May the Fourth Be With You
May 3, 2017 | Becky Pineo
Androids, Aerodynamics, and Avoiding the Dark Side: edX Courses for Star Wars fans
It’s safe to say that the team at edX HQ has its fair share of Star Wars fans. This film franchise has everything: an epic hero-story that spans galaxies, family angst that spans generations, a mystical force that transcends good and evil, and perhaps most importantly: robots, rockets, aliens, and lasers. Here are 6 courses we invite our fellow Star Wars nerds to try:
#1: Astrophysics: Exploring Exoplanets
How can you be a true Star Wars nerd without a sense of the vastness and variation within our universe? Learn about the planets that exist in galaxies far, far away in Astrophysics: Exploring Exoplanets.
It took a a lot of work to get C-3PO to be that uptight. Start learning to build your own fussy yet well-intentioned robot with PennX’s Robotics Fundamentals course, part of Robotics MicroMasters program.
#3: From Goddard to Apollo – Part 1: The Rockets’ Red Glare
If it’s droid courses you’re looking for, start learning the history of rocket development From Goddard to Apollo – Part 1: The Rockets’ Red Glare.
#4: Introduction To Aeronautical Engineering
“I don’t know. Fly casual.” Han and Chewie are perhaps most well known for their close calls and narrow escapes. Learn how they maneuvered, decreased drag and optimized lift with DelftX’s Introduction To Aeronautical Engineering .
“Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.” – On the contrary, we prefer Yoda’s perspective: “Luminous beings are we.” Strengthen your mind and learn to manage anger, fear and aggression in UC Berkeley’s Science of Happiness course.
#6: Introduction to Programming in Scratch
Luke Skywalker was lucky to have mentors ready to train him when his Jedi aptitude became apparent. Bring out the brilliance in a young person in your life: get them into modern-day training early with Scratch, MIT’s fun-for-all ages programming language.
There you have it: our top six MOOCs for Star Wars fans who want to take their fandom beyond the big screen.
Learn the ways of the Force. Enroll in your Star Wars course today.

Much to learn, you still have.
Have an even better suggestion for a Star Wars-related course? Let us know on Twitter!