edX Calculus versus Distance Calculus

edX is a consortium of various universities (Harvard University, MIT, Boston University, University of Texas, University of California, Berkeley, et al) where their various online course offerings are presented together in one central location for students to find courses to take online.

The Calculus I course from edX is actually the MITx Calculus I course, from MIT's very impressive OpenCourseWare project.

Can you get academic credits for this edX Calculus I (MITx in disguise) course? It costs $225.

This question is very very murky. There are various pages on edX site that suggests credit is available, and that you can "purchase academic credits" but it is not clear if you do this after you finish your course, or before, or .... To our knowledge, none of the courses in MIT's OpenCourseware project offer real academic credits.

Other pages on edX.org suggest the "certificate" awarding for $100 for completion of these courses. compare edx to distance calculus

A "certificate" with the instructor's signature is certainly not the same as accredited, transferable academic credits!

As far as we can tell, you cannot earn real, transferable academic credits by taking an edX/MITx Calculus course.

Earning Real Academic Credits for Calculus

Applied Calculus vs Calculus I

Distance Calculus - Student Reviews

Date Posted: Feb 28, 2020
Review by: Karen N.
Courses Completed: Calculus I, Calculus II
Review: Awesome classes! I was really weak with Calculus, so I retook Calc 1 and kept going into Calc 2. I feel like I finally understood Calculus. The finals were pretty thorough, but not nearly as stressful as the blue book exams. I highly recommend these courses!
Transferred Credits to: Various

Date Posted: May 17, 2025
Review by: Allie
Courses Completed: Calculus I
Review: This Calculus class saved my life! I needed to take this class to be able to secure a spot in my grad school program, and this was perfect for me - super flexible to my schedule, the teaching was great, and the material was super clear. I felt like I really learned Calculus and also really enjoyed it!

Date Posted: Mar 16, 2020
Review by: Malia K.
Courses Completed: Applied Calculus
Review: Course was good and fast. I don't like math so I can't say it was fun or anything. Grader was very nice. Software was ok.
Transferred Credits to: University of Maine

Distance Calculus - Curriculum Exploration

Inequalities & Absolute Value

P11: Inequalities & Absolute Value:

P11.1: 1D Inequalities

P11.2: 2D Inequalities

P11.3: Systems of 2D Inequalities

P11.4: Absolute Value

P11.5: 3D Inequalities

Course Information

How Distance Calculus Courses Work

HONORS Courses

Frequent Questions

Distance Calculus - Student Reviews

Anonymous☆☆☆☆☆

Posted: Dec 31, 1969

Jessica M.★★★★★

Posted: Feb 25, 2020

Courses Completed: Applied Calculus

I highly recommend this course. I started the Kennedy School at Harvard with a last-minute admission, but my application required the Liberal Arts calculus course, so I had to finish the course in 3 weeks. Diane was an awesome instructor! The class was surprisingly interesting. If you need to take calculus fast, this is the program to use.

Transferred Credits To: Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

Aiden B.★★★★☆

Posted: May 6, 2025

Courses Completed: Calculus II, Multivariable Calculus

Is the course perfect? No. However, it was by far the best option available. I have learned quite a few things not normally taught in a Calculus course. However, the course lacks a lot of paper solving and integrating, which is to be expected in an online course.

Howard B.★★★★★

Posted: May 17, 2025

Courses Completed: Applied Calculus

I truly loved this class—it's one of the most enjoyable math courses I’ve ever taken.

Pros:

-- Exceptional Instruction and Support: Dr. Curtis was incredibly responsive and helpful whenever I had questions. The TA was also very supportive, and thanks to their guidance, I was proud to earn a 100% in the course—even without having taken pre-calculus beforehand.

-- Innovative Software Platform: The custom software used in the course made a huge difference for me. I found it intuitive and engaging, and it helped reinforce the concepts in a way traditional textbooks never did.

-- Thorough, Rigorous Curriculum: The structure of the course really pushed me to stay organized and plan ahead. I felt like I was being challenged in all the right ways.

Potential Considerations for Others:

-- Requires Strong Time Management: If you haven’t taken pre-calc, like me, you’ll need to be extra proactive. The course can move quickly if you need, and pacing yourself is essential.

-- Software Learning Curve: While I personally loved the software, students who aren’t comfortable adapting to new digital tools might need a bit of extra time upfront to get used to it.

-- Helpful to Have Supplementary Resources: One improvement might be to offer a short list of "starter resources" (videos, concept overviews, etc.) for students who need a broader intro to calculus before diving in.

Overall, I highly recommend this course to motivated students, especially those comfortable with self-paced learning and open to using new tools. Dr. Curtis is a fantastic instructor, and the course setup really works.

Transferred Credits To: MIT

M M.★★★★★

Posted: Feb 8, 2026

Courses Completed: Precalculus, Calculus I

The courses were excellent. Very flexible and engaging and the platform offers a lot of upper-level courses. Dr. Curtis is an outstanding professor and very responsive. I would take again.

Transferred Credits To: None yet

Tanja B.★★★★★

Posted: Jan 28, 2026

Courses Completed: Calculus I

After two failed attempts at my university, this course helped me understand Calculus. The live maths tool along with Dr. Curtis were especially helpful, allowing me to visualize concepts and expand my understanding. The explanations were clear, the examples practical, and I could learn at my own pace, which built my confidence. Thank you.

Transferred Credits To: University of Namibia

Henry F.★★★★★

Posted: Dec 18, 2025

Courses Completed: Differential Equations

Transferred Credits To: Saint Joseph High School