10 Best Psychology Courses for 2025: How We Think and Feel

For a long time, I’ve had an interest in how our minds work and why we behave as we do, and I’m not alone in that curiosity! Since ancient times, scholars and thinkers have studied forms of psychology, including Aristotle and Plato in ancient Greece, Confucius in China, and early Hindu scholars. Today, it is one of the most popular university subjects at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.

The good news is, you can learn about psychology from a range of excellent and popular online courses without needing to enroll at a university. Several of the courses in this Best Courses Guide (BCG) are in Class Central’s Best Online Courses and the Most Popular Online Courses lists, and well over 200,000 subscribers are following the Psychology subject in the Class Central catalog. Read on to find the best introductory psychology courses as well as social, child, and developmental psychology, the psychology of learning and psychological first aid after a traumatic event.

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• Top Picks
• What is Psychology?
• Courses Overview
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• Psychology Communities
• Why You Should Trust Us
• How We Made Our Picks and Tested Them

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What is Psychology?

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. It seeks to understand how people think, feel, and act by exploring mental processes such as perception, memory, emotion, and decision-making. Psychologists use research and observation to uncover patterns in human behavior and to examine how various factors—like biology, environment, and social influences—affect our thoughts and actions.

The field of psychology includes many different branches, such as clinical psychology, which focuses on mental health and therapy; developmental psychology, which studies how people change over time; and social psychology, which looks at how individuals are influenced by others.

Psychology contributes to areas as diverse as education, health, business, and sports by offering insights into how people can learn more effectively, manage stress, build better relationships, and enhance performance. Applied psychology uses this knowledge to solve real-world problems, from helping individuals cope with anxiety to designing safer workplaces.

Overall, psychology combines curiosity about human nature with rigorous scientific inquiry. It helps us better understand ourselves and others, offering tools to promote mental well-being and social harmony. As research continues to advance, psychology continues to deepen our understanding of the complex interplay between the brain, mind, and behavior.

Courses Overview

• All courses are free or can be audited for free
• Eight courses offer a certificate of completion; one of these is free
• The Psychology subject is followed by 281K learners on Class Central
• Courses in this guide have more than 3.5 million enrollments between them
• The most featured provider is Coursera with four courses, followed by edX with three courses.

Best Introduction to Psychology Course (Yale)

Presented in a simple animated style, Introduction to Psychology offers a broad introduction to the science of the mind and behavior. It explores some of life’s most fascinating questions through the lens of modern psychological research: why we fear certain things, what dreams mean, and what brings us happiness. Along the way, you will gain insight into how we think, feel, learn, and interact with others, as well as how these processes develop, vary between individuals, and are affected by brain function and mental illness.

With an enrollment of over 1.5 million, this is among the most popular online courses of all time.

In this course, you will:

• Discover the biological basis of mental life (neuroscience)
• Study Freud’s psychodynamic theory and Skinner’s behaviorism
• Learn how infants and children think and develop and the link between language and thought
• Explore how we interpret and store experiences; analyze the impact of genes and environment
• Examine emotions: happiness, well-being, and how we relate to others; study personality and intelligence
• Get an overview of mental illness and psychological therapies.

If you want to watch Paul Bloom’s actual university lecture series, see the playlist posted by YaleCourses.

“This course helped me to become more conscious not only about others’ behavior, but also about myself. I improved my social skills and also became more conscious of the need of changing habits and improved also my overall well-being. The course has many reading resources to imrpove (sic) learning in additional to the lectures.” – Priscila Frohmut, Class Central learner.

Also Great Introduction to Psychology Course (University of Toronto)

Introduction to Psychology deserves its place on Class Central’s Most Popular and Best Courses lists. It takes you on a journey through some of the most fascinating experiments and discoveries in psychology, revealing how the brain shapes our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. From memory and learning to social influence and mental illness, each topic uncovers surprising truths about how we function—and sometimes malfunction—as human beings. With engaging content and real-life relevance, this course promises insights that will change the way you see yourself and those around you.

Course Syllabus:

• Explore psychology’s roots and learn how psychologists study the mind scientifically
• Gain knowledge of brain structure and understand the biological basis of psychological processes
• Discover how we process information and how learning shapes our actions
• Learn about how memory works and sometimes fails, including amnesia and how we remember
• Delve into social psychology through sometimes controversial experiments
• Understand psychological disorders and their treatments, and gain insight into clinical psychology without self-diagnosing!

The course also includes links to optional outside readings, references, and fascinating videos to deepen your understanding.

“The course is phenomenal. The professor is simply amazing and very engaging; he talks and explains everything with such passion that is a joy listening to him. Very very recommended! ” – Benedetta Baldin, Class Central learner.

