The Great Courses Review

by Rebecca Salter

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Founded in 1990, The Great Courses is an online learning community designed to help people to learn new skills at their own pace. To date, the platform boasts over 800 courses in 13+ categories – all from expert professors!

So, just how good is The Great Courses? And what are the best courses it has to offer? Can I get it for free? And if I’m not happy with my course, can I get a refund?

I tried out the site to help answer these questions and more in: The Great Courses review.

First, here’s a quick overview:

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Quick summary

Features

  • 800+ courses taught by real-world experts
  • App, web, and offline versions to suit your schedule
  • My Digital Library to store your courses in one easy place
  • 13+ subjects ranging from finance to fine arts
  • Transcript purchase options

Pros

  • Learn from well-reviewed teachers
  • Tailored course suggestions
  • Online and offline learning options
  • Wide range of topics to choose from
  • More budget-friendly than college
  • Suited to all skill levels

Cons

  • Less up to date than other platforms
  • Downloads can take up lots of storage

Best for: Casual learners on a budget who are looking to learn new skills. With The Great Courses, there’s no minimum subscription and you get unlimited access to only what you pay for.

Overall: The Great Courses is a flexible platform that allows you to learn on your own terms in your own time. Compared to other platforms, The Great Courses has online and offline options and is compatible with over devices like Roku, Kindle Fire, and even DVD. Because there’s no subscription fee, you commit only to what you pay for (and without time constraints). Plus, with several free courses to sample, there really is nothing to lose!

In this The Great Courses review, I’ll cover:

  • What is The Great Courses and who are its instructors?
  • How does The Great Courses work and how much does it cost?
  • The Great Courses free trial
  • What a Great Courses lesson is like
  • Best Great Courses classes and offers
  • How I reviewed The Great Courses
  • What I liked and disliked
  • Alternatives to The Great Courses
  • What others have said about The Great Courses
  • Is The Great Courses worth it?
  • FAQs

So, let’s get started:

What is The Great Courses?

What is The Great Courses

The Great Courses is an online learning community that hosts courses in a wide range of topics. It is part of the larger company, Wondrium. 

Founded by Tom Rollins (author of The CEO Formula), The Great Courses is now a leading global media brand for providing “edutainment” in an affordable and accessible way.

By 2015, its courses had sold over 14 million copies, and the site continues to expand to offer bigger and better educational experiences.

And, with a number of free resources to check out commitment-free, it’s no surprise that people are flocking to The Great Courses for an enjoyable, no-pressure learning experience.

Who are the instructors?

The Great Courses Instructors

The Great Courses’ professors are some of the world’s top colleges, including Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. Along with these leading professors, The Great Courses teachers also include:

  • Published authors
  • Industry experts
  • International speakers
  • CEOs from globally renowned companies

How does The Great Courses work?

How The Great Courses Works

At the time of writing, there are two ways you can enjoy The Great Courses:

  1. Make a free account and pay as you go
  2. Purchase a monthly/annual subscription to The Great Courses Plus (now under Wondrium)

If you’re new to The Great Courses, all you need to do is create an account. After following this link, you’ll be prompted to provide your name, email address, and password.

By the way, signing up is completely free!

Once you’ve signed up, you can browse The Great Courses’ selection of 800+ courses, take 5+ free sample classes, and buy/gift individual courses.

With this option, you pay as you go – so you get exactly what you pay for and don’t commit to a subscription. 

Below, I’ve highlighted what you get with The Great Courses vs. The Great Courses Plus. This includes what you get with individual course purchases and the monthly/annual subscription options.

OptionLengthBillingIncludes
The Great CoursesVaries (average 6 hours per course)Pay-as-you-goChoice of video/audio/DVD, digital guidebooks, downloadable for offline viewing, compatible with various apps
The Great Courses Plus14-day free trial, then monthly or annual subscriptionMonthly, quarterly or annual plansAccess to all of The Great Courses, free digital guidebooks, Wondrium magazine, and free shipping

How much does The Great Courses cost?

