For those interested in social work as a career, or who want to find new ways to improve the well-being of the public, and are eager to learn new skills that can be used to benefit society, the courses in this collection offer a wide array of opportunities to learn theories and techniques that advance the public good across many fields and sectors.

The concept of public goods has a fascinating and complicated history, with many theorists over the years debating the relative merits and challenges that public goods present, particularly in market-based economies. On the pro side are the facts that public goods promote community health, support social inclusion, and foster sustainable development. On the other hand, freely available goods can subvert market structures that depend on producers being able to restrict access to their goods and services to paying customers only.

In this collection, you’ll find a wide selection of online courses (many of them are free!) that cover economic theories of public goods, offer insights into how public policies are created, and make clear how communities and societies can benefit from public goods in market-based economies.