University of Michigan

Mindware: Critical Thinking for the Information Age

Mindware: Critical Thinking for the Information Age is a self-paced online course delivered by University of Michigan on Coursera. It costs about A$84 a month, takes about 10 hours, and awards a certificate of completion (paid (Coursera enrolment or Coursera Plus)).

Our rating3.5How we rate courses
Relevance to work
2.4 / 3
Cost and access
1 / 2
Provider
2 / 2
Credential
0.6 / 1.5
Currency
1.05 / 1.5
Total
7 / 10

Provider learner rating: 4.8 out of 5 from 1451 ratings on Coursera course page, as at 2026-09-29

Key facts

CostAbout A$84 a monthFree enrolment with limited access (first-module preview). Full course and certificate via paid enrolment or Coursera Plus. Coursera Plus is US$59 a month (7-day free trial) or US$399 a year, about A$84 or A$568. AUD estimate at A$1 = US$0.70 (28 Sep 2026)
Time10 hours (provider stated)
LevelBeginner
Formatself-paced online
Prerequisitesnone
Credentialcertificate of completion (paid (Coursera enrolment or Coursera Plus))
Open toWorldwide
Free inNot stated
Content written forUnited States
Last checked2026-09-29

Topics:Judgement and decisions

University backedHuman skillsAbout 10 hoursCertificate costs extra

Things to know

  • Only the first module is free since Coursera ended audit in August 2025
  • US-centric examples

Summary

Psychologist Richard Nisbett teaches the everyday statistics, logic and awareness of bias needed to think clearly about evidence. Well suited to judging AI outputs, data claims and business decisions with a sceptical eye.

You will be able to

  • Apply sound decision methods to work and life choices
  • Recognise common cognitive biases and reasoning errors
  • Judge probability and risk more accurately
  • Tell correlation from causation and read experiments properly
  • Use logic and dialectical reasoning to weigh arguments

Modules

  1. Introduction
  2. Lesson 1: Statistics
  3. Lesson 2: The Law of Large Numbers
  4. Lesson 3: Correlation
  5. Lesson 4: Experiments
  6. Lesson 5: Prediction
  7. Lesson 6: Cognitive Biases
  8. Lesson 7: Choosing and Deciding
  9. Lesson 8: Logic and Dialectical Reasoning
  10. Conclusion

Who it suits

Professionals who want sharper judgement when weighing evidence, forecasts or AI-generated claims.

Who is behind it

Delivered by
University of Michigan (instructor Richard E. Nisbett)
Hosted on
Coursera
Funded by
Not stated
Partners
Not stated

Related courses

Questions

Is Mindware: Critical Thinking free?
No. It costs about A$84 a month as at our last check. Free enrolment with limited access (first-module preview). Full course and certificate via paid enrolment or Coursera Plus. Coursera Plus is US$59 a month (7-day free trial) or US$399 a year, about A$84 or A$568. AUD estimate at A$1 = US$0.70 (28 Sep 2026)
How long does it take?
About 10 hours (provider stated).
Do you get a certificate?
Yes. It awards a certificate of completion, paid (Coursera enrolment or Coursera Plus).
Who is it for?
Professionals who want sharper judgement when weighing evidence, forecasts or AI-generated claims.
Can I take it from outside Australia?
Yes. It is open worldwide. It is free in: Not stated.
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Sources

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