Individual course purchase

The Great Courses Course

For all non subscribing members of The Great Courses, the site offers between 5-10 free sample courses. This means you can get a feel for how the platform works and what a real course purchase would look like.

If you like the content on offer, a full course purchase will set you back around $17 – though this varies from course to course. You can also add digital or physical transcripts on top of this.

While this might seem pricey, it’s worth bearing in mind that courses vary greatly in length. With most lectures lasting around 30 minutes, and courses covering an average of 20-30 lectures, this works out as a pretty good deal.

The Great Courses Plus subscription

The Great Courses Plus

That being said, the best value for money comes with an annual/monthly subscription. While this isn’t possible on The Great Courses itself, you can find The Great Courses Plus on Wondrium – which is a rebranded/broadened version of The Great Courses Plus.

At the time of writing, The Great Courses Plus offers 3 subscription types:

  1. Monthly$23.74/month
  2. Quarterly$17.78/month
  3. Annual$14.84/month

With this option, you can access a 14-day free trial, unlimited streaming, free digital guidebooks, discounts, and Wondrium magazine. You can also cancel at any time.

The Great Courses free trial

The Great Courses Free Trial

If you’re using the original Great Courses platform, subscription is always free. This way, you pay for individual courses and there’s no fixed fee for membership. So, you can make the most of the free sample courses on offer and explore free content on their YouTube channel and blog.

With The Great Courses plus, all subscription options include a 14-day free trial where you can experience all the benefits of a full membership without the commitment. If you want to avoid being billed, make sure you cancel before your free trial ends.

What a Great Courses lesson is like

The Great Courses Lesson

While course styles vary depending on the professor and subject matter, The Great Courses is, overall, a lot more formal than, say, LinkedIn Learning or Coursera. This is mostly due to the filming style (i.e. professional camerawork, professors shown in long shots, etc.). 

So, compared to other online learning videos, which can be a lot more “homemade,” The Great Courses definitely mirrors a college-style lecture more accurately than webcam-style videos. But, it also has the benefit of graphics to aid with learning.

In terms of its structure, The Great Courses classes usually feature:

  • A course overview with learning goals outlined
  • Audio/video options with transcripts available.
  • Q&A sections and downloadable resources
  • Speed up/slow down options for video/audio

Best The Great Courses classes

Some of the most popular and highly ranked The Great Courses classes are:

Economics and Finance: How the Stock Market Works | Ramon P. DeGennaro

Professional and Personal Growth: The Art of Video Storytelling | Bob Krist

Hobby & Leisure: How to Dance | Rob Glover and Alyssa Lundgren

Music & Fine Arts: In the Footsteps of Vincent van Gogh | Jean-Pierre Isbouts

Philosophy & Religion: Real Zen for Real Life | Bret W. Davis

Of course, the best Great Courses class for you also depends on your own interests!

However, to give you an idea of what The Great Courses has to offer, I’ve reviewed the top classes in a handful of categories:

Top Economics and Finance courses

The Great Courses Stock Market

How the Stock Market Works | Ramon P. DeGennaro | Rating: 4.8

Instructor: Ramon P. DeGennaro. DeGennaro is an award-winning finance professor at The University of Tennessee. He also consults in areas of business valuation, financial management, and investments.

Learn: How the stock market works, how to invest, and how to avoid unnecessary risks. This course breaks down the stock market basics and offers indispensable advice for anyone looking to invest.

Includes: 18 lectures, course guidebook, and offline/app-compatible streaming.

Best for: Anyone who owns stocks or is thinking about entering the market.

The Great Courses Economics

Thinking Like an Economist: A Guide to Rational Decision Making | Randall Bartlett | Rating : 4.7

Instructor: Randall Bartlett. Bartlett is an award-winning professor of Smith College, where he has taught for over 30 years. With two all-college teaching awards under his belt, he is well-skilled to teach for The Great Courses.

Learn: How to think like an economist, make better decisions that save time and money, and sharpen your knowledge of the world to produce optimum results in all areas of your life.

Includes: 12 lectures, course guidebook, and offline/app-compatible streaming.

