Best Communication Courses Online 2024

18 Best communication courses online to boost your interpersonal skills

More than any other human faculty, the ability to communicate is fundamental to our success as a species. It allows us to cultivate love and intimacy with others and also facilitates the kind of profound collaboration that births complex societies. Indeed, it is the straight line connecting the invention of the wheel to the moon landing.

To our great benefit, both personally and professionally, effective communication is a skill that can be honed and refined. Below is a list of the best communication courses online to help you gain these interpersonal skills and improve your career prospects.

Communication Courses Online – Overview

It is both remarkable and unsurprising that communication impacts every aspect of one’s life, ranking consistently among a handful of essential skills that every employer looks out for, no matter the industry.

In your personal life, effective communication yields peace, deeper connections, and more authentic interactions. At your workplace, strong professional communication can land you jobs, help you strike deals, and motivate your team. For those who dream big, communication is the key to effecting great societal change.

The study of communication is a vast field wherein you’ll find both generalized and nuanced instruction. You may study written and interpersonal communication, storytelling, presentation, cross-cultural communication, charisma cultivation, public speaking, visual communication, interviewing, communication styles, and even communication for leaders.

Regardless of your aim, the pursuit of strong and effective communication skills can help you reap priceless benefits now and throughout your life/career. And, there are many communication courses out there to get your skills to a more advanced level.

Best Communication Courses Online 2024 – Top Picks

Coursera	GetSmarter	MasterClass	Mindvalley
Effective Communication	Strategic Communication	Purposeful Communication	Speak & Inspire
UC Boulder	George Washington Uni	George Stephanopoulos	Mindvalley
$59/month	$2,000	$10/month	from $45/month
Visit Website	Visit Website	Visit Website	Visit Website

Note: This list aims to give an overview of the best communication courses online. We cannot claim comprehensiveness as there are many other classes available.

1. George Stephanopoulos Teaches Purposeful Communication – MasterClass

Whether your goals are career-related or personal, George Stephanopoulos’ Purposeful Communication (visit website) can set you on the right path. It caters to every level, including beginners, and imparts tried-and-true strategies for successful, high-stakes communication. Stephanopoulos shares the mistakes he made so that you don’t have to!

14 modules explore fundamental topics such as preparing for conversations, crafting effective questions, adjusting your communication, and remedying anxiety. Some also cover more nuanced aspects of purposeful communication, such as remaining present, practicing empathy in difficult situations, and using body language to your benefit.

Stephanopoulos concludes with the ‘Four C’s of Communication’: clarity, concision, curiosity, and candor. By the end, you’ll be able to express yourself confidently, get the most out of personal and professional interactions, and communicate with intention. It is one of the best communication courses online to suit all levels and purposes.

Instructor: George Stephanopoulos, MasterClass | For: All Levels
Price: from $10/month or $120/year. Access to all 180+ online courses
Info: View course. Compare pricing plans and browse all online classes.

2. Speak & Inspire by Lisa Nichols – Mindvalley

Based on the premise that impactful communication, or rather a lack thereof, is what stands between you and the best version of yourself, both personally and professionally, Lisa Nichols (visit website) offers her Speak & Inspire course on Mindvalley. Even better, Nichols’ course is suitable for beginners and advanced communicators alike.

In 30 days of bite-sized daily coaching, Nichols covers three main modules: ‘Finding Your Voice’, ‘Touching the Hearts of Your Audience’, and ‘Engaging Your Audience’. To help you discover your voice, you’ll learn concrete tools and strategies, such as the Mirror Exercise, bringing you one step closer to powerful and intentional communication.

Learn to engage your audience through body language and game-changing techniques such as ‘Echo, Repeat, Respond’. Other course highlights include combating fear and anxiety, crafting a compelling story, and delivering “care-frontational” vs confrontational messages, which you can apply to both personal and professional interactions.

The fourth and final module focuses on advanced techniques for outstanding speaking, such as using a pregnant pause for impact, journaling your insights, asking for feedback, and showing your story, rather than merely telling it. This is one of the best communication courses online to prepare for a public speech or presentation be it in front of 1 or 1000.

