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    Government Courses Online

    Understand government principles for public administration and policy-making. Learn about government structures, functions, and political processes.

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    Explore the Government Course Catalog

    • I

      Imperial College London

      Globalisation and health governance

      Skills you'll gain: Advocacy, Community Health, Public Health, Health Policy, Health Disparities, Health Systems, Health Equity, International Relations, Socioeconomics, Social Sciences, Governance, Political Sciences, Policy Analysis, Business Ethics

      4.9
      Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
      ·
      8 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • U

      University of Virginia

      Grow to Greatness: Smart Growth for Private Businesses, Part I

      Skills you'll gain: Growth Strategies, Business Strategies, Business Strategy, Business Planning, Business Development, Business Marketing, Strategic Marketing, Product Strategy, New Business Development, Business Priorities, Competitive Analysis, Entrepreneurship, Business Modeling, Business Research, Business Analysis, Business Process, Market Opportunities, Innovation, Operational Excellence, Prioritization

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      658 reviews

      Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free
      Free
      S

      Sciences Po

      Data and Urban Governance

      Skills you'll gain: Social Sciences, Data Governance, Political Sciences, Governance, Public Administration, Data Sharing, Policy Analysis, Big Data, Algorithms, Data Ethics, Computing Platforms, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Personally Identifiable Information, Information Privacy

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      44 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • A

      Alfaisal University | KLD

      القيادة بدون سلطة | Leading without Authority

      Skills you'll gain: Influencing, Initiative and Leadership, Empowerment, Organizational Leadership, Motivational Skills, Leadership, Positivity, Leadership Development

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      82 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • U

      University at Buffalo

      Digital Thread: Implementation

      Skills you'll gain: Manufacturing Operations, Product Design, Manufacturing and Production, Digital Transformation, Industrial Engineering, Computer-Aided Design, Technology Roadmaps, Process Analysis, Enterprise Resource Planning, Technology Strategies, Information Technology, Business Technologies, Cloud Computing

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      470 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • R

      Rutgers the State University of New Jersey

      Advanced Global Procurement and Sourcing

      Skills you'll gain: Supplier Quality Management, Procurement, Strategic Sourcing, Enterprise Resource Planning, Purchasing, Environmental Social And Corporate Governance (ESG), Strategic Partnership, Business Risk Management, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Supplier Relationship Management, Supply Chain, Risk Management, Derivatives, Organizational Structure, Consolidation, Target Audience, Talent Management, Robotic Process Automation, Supply Chain Management, Risk Mitigation

      4.4
      Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
      ·
      49 reviews

      Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: Free
      Free
      I

      Indian Institute for Human Settlements

      Shaping Urban Futures

      Skills you'll gain: Innovation, Community Development, Environmental Issue, Social Sciences, Economics, Policy, and Social Studies, Policy Analysis, Socioeconomics, Systems Thinking, International Relations, Emerging Technologies, Technology Strategies, Research, Big Data, Research Methodologies

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      53 reviews

      Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • O

      O.P. Jindal Global University

      American Politics, Society, and History

      Skills you'll gain: Social Studies, Political Sciences, Diversity Awareness, Social Justice, Culture, Social Sciences, Cultural Diversity, Public Policies, Governance

      3.9
      Rating, 3.9 out of 5 stars
      ·
      9 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free
      Free
      C

      Coursera Project Network

      Organic Marketing: Facebook Groups For Small Businesses

      Skills you'll gain: Persona Development, Prospecting and Qualification, Target Audience, Facebook, Social Media Marketing, Social Media, Business Marketing, Drive Engagement, Marketing, Marketing Planning, Content Creation

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      745 reviews

      Intermediate · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours

    • J

      Johns Hopkins University

      Sustainable Neighborhoods

      Skills you'll gain: Land Development, Landscape Architecture, Architectural Design, Environment, Community Development, Public Works, Building Design, Environment and Resource Management, Environmental Issue, Geographic Information Systems, Economic Development, Diversity Equity and Inclusion Initiatives, Cultural Diversity

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      75 reviews

      Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • P

      Packt

      CISA: Certified Information Systems Auditor

      Skills you'll gain: Audit Planning, Data Governance, Systems Development, Data Loss Prevention, Security Testing, Data Migration, Network Security, Database Management, Incident Management, Software Development Life Cycle, Problem Management, Resource Management, Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (COBIT), Cryptography, IT Management, Information Technology, Governance, Auditing, Compliance Auditing, Quality Assurance

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      30 reviews

      Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: Free
      Free
      L

      Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)

