Introduction
As a neuroscientist you have skills in research and science altogether for the exploration of the most complex organ of the human body, the brain, the entire nervous system along with the spinal cord.
Study of neuroscience will enable you to comprehend different neurological diseases to develop the treatments for the patients. These neurological issues will include but are not limited to mental health issues such as schizophrenia, traumatic stress, brain stroke, head injuries, epilepsy, Alzheimer, and many more.
Neuroscience is a rewarding and attractive career path so if you are ready to invest enough time to study this subject, you will definitely be earning a high salary when you are practical serving in the field. On average, individuals serving in the field of behavioral neuroscience, theoretical neuroscience as well as computational neuroscience earn $79K+ USD per annum.
If you are an enthusiastic learner but your schedule and daily routine does not allow you to attend a university, then you have reached the right place. This guide provides you with the list of the 10 best online courses for the application of neuroscience.
Related reading: 11 Mindfulness Courses Worth Taking
Lets have a thorough look at these courses:
1. Fundamentals of Neuroscience – edX
‘Essentials of Neuroscience’ is an online course that deals with the thorough study of the nervous system. This course will explain the basic working of individual neurons as well as their collective functioning to form complex neural systems. Learners will be taught how a single neuron stimulates information.
This five week online course is free of cost; however, if you need the verified certificate, you may get it while paying $169 USD.
What you may expect from this course?
- In the lesson one, the learners will learn how electrical potential of the neurons on its ionic basis is measured and what its function is in the overall nervous system.
- Secondly, you will learn how neurons behave while sending electrical signals and then you will explore the capacitive and resistive properties of neurons.
- You will examine the action potential of neurons in order to understand the mechanism of the brain and the ionic currents that cause action potential.
- You will be able to integrate your knowledge of electrical properties of neuron, action potentials and ‘ionic currents’ work.
- Enrollees will have the opportunity to conduct some neuroscience experiments while using SpikerBox – equipment which is used to hear and see the real-time electrical spikes.
What will this course teach you?
In this course, you will learn:
- The basics of bioelectricity
- Scope of resting potential
- How passive membranes of neuron are vital part of neural system
- You will get to know the role of electrical spikes and ionic currents
- Usage of neuroscience at home
Instructor: David Cox
Level: Basic
Class Project: N/A
Video Lectures: 5 lessons
User Review: N/A
Price: Free
2. Understanding the Brain: The Neurobiology of Everyday Life – Coursera
Peggy Mason is the top rated instructor at Coursera and teaches the neural systems and functional neuroanatomy at the University of Chicago. Enrollees are allowed to sing up for this course free of cost but you will have to pay to access the graded assignments and to obtain the verified certificate that you have attended this online course.
It will take just 28 hours to complete this course and the best part is that you can take lectures depending on your availability. If you are enrolled for the premium course, don’t worry at all, deadlines to submit your assignments are very flexible.
What you may expect from this course?
Expect this course to make you well versed with how the nervous system influences human behavior and how common issues of life can be seen in the light of neuroscience. By understanding neural communication, you will be taught how to make the perception of the outside world.
What will this course teach you?
- With the help of seventeen video lectures, during the first week of the course, you will learn the mechanisms of brain and basic concepts of nervous system while keeping in mind the biological perspective
- In the second week, you will learn how individual neurons communicate, integrate and relay the information. In other words, seventeen video lectures during this week will comprise the concepts related to embodied emotion and neural communication.
- Organization of the nervous system will be taught in the third week with the help of twenty six video lectures. Here you will learn to figure out different neurological disorders and their symptoms while exploring the concepts of neuroanatomy.
- In the last week, enrollees will watch twenty six video lectures to learn how different stimuli are perceived by the human brain.
You have access to these lectures all the time so you can watch and revise your concepts whenever you want.
Instructor: Peggy Mason
Level: Beginner
Class Project: N/A
Video Lectures: 86 videos
User Review: 4.9/5 (1,822 reviews)
Price: FREE
3. Computational Neuroscience: Neuronal Dynamics of Cognition – edX
Professor Wulfram Gerstner is a computer scientist and instructor for this course. One can sign up for this advance level course free of cost and can obtain a certificate for just $139. It will take only six weeks to complete this comprehensive course if you are ready to spend around four to six hours every week. It means, hardly you will have to spare an hour every day to accomplish this course.
What you may expect from this course?
This course is designed to teach the concepts of computational and mathematical models which are important for the neuroscientists to learn to be successful in the field of theoretical neuroscience. This online course teaches you how collective dynamics of the interacting neurons can be analyzed.
What will this course teach you?
Once you have finished this course, you will be in a position to:
- Understand the formalization of biological facts of nervous system in mathematical model
- Comprehend how thousands of neurons interact with one another without a control unit.
