Enrollment
Click View Course Offerings and then click on the name of a course you’re interested in to go to the course’s homepage on Coursera. Click the the Enroll button in the upper left corner. You will be prompted to log into Coursera or sign up for an account. Once you enroll, you will be able to either audit the course for free or pay a certificate fee to earn a Course or Specialization Certificate. Some courses offer a free trial during which you can try out the course for free before committing to paying the certificate fee.
CU students, faculty, and staff can access course offerings and earn Coursera course and specialization certificates free of charge through CU on Coursera. If you are a CU student, staff member, or faculty, follow the steps outlined in the Accessing CU on Coursera support page to log into your portal and access the program.
Auditing a course allows you to view most course materials for free, including lectures, course videos, and discussion forums. Auditing a course does not allow you to submit graded assignments or earn a Course or Specialization Certificate. You can choose to unlock the full course and pursue a Course or Specialization Certificate at any time during or after you audit a course. If you’ve already audited the course, you can simply revisit the course to complete the assignments and earn a Course or Specialization Certificate.
Yes, you can choose to unlock the full course and pursue a Course or Specialization Certificate at any time during or after you audit a course. If you’ve already audited the course, you can simply revisit the course to complete the assignments and earn a Course or Specialization Certificate.
A Specialization is a series of courses that help you master a skill. We recommend completing the courses within a Specialization in the order in which they occur, but you can enroll in any of the courses at any time. Specializations typically feature applied projects and deliverables that you can use to build your career portfolio.
By completing a Specialization, you will also earn a Specialization Certificate. A Specialization Certificate is an official Coursera credential that confirms you successfully completed a Specialization. You can share your Certificate on your LinkedIn profile, your resume, and with your current and/or prospective employers.
You can access an audited course indefinitely. If you choose to pursue a Course Certificate, you have 180 days from the date of enrollment to complete the course and earn a Course Certificate. If you do not complete the course within this 180 day period, you must re-enroll and pay the certificate fee a second time to earn the Course Certificate.
Certificates & Credit
A Course or Specialization Certificate is an excellent way to share with your current and/or prospective employer that you’ve learned a new job skill. You can also share your Coursera Certificates on your LinkedIn profile or your resume/CV. Please note that a Course or Specialization Certificate does not represent academic credit from the University of Colorado Boulder.
You can see your Course Certificates on your Coursera Accomplishments page. From there, you can download, print, or share your Certificates.
Yes, your course is taught by University of Colorado Boulder faculty. You will engage in the same high-quality course materials as any other CU Boulder student. Your Course Certificate will display a Coursera and University of Colorado Boulder logo.
Most of CU Boulder’s Coursera course offerings are non-credit. Academic credit eligibility will be addressed on individual course or specialization pages.
CU Boulder currently offers a pathway to 3 academic credits for completing The Teacher and Social & Emotional Learning (SEL) Specialization.
CU Boulder will also offer academic degree and certificate programs on Coursera. In these degree programs, coursework you complete on Coursera will be eligible for academic credit upon successful payment of tuition and enrollment. Visit the Master of Science - Electrical Engineering degree description page or the Master of Science in Data Science degree description page for more information.
Cost
Typically, courses carry a $49 or $79 certificate fee; however, be sure to check the course you’re interested in for current costs. To see course costs, open your course’s homepage and click the Enroll button.
A Specialization subscription is a monthly fee that grants you full access to courses and materials required to complete the Specialization. You will be charged monthly until you complete the series of courses within the Specialization and earn a Specialization Certificate. You can cancel your subscription at any time.
Yes, you can apply for Financial Aid or a Scholarship to use toward Course Certificate fees. Learn more about financial aid. Note that this is financial aid determined and distributed by Coursera, not financial aid from any state or federal government.
You can request a refund within 2 weeks of payment. You cannot get a refund after this 2 week period or if you’ve earned a Course Certificate in the course. Learn more about refunds.
How Courses Work
Typically, individual courses consist of 4-6 modules, or weeks, of content. You can expect to spend 2-5 hours learning per week.
Most courses have suggested deadlines that begin as soon as you enroll; however, if you miss a deadline you will not be penalized. If you submit a peer-reviewed assignment after the deadline and do not receive enough peer reviews, you can request additional peer feedback by posting in the forums. If you miss 2 or more deadlines, you will see the option to dynamically reset your personalized deadlines. You can still earn a Course Certificate once you complete your work, even if it is at your own pace.
You can audit a course indefinitely; however, if you have chosen to pursue a Course Certificate, you have 180 days from the time you enrolled to complete your coursework and earn your Certificate.
You do not have to complete assignments unless you are pursuing a Course Certificate. To earn a Course Certificate, you must complete and pass all graded assignments in the course.
Most courses include some kind of practice and graded assessments, such as quizzes and exams or peer-reviewed projects and coding assignments. You will sign an honor code agreement prior to completing any assessment.
You will only be asked to take a proctored quiz or exam within courses that fulfill requirements toward a degree program.
You must complete and pass all assignments or meet the course passing threshold in a cumulative graded course to earn a Course Certificate. Some courses include additional honors assignments, which—if completed—are reflected on your Course Certificate. Your Course Certificate does not reflect a final grade.
Yes, you can re-submit your quizzes and assignments to improve your course performance. If you would like to continue working within a course 180 days from the date you originally enrolled, you will have to pay the certificate fee a second time to earn a Course Certificate.
Tech Help
If you are having trouble accessing your course or notice something isn’t working properly within your course, consult the Coursera Learner Help Center.
If you are a CU student, faculty, or staff member and are having trouble accessing your CU on Coursera course, please call the Office of Information Technology at your campus.