Udemy is one of the most popular online learning platforms in the world.
With more people than ever before seeking access to remote learning and affordable education, platforms like Udemy are continuing to grow in popularity.
However, is there any real benefit to gaining a Udemy certification, or is Udemy accredited? and will the workforce recognize your study as legitimate?
To answer these questions and more, keep reading to explore the ins and outs, and the authority, of Udemy.
What Is Udemy?
Udemy is a popular online learning and teaching platform site that offers its users access to more than 204,000 courses.
With over 54 million students enrolled, Udemy is one of the largest online learning providers in the world.
With Udemy, students can learn essential skills in fields such as marketing, data science, programming, and more.
Each course is condensed into a series of lessons and modules, with learning materials consisting of assessment tests, videos, quizzes, text notes, and more.
Like most other online learning providers, all Udemy courses can be completed remotely and at your own pace.
This makes Udemy an appealing option for busy working professionals, teachers, and existing students looking to gain extra skills.
Udemy was founded in 2010 by Oktay Caglar, Gagan Biyani, and Eren Bali, with Gregg Coccari being the current CEO.
What Courses Does Udemy Offer?
Udemy offers over 204,000 online courses to its students. However, most Udemy courses are not free, so you’ll have to pay a fee to complete them.
The fee can vary for each course, depending on the nature of the content.
There’s a Udemy course for everyone whatever your interests and field you’re working in. Some of Udemy’s most popular courses include:
- Digital Marketing
- IT Certifications
- Personal Transformation
- Web Development
- Entrepreneurship
- Business Analytics and Intelligence
- Game Development
- Music
- Office Productivity
- Lifestyle
Udemy also offers courses on topics such as Python and Data Science, which are popular choices for people working in tech and looking to develop their skills and even those who want to start a new career and want some base skills to work with.
Udemy also has courses in over 60 languages, with students in over 190 countries.
If you’re an instructor with Udemy, you’ll also have the power to create entire courses on your topic and offer them online – however, Udemy will check all of the content first before posting it online.
Each Udemy course is taught to you by industry professionals, and each instructor can provide you with accreditation and certification.
Your Udemy course can be completed on a desktop or a mobile – so for those studying and working, it’s never been easier to study on the go.
Is Udemy Accredited?
Unfortunately, Udemy is not officially an accredited institution.
This means that any course you take with Udemy will not count toward college credit or continuing education units (CEUs).
Just because Udemy courses aren’t accredited doesn’t mean they’re not useful.
When you complete a course with Udemy, you’ll be given a certificate of completion to demonstrate your participation in the course.
This certificate appears to be offered only to those who complete paid Udemy courses, and the certificate can be placed on your resume, Linkedin profile, or shared with friends or family.
Once you’ve finished your course, the certificate can be generated on the Udemy platform free of charge and exported to your device.
The Pros And Cons Of Udemy
Udemy is one of the largest online providers in the world.
With millions of students already taking advantage of the courses Udemy has to offer, you may be wondering whether or not the platform is the right fit for you.
So, to help you decide if the learning platform is right for you, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of the pros and cons of Udemy to help you decide for yourself.
Pros
- Free Courses: Although Udemy does provide mostly paid courses, it’s possible to access over 600 free courses on the platform. These are on a variety of topics, including WordPress and Fitness.
- Affordable: Udemy’s paid courses are still cheaper than studying at a traditional institution. Some courses cost as little as $12, while others can cost as much as $200.
- Lifetime Access: When you sign up for Udemy, you’ll be given lifetime access to every course you enroll in. This means that whatever course you purchase, you’ll be able to access it whenever and wherever you are.
- Completion Certificate: When you complete your course with Udemy, you’ll get a certificate of completion to demonstrate your proficiency in the course. However, this certificate is only given to students who complete a paid course with Udemy.
Cons
- Non-Accredited: Unfortunately, Udemy is not an accredited institution. Although you’ll get a certificate of completion, this isn’t anything official. However, employers can still recognize it as a commitment to upskill and reskill in your field.
- Quality Control is Questionable: One of the great things about Udemy is that instructors can upload their own courses and get stuck into teaching. Although Udemy strives to quality check each course, with over 204,000 courses on the platform, concerns have been raised about how thorough this process is.
- Udemy Doesn’t Create Course Content: Unfortunately, it’s not the responsibility of Udemy to create its course content. Instead, Udemy instructors create the course content, which in some cases, can impact the quality of the course.
The Bottom Line
Unfortunately, if you’re looking to study with an accredited remote institution, Udemy may not be the right choice for you.
Although you’ll gain a certificate of completion when you finish studying for a Udemy paid course, you should remember that Udemy isn’t accredited – so this certificate does not carry the same authority as an official degree.
However, Udemy courses are a great way to upskill, reskill, and show off your dedication to your work to your current employer and future employers, all while studying flexibly around your existing schedule.
It’s a win-win!
