Free Online Courses (MOOCs) – UP Open University (January–June 2026)
The University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) is offering a wide range of free, self-paced online courses from January to June 2026 through its official Massive Open Online Courses platform, MODeL (Massive Open Distance eLearning). These courses are open to learners worldwide and may be included in a résumé or CV upon completion.
A total of 28 MOOCs are available, including four newly launched courses, such as:
- Practical Home Behavior Management for Children with Special Needs
- Data Annotation for Aspiring BPO Professionals
- Climate Information Services
- Internalizing Behaviors among Children and Practical Home Support
About MODeL
MODeL is the official MOOC platform of UPOU, providing free and open-access courses across diverse fields, including:
- Open and Distance e-Learning
- Teaching and Learning
- Child Rights Protection and Promotion
- Sustainable Development
- Business Analytics
- Social and Behavioral Sciences
Courses are endorsed by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and align with Republic Act 10650, which promotes open and distance learning in the Philippines.
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Course Structure and Duration
- Courses are fully online and self-paced
- Typical duration: 3 to 8 weeks
- Estimated workload: around 3 hours per week
- Learning materials include:
- Videos and podcasts
- Digital reading materials
- Quizzes and written assignments
Certification and Resume Value
- Learners who complete a course receive a Certificate of Completion
- Certificates are issued at least two weeks after course completion
- Each MOOC may be listed as a 16-hour training on a résumé or CV
- Certificates include a QR code for verification (no physical signature)
While MOOCs are not yet formally credited as CPD units, learners may apply to have them recognized under Self-Directed Learning through the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
Eligibility
- Open to all learners worldwide
- No age, academic, or nationality restrictions
- Open to:
- High school graduates
- Professionals
- Students
- Lifelong learners
- No UP affiliation or entrance examination required
Registration and Enrollment
To register and enroll:
- Visit http://model.upou.edu.ph/
- Click “Log In” and create a new account
- Confirm registration via email
- Browse Featured Courses or MOOC Categories
- Enroll in available courses (self-enrollment usually opens two weeks before course start)
Important notes:
- All courses are free of charge
- Google Forms are no longer used for registration
- Some courses may require enrollment keys and are not open to the public
Enrollment Management
- Learners can track enrolled courses via My Dashboard
- Courses may appear “unavailable” if enrollment has not yet opened
- Participants may unenroll at any time
- Learners may re-enroll in future course runs if they do not complete a course
Archived courses may disappear from dashboards once they end to allow instructors to review submissions.
Course Completion Guidelines
A course is considered complete when:
- All required activities are submitted
- Passing scores are achieved in quizzes and assignments
- Instructions are followed accurately
- No plagiarism or copied responses are detected
Progress bars must reach 100% completion, noting that some activities require manual confirmation by instructors.
Assessments and Automated Grading
- Some quizzes and essays are assessed automatically
- Learners are advised to:
- Use accurate terminology from course materials
- Follow instructions precisely
- Final certification decisions are reviewed by course coordinators
Mobile Access
- Courses can be accessed via the Moodle mobile app
- Step-by-step mobile access guidance is available on the MODeL website
Support and Updates
- Learners may follow announcements via UPOU Massive Open Distance e-Learning on Facebook
- Technical concerns may be directed to model@upou.edu.ph