Online Best Colleges.com

By Jill Gordon

If you take a look at some of the courses offered in Open Course Ware, you may start to notice that there are some odd topics out there. We’ve gathered 100 of these extraordinary courses, and encourage you to check them out. Who knows-you just might find something incredibly useful and interesting.

Technology

From robots to futuristic cars, get a look at interesting technologies through these courses.

1. Sociable Robots: Get a look into robots that can develop socially in this resource. [MIT]
2. Human Beings and the Machines of Sunshine: You’ll see how new technologies can be used for evil by studying this course. [Rice]
3. Technologies of Humanism: Learn about narratives as they have evolved from print to digital media. [MIT]
4. Personal Robots: Cynthia Breazeal explores robots that can enhance daily life and help humans as partners. [MIT]
5. Information and Entropy: Tale a look at the limits of communication and computation through this course. [MIT]
6. Soft Car: Human-Friendly Car Design: Dr. Joachin offers some out-of-this-world thoughts on car design. [WGBH]
7. The Human Intelligence Enterprise: This course will help you understand the process toward the scientific goal of understanding human intelligence. [MIT]
8. The Brain of the Future: This course explains the way humans will communicate and learn in the future as technology and society become increasingly sophisticated. [Nottingham]
9. Autonomous Robot Design Competition: In this course, you will design and build a competitive robot. [MIT]
10. Machine Vision: Through Machine Vision, you’ll get an introduction to the process of generating a symbolic description of an environment from an image. [MIT]
11. Machine Learning: This course covers all of the concepts, techniques, and algorithms of machine learning. [MIT]
12. Human Computer Interaction: Get a look into the way humans and computers interact through the teachings of this course. [University of Washington]
13. Extending the Human Being via Robotics: Take a look at some of the potential uses for robots in this course. [Rice University]
14. Lego Robotics: This course explores the idea of using LEGOs as a tool for robotics. [MIT]
15. Brightening Up Life: This course is all about harnessing the power of fluorescence. [MIT]
16. GPS: Civilian Tool or Military Weapon?: This course explores some of the applications of GPS technology. [MIT]
17. International Computer Driving License: This course will help you learn the essentials of "driving" a computer. [Open of Course]
18. Sophisticated Survival Skills of Simple Microorganisms: This course takes a look at the microbial psychology and genetics of stress responses. [MIT]
19. Time, Money, and Love in the Age of Technology: Find out how all of these things influence each other from this blog. [Berkeley]
20. Zen and the Art of Information Security: Ira Winkler shares his simple philosophy for information protection. [Oxford]

Business

You’ll learn more about the way business works from these courses.

22. We Don’t Provide That Service: the Economic Irrationality of Copyright Rules on the Internet: Follow this course to get an understanding of irrational thoughts on copyright rules.
23. The Future of Ideas: Lawrence Lessig and others lecture on the future of innovation in this course. [TechNet]
24. Why Are Prices So Bizarre?: Preston McAfee explains how companies determine prices for goods. [Caltech]
25. Entrepreneurial Behavior: This course will help you learn more about the concept of behaving like an entrepreneur. [The Open University]
26. Democratizing Innovation: This resource examines the trend of user-centered innovation and what that means for the future. [MIT]
27. Inventions and Patents: Inventions and Patents explores the history of private and public rights in discoveries. [MIT]

Creativity & Arts

These courses offer a unique look into arts and creativity.

27. Nine Lessons Learned about Creativity at Google: Join Marissa Mayer as she shares lessons on fostering creative ideas and innovation. [Stanford]
28. Photography and Truth: This course offers an exploration of photography as art, a research tool, and a means of communication. [MIT]
29. Picturing the Family: This course discusses taking and properly dealing with family photographs, particularly historic ones. [The Open University]
30. Visualizing Cultures: This course will help you find out how images have been used to shape the identity of peoples and cultures. [MIT]
31. Composing Your Life: Explore yourself through visual arts and writing with the help of this course. [MIT]
32. Sowing the Seeds for a More Creative Society: Find out how education can improve creativity through this course. [MIT]
33. Daylighting: This course explores the architectural practice of daylighting. [MIT]
34. Creativity: The Mind, Machines, and Mathematics: This course debates whether machines may someday achieve consciousness. [MIT]

Phenomena

If you’re intrigued by phenomena, be sure to check out these courses.

