paced and takes about five weeks to complete when studying for five to seven hours a week.

The verified track for this course is $189, or students can take all three Circuits and Electronics courses on a subscription plan for $79 per month.

The verified track allows students to receive instructor feedback and earn a certificate of completion.

3. Tokyo Institute of Technology

Students can obtain an international education through edX with the Introduction to Electrical and Electronic Engineering course from the Tokyo Institute of Technology.

This is an introductory class that introduces fundamental topics in electrical and electronic engineering. The course is in English and includes four modules:

• Electromagnetic Applications
• Electronics Materials
• Electronic Devices
• Wireless Communication

This course is self-paced. Most students who study two or three hours a week finish within a month. The verified track for this course is $129.

4. University of Colorado

Through Coursera, the University of Colorado offers the Electric Utilities Fundamentals and Future course. This is a beginner-level course perfect for anyone considering becoming an electrician.

Students learn about the history of the electric utilities industry, what's changing, and why. It's made up of five modules:

• Taking Shape and Grid Fundamentals
• Price and Value
• Not Your Grandparents' Utility
• Pace of Change, Technology, and Regulation
• Toward a Bright Future

The course takes about eleven hours total to complete. It's self-paced, allowing you to fit the course into your schedule.