- Understand the functioning of cortical field models of perception
Instructor: Wulfram Gerstner
Level: Advance
Class Project: N/A
Video Lectures: N/A
User Review: N/A
Price: FREE
4. Medical Neuroscience – Coursera
This advanced-level course is offered by Duke University and Dr. Leonard White will teach the medical neuroscientists the concepts of the neurophysiology of the human nervous system.
Enrollment in this course is totally free of cost for the learners, however, they have to pay to avail the graded material of the course or they may apply for financial aid as well. The total estimated number hours are 71 to complete all 6 modules of this four-week online course.
What you may expect from this course?
Keep your learning expectations high in this advanced level course. You will have the opportunity to explore how human emotions, memory and cognitions are related to the organization of the neural system in the spinal cord as well as human brain and integration of the sensorimotor signals. The objective of this course is to offer the fundamentals of the impaired cognition, sensation and action that is caused by some particular disease, injury or incapability of the nervous system.
What will this course teach you?
- In the first week, there are two modules:
- In the first module, with the help of five lectures, you will learn the basics of medical neuroscience. At the end of this module, you may take an ungraded quiz for your self-assessment to know whether you are ready to take academic challenges of this online course or not.
- Second module of the first week consists of four videos for study of brain and neuroanatomy.
- Second week of the course also offers two modules:
- First module with the help of twelve video lectures is designed to teach you surface anatomy of the human CNS. Here you will learn the fundamental subdivision of the vertebrate nervous system. The challenging and intriguing part of this module is to build a digital brain.
- In the second module of the second week, there are twelve comprehensive video lectures to teach the enrollees the concepts of internal anatomy of human CNS.
- In the third week, there is one module with nine video lectures to teach the concepts of neural signaling. Here you will learn how individual neurons produce, proliferate and communicate the signals within the networks of neurons.
- The last week’s module is designed to teach advanced level neural signaling. Through this module, you will learn about synaptic plasticity and transmission.
Instructor: Dr. Leonard White
Level: Advance
Class Project: N/A
Video Lectures: 55
User Review: 4.9/5 (2,150 reviews)
Price: FREE
5. Leveraging Neuroscience in the Workplace – LinkedIn Learning
Srini Pillay, a brain science innovator and Harvard trained psychiatrist, offers this online course to leverage the concepts of neuroscience in the workplace. There are a total of nineteen video lectures and for only $40, you will have lifetime access to all the resources of this course.
What you may expect from this course?
You must expect this intriguing course to teach you:
- Neuroscience of trust and team management
- Neuroscience of successful leadership behavior
- Principles of neuroscience every coach and teacher must know
What will this course teach you?
- Your instructor, Dr. Srini will teach you how to change the brain to change the performance at workplace
- Learn how human brain works to conduct the business
- Through this course, you are going to learn how great leaders build trust while using different brain based tools.
Instructor: Srini Pillay
Level: Advance
Class Project: N/A
Video Lectures: 19
User Review: N/A
Price: $40
6. Cellular Mechanisms of Brain Function – edX
For this course, your instructors will be Dr. Carl Petersen and Yanqi Liu (A Ph.D. Scholar) to teach you how human behavior is linked with the functioning of the brain. This free of cost online neuroscience course will take eight weeks to be completed and you have to pay $139 if you intend to get the certificate at the end of the course.
What you may expect from this course?
After completing this course, you will be able to understand the structure and functioning of neurons and other basic components of the brain along with its synapses.
Secondly you will be able to master the concepts related to neural networks, specifically how inhibitory GABAergic neurons interact with excitatory glutamatergic neurotransmitters in the nervous system. Also there will be a glimpse of how neural networks are related to machine learning and artificial intelligence.
What will this course teach you?
- Basics of neuroscience in relation to the brain function
- How electrical signaling works biophysical mechanisms of neurons
- Functions of sensory perception and sensorimotor in neural networks
Instructor: Carl Petersen and Yanqi Liu
Level: Intermediate
Class Project: N/A
Video Lectures: N/A
User Review: N/A
Price: FREE
7. Orientation to Educational Neuroscience – FutureLearn
If you have been in the field of psychology or you are interested in learning how best to apply the concepts of neuroscience in academics, then this is the right course for you to sign up.
This course is underpinned in the research findings of Dr. Louis Cozolino and is presented by Central Queensland University, Australia. You can start this course with a free trial for a week but you will have to pay $39 every month to avail the entire course material.
What you may expect from this course?
This course will cover some interesting topics that include:
- Evolution of the human brain as a social organ
- The concept of SEL (Social emotional learning) in classroom environment
- The implications of the link between mind and body in the learning process
- The concept of growth mindset as a neural process to maximize the learning
What will this course teach you?