35. Booming Sand Dunes: Get a look into the phenomenon of booming sand dunes through this course. [Caltech]
36. Minds and Mental Phenomena: An Introduction: Follow this course to learn about a variety of mental phenomena and wonders of the mind. [The Open University]
37. Magic, Witchcraft, and the Spirit World: You’ll learn all about the spiritual, magical, and "occult" aspects of human behavior in this course. [MIT]
38. Nature’s Greatest Puzzles: This collection of lecture notes and videos will clue you into some of the largest and strangest phenomenons and puzzles. [Stanford]

Health & Fitness

These courses are all about being healthy in unusual ways.

39. Whole Body Vibration: A New Exercise Approach: This course will teach you everything you need to know about using whole body vibration as exercise.
40. Under the Radar Screen: How Bugs Trick Our Immune Defenses: In this course, you’ll learn how microbes defeat our immune system. [MIT]
41. Critical Analysis of Popular Diets and Dietary Supplements: Turn a critical eye to diets and dietary supplements with the knowledge from this course. [Johns Hopkins]
42. PE for ME: Get a look into physical intelligence with the help of this course. [MIT]

Math & Science

Here you’ll find some of the oddest courses on math and science.

43. Street-Fighting Mathematics: This course will teach you the art of guessing and solving problems without doing proofs or exact calculations. [MIT]
44. Inheritance of characters: Find out how genes contribute to a person’s behavior and health in this course. [The Open University]
45. The City Car: These lecturers propose the idea of an environmentally friendly city car to ease environmental and traffic woes. [MIT]
46. How Flies Fly: Get an increased understanding of the common fly from this course. [Caltech]
47. Immune Evasion: How Sneaky Pathogens Avoid Host Surveillance: This course details the battle that goes on during an infection. [MIT]
48. The Restless Universe: Get an overview of the big ideas that have shaped physics in this course. [The Open University]
49. The Amazing World of Bubbles: Find out everything you never knew you needed to know about bubbles through this course. [Caltech]
50. Earthquakes in Your Backyard: Learn scientific information about the hazards associated with earthquakes and tsunamis from this course. [Berkeley]
51. Brain Plasticity during Learning and Memory: Check out this course to find out how synapses exhibit plasticity that contributes to our ability to learn and remember. [Caltech]
52. Maths Everywhere: This course will show you just how much mathematics exists in our daily lives. [The Open University]
53. Engineering Apollo: Engineering Apollo is a technical and historical exploration of the Apollo project. [MIT]

Psychology

Find out about the oddities of the mind from these courses.

54. The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil: This course examines the roots of depravity and cruelty. [MIT]
55. Positive Psychology: The Science of Happiness: Learn about the study of positive psychology in this course. [Harvard]
56. Introducing Consciousness: Follow this course on consciousness for a study in the most important and baffling aspect of the mind. [The Open University]
57. Scene Understanding Symposium: Learn how recognition of a visual scene at just one glance works in the mind. [MIT]
58. Psycholinguistics: Learn all about language processing in this course. [MIT]
59. The Quest for Consciousness: Get a look into the relationship between the conscious mind and the brain through this course. [Caltech]
60. Investigating the Neural Substrates of Remote Memory Using fMRI: In this course, you’ll learn about memory retention and localization in the life of an individual. [MIT]
61. Emotion: An Introductory Picture: In this course, you’ll study a variety of philosophical questions about the nature of emotions. [The Open University]

Politics

These courses highlight unusual activities and movements in politics.

62. Food and Power in the Twentieth Century: Examine power, food, and politics in this course. [MIT]
63. Collective Choice: This applied theory course is all about the political economy of democratic countries. [MIT]
64. Drugs, Politics, and Culture: This class will take a look at the relationship between mind-altering substances, cultural processes, and politics. [MIT]

Language and Literature

In these courses, you’ll find some out of the ordinary learning about language and literature.

65. Phantom Tollbooth Guide: This guide offers a look at the book, The Phantom Tollbooth. [Suite 101]
66. Abnormal Language: This course offers a linguistic study of language pathology. [MIT]
67. Popular Narrative: Masterminds: Learn about the idea of being all-mastering in this course. [MIT]
68. The Linguistic Study of Bilingualism: Learn about the development of bilingualism in human history through this course. [MIT]

Education

These courses take a different approach to education.

