What are the best social work courses on Coursera?

Popular courses include Social Work Practice: Advocating Social Justice and Change from the University of Michigan and Using Public Policy for Social Change from the University of Michigan . These courses explore topics such as counseling techniques, trauma-informed care, public policy, and advocacy.

Can I learn social work for free on Coursera?

Yes. Many social work–related courses offer a free audit option, giving you access to video lectures and reading materials at no cost. To earn a certificate or complete assessments, you’ll need to pay or apply for financial aid.

What will I learn in a social work course?

You’ll learn about human behavior, case management, ethics , mental health , community development, and working with diverse populations. Some courses also explore social welfare systems, cultural competency, and techniques for supporting individuals and families in crisis.

Do I need a background in psychology or sociology to take a social work course?

Not necessarily. Many courses are beginner-friendly and introduce key social work concepts from the ground up. More advanced options may be better suited for learners with some experience in social sciences or community service.

Can Coursera’s social work courses help with career goals?

Yes. While Coursera doesn’t offer a full degree in social work, its courses can help you explore the field, build practical skills, and prepare for further education or roles in social services, counseling , nonprofit work , and community outreach.

Top Social Work Courses - Learn Social Work Online

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Find the Best Social Work Course for Your Goals

Status: Free
Coursera Project Network
Erstelle Social Media Anzeigen in Canva
Skills you'll gain: Canva (Software), Social Media Content, Social Media, Collaborative Software, Social Media Marketing, Video Editing, Instagram, Graphic Design, Online Advertising, Animations, Design, Brand Awareness
Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
Status: Free Trial
The Open University
From prototyping to validating business models
Skills you'll gain: Stakeholder Engagement, Corporate Sustainability, Business Modeling, Environmental Social And Corporate Governance (ESG), Business Valuation, Systems Thinking, Value Propositions, Design Thinking, Verification And Validation, Presentations, Innovation, Lean Methodologies
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Dartmouth College
The American Renaissance and Frederick Douglass
Skills you'll gain: Oral Expression, Storytelling, Public History, Liberal Arts, Cultural Diversity, Social Justice, Advocacy, Writing, Research, Culture
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Coursera Project Network
Routines in SQL: Stored procedures in SQL Server
Skills you'll gain: Stored Procedure, Microsoft SQL Servers, Transact-SQL, SQL, Database Development, Procedure Development, Query Languages
Intermediate · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
Status: Free
Coursera Project Network
Créer du contenu marketing pour LinkedIn avec Visme
Skills you'll gain: Marketing Design, LinkedIn, Marketing Materials, Promotional Materials, Content Creation, Social Media Content, User Accounts, Data Visualization, Digital Content
Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
Status: Free Trial
IBM
Agentic AI Fundamentals with LangChain and LangGraph
Skills you'll gain: Agentic systems, Generative AI Agents, Generative AI, Artificial Intelligence, Large Language Modeling, Prompt Engineering, Reinforcement Learning, Natural Language Processing
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
University of Colorado Boulder
A Turma Toda com Simulações PhET para Educação STEM
Skills you'll gain: Mathematics Education, Survey Creation, Simulations, Interactive Design, Experimentation
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free
Coursera Project Network
Créez du contenu de sensibilisation sur Facebook avec Canva
Skills you'll gain: Canva (Software), Content Creation, Social Media Content, Infographics, Graphic and Visual Design, Graphic Design
Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
Status: Free
Coursera Project Network
Les Statistiques d'Audience Facebook
Skills you'll gain: Target Audience, Facebook, Online Advertising, Market Opportunities, Customer Insights, Social Media Marketing, Data Validation
Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
Status: Free
Coursera Project Network
Comment utiliser l'automatisation pour envoyer des e-mails avec MailChimp
Skills you'll gain: Email Marketing, Marketing Automation, Automation, Campaign Management, Customer Acquisition Management, Registration
Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Concepts et langage organisationnels
Skills you'll gain: Performance Measurement, Business Analysis, Business Strategy, Accounting, Business Communication, Organizational Strategy, Product Lifecycle Management, Innovation, Marketing, Data Analysis
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free
Coursera Project Network
Pinterest pour les débutants
Skills you'll gain: Pinterest, Content Creation, Business Intelligence, Social Media, Brand Awareness, Social Media Content, User Accounts, Account Management
Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours

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In summary, here are 10 of our most popular social work courses

Erstelle Social Media Anzeigen in Canva: Coursera Project Network
From prototyping to validating business models: The Open University
The American Renaissance and Frederick Douglass: Dartmouth College
Routines in SQL: Stored procedures in SQL Server: Coursera Project Network
Créer du contenu marketing pour LinkedIn avec Visme: Coursera Project Network
Agentic AI Fundamentals with LangChain and LangGraph: IBM
A Turma Toda com Simulações PhET para Educação STEM: University of Colorado Boulder
Créez du contenu de sensibilisation sur Facebook avec Canva: Coursera Project Network
Les Statistiques d'Audience Facebook: Coursera Project Network
Comment utiliser l'automatisation pour envoyer des e-mails avec MailChimp: Coursera Project Network

Social Work Courses