Platform: Mindvalley | Instructor: Lisa Nichols | Training: 5.9 Hours
Price: $99/month or $599 annually. Access to all 60+ online courses.
Info: View course page. Membership: View website for details and discounts.

3. Strategic Communications – George Washington University, GetSmarter

George Washington University (visit website) offers the Strategic Communications course on GetSmarter for media and communications professionals who seek a competitive edge. This short, self-paced online communication course helps you cultivate a more strategic and data-driven approach to both internal and external communications.

The curriculum dives into core communication topics, such as persuasion and influence, framing and agenda-setting, and reputation and crisis management. Also, you’ll learn to leverage data to make your written, oral, and visual communication more strategic.

Finally, you’ll use what you have learned to create a practical, strategic, omni-channel communication plan that you can immediately implement at work. Overall, it is one of the best communication courses suitable for professionals. Participants also enjoy access to the 2U Career Engagement Network, which offers special events and career aid.

Provider: George Washington University, GetSmarter | Time: 8 weeks
Certificate: Yes. | Level: Professionals, Managers | Pace: Self-paced | Price: $2,000
Info: Visit course website. Get free prospectus. Browse all programs in this category.

4. Professional Communication – The Economist

GetSmarter’s Professional Communication (visit website) is a course by The Economist for professionals who seek to develop their business writing prowess.

Based on the prominent publication’s editorial process, the course guides you through six modules that help you improve all aspects of your business writing. Begin with lessons on word choice and structure while learning to craft more effective sentences.

As you progress through the course, you’ll learn to plan and edit your writing for impact and integrate data into your narratives by developing your data visualization skills. Upon completion, you’ll also become a member of the official Economist Education alumni group on LinkedIn, where you can make new connections to further your career.

Provider: Economist Education, GetSmarter | Time: 6 weeks | Certificate: Yes.
Level: Business professionals | Pace: Self-paced | Price: $1,931
Info: Visit course website. Get free prospectus. Browse all programs in this category.

5. Effective Communication Specialization – UC Boulder, Coursera

In partnership with the University of Colorado Boulder, Coursera’s three-course Effective Communication Specialization (visit website) supports professionals in elevating their written, verbal, and visual communication skills in the workplace.

Business writing is the focus of the first course, where you’ll learn the top ten principles of effective business writing while exploring strategies to structure, organize, and revise your writing. These skills lay the foundation for the next class on graphic design. You’ll learn to implement simple design principles to create compelling presentations and reports.

The final course in this program is all about successful presentation, designed to make you a stronger speaker by exploring four key themes: mastering fear, developing a creative formula, using verbal and body language, and anticipating the room.

Once you’ve completed the courses, you’ll synthesize them into a capstone project, which comprises a slide deck, memo, and presentation, and which you can add to your portfolio. It is among the best communication courses online to share your ideas and thoughts by developing your writing, design and presentation skills.

Provider: University of Colorado Boulder, Coursera | Type: Specialization
Pricing: Free trial. $59/month Coursera Plus. | Review: 4.8 ★★★★★
Info: View course. Browse: Search all communication courses on Coursera.

6. Professional Certificate in Communication – RIT, edX

Aimed at professionals, Rochester Institute of Technology’s Professional Certificate in Communication (visit website) on edX is a three-course program focused on elevating your written, spoken, and visual communication in the workplace. There are no prerequisites and completion of this self-paced program earns you an accredited certificate.

‘Storytelling in the Workplace’ kicks off the program, focusing specifically on how to craft and deliver compelling messages through email, business presentations, proposals, and briefs. In this course, you’ll explore what makes a strong narrative, the science of selecting an appropriate medium, and how to tailor your message to your target audience.

Next up is the ‘Public Speaking’ course wherein you’ll study the basics of the speech communication process, including how to critique other communicators and mitigate public speaking anxiety. The final ‘Visual Presentation’ module covers the best practices of visual communication for professionals who are not designers by trade.