Best MIT Psychology Course (MIT)

Recorded in spring 2011, Introduction to Psychology also includes resources and exam questions and solutions. Designed for self-study, the course is a survey of the scientific study of human nature, including how the mind works, and how the brain supports the mind. Learners will consider how knowledge relates to debates about nature and nurture, free will, consciousness, human differences, self, and society.

You will learn about:

• Science and research, including structure and functions of the brain
• Vision, consciousness, attention, memory, learning, amnesia, intelligence, and memory systems
• Personality, emotion, and motivation
• Child and adult development, social psychology, evolutionary psychology
• Stress and happiness
• Psychopathology.

“…It was so exciting and informative. The knowledge and information I gained from here will help me in my teaching activities as a teacher in terms of understanding student psychology. ” – Guler Nuri, Class Central learner.

Highly-Rated Introduction to Psychology Course (Udacity)

Intro to Psychology by instructors from San Jose State University is a journey through the major concepts and principles of psychology. You will learn how to critically evaluate psychological research and gain a more in-depth understanding of human thought and behavior.

The syllabus includes:

• Practice versus research; industrial and organizational psychology, forensic psychology
• The biology of behavior: genetics, human evolution, and dominance complexity
• Sensation and perception: weight difference threshold, mechanoreceptors, nearsightedness and the eye
• Psychological development: nature vs nurture, developmental stages, prenatal exposure
• Coma, consciousness, attention, meditation, the function of sleep, sleep apnea, insomnia, memory
• Effects of legal and illegal substances
• And much more: language, intelligence, motivation, emotion, stress, personality, social behavior, psychological disorders.

“This was a great class! Very interesting, informative, and intensive! I really enjoyed this course very much!!!…” – Anastasiia Shystovska, Class Central learner.

Best Social Psychology Course (Wesleyan University)

Another course on Class Central’s Best Courses of All Time and Most Popular Courses of All Time lists, Social Psychology is an intensive program that explores fundamental questions about human behavior through the lens of contemporary social psychology research. The course includes over $1,000 worth of video and reading materials and covers topics ranging from decision-making and persuasion to group dynamics and personal relationships. Students will examine surprising research findings that can be applied to daily life, with content drawn from Social Psychology Network resources. Certificate students receive free membership to SocialPsychology.org.

You will learn about:

• Social perceptions and misperceptions, what social psychology is
• The psychology of self-presentation, persuasion, cognitive dissonance
• Obedience, conformity, deindividuation, and ethical issues in research
• Group behavior: the Abilene Paradox, groupthink, prejudice
• Helping, hurting, and peacemaking, living compassionately
• Addressing social problems, happiness, romantic attraction and close relationships.

“This is an amazing course and the professor put together such great materials. I recommend not only doing compulsory work but also look at the supplementary materials and check out the entire textbook. It will make your experience even more enjoyable. ” – Hnin Oo Lwin, Class Central learner.

Also Great Social Psychology Course (University of Queensland)

Designed for curious minds who want to understand the “why” behind our actions, Introduction to Social Psychology offers an engaging exploration of human behavior in social contexts.It challenges common assumptions about human nature and provides evidence-based insights into how we think, feel, and interact with others. You’ll discover the fascinating science behind everyday social phenomena.

Course syllabus:

• How we influence each other
• Why we sometimes hurt other people
• How we think about ourselves and others
• How we communicate non-verbally
• Why people behave pro-socially
• Where prejudice and stereotypes come from.

“I feel this is a course that everyone should take, no matter what your profession is. The content really opens your eyes and helps broaden your views on others and the world we live in…” – Britney Payne, Class Central learner.

Best Psychology for Personal Growth Course (Hong Kong University of Science & Technology)

Another course found in the  Best Courses of All Time list, Psychology of Personal Growth is designed for individuals seeking to understand the fundamental processes that shape who they are. This engaging program provides deep insights into personal development and explores the critical factors that influence your personal growth through exposure to new experiences. With a particular focus on how culture shapes personality development, emotional understanding, and relationship dynamics, the curriculum incorporates relevant findings from Chinese populations, offering a unique cross-cultural perspective. Suitable for beginners and those looking to deepen their understanding of human psychology, this course provides the perfect foundation.

Topics covered:

• Introduction to psychological adjustment
• Understanding yourself
• Exploring your emotion
• Romantic love and culture
• Intimate relationships.

“I did not learn what I expected from the course, but what I did learn made it all worth it… A lot of it was comparing many characteristics of chinese culture with the western world which deepened my understanding…” – Anonymous Class Central learner.

Best Child Psychology Course with Free Certificate (The Open University)

Childhood is a time of rapid physical and cognitive growth and development. In Introduction to child psychology you will be introduced to the discipline of child psychology and some of the key questions that guide the understanding of childhood. These questions include ‘What influences children’s development?’ and ‘How do psychologists study the physical and cognitive changes that occur during childhood?’ As you work through the activities and audio-visual material, you will gain a deep understanding of how psychologists work with young children across a range of applied settings.

