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    • Instructional Design

    Instructional Design Courses

    Instructional design courses can help you learn how to create effective learning experiences using educational theory, technology, and learner-centered strategies.

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    Find the Best Instructional Design Course for Your Goals

    • C

      Copenhagen Business School

      Sustainable Fashion

      Skills you'll gain: Corporate Sustainability, Environmental Regulations, Business Transformation, Environmental Social And Corporate Governance (ESG), Innovation, Business Strategies, Sustainability Reporting, Consumer Behaviour, Business Modeling, Strategic Partnership, Material Handling, Waste Minimization, Product Lifecycle Management

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      765 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      G

      Google

      Conduct UX Research and Test Early Concepts

      Skills you'll gain: UI/UX Research, Usability Testing, User Experience Design, Usability, Presentations, User Research, User Experience, Design Research, Research Design, User Centered Design, Research Methodologies, Prototyping, Interviewing Skills, Information Privacy

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      5.9K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • S

      Stanford University

      Organizational Analysis

      Skills you'll gain: Organizational Structure, Decision Making, Organizational Leadership, Organizational Change, Professional Networking, Strategic Decision-Making, Business, Social Sciences, Culture, Sociology, Analysis, Resource Management, Learning Theory, Innovation, Negotiation

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      1.6K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      D

      DeepLearning.AI

      AI-Powered Software and System Design

      Skills you'll gain: Database Design, Software Design Patterns, Database Systems, Software Architecture, System Design and Implementation, API Design, Large Language Modeling, Software Development, Artificial Intelligence, Generative AI, Secure Coding, Application Programming Interface (API), Performance Tuning

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      133 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      U

      University of Colorado Boulder

      Graphic Design Elements for Non-Designers

      Skills you'll gain: Logo Design, Color Theory, Design Elements And Principles, Graphic Design, Design, Typography, Visual Design, Color Matching, User Experience Design, Digital Design, Graphic and Visual Design, Graphics Software, Adobe InDesign, Graphic and Visual Design Software, Design Software, Photo Editing, Content Creation, Design Research, Information Architecture, Adobe Photoshop

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      1.6K reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      M

      Michigan State University

      Game Design and Development 1: 2D Shooter

      Skills you'll gain: Game Design, Unity Engine, Video Game Development, Peer Review, Cross Platform Development, User Interface (UI), C# (Programming Language), Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Animations, Scripting, Creativity, Debugging

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      500 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      I

      IBM

      Introduction to Data Science

      Skills you'll gain: SQL, Jupyter, Data Literacy, Data Mining, Peer Review, Data Modeling, Databases, Stored Procedure, Relational Databases, Database Design, Query Languages, Data Science, Database Management, Big Data, Computer Programming Tools, Data Analysis Software, Data Cleansing, Software Development Tools, Cloud Computing, Data Analysis

      Build toward a degree

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      99K reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      G

      Google

      Start the UX Design Process: Empathize, Define, and Ideate

      Skills you'll gain: User Experience Design, User Story, Ideation, Usability, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, User Research, Design Thinking, Human Centered Design, Competitive Analysis, User Flows, Persona Development

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      16K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • S

      Stanford University

      Game Theory

      Skills you'll gain: Game Theory, Strategic Decision-Making, Mathematical Modeling, Graph Theory, Bayesian Statistics, Behavioral Economics, Probability, Economics, Markov Model, Algorithms

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      4.8K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      I

      IBM

      IBM IT Project Manager

      Skills you'll gain: Stakeholder Engagement, Software Development Life Cycle, Software Architecture, Agile Software Development, Project Management Life Cycle, Resource Management, Risk Management, Peer Review, Earned Value Management, Stakeholder Management, Agile Methodology, Project Risk Management, Team Motivation, Software Design, Kanban Principles, Project Schedules, Information Technology, Sprint Retrospectives, Interviewing Skills, Project Management

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      8.5K reviews

      Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

    • U

      Universidade de São Paulo

      UX / UI: Fundamentos para o design de interface

      Skills you'll gain: Usability Testing, Wireframing, User Interface (UI) Design, Prototyping, Information Architecture, User Experience Design, User Research, UI Components, Style Guides, Cross Platform Development, Design Elements And Principles, Mockups

      4.5
      Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
      ·
      787 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free
      Free
      C

      Coursera Project Network

      Use Canva to Create Desktop and Mobile-friendly Web Pages.

      Skills you'll gain: Canva (Software), Web Design and Development, Web Applications, Web Content, Digital Publishing, Graphic and Visual Design Software, Visual Design, User Accounts

      4.5
      Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
      ·
      1.4K reviews

      Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours

    Searches related to instructional design

    instructional design foundations and applications
    instructional and curriculum design
    1…8910…200

    In summary, here are 10 of our most popular instructional design courses

    • Sustainable Fashion: Copenhagen Business School
    • Conduct UX Research and Test Early Concepts: Google
    • Organizational Analysis : Stanford University
    • AI-Powered Software and System Design: DeepLearning.AI
    • Graphic Design Elements for Non-Designers: University of Colorado Boulder
    • Game Design and Development 1: 2D Shooter: Michigan State University
    • Introduction to Data Science: IBM
    • Start the UX Design Process: Empathize, Define, and Ideate: Google
    • Game Theory: Stanford University
    • IBM IT Project Manager: IBM

    Why Learn Instructional Design?

    Instructional design focuses on developing educational content and experiences that help people learn effectively—whether in classrooms, online platforms, or workplace training. It blends learning science, curriculum development, and digital tools to support meaningful outcomes. Learning instructional design can prepare you to create engaging learning solutions across education, business, and nonprofit sectors.

    Skills you can learn in Business Essentials

    Analytics (37)
    Presentation (33)
    Modeling (29)
    Business Analytics (27)
    Language (26)
    Microsoft Excel (26)
    Writing (26)
    Speech (18)
    Plan (17)
    Business Communication (16)
    Decision-making (16)
    Leadership (15)

    Frequently Asked Questions about Instructional Design

    Top courses include Instructional Design Foundations and Applications from the University of Illinois and An Introduction to Learning Experience Design (LXD) from the University of Michigan as well. These programs cover learning theory, course planning, digital pedagogy, and technology tools for designing engaging learning experiences.‎

    Yes. Many instructional design courses offer a free audit option. You can access video lectures and readings at no cost. If you want to complete assessments or earn a certificate, you’ll need to upgrade or apply for financial aid.‎

    You’ll learn how to design learning objectives, structure courses, select appropriate media and tools, and evaluate learning outcomes. Many courses also include frameworks like ADDIE, Bloom’s Taxonomy, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).‎

    Not necessarily. While experience in education or training can be helpful, many courses are beginner-friendly and provide a strong foundation for anyone interested in creating effective learning experiences.‎

    Yes. Instructional design is a growing field across education, corporate training, government, and nonprofits. Coursera courses can help you build job-ready skills, create a portfolio of work, and earn certificates that demonstrate your ability to design engaging and effective learning materials.‎

    This FAQ content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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