- Through this course you will get an insight into brain function and implications in the optimal learning experiences.
- You will be taught the nine things that every educator / teacher must know about the brain.
- This course will help you explore the optimal learning opportunities for the students of the modern era in the classroom environment.
Instructor: Central Queensland University
Level: Intermediate
Class Project: N/A
Video Lectures:
User Review: 4.8/5 (270 reviews)
Price: $39 / month
8. Fundamental Neuroscience for Neuroimaging – Coursera
Mr. Arnold is an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University and is your instructor for this course. This is a free of cost course but to avail of the graded assignments and quizzes, you will have to pay the price or you may opt to apply for financial aid as well.
In this beginner course, there are twenty courses for the beginner level students of neuroscience and this course can easily be completed if you are ready to spend just nine hours in four weeks. There are a total of four modules and every module is taught with the help of five videos.
What you may expect from this course?
At the end of this course, the fundamentals of neuroimaging methods and different terminologies essential to understanding the neuroimaging application will be at your fingertips.
Topics that you may expect to cover in this course will be:
- History of the neuroimaging
- Intro of neuroimaging physics
- The concept of image formation
- A brief overview of various neuroimaging applications such as:
- Diffusion tensor imaging
- Perfusion imaging
- Functional MRI
- Magnetic resonance spectroscopy
- Positron emission tomography imaging
What will this course teach you?
- Five videos of the first module in the first week should only take two hours to complete
- In this module you will learn the basic terminologies in the neuroscience
- Also you will be taught the concepts related to the structural neuroanatomy of the human brain
- In the second module, with the help of five videos, you will be introduced with functional neuroanatomy of the human brain that will include neuropsychological assessment of human cognition as well as cognitive domains
- In the module of the third week, you will be taught the methods and principles of neuroimaging. Also you will learn how these principles and methods can be applied in functional and structural neuroimaging
- The last module should only take two hours of your effort to be completed and you will learn about the experimental design and its application in functional neuroimaging.
Instructor: Arnold Bakker
Level: Beginner
Class Project: N/A
Video Lectures: 20
User Review: 4.6/5 (1,580 reviews)
Price: FREE
9. Learn Neuroscience: How Your Brain Works in Six Lectures – SkillShare
Dr. Andre Klapper will be your instructor for this beginner-level neuroscience course. He is a renowned researcher, psychologist and neuroscientist. This course offers one project and the best part is that you can access all the lessons without any hassle if you have installed the SkillShare App on your smartphone.
What you may expect from this course?
If you are an enthusiast learner and want to learn how your brain works and what you can learn from your own brain then this is the right course for you.
Here you can expect this course to teach you the role played by your brain in the development of your personality.
Also you will be taught how consciousness, imaginations and mental capabilities work.
What will this course teach you?
Through this course, you will learn:
- What are the unseen functions of the human brain that one must know?
- The role of frontal part of brain in your personality development as this part is responsible to manage higher level executive functions, expressive language and voluntary movements
- How does your brain manage your two personalities simultaneously?
- Being a superhero with the help of neuroplasticity
- The desire and the power of imagination
- Neuroscience negates the concept of free-will. Why?
All this and much more thought-provoking concepts which are essential for every individual to learn especially those who want to explore the hidden traits of their own personalities.
Instructor: Andre Klapper
Level: Beginner
Class Project: 1
Video Lectures: 8
User Review: N/A
Price: FREE
10. Anatomy: Human Neuroanatomy – Coursera
If you intend to learn how different components of your nervous system operate and interact with one another to make your body function all day and night, then this is the perfect course for you.
Kelli Sullivan serves the University of Michigan and is your instructor for this course. Though a subscription to this course does not cost you a dime but you will have to spend $49 if you want to obtain a verified certificate after the completion of this course.
If you can spend three to four hours in a week, you can easily complete this course within eight weeks.
What you may expect from this course?
Get ready to be familiar with the human peripheral and central nervous system. Through this course, you will be familiarized with the concepts of how sensory and motor pathways work incorporation with the autonomic nervous system.
The paid content of the course includes a variety of learning material such as assignments and quizzes to test as well as expand your knowledge of the nervous system. After finishing this course, you will be in a position to understand how the nervous system influences the human body.
What will this course teach you?
Here in this course, you will learn:
- About the entry of the sensory information in the human brain
- How muscles are controlled by the spinal cord and the brain?
- How flight and fight responses are activated by the autonomic nervous system?
- What are the cranial nerves and how do they function?
Instructor: Kelli Sullivan
Level: Beginner
Class Project: N/A
Video Lectures: N/A
User Review: N/A
Price: FREE