Best for: Those looking to understand the principles of economics and to improve their rational decision-making skills.

Top Professional and Personal Growth courses

The Great Courses Personal Development

The Art of Video Storytelling | Bob Kirst | Rating: 4.9

Instructor: Bob Kirst. Kirst is a National Geographic Photographer and filmmaker, winning awards in the Pictures of the Year International and Communication Arts. He has also been named Photographer of the Year by the Society of American Travel Writers – three times!

Learn: How to tell stories through videos, prepare and use video equipment, and sharpen the practical skills needed to bring videos to life.

Includes: 12 lectures, course guidebook, closed captioning, and offline/app-compatible streaming.

Best for: Aspiring video creators who want to take their filming to the next level by learning to create beautiful and cinematic videos. 

The Best Courses Review

How to Build a Thriving Workplace: A Leader’s Guide | Beth Cabrera | Rating: 4.9

Instructor: Beth Cabrera. Senior Scholar at George Mason University, Cabrera conducts research on positive psychology to improve personal and professional wellbeing. She’s also the founder of Cabrera Insights – a leadership development firm that helps companies to form and maintain positive work environments.

Learn: How to build and maintain a positive work environment for both employee and customer satisfaction. Cabrera advocates for applying positive psychology to create a thriving work environment.

Includes: 12 lectures, course guidebook, closed captioning, and offline/app-compatible streaming.

Best for: Business leaders who want to help their company thrive from the inside out. Cabrera shows how employee satisfaction links to increased profits and sets out her “new frontier” for businesses.

Top Hobby and Leisure courses

The Great Courses Dancing

How to Dance | Rob Glover and Alyssa Lundgren | Rating: 4.8

Instructors: Rob Glover and Alyssa Lundgren. Glover and Lundgren are both dance professionals and have been instructing for decades. They’ve both also achieved national competitive success in multiple styles of dance.

Learn: Dancing fundamentals for skill and confidence, how to dance the basics in four popular genres: Latin, swing, ballroom, and country. You’ll learn the rhythms of each style, as well as how to count and feel the music.

Includes: 25 lectures, course guidebook, closed captioning, and offline/app-compatible streaming.

The Great Courses Chess

How to Play Chess: Lessons from an International Master | Rating: 4.7

Instructor: Jeremy Silman. Silman is an international chess master and world-class teacher. He’s a published author and has even worked as the chess consultant for Criminal Minds and Harry Potter.

Learn: The basics of chess through to advanced strategy. Silman walks you through every aspect of the game: how to begin, how pieces move, and how to make the most effective moves.

Includes: 24 lectures, course guidebook, closed captioning, and offline/app-compatible streaming.

Best for: Amateurs and professionals alike – anyone who’s keen to learn the ins and outs of chess. So, whatever skill level, you can unlock new tactics and enhance your understanding of the game.

Top Music and Fine Arts courses

The Great Courses Art

In the Footsteps of Vincent van Gogh | Jean-Pierre Isbouts | Rating: 5

Instructor: Jean-Pierre Isbouts. Isbouts is a National Geographic Historian and best-selling author. He specializes in biblical history and is well-known for his films, including Van Gogh Revisited with Leonard Nimoy.

Learn: A location-based history of Vincent van Gogh, with fascinating insight into his letters and creative development. This course runs like an episodic documentary, and it aims to tackle many of the questions commonly asked about the misunderstood artist.

Includes: 15 lectures, course guidebook, closed captioning, and offline/app-compatible streaming.

Best for: All art/history enthusiasts – especially those interested in Impressionism. While this course doesn’t feature “practical” skills in the way other Great Courses classes do, this is still a highly engaging and immersive journey through the world of Van Gogh.

The Great Courses Science

Understanding the World’s Greatest Structures: Science and Innovation from Antiquity to Modernity | Stephen Ressler | Rating: 4.9

Instructor: Stephen Ressler. Ressler is an award-winning professional and civil engineer. He’s also a Distinguished Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and served for 34 years as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Learn: The history of some of the world’s greatest buildings from antiquity to the modern day, how engineering makes these structures possible, and the scientific principles that govern the basic types of structural elements.

