20 Best Graphic Design MOOC / Non-credit Programs Online
Choosing a graphic design MOOC can feel overwhelming with so many options available online. This page brings together twenty courses from Coursera, Udemy and edX, covering everything from foundational principles to specialised tools such as AI‑assisted design and CorelDRAW. Prices range from $19.99 to $178.20, and each course is listed with its provider and, where known, the university or institution behind it.
The selection is ordered according to our internal ranking, but the order does not imply that any one course is objectively the best. Use the information here to compare topics covered, the level of prior design experience assumed, and the teaching platform that suits your learning style before deciding which programme aligns with your goals.
- Courses compared
- 20
- Price range
- $19.99 – $178.20
- Providers
- Coursera, Udemy, edX
- Last updated
- 18 Sep 2026
How these 20 courses were chosen
Every course below is a real, currently listed course from Coursera, Udemy, edX, matched to "Graphic Design" by our catalog and ordered by our CourseAsk score. Courses whose own title names the topic rank above those only tagged with it.
The grade on each entry scores how much the provider publishes about the course before you pay — the length and detail of the description, whether it lists learning outcomes and objectives — and whether a named university or institution stands behind it. A is fully documented and institution-backed; E is little more than a title and a price. Courses with almost nothing published are left ungraded rather than marked down, because an unknown course and a poor one are not the same thing.
There are no star ratings on this page — the course feeds we license do not include them, and we would rather leave a column out than fill it with a number we cannot stand behind. What we do have is price: these range from $19.99 to $178.20, as listed by the provider when we last updated the page.
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1
Graphic Design
Offered by University of Colorado Boulder
Welcome to Graphic Design, the second course in the Effective Communications Specialization. Over 70 different companies have provided this specialization to their employees as a resource for internal professional develo...
$79.00listed price -
2
Ideas from the History of Graphic Design
Offered by California Institute of the Arts
This intensive survey examines four pivotal eras in the History of Western Graphic Design, tracing the evolution of visual communication from the Industrial Revolution through the mid-20th century. While the global histo...
$79.00listed price -
3
Graphic Design Elements for Non-Designers
Offered by University of Colorado Boulder
In this hands-on specialization, you will explore basic graphic design elements, color theory, images, publication design and techniques for creating effective layouts. You will also learn about typography, the creative...
$49.00listed price -
4
Generative AI for Graphic Designers
Offered by Adobe
Generative AI is changing the way designers work—turning ideas into visuals faster than ever. In this course, you’ll learn how to use Adobe Illustrator’s AI-powered features to generate artwork, recolor designs, and crea...
$49.00listed price -
5
Ultimate Graphic Design Course: Create 40 Practical Projects
Offered by Packt
Updated in May 2025. This course now features Coursera Coach! A smarter way to learn with interactive, real-time conversations that help you test your knowledge, challenge assumptions, and deepen your understanding as yo...
$49.00listed price -
6
Graphic Design Theory - Space
Offered by Skillshare
Your instructor Martin Perhiniak, states: As a graphic designer, most of the designs you work on will end up being flat. Not in the sense that they won’t look good, but in the literal sense: they will be printed on sheet...
$49.00listed price -
7
CorelDRAW : Graphic Design and T-Shirt Design with CorelDRAW
How to Start a T-Shirt Printing Business with CorelDRAW 2024Course OverviewAre you ready to turn your creativity into a profitable T-shirt printing business? This step-by-step course will teach you how to design professi...
$19.99listed price -
8
AI Graphic Design Masterclass: Logos, Thumbnails & More
Design like a pro — no experience needed.Imagine being able to create stunning logos, thumbnails, mockups, and even viral memes using just simple prompts — no Photoshop, no Illustrator, and no prior design skills.In this...
$19.99listed price -
9
Introduction to Graphic Design
Offered by LCI Education
This course provides a solid introduction to graphic design, covering essential principles and techniques that can enhance your design skills. You'll explore key concepts like color theory, typography, and layout while g...
$178.20listed price -
10
Learn Graphic Design Using AI Canva Gemini and Grok Imagine
Welcome to the Complete Graphics Design with AI Tools Masterclass, where creativity meets artificial intelligence. In this hands-on course, you’ll learn how to create professional-quality designs, social media posts, ads...
