Free Introductory Physics Courses
Free introductory physics courses are available at such prestigious universities as Yale and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Courses listed below include a three-part series on the basics of physics, in addition to audio and video lectures on Newtonian mechanics and relativity, among other areas of study.
University of California, Irvine
The University of California, Irvine, offers students an opportunity to learn about introductory physics online for free with its three-part series on basic physics. Students can review video lectures on subjects like Newtonian dynamics, fluid dynamics, magnetism, waves and sound. Michael Dennin, PhD, Roger McWilliams PhD, and Michael Smy PhD, are the respective professors from these courses.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MIT offers free online physics courses. The first listed course is an introduction to classical mechanics. Students will participate in problem solving workshops and lab experiments. The next course is a hands-on classical mechanics course. Selection of topics includes special relativity, statics and kinematics. The standalone physics course uses TEAL (Technology Enabled Active Learning) method of learning.
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley, offers physics courses online for free. The first is a lecture-based introduction to physics course, with over 20 video lectures. The next introductory physics course consists of audio lectures available on iTunes, given by the professor, Marjorie D. Shapiro.
Yale University
Yale University offers an introductory physics course online for free. Class topics, in the form of audio and video lectures, include Newtonian mechanics, Kepler's law, relativity, Lorentz transformation, Boltzmann constant and harmonic motion, delivered from professor Ramamurti Shankar.
- Fundamentals of Physics - Yale University
Free Online Introductory Physics Courses At a Glance
| Course & School | Program Level | Format | Assignments | Quizzes & Exams | Downloadable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physics 3A: Basic Physics course from UC Irvine | Undergraduate | Video lectures | No | No | Yes |
| Physics 3B: Basic Physics II course from UC Irvine | Undergraduate | Video lectures | No | No | Yes |
| Physics 3C: Basic Physics III course from UC Irvine | Undergraduate | Video lectures | No | No | Yes |
| Physics I: Classical Mechanics course from MIT | Undergraduate | Textbooks/lecture notes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Physics I: Classical Mechanics with an Experimental Focus course from MIT | Undergraduate | Text/study materials | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Physics I course from MIT | Undergraduate | Textbook/lecture notes/labs | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Physics C10 course from UC Berkeley | Undergraduate | Video lectures | No | No | Yes |
| Physics 8A course from UC Berkeley | Undergraduate | Audio lectures | No | No | Yes |
| Fundamentals of Physics course from Yale University | Undergraduate | Audio/video lectures | Yes | Yes | Yes |