Includes: 24 lectures, course guidebook, closed captioning, and offline/app-compatible streaming.

Best for: Anyone interested in engineering or architecture. Ressler presents his course in an easy-to-understand style and this class doesn’t require any former knowledge of the subject.

Top Philosophy and Religion courses

The Great Courses Philosophy

Real Zen for Real Life | Bret W. Davis | Rating: 4.9

Instructor: Bret W. Davis. David is a Professor of Philosophy at Loyola University Maryland, where he also directs the Heart of Zen Meditation Group. He studied Buddhist Thought and Japanese Philosophy at Kyoto University, and has spent 13 years studying and teaching in Japan.

Learn: The meaning of Zen and what it’s really about in practice. This is an accessible introduction to Zen teachings and philosophy, focusing on meditation and what Zen traditionally means.

Includes: 24 lectures, meditation check-ins, course guidebook, closed captioning, and offline/app-compatible streaming.

Best for: Anyone curious about Zen/Buddhist thought/meditation. Davis explores what Zen has come to represent in Western thought vs. what it has traditionally meant. The course is an introduction to Zen philosophy and how it can enhance your daily life.

The Great Courses Religion

Sacred Texts of the World | Grant Hardy | Rating: 4.8

Instructor: Grant Hardy. Hardy is the Professor of History and Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina. Earning his B.A. in Ancient Greek to a Ph.D. in Chinese Language and Literature, Hardy has a breadth of knowledge that gives weight to his natural abilities as a teacher.

Learn: An insight into some of the world’s canonical/non-canonical texts including the Hindu Vedas, Buddhist Sutras, and Daoism’s Daodejing. You’ll learn how people have interpreted these texts over the years and gain an understanding of their core values and beliefs.

Includes: 36 lectures, course guidebook, closed captioning, and offline/app-compatible streaming.

Best for: Students/non-students alike looking to gain insight into the sacred texts of the world. If you have any interest in philosophy or religion, this course is an exceptional introduction to an extremely broad topic!

The Great Courses for business

To date, The Great Courses doesn’t offer a business subscription. But, that being said, there are always reasonable offers and gifting options. That being said, Wondrium is continuing to expand, so there could likely be something of offer in the future.

What I liked about The Great Courses

To review The Great Courses, I spent a lot of time getting a feel for both the original platform and The Great Courses Plus. This included trying out different courses and seeing what other users thought of them.

I made sure to take in account different learning styles, budgets, and accessibility. I also covered topics I both was and wasn’t interested in to make sure I got a more rounded experience of the sites.

Learn from well-reviewed teachers

With the likes of Neil deGrasse Tyson teaching “The Inexplicable Universe,” it’s safe to say The Great Courses is in a league of its own when it comes to masterful teaching levels. All of the teachers on the site are highly qualified and have years of experience behind them.

While e-learning platforms everywhere offer courses from renowned professionals, The Great Courses really stands out by having published authors, famed academics, and accomplished professionals in their fields.

Tailored course suggestions

Like with other platforms like LinkedIn Learning, The Great Courses learns your interests and tailors your homepage according to your taste. This means they’ll offer the best courses “just for you,” which cuts down your own search time.

Overall, this helps you to get the best value for time and money by getting recommended courses that most closely match your expressed interests. 

Online and offline learning options

One aspect I like most about The Great Courses is that it offers online and offline viewing. You can either stream your course on The Great Courses itself or download it to a range of compatible devices so you can watch your course offline or on-the-go.

As I see it, The Great Courses are really meeting their mission to “take your courses anywhere.”

Wide range of topics to choose from

The Great Courses Categories

With over 800 courses in 13 different categories, The Great Courses boasts an impressive selection of content. This makes it even more likely that you’ll find the course (or courses) that are right for you.

So, with The Great Courses, you can learn new skills, build on current ones, or learn something entirely random that you’d never consider otherwise!

More budget-friendly than college

With the average tuition costs in U.S. colleges at around $9,900 a year, it’s easy to see why people are turning to online learning as a more budget-friendly alternative to college. This is especially understandable when online courses are being taught by the same professors heading the lectures in some of the more expensive U.S. universities!