More specifically, you’ll learn to use imagery to present both quantitative data and other types of workplace messages. As part of this module, you can expect to analyze visual messages appearing in a variety of media and digital platforms. It is one of the best communication courses online if you seek certification from a renowned university.

Provider: Rochester Institute of Technology, edX | Type: Professional Certificate
Duration: 2 months. 4-6 hours/week | Pricing: from $537.30
Info: View course page. Browse: Search all online communication courses on edX.

Tip: Explore our lists of the best business courses, or marketing courses, or AI essay writers, or writing courses, or business English courses, or negotiation courses to expand your skills in the field of business and communication.

7. Chris Voss Teaches the Art of Negotiation – MasterClass

For those who seek to understand the nuances of negotiation and wield its power at home or in the workplace, former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss (visit website) brings communicators of all levels the Art of Negotiation course on MasterClass.

Over a dozen bite-sized lessons focus on Voss’ strategies and tactics from his time with the FBI, including bargaining, mirroring, and labeling. Voss uses neuroscience to explain the key elements of negotiation, such as calibrated questions, forced empathy, loss aversion, and the value of saying “no”.

As part of this course, you’ll receive several mock negotiations that you can use at home or at work to negotiate a better personal or professional life for yourself. If human nature fascinates you, this course will not disappoint! It is most certainly among the best communication courses online to learn the art of negotiation.

Instructor: Chris Voss, MasterClass | For: All Levels | Rating: 4.7 ★★★★★
Price: from $10/month or $120/year. Access to all 180+ online courses.
Info: View course. Compare pricing plans and browse all online classes.

8. Presenting on Camera: The Art of Communication – Domestika

With professional creatives in mind, journalist-turned-artist Domingas Person (visit website) offers her Presenting on Camera: The Art of Communication beginner’s course on Domestika for anyone who seeks a more powerful on-camera presence.

This short but substantial course guides you through self-exploration and the essential skills of on-camera presentation, including the physical tools you need. After dissecting what makes a strong video, you’ll go on to framing, basic lighting, and scriptwriting.

Person then guides you through the principles of effective storytelling and audience engagement before exploring nonverbal tools such as gestures, tone, and posture. With an emphasis on authenticity, this online communication course ends by helping you discover your personal brand and how to express it.

A final opportunity to practice introducing yourself comes in the form of a 30-second elevator pitch and a 1-minute video business card, which you can use at work in the future.

Instructor: Domingas Person | Level: Beginners | Lessons: 15 | Time: 2 hours
Info: View course. From $14.90. Up to 75% off. Browse category Communication.

9. Business English Communication Specialization – University of Washington

Coursera (visit website) presents the University of Washington’s Business English Communication Skills Specialization for intermediate English language learners who wish to improve their vocabulary and ability to interact professionally as well as socially in a business context.

Networking forms the focus of the first course, where you’ll learn to present relevant information about yourself, compose short emails with appropriate formatting, and explore formal and informal email language. In addition, learn the vocabulary and skills needed to arrange, participate in, and conclude meetings in the second course of this program.

Your task in the third course is to plan an event, whereby you’ll compare venues, negotiate and plan the event, and write the announcement. The communication course then culminates in the language and techniques you’ll need to deliver effective presentations, where you’ll design a presentation that uses graphs to sell your city as a venue.

Provider: University of Washington, Coursera | Type: Specialization
Pricing: Free trial. $59/month Coursera Plus. | Review: 4.8 ★★★★★
Info: View course. Browse: Search all communication courses on Coursera.

10. Master Course in Business Communication – Udemy

Udemy’s Master Course in Business Communication 2.0 (visit website) instructs entrepreneurs, directors, marketing managers, and business leaders on how to effectively and efficiently communicate with various stakeholders in a digital age. Group discussion skills, as well as basic business and presentation skills, are all you need to jump in!

In just under an hour, Dr. José teaches you the types, principles, and barriers of business communication, while underpinning the connection between successful entrepreneurship and strong communication.

