Microcredentials
11 Microcredentials

Our online microcredentials are designed to upskill you for work in rapidly-growing industries, without the time and cost commitment of a full degree. They can be used as an independent certification, and some even offer academic credit to use towards a degree. Each microcredential also includes a formal online assessment.

Learn flexibly online

Develop your teaching skills with short, online professional development courses and in-depth programs that are easy to fit around your timetable. Start learning for free, on desktop, tablet or mobile.

Buy a course upgrade or subscribe to Unlimited for extra benefits

Buy a course upgrade for ongoing access to the course content, tests, and the chance to gain a Certificate of Achievement. Subscribe to Unlimited for access to hundreds of short courses and the ability to keep access to courses you gain a certificate on.

Boost your career

Get ahead and learn with top educationalists from leading universities and specialist teaching organisations. Network with and learn from the experiences of other teachers all over the world.

FutureLearn’s range of online teaching courses gives existing and aspiring teachers the chance to improve their skills and focus on professional development. Whether you’re looking to pursue an interest, advance your career, or learn a new skill, you can find teaching courses to support your ambitions.

Why choose an online teaching course?

One of the main reasons why people choose to take teaching courses online is the flexibility that it brings. It can sometimes be hard to step away from the hectic pace of life, but studying online gives you the opportunity to do so from just about anywhere. You can take your FutureLearn teaching course in an environment that’s comfortable for you. They give you the chance to study from home, without the need for early-morning or late-night commutes to class.

An online teaching course also gives you the freedom and flexibility to study at a time that suits you. Many of our programs require just 2-5 hours of study each week, but it’s up to you when you dedicate that time.

What types of courses are available?

Our online courses for teachers cover a wide variety of subject areas, meaning you’re sure to find something that suits your needs. This includes topics such as STEM teaching and language teaching, as well as courses on teaching maths and teaching science. If you’re looking to learn about inclusive teaching or how to teach online, we’ve got you covered there too.

Short or in-depth teaching courses

As well as regular teaching courses, we also offer microcredentials and longer programs. Microcredentials are courses that give you the chance to upskill your existing knowledge without the demands of a full degree. These industry-relevant subjects will give you credit towards a degree or an independent certification.

With programs, you can take multiple courses related to a specific topic.

So, if you’re interested in teaching computing, you can find a program on programming. Similarly, if you want to know about Teaching English or TEFL, a program on understanding the IELTS could be useful.

Alongside online courses for teachers, you’ll also find a range of relevant degrees from leading universities. We’re committed to helping the professional development of teachers, offering content suitable for both primary and secondary education teaching.

FAQs

What does teaching entail?

The role of a teacher is to help shape the minds of students, encourage them to succeed, and make them feel passionate about education and learning. They might teach anyone from small children to adults, depending on their specific role.

Their duties might include teaching from a curriculum, planning and delivering lessons, assessing student behaviour, safeguarding students, and collaborating with parents, families, other teachers and administrators.

Can I learn about teaching online?

To become a teacher, you’ll need to have certain teaching qualifications and experience. If you’re considering becoming a teacher, training to be a teacher, or just hoping to improve your teaching skills, our online courses will be useful to you.

Our teaching courses are completely online, so you’re free to study whenever suits you. You can also learn from anywhere in the world on a digital device.

What are the main skills you need for teaching?

To be a successful teacher, you’ll need strong communication skills, leadership abilities, emotional intelligence, creativity, and adaptability. You can work on these skills in one of our online courses focusing on soft skills.

Most importantly though, you’ll be passionate about education and your area of expertise, and excited to teach others about your passion.

What are the best teaching courses?

We have plenty of teaching courses available, whether you’re interested in teacher training, primary or secondary teaching, online teaching, inclusivity or teaching a specific subject.

Our most highly rated short courses include Education for All: Disability, Diversity and Inclusion by the University of Capetown, and Teaching Young Learners Online by the British Council.

If you’re looking for something more in-depth, you can join our highly related ExpertTrack Educational Neuroscience: Research-Led Teaching Approaches by Central Queensland University, or even complete a PGCE with Coventry University on our platform.

How do I become a teacher?

The amount of training you need depends on the kind of teacher you’d like to be. If you want to be a primary or secondary school teacher, then you’ll need to complete professional teaching qualifications.

This usually either consists of a Bachelor of Education (BEd) that gives you qualified teacher status (QTS), or an undergraduate degree of your choice followed by a PGCE (post-grad certificate of education).

Meet the people who love FutureLearn

"I strongly believe that the program will be a significant qualification for my CV. My success on the program will give me more confidence to keep trying to make the difference in the domain of English education and contribute to the welfare of our society."

"I was seeking out a way to study without having to put my daughter into childcare... I was amazed at how many education courses I could sign up for that are perfect for my CPD. Knowing that other teachers take these courses for their professional development helped to seal the deal for me!"

Browse our latest Teaching stories and advice

From teaching English as a foreign language to accredited teacher training, develop your career with our latest stories. Find out more about how you can take TESOL and TEFL courses online and learn collaboratively with teachers around the world. Ranging from STEM to teaching programming at primary school to understanding behavioural management techniques, discover more with our teaching courses.