      Organising an Empire: The Assyrian Way

      Skills you'll gain: Ancient History, Governance, Culture, Social Studies, World History, Anthropology, Social Sciences, Diplomacy, Political Sciences, Court Systems, Economics

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      786 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

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    In summary, here are 10 of our most popular government courses

    • Globalisation and health governance: Imperial College London
    • Grow to Greatness: Smart Growth for Private Businesses, Part I: University of Virginia
    • Data and Urban Governance: Sciences Po
    • القيادة بدون سلطة | Leading without Authority : Alfaisal University | KLD
    • Digital Thread: Implementation: University at Buffalo
    • Advanced Global Procurement and Sourcing: Rutgers the State University of New Jersey
    • Shaping Urban Futures: Indian Institute for Human Settlements
    • American Politics, Society, and History: O.P. Jindal Global University
    • Organic Marketing: Facebook Groups For Small Businesses: Coursera Project Network
    • Sustainable Neighborhoods: Johns Hopkins University

    Frequently Asked Questions about Government

    The subject of government encompasses the systems that a nation, state, or other political community is administered and regulated. Governments may be democracies structured by constitutional law, as in the United States, a socialist country governed by a single Communist Party, as in China, or any other form of rule. However, in all jurisdictions, government plays a centrally important role in establishing and enforcing laws, collecting and allocating tax revenues, directing the use of public resources, and other activities that are fundamental to society.

    Governance is always evolving, and recent years have seen the role and nature of government changed by the same revolutions in information technologies that have disrupted countless private sector industries. E-government promises to make governance much more efficient, replacing decades-old bureaucracies with “smart” cities and countries administered and regulated with the help of real-time data. At the same time, the advent of social media has led to upheaval in many countries, from the revolutions of the Arab Spring to struggles with the spread of disinformation in many Western democracies.

    Learning about government isn’t only important if you want to work in politics or a government agency. Businesses must stay abreast of changes in governments and the laws they propagate, as they are typically subject to regulatory compliance requirements in areas like taxation and financial reporting, environmental performance, and more. Understanding politics and government is especially important for strategic planning in industries such as oil and gas or mining, where business opportunities may depend on government decisions surrounding the use of natural resources.‎

    If you’re fascinated by the important and ever-changing world of government, working in political science can be a gateway to an interesting and rewarding career. Using a wide range of qualitative and quantitative research methods, political scientists study the development and working of political systems, structures of government, the effectiveness of different policies and regulations, and trends in public opinion. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, political scientists earned a median annual salary of $122,220 in 2019, and typically had at least a master’s degree in political science.‎

    Absolutely. Coursera has opportunities to learn about government across a variety of perspectives, including legal topics like constitutional law, the rise of e-government and smart cities, and ensuring business regulatory compliance. Regardless of what you choose to learn about, you’ll learn about government from top-ranked schools like University of California, Irvine, University of Pennsylvania, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and National Research University Higher School of Economics, so you’ll get a great education while learning remotely.‎

    Some of the skills or experience you might already need before learning government is a basic understanding of what is written in the United States Constitution. If you have ever worked or volunteered in your local community or worked within any department of government at any level, then you may have the experience needed to learn concepts of government.‎

    The kinds of people best suited for roles in government are passionate about shifts in the cultural and political climate at the local, national, or global level. Those in government roles typically want to work for the good of the public to better citizens’ lives. Someone well suited for working in roles in government will also be interested in reading, interpreting, and debating the contents of the United States Constitution to understand how it affects these shifts. They'll also be interested in the composition, abilities, and rulings of the Supreme Court.‎

    A common career path for someone who has studied government would typically include working within a governmental agency at the local, state, or national level. A common career path on the business side would include working in a corporation on governmental regulations and compliance. A third common career path for someone in government is to go into law or to move forward with more training to become a lawyer. Yet another career path for someone in government is to go into the field of law enforcement.‎

    There are many topics related to government that you can study, including areas of corporate and commercial law that often rely on governmental policy. Other topics related to government include city, urban, or town planning, including the concept of Smart Cities, because any funding and transformation of a place’s infrastructure rely on governmental support. In addition, another related topic to government would be to study leadership and management to gain practical skills and strategies to becoming an effective government leader. Also, corporate or global finance and banking or economics are topics to study related to government because the financial sector and the economy are affected by government and vice versa.‎

    Online Government courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Government skills. Choose from a wide range of Government courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.‎

    When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Government, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here.‎

    This FAQ content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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