As such, you’ll learn to communicate effectively within different projects and hierarchies to ensure efficiency, avoid misunderstandings, and minimize mistakes caused by poor communication. By the end, you’ll emerge with a toolkit for improving your business communication. This is one of the best online communication courses to take on Udemy.

Instructor: Dr. Jose J | Skill Level: All levels
Lectures: 5 | Video: 43 minutes | User Rating: 4.1 ★★★★☆
Price: View course. From $11.99. Up to 95% off. Browse category on Udemy.

11. Professional Certificate in Leadership and Communication – Harvard University

Recognizing the connection between strong leadership and effective communication, Harvard University (visit website) offers the Professional Certificate in Leadership and Communication on edX, combining leadership development with the principles of rhetoric.

In the first of the two communication courses, you’ll explore core leadership tenets, such as formal and informal authority, while learning to identify differing stakeholder perspectives and build or renew trust. To ensure that you thrive in your leadership journey, you’ll gain the necessary tools for approaching complex challenges.

The second course complements your leadership study with instruction on rhetoric. Examine some of the most influential speakers of 20th-century America and incorporate their rhetorical devices in your communications. Another helpful skill you stand to gain from this course is the ability to gauge the strength of an argument and identify fallacies in logic.

Ultimately, this certificate program will teach you to use effective, persuasive communication to motivate and mobilize your teams toward common goals.

Provider: Harvard University, edX | Type: Professional Certificate
Duration: 3 months. 2-3 hours/week | Pricing: from $377
Info: View course page. Browse: Search all online communication courses on edX.

12. Interpersonal Communication: Strategies for Executives – MIT Sloan School

GetSmarter’s Interpersonal Communication: Strategies for Executives (visit website) by MIT Sloan speaks to business leaders, entrepreneurs, managers, and consultants, and teaches you to effectively communicate with teams and stakeholders in increasingly digitized workspaces.

MIT instructors open this six-module course with a deep dive into the RELATE Framework, a strategy for professional communication developed by the MIT Sloan School. From there, you’ll explore active listening and humble inquiry techniques for navigating interpersonal dynamics and managing difficult conversations.

Multinational business leaders or anyone managing a diverse workforce will appreciate the module on cross-cultural communication. Notably, it culminates in a module exploring technology in the workplace and how leaders might better communicate with machines.

Provider: MIT Sloan School, GetSmarter | Time: 6 weeks | Certificate: Yes.
Level: Professionals, Managers | Pace: Self-paced | Price: $2,800
Info: Visit course website. Get free prospectus. Browse all programs in this category.

13. Magnetic Charisma by Vanessa Van Edwards – Mindvalley

Behavioral investigator Vanessa Van Edwards presents her Magnetic Charisma course on Mindvalley for anyone seeking to increase their impact for good. At the core of her curriculum are science-backed techniques that help learners identify and ethically master the habits and behaviors of influential individuals.

Three modules guide you through the process of unlocking your innate charisma. Begin by learning some of the most common pitfalls to meaningful presence, best practices for voice and body language, and how to set your charisma goals. Later, Van Edwards covers tips for reading people, striking a deep connection, and navigating difficult personalities.

Magnetic Charisma is among the best communication courses online for developing implementable skills and techniques for a more confident and charismatic presence, both personally and professionally. A Mindvalley membership will provide access to all classes.

Platform: Mindvalley | Instructor: Vanessa Van Edwards| Training: 3.5 Hours
Price: $99/month or $599 annually. Access to all 60+ online courses.
Membership: View website for details and discounts.

14. Robin Roberts Teaches Effective and Authentic Communication – Masterclass

Authenticity and human connection are at the core of Robin Roberts’ Effective and Authentic Communication course (visit website) on MasterClass. If you seek to better all aspects of your life through communication, this best-rated communication course is super as it delivers balanced instruction on both personal and professional development.

In her class, Emmy-winning broadcaster Robin Roberts weaves the lessons she learned from her three-decade career in television with her personal struggle with cancer. You’ll study concrete strategies and techniques to improve your performance in job interviews, excel in public speaking, and communicate your value at work.

