It’s that time of year again: the leaves are beginning to crisp, the kids are back to school and a new term is kicking off in third-level institutes across the country. It almost makes you want to rush out, buy a Moleskine, and start some evening classes in 18th-century French literature.

Or you could sit back and browse the Coursera online learning platform where more than 30 new programmes begin this week. Rather than being free, standalone offerings, these specialisations consist of several courses topped off by a "capstone project". It's possible to pay for each individual course or enrol for the entire programme and, if completed, walk away with a certificate verified by prestigious institutes including John Hopkins University, HEC Paris or the University of London.

This could be the beginning of a new career in anything from strategic business analytics to iOS app development.

blog.coursera.org/post/128115772357/30-new-business-computer-science-and-data