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For educational programs covering artificial intelligence search optimization, Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), and LLMs, see AI SEO courses on Coursera.

Search engine optimization education on Coursera

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SEO Cluster Summary
Flagship series Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialization
University partner University of California, Davis Continuing & Professional Education
Lead instructor Rebekah May
Series length 5 courses (~42 total hours)
Skill level Beginner to Intermediate
Coursera Plus Included in $59/mo or $399/yr pass
Audit option Available free on all 5 individual courses

Search engine optimization (SEO) education on Coursera encompasses university-led and corporate courses designed to teach website optimization, search engine crawling mechanisms, keyword intent mapping, and organic audience acquisition.[1] The category is anchored by the 5-course Specialization developed by the University of California, Davis (Continuing and Professional Education).[1][2]

UC Davis SEO Specialization sequence [edit]

# Course title Instructor Estimated duration Core subject matter
1 Introduction to Google SEO Rebekah May ~6 hours Search engine history, crawler algorithms, SERP mechanics.[1]
2 Google SEO Fundamentals Rebekah May ~9 hours On-page SEO, keyword intent mapping, metadata, URL architecture.[2]
3 Optimizing a Website for Google Search Rebekah May ~8 hours Technical SEO, XML sitemaps, robots.txt, canonical tags, site speed.[1]
4 Advanced Content & Social Tactics Rebekah May ~7 hours Content strategy, backlink acquisition outreach, influencer relations.[1]
5 Advanced SEO Strategies (Capstone) Rebekah May ~12 hours Full client audit, executive presentation, strategic roadmap.[1]

Focus on Google SEO Fundamentals [edit]

The second course, Google SEO Fundamentals, represents the highest-enrollment course in the sequence, breaking search strategy into four weekly units covering algorithm evaluation, keyword intent segmentation, on-page HTML tag optimization, and competitive benchmarking.[2]

Curriculum evaluation and industry relevance [edit]

The program provides rigorous foundations in search architecture, client reporting, and structured auditing, but focuses primarily on traditional SERPs. To address newer AI-driven search formats (including Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, and ChatGPT Search), Coursera expanded its catalog with dedicated AI SEO courses, most notably the 7-course AI SEO & GEO Professional Certificate.[1]

References [edit]

  1. ^ "Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialization Syllabus". University of California, Davis. 2026. Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  2. ^ "Google SEO Fundamentals Course Overview". UC Davis / Rebekah May. 2026. Retrieved 2026-09-29.