Students of journalism and other broadcasters will especially appreciate Roberts’ modules on how to conduct effective interviews and communicate on video. Explore personal strategies for better living in Roberts’ modules on authenticity, vulnerability, and resilience (or “making your mess your message,” as she says).

Instructor: Robin Roberts, MasterClass | For: All Levels | Rating: 4.7 ★★★★☆
Price: from $10/month or $120/year. Access to all 180+ online courses.
Info: View course. Compare pricing plans and browse all online classes.

15. Sustainability Communication Strategies – London School of Economics

GetSmarter (visit website) brings the London School of Economics’s Sustainability Communication Strategies course to communications professionals, with a laser focus on the opportunities for and challenges of sharing organizational sustainability messages.

Start this self-paced short course with a module that explores the fundamental aspects of communicating sustainability in an unstable world. You’ll learn to employ the VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity) model to define your messaging, whilst analyzing the opportunities for and challenges of speaking to your organization’s efforts.

Module Two centers on using dialogue to engage audiences as conversation partners, using the TADD (trust, access, dialogue, disclosure) model to analyze engagement.

The third and final module puts these concepts into practice, as you’ll apply the TADD model to your own organizational context and learn to balance ethical considerations, reputation, and stakeholder interests to develop effective sustainability messaging.

Provider: LSE, GetSmarter | Time: 3 weeks | Certificate: Yes.
Level: Professionals, Managers | Pace: Self-paced | Price: $655
Info: Visit course website. Get free prospectus. Browse all online courses in this category.

16. Become a Better Communicator – CreativeLive

Susan Piver’s Become a Better Communicator (visit website) on CreativeLive teaches learners about personality and how it affects communication styles. Specifically, Piver uses the Enneagram to frame the course, so some prior knowledge thereof might be beneficial. Ultimately, it’s for anyone looking to strengthen their connections at home and at work.

Piver’s journey to better communication begins by helping you discover and analyze your personal communication style before moving to the three centers of intelligence and the three instinctual drives. She brings the course to a smooth close with several lessons on mindfulness, including how to employ the four qualities of mindful communication.

Prepare to be able to identify and engage with communicators of varying styles, while simultaneously developing a mindfulness practice that will help you cultivate stronger connections with the people in your life.

Provider: CreativeLive | Instructor: Susan Piper | Level: All levels
Time: 9.5 hours | Rating: 78% ★★★★★ | Plans: Access to all classes.
Info: View course. $149/year or 39/month. View pricing plans on CreativeLive.

17. Active Listening: You Can Be a Great Listener – Udemy

Udemy’s Active Listening course (visit website) has no prerequisites and is great for anyone seeking to improve the quality of their daily personal and professional interactions. Accounting professionals should note that this communication course is accredited by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy for continuing education credit.

In eleven bite-sized modules, Master Certified Coach Lauren Powers guides you from identifying the less-than-ideal automatic listening habits many people default to, through techniques and philosophies behind active listening, toward the benefit of implementing active listening in your daily life.

As a starting point, you’ll begin by unlearning the bad habits associated with Level 1 internal listening, replacing them with the more effective habits of Level 2 focused listening. Halfway through the course, you’ll explore nonverbal communication and practice techniques for reflecting, interrupting, and listening for emotions.

Finally, you’ll learn to engage your curiosity in conversations as a productive alternative to judgment, transforming even the most frustrating conversations into intriguing ones. For that reason, you can expect to experience more satisfying collaboration and better-quality interactions with your employees and bosses.

Instructor: Laure Powers | Skill Level: All levels
Lectures: 44 | Video: 2.5 hours | User Rating: 4.6 ★★★★☆
Price: View course. From $11.99. Up to 95% off. Browse category on Udemy.

18. Develop Your Communication Skills + Interpersonal Influence – LinkedIn

LinkedIn Learning’s Develop Your Communication Skills + Interpersonal Influence program taps into the expertise of expert communicators, such as Dorie Clark and Vanessa Van Edwards, to teach the foundations of effective professional communication. This program is for professionals of every level who wish to upscale their communication skills at work.

