Coursera

Effective Altruism (Coursera)

Offered by Princeton University,
Effective Altruism (Coursera)

Effective altruism is built on the simple but unsettling idea that living a fully ethical life involves doing the most good one can. In this course you will examine this idea's philosophical underpinnings; meet remarkable people who have restructured their lives in accordance with it; and think about how effective altruism can be put into practice in your own life.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

All the features of this course are available for free. It does not offer a certificate upon completion.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Getting Started with the Course
This week we share what this course is about. We will give those of you who do not have a background in philosophy, or who need a refresher, an opportunity to study two areas of ethics: meta-ethics and normative ethical theories.

WEEK 2
Poverty and Affluence
What obligations do the affluent have towards those who live in extreme poverty? This week we look at one distinct argument based on consequentialist ethics and also begin the discussion of the effectiveness of aid programs. This week also includes a conversation with Raymond Offenheiser. Furthermore, we discuss poverty as human rights violations. You will also find a conversation with Dean Karlan about effective solutions to poverty problems in this week.

WEEK 3
What is the Best Cause? How Much Ought We Do to Help Others?
How do you get the most value for your charitable dollars? How can you compare different causes to each other, and how do you compare different charities to each other? One of the guests this week is Elie Hassenfeld from GiveWell, an organization that tries to find the answers to these questions. This week you will also meet three individuals who in different ways embody the ideal of effective altruism: Zell Kravinsky, Julia Wise and Alexander Berger.

WEEK 4
Effective Altruism and Career Choice
This week Will MacAskill and Matt Wage discuss effective altruism and career choice.

WEEK 5
The Giving Game
In this week you will have the opportunity to play the Giving Game.

WEEK 6
Why Act Ethically?
In this last week, we circle back to some foundational questions in ethics. What is the relationship between rationality, self-interest, and ethics? How demanding is morality, and why exactly should be trying to live an ethical life? In this week you will also find the final essay assignment.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Ethical Leadership Through Giving Voice to Values (Coursera) Coursera
University of Virginia

Ethical Leadership Through Giving Voice to Values (Coursera)

Management & Leadership

This course offers an action-oriented introduction to Giving Voice to Values (or GVV), an exciting new approach to values-driven leadership development in the workplace, in business education and in life. GVV is not about persuading people to be more ethical, but instead it starts from the premise that most of us already want to act on our values, but that we also want to feel that we have a reasonable chance of doing so effectively.

Sep 14th 2026
4 Weeks
Ethics Leadership Ethical Leadership
Details
Organ Donation: From Death to Life (Coursera) Coursera
University of Cape Town

Organ Donation: From Death to Life (Coursera)

Health & Society Medicine & Pharmacology

Considering someone for organ and tissue donation at the end of life is complicated. The boundary between life and death is more complex than ever before and it falls to medical professionals to help clarify a situation at an often confusing and emotionally stressful time. In this course you will learn about the science behind death determination and when is it possible for deceased organ donation take place.

Sep 14th 2026
4 Weeks
Ethics Death Brain Death
Details
Ethical Social Media (Coursera) Coursera
The University of Sydney

Ethical Social Media (Coursera)

Social Sciences

Social media connects us across space and time, allowing us to find like-minded communities and participate creatively in public life as never before. We may often use social media without thinking much about the possible consequences. But there is a shadow side associated with social media use, which takes the form of hate speech, increased surveillance, lack of anonymity and questionable use of our data. What do we need to know to use social media spaces effectively, in a way that is safe and productive for all?

Sep 7th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Ethics Society Social Sciences
Details
Intro to Managing Ethics in the Workplace & Marketplace (Coursera) Coursera
Northeastern University

Intro to Managing Ethics in the Workplace & Marketplace (Coursera)

Health & Society

Are you seeking practical guidance for improved decision making in business situations involving critical ethical issues? Are you looking to participate in creative and constructive thinking and learning around these topics? This course is designed to help you. Flawed ethical reasoning has interfered with patient care, undermined shareholder value, eroded public trust, distanced employees and destroyed careers. Using a combination of didactic instruction and a series of case studies, readings, and field study experiences, the course will actively engage you in a timely, relevant, and challenging fashion.

Sep 21st 2026
4 Weeks
Healthcare Ethics Workplace
Details
Data Science Ethics (Coursera) Coursera
University of Michigan

Data Science Ethics (Coursera)

Data Science

What are the ethical considerations regarding the privacy and control of consumer information and big data, especially in the aftermath of recent large-scale data breaches? This course provides a framework to analyze these concerns as you examine the ethical and privacy implications of collecting and managing big data. Explore the broader impact of the data science field on modern society and the principles of fairness, accountability and transparency as you gain a deeper understanding of the importance of a shared set of ethical values.

Sep 21st 2026
4 Weeks
History Ethics Data Analysis
Details
Create Compelling Business Cases (Coursera) Coursera
Coursera Instructor Network

Create Compelling Business Cases (Coursera)

Business

In this one-week course, we’ll focus on the 5 most crucial elements of a business case, including what is a business case and how it is used to make investment decisions. Whether you are a student or a professional, this course will give you the fundamentals you need, from defining the problem to gathering data and performing a financial analysis.

Sep 21st 2026
1 Week
Business Risk Ethics
Details
Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (Coursera) Coursera
Politecnico di Milano

Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (Coursera)

Robotics & Computer Vision

This course deals with the problems created, aggravated or transformed by AI. It is intended to give students a chance to reflect on the ethical, social, and cultural impact of AI by focusing on the issues faced by and brought about by professionals in AI but also by citizens, institutions and societies. The course addresses these topics by means of case studies and examples analyzed in the light of the main ethical frameworks.

Sep 14th 2026
4 Weeks
Artificial Intelligence Ethics AI
Details
Violence Against Healthcare (Coursera) Coursera
University of Geneva

Violence Against Healthcare (Coursera)

Social Sciences

At the global level, there are many countries marked by violence affecting health care. The 'Health care in danger' project aims to establish practical measures and recommendations that can be implemented on the ground by policy-makers, humanitarian organizations and health professionals. In view of the multiplicity of actors and latitudes concerned, it is essential to be able to make available the tools needed to make informed decisions, guide behaviour in high-risk areas and provide everyone the means to create and optimize the dialogue between humanitarian professionals and health on the one hand and relevant authorities or other armed actors.

Sep 7th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Healthcare Ethics Human Rights
Details