Free course: The Engineering of Structures Around Us (DartmouthX on edX)

Key facts

• The Engineering of Structures Around Us is a Dartmouth College (US) course on edX. Not a Mereka course.^[1]
• Free on the audit track. The verified certificate costs US$79.^[1]
• Introductory, about 5 weeks at 3 to 6 hours a week, at your own pace. Needs secondary-school algebra and geometry.^[1]
• You need a free edX account, and edX does not allow anyone under 13 to use the site.^[1][2]
• Free access lasts a limited time and gives no certificate.^[1]

What you'll do

You look at how engineers design bridges and buildings, from local structures to famous ones around the world^[1]. You learn to tell structural elements and forms apart, describe the loads a structure has to carry and how those forces travel through it, and design and build prototype structures of your own^[1]. The course was first run in 2015, when learners built chairs from cardboard and worked on cable-stayed bridge designs^[3].

No Mereka Academy course covers engineering or the skilled trades yet, which is why this one comes from another provider^[4].

What it costs and how to start

Create a free edX account, enrol, and pick the audit track to study for free^[1]. On audit you get no certificate and your access ends after a limited time. The verified track costs US$79 and adds unlimited access, graded assignments and a certificate^[1]. The price is in US dollars, so what you pay in ringgit depends on the exchange rate.

The current run is self-paced and open until 31 January 2035^[1]. It is in English. edX's terms set a minimum age of 13 and say nothing extra about users under 18^[2].

Who it suits

You, if the build challenge in the Engineering & Skilled Trades taster was your favourite part, or you keep wondering why a bridge or a tall building stays up. It fits anyone thinking about civil or structural engineering, construction or architecture, whether through a degree, a polytechnic diploma or a TVET course. The algebra and geometry from SPM Mathematics should be enough.

What this means for you

• Five weeks of building small models is a cheap way to find out whether you enjoy structural problems before you choose a course.
• The examples are mostly American and international. How engineers and construction workers train and get registered in Malaysia is different, so read the library's TVET pathway guide and Build & Engineer lab alongside it.
• You do not need the certificate to get the learning. Pay for it only if you have a clear use for it.
• Free access runs out, so start when you can keep a few hours a week clear.

Your next step

1. Make a free edX account and enrol on the audit track: The Engineering of Structures Around Us(opens in a new tab).
2. Photograph one bridge, roof or tower near you and mark where you think the loads go. Check your guess against the course after week 2, and bring both to your 30-day check-in with the programme team.

Availability and age check

Catalogue and cost observations are dated 23 October 2026. Re-check the provider page before starting, and stop if a payment or unavailable course appears. The linked Mereka Connect agreement sets a minimum age of 16^[5]. It is not an Academy-specific registration policy; check the current Academy terms and any guardian-permission step before enrolling. Use the verified direct sign-in link below if the ordinary login screen omits the Mereka option. External courses use their own accounts and terms.

Access checked 24 October 2026: sign in to Academy with your existing Mereka identity(opens in a new tab). On first use, choose your country and continue; no second password is needed. The ordinary Academy login screen may omit the Mereka button, so use this link or the course button. External course providers use separate access rules.

Availability note, 24 October 2026: some Academy pages kept loading after sign-in during our check. If this happens, keep your work here and use an open-reading alternative or contact the First Move team. Do not enter another password or pay to get past a loading page.