Six comprehensive communication online courses bring into focus the individual components of better communication, such as communicating with confidence, building genuine trust, igniting emotional engagement, and nonverbal communication.

Throughout the program, you’ll learn the strategies strong communicators use to minimize anxiety, develop empathy and authenticity, use curiosity, cultivate attention, and navigate challenging conversations. As a result, you’ll know exactly what to do in your next meeting to ensure that you are heard and enjoy stronger professional relationships.

Provider: LinkedIn | Level: Beginners, Intermediates
Type: Learning Path | Content: 6 communication courses. 5 hours.

Choosing the Best Communication Courses Online

With such a diverse set of best online communication courses and competencies available, choosing your ideal course may feel overwhelming. Try starting with a few simple questions:

• Are you seeking improvement in your professional performance or the quality of your personal relationships? Or both?
• If professional development is your main goal, are you in a creative field or a more specialized, technical industry?
• If personal development is your main goal, are you more interested in meeting and influencing new people? Would you rather focus on connecting with a diverse range of personalities? Or are you looking to reduce your social anxiety and show up with more confidence in your daily interactions?
• Are your goals more general or specific in nature? 

Having answers to these questions can help narrow your search. If you want to be a better overall communicator at work, Coursera’s Effective Communication course or LinkedIn’s Communication and Influence program may fit the bill. Otherwise, if you want to communicate better both at home and at work, Udemy’s Active Listening course may help.

Best Communication Courses Online 2024 – Summary

Wrapping up our tour of the best communication courses online in 2024.

Ultimately, there’s simply no drawback to becoming a better communicator. It makes you more valuable in the workplace and fosters the kinds of connections that enrich our lives outside the office.

Plus, it’s just a truly amazing thing that humans do and it feels great to be good at it. If you really have no idea where to begin, maybe check in with George Stephanopoulos or Robin Roberts on MasterClass for some expert insight.

Other Communication Courses Online

• Communication Foundations – LinkedIn Learning
• Communication and Interpersonal Skills at Work – University of Leeds & Institute of Coding, FutureLearn
• Improving Communication Skills – University of Pennsylvania, Coursera
• Effective Communication Techniques for Teachers and Trainers – Alison
• Compelling Communication Skills – University of Cambridge Online
• Advanced Communication Skills for Managers – Coursera
• Communication Strategies for a Virtual Age – LinkedIn Learning
• Advanced Communication Skills for Managers – University of Maryland, College Park
• Strategic Communication for Leadership – Boston University, edX
• Advanced Communication Skills: Persuasion in the Workplace – Imperial College London – Coursera

What is communication and why is it important?

Communication refers to the process of exchanging information, ideas, thoughts, or feelings between individuals or groups through various channels, such as verbal, nonverbal, written, or visual means. Effective communication is essential for building relationships, sharing knowledge, solving problems, and achieving mutual understanding in personal and professional contexts.

How can I improve my communication skills?

Improving communication skills involves practicing active listening, enhancing verbal and nonverbal communication, using concise and organized language, seeking feedback, and continuously developing emotional intelligence. Engaging in negotiation seminars, public speaking programs, workshops, and role-playing exercises can also help enhance communication abilities.

How does communication impact career growth and success?

Strong communication skills are highly valued in the professional world. They contribute to effective collaboration, leadership, conflict resolution, and negotiation. Professionals with excellent communication abilities are often better positioned for career advancement and success.

What are some effective communication strategies for handling conflicts?

Effective communication strategies for conflict resolution include active listening, remaining calm and respectful, using “I” statements, seeking common ground, and focusing on finding solutions rather than placing blame.

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What are the best communication courses online for 2024, in your opinion? Which communication online programs have you taken? What have you learned? Please let us know in the comments below, or contact us via email for questions.

Sources: What is active listening? – 1 | What is cross-cultural communication? – 2 | What is body language? – 3