About This Course
Experience the language of innovation, tradition, and connection through the U.S. State Department’s premier Korean language and culture program, developed by the world‑renowned Foreign Service Institute (FSI). This is the same intensive course used to train U.S. ambassadors, diplomats, and international staff — now available to dedicated learners everywhere. And with the opportunity to earn up to 16 college credits from New York University, your mastery of Korean can advance both your academic and professional goals.
Korean is one of the fastest‑growing languages in global communication, business, and culture. From Seoul’s cutting‑edge technology and K‑pop creativity to centuries‑old traditions of art, philosophy, and cuisine, learning Korean connects you to a world that balances modern dynamism with deep cultural roots. This course builds fluency step by step — speaking, listening, reading, and writing — while immersing you in the rhythms and expressions of everyday Korean life.
But the FSI Korean program goes beyond language mechanics. It’s designed to cultivate cultural intelligence — the ability to understand and engage meaningfully with Korean communities both abroad and in your own city. Across the United States, Korean cultural centers, churches, and community organizations welcome learners eager to participate in events, volunteer, and share experiences. By learning Korean, you’ll gain access to authentic relationships, mentorships, and opportunities that enrich your life far beyond the classroom.
The course also opens doors to global careers. Korea is a leader in technology, diplomacy, entertainment, and education. Knowing Korean gives you a competitive edge in international business, government service, and cultural exchange. Whether you’re pursuing foreign affairs, media, or simply personal growth, this program equips you with the linguistic and cultural fluency that professionals around the world respect.
By the end of the program, you’ll not only speak Korean — you’ll think Korean. You’ll understand 정 (jeong), the uniquely Korean sense of warmth, empathy, and human connection that defines its culture. You’ll carry that spirit into your daily life, building bridges across languages and communities.
Enroll today in the U.S. State Department’s best Korean learning course. Earn up to 16 NYU credits, connect with native speakers, and discover how learning Korean can make your world — and your community — more connected, creative, and inspired
Course Staff
Chief Educational Troublemaker
Michael Williams
Michael Williams is the Chief Educational Troublemaker at World Mentoring Academy — a title he earned the hard way: by spending more than a decade poking, prodding, and occasionally drop‑kicking the traditional education system into the future. In 2010, long before “MOOC” became a Silicon Valley buzzword, Michael was building a free global college from a backpack, a stubborn belief in open learning, and whatever Starbucks Wi‑Fi he could borrow. The Orange County Register profiled him as a “homeless by choice educator to the world,” documenting his 12‑hour days assembling university‑level courses from MIT, Yale, NPTEL, and Stanford — all without charging a cent.
While the big platforms eventually traded “open” for “subscription,” Michael never budged. World Mentoring Academy remains one of the last true free MOOCs on Earth, offering more than 1,000 courses without paywalls, upsells, or fine print.
Michael’s LinkedIn essays — including “Harvard & MIT, Follow a Homeless Educator,” “The Future Won’t Wait for Academia,” and “Future of Education May Have Ancient Roots?” — have earned him a reputation as a futurist with calluses, someone who can explain why AI is breaking the job market, why teens are the workforce pipeline no one is using, and why the next education revolution will look more like ancient Athens than a modern lecture hall.
Across every WMA course, Michael appears as your unofficial guide, mentor, instigator, and occasionally your friendly academic arsonist — the guy who hands you the map, the compass, and the confidence to build a future that doesn’t depend on debt, gatekeeping, or waiting for institutions to catch up.
He helps learners find their place in a world that’s changing faster than universities can update their syllabi — and he does it with humor, humanity, and a refusal to accept that opportunity should be rationed.
If education needs a troublemaker, Michael is happy to volunteer.
