If you are looking to shift towards the creative domain or to learn new skills that are useful and facilitates the free flow of creative juices, then go ahead and enroll in the following specializations. For those who are unaware of the wonders of specialization courses provided by Coursera (a massive open online courses provider), they are a set of curated courses specifically designed to master a skill. Specializations courses provide the benefit of in-depth study, which you can still fit in your busy schedule. These courses last up to a few months and include regular tests and capstone projects and rewards you with a specialization certificate. You can audit a course for free inside a specialization to figure out if it is the right fit for you or just start straight away by paying a nominal fee.
Graphic Design by California Institute of Arts
California Institute of Arts, better known as CalArts, is one of the best colleges in the world to study arts and was envisioned and co-founded by Walt Disney himself! The college is offering a rigorous course with a flexible schedule for those interested in graphic design. Spread over approximately six months, you will be required to spend three hours every week to complete the course. Divided into a four-course sequence, the programme exposes students to the fundamental skills required to make a sophisticated graphic design: process, historical context, and communication through image-making and typography. The sequence is completed by a capstone project that applies the skills acquired from each course and involves peer feedback, leading to a fine-tuned branding project suitable for a professional portfolio.
Modern and Contemporary Art and Design by Museum of Modern Art
The museum of modern art or MOMA is one of the largest and most influential museums of modern art in the world and provides several courses on art for budding artists and art aficionados. The four-course sequence specialization introduces critical concepts and teaches essential skills for budding artists and designers. This specialization is intended to introduce the fundamentals of modern and contemporary art and equip the students with a deeper understanding of the processes of great artists and designers and their modes of experimentation. Spread around approximately seven months, you will need to dedicate just three hours per week to expose yourself to the exciting world of art and its application in the world.
Photography Basics and Beyond by Michigan State University
If you wish to learn photography and go beyond taking snaps for Instagram and gain control of exposure and understand fundamentals of composition, while exploring documentary and creative concepts, then this course is for you. Covering a broad range of fundamentals such as camera control, composition and post-processing, the specialization takes around six months to complete by just taking just 4 hours out of your routine every week.
The DIY Musician Specialization by Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music is the largest independent college of contemporary music and is simply one of the best places to learn music in the world. The college is providing an online specialization for budding musicians and equips them to write, record and produce their own music. This specialization will take you through the process of writing, recording and producing your own music to gain the practical skills you need to record music within ProTools, which is the industry standard Digital Audio Workstation. The duration of the specialization is around five months and you will need to dedicate three hours every week to start your musical journey.
Google UX Design Professional Certificate
This is a professional certificate designed and taught by Google. User experience (UX) designers focus on the interaction that users have with products, like websites, apps, and physical objects. They make those everyday interactions useful, enjoyable, and accessible. At under 10 hours per week, you can complete the certificate in less than 6 months. You will create designs on paper and in digital design tools like Figma and Adobe XD. By the end of the certificate program, you will have a professional UX portfolio that includes three end-to-end projects.