While the two can’t be so closely compared, platforms like The Great Courses offer a wonderful opportunity to grow your personal and professional skills for a fraction of the price. And, because you’re in control of your learning every step of the way, you can shape your learning around your life – instead of the other way around.

Suitable for all skill levels

The Great Courses is a platform that makes no assumptions about its users’ skill levels. In fact, most of the courses on the site are easily accessible even for complete newcomers. 

This is a refreshing change from courses that use complex jargon. With The Great Courses, the mission is to make learning inclusive and entertaining, and its courses are accessible to the large majority of people.

What could be improved

Less up to date than other platforms

While The Great Courses is beginning to take new shape through Wondrium, the original website is a little outdated and could probably do with an update. It’s not always easy to navigate and even the videos themselves seem a bit VHS-style.

Compared to other sites like Preply and italki, where you can make use of interactive whiteboards and advanced technology, The Great Courses still seems to be a bit behind.

For example, it can be difficult to watch a course video and navigate the course chapter list at the same time. So, I think some small tweaks here and there could really enhance the user experience.

Downloads can take up lots of storage

While downloadable content for offline-viewing is a great way to maximize learning time, these courses do take a lot of time to download and also take up a lot of storage space.

If you choose the DVD option, this also means more physical storage. So, if you’re interested in taking a lot of courses, this is something to consider.

Who The Great Courses is for

Put simply, The Great Courses is a fantastic e-learning platform for anyone keen to learn on their own time and around their own lifestyle. But, in general, I’d say The Great Courses is ideal for:

  • People who love to learn and gain new insights
  • Professionals wanting to develop their expertise
  • Anyone looking to start a new business or hobby
  • Students branching into other subjects
  • People wanting to learn around a busy lifestyle

Can I buy The Great Courses as a gift?

Yes! Although you can’t gift full memberships, you can send individual courses as an e-gift. And it’s really easy to do:

The Great Courses Gift
  1. Click on the course you wish to send
  2. Select “Instant Video
  3. Choose “Send as e-gift
  4. Fill in the recipient’s details
  5. Proceed to payment and confirm

To note, this option is only available for the digital version. Still, if you’d like to send a DVD, you can just change the delivery address!

Finding great courses on The Great Courses

Exploring The Great Courses

Like with most platforms these days, the best way to find the content you love is by engaging with as much of it as possible. Here’s how to do it:

  • Check out the course categories on the “Browse courses” menu
  • Search for course topics that interest you
  • Narrow down your searches by subcategory
  • Check out the top courses to see what appeals to you

Is The Great Courses legit?

The Great Courses Partners

In a word, yes. Thomas Rollins founded the company in 1990 after being inspired by a Harvard Law lecture series. Since then, The Great Courses has partnered with the likes of National Geographic, Mayo Clinic, and Smithsonian to deliver world-class teaching to a wider audience.

The Great Courses refund

The Great Courses’ subscription policy depends on your subscription option. The table below explains how The Great Courses refunds work:

Individual course paymentFull refund within a year of purchase, or, can exchange for a course of equal/lower value
The Great Courses PlusNon-refundable, can cancel anytime

The Great Courses’ Lifetime Satisfaction Guarantee means that you can exchange your course to one of equal or lesser value if your experience is anything less than satisfying.

If you’ve purchased a course, you’re also entitled to a full refund within one year of initial purchase. And, if you’re buying a physical copy, The Great Courses will replace it if it ever gets damaged – for free.

When it comes to Wondrium/The Great Courses Plus, they offer an initial 14-day free trial so you can try before you buy. Once your paid subscription begins, you can cancel anytime but you won’t receive a refund after your billing.

The Great Courses alternatives

Needless to say, you’re not short of options when it comes to online learning today. It’s a great way to work on your personal and professional development and is an accessible alternative to college.

One alternative to The Great Courses is LinkedIn Learning, which was first launched in 1995 under Lynda.com. With over 27 million users active on the site, it’s quickly raced to the forefront of online learning and offers thousands of courses from industry experts.