Topics covered:

• What is child psychology?
• Using theories to understand development
• Development is primarily internal: Piaget
• Development is determined by environmental factors: Vygotsky
• Asking questions about children’s development
• How does socio-cultural context influence development?
• How do children shape their own development?
• Child psychologists in applied settings.

“this course is an eye opener to child psychology to me. i advise any and every parent to take this course to aid their child training and understanding the children in a Global world view instead of a personal myopic worldview.” – Green Albert Ulutorti, Class Central learner.

Best Post-Trauma Psychology Course (Johns Hopkins)

Yet another psychology course on Class Central’s Best Courses of All Time list, Psychological First Aid is designed to equip you with the skills to provide psychological first aid using the RAPID (Reflective listening, Assessment of needs, Prioritization, Intervention, and Disposition) model in various emergency situations. The course covers the application of the RAPID model across different settings such as public health, the workplace, military, and community incidents. The course also emphasizes the importance of self-care for providers.

You will learn to:

• Identify and differentiate between non-severe and severe psychological crises
• Provide immediate relief
• Prioritize mental health interventions
• Facilitate further mental health support when necessary.

“It was a very concise and interesting course. I had taken it as I am in ministry work and felt that this would be helpful…” Heather, Class Central learner.

Best Psychology of Learning Course (University of Naples Federico II)

If you are looking for a course in Italian, your search ends here! Psicologia dell’apprendimento is a highly-rated course about the psychology of learning. It answers these questions and more: Where do we learn? And how do we learn? What are the best environments for learning?

The course is designed to help psychologists, educationalists, teacher trainers, teachers and educational software developers better understand the psychology behind learning. You’ll be introduced to consolidated models of learning processes and the main cognitive development theories in the context of current perspectives in Psychology-related research: neuroscience, cognitive sciences and artificial intelligence. Specific childhood learning difficulties (dysgraphia, attention deficit disorder, dyscalculia and dyslexia) will be described.

The course also focuses on technology enhanced learning to support lifelong learning processes and learning in different contexts such as school, work, and rehabilitation centers.

“Good course, complete and clear. It provided a thorough basis to get in-depth of the main concepts of learning psychology in successive courses…” – Angela Rossoni, Class Central learner.

YouTube Videos

YouTube has plenty of videos about psychology. Here’s a selection:

• Psychology by CrashCourse (7 hours) has 33 million views. The CrashCourse YouTube channel has more than 16 million subscribers
• Theories of Counseling (12 hours) by Dr. Todd Grande
• Social Psychology (2-3 hours) by Practical Psychology
• Behavioral Finance – The Role of Psychology in Financial Decision-Making (1 hour) by YaleCourses
• Basic Psychology in Tamil (5 hours) by Psychology in Tamil.

Psychology Communities

With widespread interest in this field, you can participate in a range of online communities:

• Reddit: r/psychology (4.8M members), r/psychologyresearch (60K members), r/psychologystudents (167K members)
• Discord: Psychology Den (26K members)
• LinkedIn Groups: The Psychology Network (266K members), Organisational Psychology (120K members), Psychology in Business (86K members)
• Blogs: Positive Psychology, Psych Central, and more.

Why You Should Trust Us

Class Central, a Tripadvisor for online education, has helped 100 million learners find their next course. We’ve been combing through online education for more than a decade to aggregate a catalog of 250,000 online courses and 250,000 reviews written by our users. And we’re online learners ourselves: combined, the Class Central team has completed over 400 online courses, including online degrees.

How We Made Our Picks and Tested Them

Trying to find “the best” can be daunting, even for those of us who live and breathe online courses. Here’s how I approached this task.

First, I combed through Class Central’s Catalog and the internet to find a variety of free and paid open courses, some with certificates. You don’t need to enroll in a university to learn about psychology

When choosing courses, I considered the following factors:

• Renowned Institutions: I looked for recognized institutions in psychology
• Instructor experience: I sought instructors with extensive experience in psychology and engaging presentation styles
• Popularity: I checked numbers of enrollments and views to find popular courses
• Course content: I examined courses that covered a range of topics and presentation styles, including the basics and more advanced topics. I watched some course videos to sample courses I hadn’t already taken
• Learner reviews: I read learner reviews (when available) to get a sense of the quality of each course, leveraging the Class Central database with its thousands of course ratings and reviews written by our users as well as available course provider reviews.

Then, I defined the scope for these recommendations. A psychology course can cover various topics, so I chose top courses from a range of sub-fields.

Ultimately, I used a combination of data and my own judgment to make these picks. I’m confident these recommendations will be a reliable way to learn about psychology.

The post 10 Best Psychology Courses for 2025: How We Think and Feel appeared first on The Report by Class Central.

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