Learn from Harvard Kennedy School faculty—online, anytime.

Join an open community of adult learners, where world-class faculty bring pressing public challenges to life through engaging online courses. 

Explore high-impact Harvard Online courses that help you build in-demand skills to boost your career. Gain foundational knowledge and leadership strategies that equip you with powerful insights.

Whether you’re advancing your career in public leadership or exploring new ideas in government, politics, or policy, our flexible courses make it easy to learn on your schedule.

Discounts available on select courses for government, nonprofit, education, and military employees. Learn more about individual discounts.

Interested in enrolling a team? Learn more about our group discounts for organizations.
 

Harvard Online Courses for Adult Learners

 

Effective Writing for Greater Impact

Clear and impactful communication is an invaluable professional skill. With Harvard's Todd Rogers and insights from comedian/writer Ilana Glazer, this course unpacks the core skills of effective writing.

Faculty: Todd Rogers
Delivery: On-Demand
Commitment: 2.5 hours

 

Disagreeing Productively and Collaborating Well

Master the art of effective disagreement with Julia Minson and producer/musician Jack Antonoff. Learn tools for transforming difficult conversations into productive collaborations.

Faculty: Julia Minson
Delivery: On-Demand
Commitment: 2.5 hours

 

Cultivating Power for Positive Impact

Learn how to empower yourself and others through this course, led by Harvard Professor Julie Battilana, in conversation with actor, singer and producer Keke Palmer.

Faculty: Julie Battilana
Delivery: On-Demand
Commitment: 2.5 hours

 

Cybersecurity: Managing Risk in the Information Age

Build a risk mitigation strategy to protect your organization. You’ll learn to safeguard digital assets and strengthen cyber resilience.

Faculty: Eric Rosenbach
Delivery: Online, Scheduled Cohorts
Commitment: 8 weeks, 8–11 hours per week

 

Strategy Execution for Public Leadership

Learn to execute high-impact strategies and build your skills in communication, crisis response, team leadership, and long-term execution.

Faculty: Eric Rosenbach
Delivery:  Online, Scheduled Cohorts
Commitment: 4 weeks, 4–5 hours per week

 

Data Privacy and Technology

Navigate privacy challenges and lead responsibly in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Faculty: Michael D. Smith and Jim Waldo, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Delivery: Online, Scheduled Cohorts
Commitment: 5 weeks, 4–5 hours per week

 

Managing Happiness

Blend research and practical strategies to help you build lasting well-being, improve your mindset, and create a more purposeful, fulfilling life.

Faculty: Arthur Brooks
Delivery:  Online, Asynchronous
Commitment: 6 weeks, 2–3 hours per week

 

Exercising Leadership: Foundational Principles

Build foundational leadership skills, understand systems, engage stakeholders, and take action on the issues that matter most to you.

Faculty: Ronald Heifetz
Delivery:  Online, Asynchronous
Commitment: 4 weeks, 2–3 hours per week

 

Leadership for Purposeful Change: Creating Public Value

Learn to lead change and create lasting public value. Gain tools to design solutions, build support, and drive impact on the challenges that matter most.

Faculty: Mark Moore
Delivery:  Online, Asynchronous
Commitment: 7 weeks, 2–3 hours per week

 

American Government: Constitutional Foundations

Explore power, federalism, and equality—and how foundational ideals continue to shape American democracy and civic life today.

Faculty: Thomas Patterson
Delivery: Online, Asynchronous
Commitment: 4 weeks, 2–4 hours per week

 

Citizen Politics in America: Public Opinion, Elections, Interest Groups, and the Media

Discover how public opinion, political parties, social movements, and media shape U.S. politics. 

Faculty: Thomas Patterson
Delivery: Online, Asynchronous
Commitment: 4 weeks, 2–4 hours per week

 

U.S. Political Institutions: Congress, Presidency, Courts, and Bureaucracy

Explore how Congress, the presidency, and the courts interact—how voters, parties, and agencies shape political outcomes.

Faculty: Thomas Patterson
Delivery:  Online, Asynchronous
Commitment: 4 weeks, 2–4 hr per week

 

U.S. Public Policy: Social, Economic, and Foreign Policies

This course explores key issues—from climate change to trade—and the political forces driving today’s most pressing policy debates.

Faculty: Thomas Patterson
Delivery:  Online, Asynchronous
Commitment: 4 weeks, 2–4 hours per week

 

We the People: Civic Engagement in a Constitutional Democracy

Develop your civic voice, understand your rights, and engage meaningfully in your community and government.

Faculty: Danielle Allen
Delivery:  Online, Asynchronous
Commitment: 7 weeks, 1–3 hours per week

 

Data Science Principles

Learn to think critically with data and understand key data science concepts to drive informed decisions—no coding required.

Faculty: Dustin Tingley
Delivery:  Online, Scheduled Cohorts
Commitment: 4 weeks, 4–5 hours per week

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