$29.99listed price -
11
Realistic Baroque Drawing: Volume 3 - Landscape & Portrait
Offered by Autonomous University of Barcelona
The Bey Atelier in Baroque Drawing is an artistic experience that will take you back to the 17th century where you will learn - together with Baudilio Bey- the secrets of artistic drawing in the greatest of the classical...
$94.99listed price -
12
Effective Communication Capstone Project
Offered by University of Colorado Boulder
In the Effective Communication Capstone learners apply the lessons of Business Writing, Graphic Design, and Successful Presentation to create a portfolio of work that represents their mastery of writing, design, and spea...
$79.00listed price -
13
Grundlagen des Grafikdesigns
Offered by California Institute of the Arts
Grafikdesign ist präsenter als je zuvor! Wörter und Bilder – die Bausteine des Grafikdesigns – sind die Elemente, die den größten Teil des Inhalts der digitalen wie auch der gedruckten Welt beinhalten. Da Grafikdesign in...
$79.00listed price -
14
Python Fundamentals for Designers
Offered by University of Michigan
Python Fundamentals for Designers is an introduction to programming using Python meant for students interested in how programming is applied to visual applications and design. The course introduces the foundations of pro...
$49.00listed price -
15
Introduction to Typography
Offered by California Institute of the Arts
Typography is the art of manipulating the visual form of language to enrich and control its meaning. It’s an essential area of skill and knowledge for graphic designers. Typography predates modern graphic design by aroun...
$79.00listed price -
16
Fashion as Design: Silhouettes and Icons
Offered by The Museum of Modern Art
Every garment we choose is a deliberate act of design. This course offers a deep dive into the iconic silhouettes that have defined the last century, shifting your perspective from seeing clothes simply as products to un...
$49.00listed price -
17
Programming for Designers
Offered by University of Michigan
In Programming for Designers, you will explore Python programming within a creative context, equipping you with essential computational design skills. Beginning with fundamental programming principles, you will move on t...
$49.00listed price -
18
Fondamentaux de l’infographie
Offered by California Institute of the Arts
L’infographie est partout ! Les mots et les images, les composantes de l’infographie, sont les éléments qui véhiculent la majorité du contenu à la fois dans le monde numérique et dans celui des documents imprimés. À mesu...
$79.00listed price -
19
Foundations of Visual Design Using Canva
Offered by Board Infinity
Great design isn’t about talent - it’s about understanding layout, typography, colour, and structure. This beginner-friendly course helps you build strong visual foundations using Canva, even if you’ve never designed bef...
$49.00listed price -
20
Manga Drawing Basic Course / Story Writing & Storyboarding
Offered by Japan Animation & Manga College
* There are no feedback from the pros in this course.In this course, the members challenge themselves to create original manga based on the Japanese folklore, "Momotaro".We had Kei Natsumi-sensei, a manga artist, draw a...
$34.99listed price
Best Graphic Design MOOC / Non-credit Programs Online compared
Prices shown are the provider's listed price when we last updated this page. Confirm on their site before enrolling.
What the prices here tell you
The 20 priced courses on this page run from $19.99 to $178.20, with the middle of the range around $49.00 — a spread of $158.21. That is a wide gap for one subject. A higher price on this page usually reflects who is behind the course rather than how much material it contains, so it is worth opening two or three at different price points and comparing their syllabus before deciding.
Who is behind these courses
These courses come from Coursera, Udemy and edX. The platforms differ in how they sell: some charge once per course, others expect a subscription, and the listed price is not always what you pay at checkout after a promotion. 7 of these are produced by a named university or institution, including University of Colorado Boulder, California Institute of the Arts and Autonomous University of Barcelona — which usually means a fixed syllabus and a recognised certificate, rather than an individual instructor’s own course.
Before you enrol
Open the provider’s own page and check three things this comparison cannot tell you: when the course was last updated, what the syllabus actually covers in its later sections, and what recent learners say. Prices shown here are the provider’s listed price when we last rebuilt this page on 18 September 2026 — they change often, and a promotion can move them substantially. We earn a commission if you enrol through our links, which costs you nothing and never affects the order courses appear in.