That being said, a key difference is that LinkedIn Learning is part of the professional network, LinkedIn, and its courses are generally more career-based. In contrast, The Great Courses combines education and entertainment and covers a wide range of subjects, which includes hobbyist learning.

There’s also the widely-known Coursera, which also offers some courses free and has a high calibre of teaching. But, Coursera is also more career-driven, and offers more “hard skills” than the breadth available on The Great Courses.

Probably the biggest competitor to these options is MasterClass, which stands out with its celebrity-led teaching and high production values. Courses include Screenwriting with Shonda Rhimes, Magic with Penn & Teller, Cooking with Gordon Ramsay, singing with Maria Carey, and Electric Guitar with Tom Morello.

The Great Courses: what others have said

My aim here is to write the most balanced review of The Great Courses out there. So, I searched forums like Reddit as well as the platform itself to find out what people really thought of The Great Courses.

In terms of negative comments, some users found The Great Courses a little pricey. They also suggested that there are plenty of free, even offline, alternatives like books or podcasts.

It’s ok, kind of pricey. I bought one when I was about to start student teaching last year on the American revolution. It was a good and interesting lecture series, but it was just that, a lecture. Not particularly compelling or passionate delivery. In my opinion, you’d be better off reading a variety of books [...] and free podcasts” - The Great Courses review Reddit

While The Great Courses probably isn’t for everyone, I do think this user is wrong about the pricing. When you bear in mind that these are university-level lectures and full-length courses (not just samples), The Great Courses’ pricing is actually very reasonable.

And, of course, some people learn best by listening, or, in this case, listening and watching. So, it’s worth considering your own learning style when deciding which learning tool is right for you.

As others have pointed out, The Great Courses offers mostly foundational courses. This is because it aims to reach as wide an audience as possible without assuming any prior knowledge. So, it’s fair that some criticisms are about courses’ simplicity, and, as with any course, professor preference:

I enjoy them. I have about 10-15. They are like an entry level college course on the subject. While I do wish some of them went a bit more in depth into the subject, I haven’t been disappointed by any of them yet” - The Great Courses review Reddit
I absolutely love them! And I went a bit overboard and bought 12 [...] I think as long as you do a bit of research on that particular course and listen to the sample to see if you like their way of speaking (some are kind of monotone and I feel like they’d put me to sleep) you’re golden” - The Great Courses review Reddit

All in all, people seemed to praise The Great Courses quite highly. Considering their breadth of topics, it’s easy to see why.

I study biblical history as a hobby, and own a number of [The Great Courses’] religious studies courses. I cannot speak for the other fields, but all of the professors in this category are recognized and respected scholars in their fields. I have really enjoyed them and am always inspired listening to people speak about something they are passionate about” - The Great Courses review Reddit
I have it, it’s pretty awesome. Tons of well made in-depth college level courses for different interests” - The Great Courses review Reddit
I’ve been listening to many Great Courses, in particular ancient and medieval European history. Love it especially when going on longer runs” - The Great Courses review Reddit

How to open a Great Courses account

Luckily, opening a Great Courses account is simple – and free. All you need to do is:

Opening The Great Courses Account
  1. Select the “Sign In” button on the top right-hand side of the website
  2. Fill in your name, email address, and create a password
  3. Click “Create My Account” to confirm

You can now browse The Great Courses and take any sample courses available for free. To note, you only need to provide your card details when you confirm a course purchase.

But, if you’re opting for a Great Courses Plus subscription, here’s how you do it:

The Great Courses Subscription
  1. Go to Wondrium.com
  2. Select “Start Free Trial” in the top right corner
  3. Choose your subscription plan
  4. Provide your email address and a password
The Great Courses Subscription
  1. Fill in your billing address and card information
The Great Courses Subscription
  1. Select “Join Now”

And you’re done! You can now browse everything that The Great Courses Plus (and Wondrium) has to offer.

Is The Great Courses worth it?