69. How to Learn (Almost) Anything: This course explores the way the digital revolution has changed the way we learn. [MIT]
70. Un/Homeschooling: Check out this course to learn all about the unschooling approach to homeschooling. [Suite 101]

Home Ec

These courses offer unusual learning you can use at home and beyond.

71. Kitchen Chemistry: This course offers a look at unique and interesting cooking experiments in chemistry. [MIT]
72. Advanced Kitchen Chemistry: Learn how to make cheese, and discuss the science of spice and biochemistry through this course. [MIT]
73. Butterfly Gardening: In this course, you’ll learn all about cultivating a garden that attracts butterflies and other visitors. [Suite 101]
74. The Contemporary American Family: This course offers a study of the contemporary American family, and all of the controversies and debates the topic entails. [MIT]
75. Attracting Hummingbirds: This course celebrates hummingbirds, and offers lots of information on how you can attract these special birds. [Suite 101]

Sports & Activities

Have you ever wanted to study wrestling or NASCAR? You’ll get your chance with these courses.

76. American Pro Wrestling: This course explores the cultural history and media industry surrounding professional wrestling. [MIT]
77. Overcoming Fear of Flying: If you’re afraid to fly, be sure to check out this course that will help you overcome your fear. [Suite 101]
78. Games and Civic Engagement: In this course, you’ll learn about the civic potential of video games. [MIT]
79. Poker: Texas Hold’em: If you’ve always wondered how to play Texas Hold’em, be sure to check out this course. [Suite 101]
80. Furniture Making: In this course, you’ll learn the fine art of making furniture. [MIT]
81. NASCAR 101: Are you clueless when it comes to car racing? Follow this course to learn everything you need to know about NASCAR. [Suite 101]
82. Physical Intelligence: This course will help you learn about all of the thought that goes into the movement of your body. [MIT]

Travel & Culture

Learn about oddities in travel and culture from these courses.

83. Foundations of American Cyberculture: If you’ve ever wondered why things are the way they are online, find out in this course. [Berkeley]
84. Walt Disney World: This course on Walt Disney World offers a look into all that the park has to offer. [Suite 101]
85. Drugs-Brain, Mind and Culture: Professor Jamie Pineda gives this course that explores the way drugs influence the brain, mind, and culture. [UCSD]
86. Media in Cultural Context: You’ll learn how foreign programs find places within domestic media. [MIT]
87. The World is Flat 3.0: Tom Friedman examines the way the world is beginning to shrink and flatten in this course. [MIT]
88. American Soap Operas: Learn the history and unique form of American soap operas. [MIT]
89. Social Visualization: Social Visualization will help you understand people, their activities, and their interactions. [MIT]
90. Rise of the Creative Class: Richard Florida shares his knowledge about a rising new social class of people whose work involves creativity. [WGBH]
91. American Dream: Exploring Class in the US: Understand how social classes work in the United States from this course. [MIT]
92. Out of Ground Zero: Explore catastrophe and memory relating to the attack on the World Trade Center through this course. [MIT]
93. The Once and Future City: Check out this course to find a study of twentieth-century American cities, and the factors that will shape them in the future. [MIT]
94. Marketing, Microchips, and McDonalds: Debating Globalization: Find out exactly what globalization is and what it means from this course. [MIT]
95. The Meaning of Home: Find out how people identify and become attached to places, buildings and objects in this course. [The Open University]

Philosophy & History

Get a look at extraordinary history and philosophy from these courses.

96. Introduction to Nonviolence: Learn the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi and nonviolence through this course. [Berkeley]
97. Moral Problems and the Good Life: This course focuses on issues concerning matters of social justice. [MIT]
98. Life in the Palaeozoic: Get a glimpse into what life was like in the Palaeozoic Era from this course. [The Open University]
99. Ancient Wisdom and Modern Love: This course examines love and life through the view of classic and historic works of art. [Notre Dame]
100. How Silicon Valley Was Made: Christophe Lecuyer offers his expertise on the history of Silicon Valley. [Princeton]

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