Why Coursera Plus Is Valuable in 2024

We constantly have new things to learn as project managers. You will also be expected to do some professional development every year if you possess a professional certification such as the Project Management Professional, an APM certificate, or PRINCE2.

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And all of it comes at a cost, frequently one that our employers won’t cover. Coursera Plus is another option for skill development and money management.

Coursera Plus: What is it?

Coursera’s subscription service is called Coursera Plus.

A global online learning platform, Coursera offers training materials on a variety of business-related subjects. Consider it a substitute for LinkedIn Learning, with information from top colleges and teachers.

The hundreds of courses available online are only accessible with the Plus subscription.

There is a choice between monthly and yearly payments. In order to see what is included in the Plus program and make sure you are comfortable committing to a membership, there is also a free trial available.

For your money, what then do you get?

Courser Plus includes what?

With only one monthly or yearly membership, you may access over 7,000 courses and specializations (a group of courses leading to a certificate).

With the Plus membership, you may access more than 90% of the courses on the platform.

You have unrestricted access to training from more than 170 prestigious institutions and businesses. And you can obtain certifications for each one of them (some may not give certificates, but all of the ones I looked at did, and Coursera claims to let you to obtain an infinite number of certificates).

More than fifteen Professional Certificate programs are offered (including all Google courses); however, the subscription plans do not cover degrees or some additional subjects.

What is Coursera Plus’s price?

Coursera Plus is cheaper than the monthly version in the UK, costing £47 per month or £322 per year ($59 USD per month or $399 USD per year). If you are certain that you want to dedicate yourself to a year, I would suggest the yearly plan.

Alternatively, it can be less expensive to forego Coursera Plus and simply pay for that course or specialty as a one-time purchase if you explore around and only want to buy one course. Monthly fees for courses range from £40 to £65, and many programs may be finished in a month if you put in the effort.

Verify the prices in your nation; they should be comparable.

The advantages of Coursera Plus

Based on my use of Coursera Plus for professional growth, I’ve listed these 7 advantages.

1. Examine anything

Would you want a work breakdown structure course? Agile techniques? How should a presentation be delivered? All of those and many more are available on Coursera.

Are all courses included in Coursera Plus?

No, it doesn’t. Online training programs and degree courses from some partners, including Stanford University, are not included in the subscription. However, you will undoubtedly discover a course to advance you, as Plus members get access to almost 90% of the content. IBM Project Management is currently part of Coursera Plus as of April 2024.

Find the ideal courses for you by using the search filters. I rapidly narrowed down my search by eliminating certain providers and languages.

2. Economical education

The free option on Coursera contains restricted material. For instance, you may audit the Google Project Management Certificate (which allows you to see the course materials), but you need to have a membership in order to take the tests or complete the peer reviews.

That being said, I completed a large portion of the Google Project Management certificate utilizing the auditing tool without having to pay for a subscription that would have required several months of access.

The Plus option provides you free access to a ton of high-quality learning resources if you want to take several courses over the course of a year.

3. Complies with your timetable

How many of us can dedicate a whole week to attending a classroom course? It’s hard for me to think I used to do that. Now that I think about it, flexible learning is the best option.

Online learning has the advantage of being flexible enough to accommodate your day employment.

For instance, as I completed my other responsibilities, I listened to some Agile training. I put the Coursera app on my iPad and downloaded the videos so I could watch them while I cooked supper and did other bathroom tasks like brushing my teeth and doing other things.

I completed a good deal of the material without needing to “sit and learn.” Note: If you believe that taking a lot of notes helps you learn, don’t do this. If I had to constantly pause and take notes, I never could have peeled the potatoes.

4. Acquire certifications

My primary motivation for enrolling in Coursera was to obtain certifications.

Are certifications included with Coursera Plus?

It really does, yes!

Does purchasing Coursera certificates make sense?

I believe so, but you do have to admit that they don’t have the same “worth” as, let’s say, a degree or a professional certification such as the Project Management Professional (PMP)®, which has specific qualifying requirements in addition to a proctored test and also acknowledges your expertise in the area.

Being a bit of a learning snob, I can happily study anything for its own sake, but I am much more driven to learn when I can post my accomplishment on LinkedIn or receive a Credly badge at the conclusion of the process.

5. Esteemed by employers

The portal that hosts the training is called Coursera. Leading colleges and training institutes supply the instruction. I completed an IBM course, for instance. I’ve also enrolled in Google classes.

If you’re wondering if companies appreciate Coursera, the answer is definitely yes, since many colleges have made their particular courses available on the site.

Although there are undoubtedly some courses available from less esteemed institutions than from a prominent university, employers will value the skills and knowledge you have acquired from top-tier educational institutions.

6. Superior content

Although the quality of the video learning resources varies depending on the supplier, the classes I’ve attended have been expertly presented and put together.

These professor-level professors are featured in professionally produced videos. You may be sure that you are receiving professional instruction because it is a top-notch learning environment.

But exercise common sense. Select service providers with well-known brands, reputable colleges, and highly rated courses. Although the Coursera platform includes “quality” services like note-taking, transcriptions, and reminders, the caliber of the presenters’ slideshows, videos, and presentations will be up to the individual providers.

7. Well worth it!

I can personally state that the knowledge I’ve learned on the platform has increased my faith in Agile methodologies. Although I don’t routinely work with Scrum teams, I do frequently engage with Scrum Masters and Product Owners, so it’s helpful to have a better understanding of their environment.

Would you recommend Coursera Plus? Yes, it is; 87% of Coursera students report professional gains. so long as it’s utilized.