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- MasterClass creates online video classes taught by celebrities and industry experts.
- An annual subscription is $180 and gives you access to all of MasterClass.
- Browse the top MasterClass classes in everything from gardening to game theory here.
Who better to learn acting from than Helen Mirren, get in-depth singing lessons from than Mariah Carey, or gain fashion advice from than Tan France?
For most, famous people aren't easy to connect with, let alone have as teachers. To help bridge the gap, MasterClass recruits the best of the best to teach us the secrets to their crafts.
Unlike most online learning platforms that focus on hard skills like programming or UX design, MasterClass targets a different audience: Lifelong learners and fans of edutainment.
With. an annual membership, you can take unlimited courses in writing, cooking, sports, business, wellness, and more, with each topic taught by a well-known expert in their field.
We report on many education platforms, and MasterClass is one of our favorites (as well as one of our go-to gifts). The videos have high-quality production value, the courses are engaging and fast-moving, and you get a mix of practical tools as well as nuggets of insights into the lives of the celebrities you love.
Plus, the app makes using MasterClass very easy: You can even listen to just the audio and treat the courses like educational podcasts if you'd prefer to learn on the go.
What you'll find below:
Some of the most notable names on MasterClass teach courses in the entertainment arts, from directing to acting. The roster of celebrity instructors is almost overwhelming: Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee, Helen Mirren, Samuel L. Jackson, Natalie Portman, Steve Martin, Judd Apatow, Ron Howard, Mira Nair, Jodie Foster, David Lynch, and Werner Herzog are just a few examples.
It's this robust list that makes MasterClass a particularly thoughtful gift for any film buffs or acting students in your life.
You can browse all of MasterClass's film and TV-related courses here.
There are endless online writing courses out there, but only on MasterClass can you learn from some of the most famous authors out there. We loved Margaret Atwood's course, and while they don't offer the typical feedback and notes traditional writing workshops do, MasterClass courses provide storytelling tips from Malcolm Gladwell, David Sedaris, James Patterson, Judy Blume, Amy Tan, N.K. Jemisin, Dan Brown, Neil Gaiman, Joyce Carol Oates, Walter Mosley, Shonda Rhimes, Aaron Sorkin, Roxane Gay, Amanda Gorman, David Mamet, and Salman Rushdie.
Whether you want to learn techniques from the best chefs or add some new recipes to your repertoire, we've loved MasterClass's offerings. For example, Massimo Bottura's Modern Italian Cooking MasterClass provided tips on everything from creating simple, delicious meals to reducing food waste.
Some standout instructors include Gordon Ramsay, Thomas Keller, Wolfgang Puck, Alice Waters, Dominique Ansel, Yotam Ottolenghi, and Niki Nakayama.
You can browse all the MasterClass food and culinary arts courses here.
Like MasterClass's film and TV courses, its selection of famous musicians is impressive. You can learn anything from singing and songwriting to music producing from Alicia Keys, Usher, Christina Aguilera, John Legend, Mariah Carey, Reba McEntire, Questlove, Hans Zimmer, St. Vincent, Nas, Yo-Yo-Ma, Danny Elfman, and Ringo Starr.
For those interested in design, be it decorating a space, changing your wardrobe, or taking great photos, MasterClass boasts courses from the best of the best.
Some famous names include Tan France, Bobbi Brown, Tyler Mitchell, Diane Von Furstenberg, RuPaul, Naomi Campbell, and Annie Leibovitz. And while it was more about leadership than fashion, we particularly loved Anna Wintour's MasterClass.
You can browse all of MasterClass's design, fashion, and photography courses here.
Some of the more hidden gems on MasterClass include its wellness-related courses. Ones we've really enjoyed include sexual health advice from Emily Morse, the science behind healthy sleep from Matthew Walker, meditation guidance from Jon Kabat-Zinn, and fitness tips from Joe Holder. One editor even bought a $4 emergency bracelet after watching Jessie Krebs' MasterClass on wilderness survival.
Some of MasterClass's more recent additions have been courses led by famous political figures and historians, which can provide a fascinating window into their views. You can learn from Malala, Hillary Clinton, Madeleine Albright, Condoleezza Rice, and Cornel West, and MasterClass also offers series on topics like empathy, feminism, and Black history.
You can browse all of MasterClass's community, government, and political courses here.
Along with creative skills like cooking or art, MasterClass can also provide powerful leadership advice, no matter your profession. Anna Wintour's course included surprising tidbits about how she runs Vogue, and one of our favorite MasterClasses of all time is former FBI investigator Chris Voss's guide to successful negotiation.
The topics are broad and cover a wide range of skills, be it personal branding taught by Kris Jenner, purposeful communication by George Stephanopoulos, business strategy by Bob Iger, or authentic communication by Robin Roberts.
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