With the scope of courses on offer, and the rebranding into Wondrium (which The Great Courses Plus comes under), I think The Great Courses is worth it.

As some users have pointed out, you get far better value for money when you opt for The Great Courses Plus subscription rather than individual course payments. But, at the same time, I like that The Great Courses has options that suit people of different lifestyles and preferences.

Overall, Wondrium is definitely bringing courses more up-to-date and, even with the pay-per-course version, the level of teaching is impeccable. So, it’s no surprise to see that The Great Courses is still going strong and attracting more generations of viewers and listeners.

All in all, The Great Courses is a wonderful e-learning option for anyone interested in professional or hobbyist learning. The content is also varied and app-compatible, and you can take your learning with you throughout your day.

With free sample lectures on offer and a 14-day free trial over at The Great Courses Plus, there really is nothing to lose!

Evaluating The Great Courses

Features: 800+ courses, renowned and respected teachers, course guidebooks and transcripts available, automatic magazine subscription with The Great Courses Plus.

Content quality: Professionally-shot video content with animated graphics to aid learning, Q&A sessions, and additional PDF resources.

Content breadth: 13 categories with multiple subcategories. Courses vary in length but are mostly beginner-friendly.

Teachers: University professors and industry experts. All teachers are approved by The Great Courses and include collaborations.

Supporting material: Downloadable viewing and compatible with: Roku, Audible, FireTV, and Apple/Android, PDF resources, Q&A sessions, further learning recommendations.

Payment and refunds: Individual courses around $17. Fully-refundable within a year of purchase and always exchangeable for a course of equal or lesser value. $24 for monthly and $15 for annual subscription – non-refundable but can cancel anytime.

Support: Available through The Great Courses’ contact page.

Frequently asked questions

How much does The Great Courses cost?

The Great Courses is a pay-by-course site, with classes being around $17. For The Great Courses Plus subscription, you’re looking at $24/month for a monthly subscription or $15/month for an annual plan.

Does The Great Courses have a refund policy?

The Great Courses has a Lifetime Satisfaction Guarantee. So, if you’ve purchased a course you’re not happy with, you’re entitled to a full refund within a year of purchase. You can also exchange the course for one of equal or lesser value. When it comes to The Great Courses Plus subscription, you can cancel at any time and try before you buy with a 14-day free trial.

How many courses are there on The Great Courses?

Currently, there are over 800 courses on The Great Courses.

Does The Great Courses have a free trial?

The Great Courses Plus has a 14-day free trial, which you can cancel anytime.

Does The Great Courses give certificates?

At the time of writing, The Great Courses does not offer certificates.

Which languages is The Great Courses available in?

With the exception of language courses, The Great Courses is currently an English-language platform.

6 thoughts on “The Great Courses Review”

  1. Hi, I just finished watching “Experiencing Rome: A Visual Exploration of Antiquity’s Greatest Empire” with Professor Steven L. Tuck. I thoroughly enjoyed this course. Dr. Tuck’s presentation of the material was excellent and I was impressed with his delivery; every one of the lectures was interesting and I look forward, one day, to travelling to see some of the ancient sites. Congrats to Professor Tuck. Thanks.

    Reply
  2. I have gone through your recent Great Course magazine but there isn’t any Arabic language grammar learning course.
    If you have any CD please let me know,
    Thanking you

    Reply
    • Hi Syed, You would have to contact The Great Courses direct to get your question answered. Thanks for reaching out

      Reply
  3. Your your educational system is unparalleled every student should take advantage when ever it’s available been loyal customer for more years then/than (need your English classes asap!) I can recall. Rremember year ago years ago I spent the summer painting and repairing a house. The first time she came to see me working, she said “what are listening to” ?? (coming from my Boom Box) which I replied “doesn’t everyone follow the Greco-Roman Moralists?!”

    Reply
  4. I completely agree! I recently purchased The Great Courses series on philosophy and history, and I must say, it’s been a Game Changer for me. The lectures are engaging and informative, and I’ve discovered so much about these subjects that I never knew before. I’m hooked and can’t wait to continue learning. Thanks for sharing your review!

    Reply

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