What are the best graphic design courses on Coursera?

Coursera offers a wide range of graphic design courses, from beginner introductions to advanced design tools and principles . Some of the most popular options include the Graphic Design Specialization from CalArts and Adobe Graphic Designer Professional Certificate .

Can I learn graphic design for free on Coursera?

Yes, many graphic design courses can be audited for free. This gives you access to most of the learning materials, including videos and readings. If you want to earn a certificate or complete graded assignments, you’ll need to pay or apply for financial aid.

What tools or skills will I learn in a graphic design course?

You can learn design basics like color, typography , layout, and composition, as well as how to use tools like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator , and Canva . Some courses also cover portfolio design, branding , and working with real-world client briefs.

Do I need design experience to start learning graphic design?

No experience is needed to get started. Many Coursera courses are made for beginners and walk you through the core principles and tools at your own pace.

Is learning graphic design on Coursera helpful for getting a job?

Yes. Graphic design is a skill used in many creative and marketing roles. Taking a course on Coursera can help you learn how to design professional visuals, build a portfolio, and show employers that you’ve developed real, practical skills.

Top Graphic Design Courses - Learn Graphic Design Online

Find the Best Graphic Design Course for Your Goals

Status: Free Trial
Microsoft
Master Microsoft Office 365 and Power Platform
Skills you'll gain: Microsoft Power Platform, Microsoft Copilot, Prompt Engineering, Microsoft Power Automate/Flow, Power BI, Multimedia, Microsoft PowerPoint, Dashboard, Microsoft Excel, Excel Formulas, Microsoft Word, Microsoft 365, Data Visualization, Presentations, Spreadsheet Software, Microsoft Outlook, Data Integration, Business Intelligence, Business Process Automation, Productivity Software
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
5.6K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: New
Status: Free Trial
IBM
IBM Data Architecture
Skills you'll gain: NoSQL, Data Warehousing, SQL, Apache Hadoop, Extract, Transform, Load, Apache Airflow, Data Security, Linux Commands, Data Migration, Database Design, Data Governance, MySQL, Apache Spark, Data Pipelines, Apache Kafka, Database Management, Bash (Scripting Language), Shell Script, Database Architecture and Administration, Data Store
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
6.6K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of California, Davis
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Skills you'll gain: Keyword Research, Search Engine Optimization, Web Analytics and SEO, Content Creation, Social Media Strategy, Competitive Analysis, Target Audience, Client Services, Content Marketing, Peer Review, Social Media Marketing, Consumer Behaviour, Google Analytics, Presentations, Marketing, Forecasting, Digital Marketing, Expectation Management, Content Strategy, User Research
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
13K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Microsoft
Microsoft 365 Fundamentals
Skills you'll gain: Multimedia, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel, Excel Formulas, Microsoft Word, Microsoft 365, Data Visualization, Presentations, Spreadsheet Software, Productivity Software, Collaborative Software, Data Import/Export, Microsoft Windows, Proofreading, Editing, Document Management, Technical Documentation, Writing, Data Entry, Data Management
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
5.2K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Google
Data Analysis with R Programming
Skills you'll gain: Rmarkdown, Ggplot2, R Programming, Data Visualization, Data Analysis, Tidyverse (R Package), Data Visualization Software, Statistical Programming, Data Cleansing, Data Manipulation, Programming Principles, Data Transformation, Integrated Development Environments, Data Structures
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
11K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Packt
Figma for UI/UX: Master Web Design in Figma
Skills you'll gain: Figma (Design Software), Responsive Web Design, User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design, Usability, Web Design, User Experience, User Interface (UI), Typography, Design Elements And Principles, Color Theory, UI Components, Web Design and Development, Wireframing, Mockups
4.3
Rating, 4.3 out of 5 stars
18 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of California, Irvine
An Introduction to Programming the Internet of Things (IOT)
Skills you'll gain: Test Planning, Embedded Systems, Linux, Internet Of Things, Embedded Software, Functional Requirement, Debugging, General Networking, Hardware Design, Systems Design, Operating Systems, Requirements Analysis, Electronic Hardware, System Design and Implementation, C (Programming Language), Basic Electrical Systems, Application Programming Interface (API), TCP/IP, Wireless Networks, Integrated Development Environments
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
20K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Johns Hopkins University
HTML, CSS, and Javascript for Web Developers
Skills you'll gain: Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), HTML and CSS, Javascript, Ajax, Responsive Web Design, Bootstrap (Front-End Framework), Front-End Web Development, Web Design, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Web Design and Development, JSON, Web Applications, Web Development, Scripting, Usability, Cross Platform Development, Browser Compatibility, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Event-Driven Programming, User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Design
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
17K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
IBM
IBM Data Warehouse Engineer
Skills you'll gain: Data Warehousing, SQL, Extract, Transform, Load, Apache Airflow, Linux Commands, Database Design, IBM Cognos Analytics, MySQL, Data Pipelines, Apache Kafka, Database Management, Bash (Scripting Language), Shell Script, Database Architecture and Administration, Data Store, IBM DB2, Dashboard, Relational Databases, File Management, Star Schema
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
6.1K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Meta
Meta Database Engineer
Skills you'll gain: MySQL, Database Design, Version Control, Database Management Systems, Database Management, MySQL Workbench, Extract, Transform, Load, Data Modeling, Data Structures, SQL, Unix Commands, Relational Databases, Databases, Git (Version Control System), Database Systems, Stored Procedure, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Unit Testing, Algorithms, Django (Web Framework)
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
7.1K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
University of Michigan
Learning Experience Design: Orientation to the Profession
Skills you'll gain: Learning Theory, Instructional Design, Design Thinking, Professional Development, Education Software and Technology, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, Diversity Equity and Inclusion Initiatives, User Centered Design, Technology Strategies, Collaboration, Emerging Technologies
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
50 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Multiple educators
Object Oriented Programming in Java
Skills you'll gain: Unit Testing, Data Structures, Event-Driven Programming, Interactive Data Visualization, Java, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Development Testing, User Interface (UI), Debugging, Java Programming, Software Testing, Computer Programming, Software Engineering, Algorithms, Performance Tuning, Encryption, Programming Principles, Data Analysis, Statistical Analysis, Software Design
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
15K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months