What Is MasterClass?
MasterClass is an online learning platform that offers a variety of video courses featuring world-class instructors covering a wide range of topics from arts to business, cooking, wellness and so much more. The platform allows you to complete the courses on your own schedule and you’re able to explore as many topics as you would like once a membership is selected.
What Can You Learn with MasterClass?
The range of topics varies widely at MasterClass, but courses are broken down into the following categories: arts and entertainment, business, community and government, design and style, food, home and lifestyle, music, science and tech, sport and gaming, wellness and writing. A few of the most popular courses right now include The Art of Storytelling with Neil Gaiman, Science and Problem Solving with Bill Nye, Cooking with Gordon Ramsay and Screenwriting with Aaron Sorkin.
In addition to the traditional courses, MasterClass also features short, skill-building lessons that are, on average, 20 minutes long intended to help you build critical skills like public speaking. There are also several series, which include a few lessons from varying experts with themes like gut health and skill building, which last from about one hour to two and a half hours combined.
My Experience Using Masterclass
So how did I test MasterClass? After completing the introductory quiz, which assesses your interests and time constraints to offer a few personalized recommendations of classes you may enjoy, the first course I chose was Fantasy and Science Fiction Writing with award-winning author N.K. Jemisin. I also wanted to get a feel for the full experience across categories to understand how they may differ based on users’ interest, so I dabbled in Technique and Artistry with Misty Copeland and Modern Vegetarian Cooking with Dominique Crenn, too.
The beginning of each course began with an introduction to the instructor, who shared a bit about their background and experience. The courses then delved straight into the topics, broken down into manageable lessons that ranged from about 10 to 25 minutes long for the writing and cooking courses, while the ballet technique lessons were a bit shorter. With the courses broken down like this, it made it super easy to fit in a little learning between my usual daily tasks, or I could sit down at night and watch a few in a row in the evenings without feeling pressured to finish the whole thing. It’s also worth noting that you can switch between courses as often as you wish and rewatch lessons whenever you like, and there’s no time limit to finish them (as long as you have an active subscription)—a huge plus, in my opinion.
Another bonus of every course is that it comes with a downloadable course guide, which includes additional information and exercises (or in the case of the cooking class, written out versions of the recipes discussed in the lesson). I think these hold a lot of value since you’re able to keep them on your computer or print them out to refer to, even past your subscription’s length. Also, while your subscription is active, you have access to recordings of previous live sessions, each about an hour long, during which instructors offered detailed insights, answered questions and shared advice.
One functional feature of the courses I found useful was that you can change the speed at which you watch the videos. I set mine to 1.5x speed, which kept me a bit more engaged, while also cutting down a little on the time it took to get through the courses. I also appreciated that in the cooking course, I was able to bookmark the recipes I wanted to try, and could even share them with friends or family right from a link in the video.
Truthfully, there wasn’t much I *didn’t* like about MasterClass, but if I’m being picky, I’d say I would have loved the chance to explore some more of the topics in more depth. For example, getting into additional recipes and methods of cooking with Dominique Crenn, even with a one-time fee or something similar, would definitely have interested me. I think I learned a bit more from the writing course, as it provided foundational information rather than distinct skills like certain ballet moves or a specific recipe, which is worth considering when deciding if MasterClass is right for you. But overall, whether you’re looking to take on a new skill of your own or gift the learner in your life an experience they’ll appreciate, there’s sure to be a topic anyone will be excited to delve into.
Is MasterClass Worth It?
In my opinion, MasterClass is definitely worth it. The library gives you the chance to learn from experts spanning industries, essentially for the price of an oat milk latte per month. Due to the variety of courses available, MasterClass could be best for those who like to learn across topics, rather than an in-depth study of one in particular. It’s also a great option for anyone who likes learning from the comfort of their homes.
