5 Best Active Directory Courses For Beginners in 2025

What is an Active Directory? Active Directory is a directory service from Microsoft for Windows domain networks. It comes as a collection of processes and services with most Windows Server operating systems. The initial use of Active Directory was only to manage domains. Although Active Directory became an umbrella term for various directory-based identity services, its role has remained unchanged.

Keeping this in mind, here at Coursesity, we have curated some of the Best Online Active Directory Courses with certification. Hope that you will find the best course for you to learn how to use Active Directory to enhance your skills without spending more time and money on long-term courses.

Best Active Directory Tutorials List

Active Directory & Group Policy Lab
Getting Started with Azure Active Directory for Developers
Active Directory on Windows Server 2016
Developing Azure Active Directory B2C Applications
Windows Server 2019: Active Directory, GPO, R. Server Access

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1. Active Directory & Group Policy Lab

Learn authentic job skills and stack your resume with the experience you will gain in this course.

This course will give you the skills you need to advance your career and find a job that pays well. As you progress in your career, you will need to demonstrate solid experience that you can draw on when asked. That is what this course is all about: getting the facts straight.

In this Active Directory course, you will:

learn how to use Active Directory users and computers.
Comprehend Group Policy, how it works, and how to use it in your domain.
understand GPO (Group Policy Object) precedence.
write Powershell scripts to automate repetitive tasks and save yourself countless hours of labor.
learn how to create test organizational units (OUs) to test your new GPOs safely.
manage domain workstations and servers using Active Directory and Group Policy.
configure domain user desktop backgrounds and other tasks.
deploy software to specific users or computers using Group Policy.
make your domain secure by using Group Policy Management.
learn how to resolve group policy issues.
apply GPOs to target OUs, users, and/or computers.
establish and publish network share drives to Active Directory Users and Computers.

Throughout this course, you will dive deep into Active Directory and Group Policy and get up to speed on everything you need to know. Everything is designed to be as efficient as possible to help you get what you need.

Course rating: 4.6 out of 5.0 (12,950 Rating total)
Duration: 7h
Certificate: Certificate on completion

2. Getting Started with Azure Active Directory for Developers

Azure Active Directory is central to Microsoft Azure and the Microsoft Identity Platform.

Azure Active Directory is an essential skill for any developer connected to the Microsoft ecosystem. This course will teach you how to use, manage, and provision Azure Active Directory. It will provide you with a high level of familiarity with modern identity concepts as well as the basics of Azure AD, creating and managing it, apps, and service principles.

Topics in this Azure Active Directory course include:

An Introduction to Azure Active Directory
Modern Authentication Basics
Service Principals
Azure AD Application Registrations
Manage Azure AD from Terminal

First, you'll learn how to create an Azure Active Directory, how it is related to subscriptions, and how permissions and roles are managed in Azure Active Directory. Then, you'll learn about the principles of service and app registrations, as well as the fundamentals of OpenID connection and OAuth2. Lastly, you will learn how to manage Azure AD through the portal, Azure CLI, and PowerShell.

When you complete the course, you will be able to use Azure Active Directory to design and implement applications, service principals, and have a solid grasp of modern authentication methods.

Duration: 2h 15m
Certificate: Certificate on completion

3. Active Directory on Windows Server 2016

Learn how to deploy and manage all aspects of Active Directory, Group Policy, DNS, and many more technologies.

In this Active Directory course, you will learn the basics of active directory domain services (AD DS) and prepare for the Microsoft Exam 70-742, required for the MCSA: Windows Server 2016 certification. Certification candidates will benefit from extra resources such as practice exams that simulate certification exams.

In this Active Directory course, you will:

Deploy domain controllers.
Understand OU, Domain, and Forest design.
Deploy Read-Only Domain Controllers (RODCs).
Manage Operations Masters (FSMO).
Handle user accounts, computer accounts, and groups.
Deploy domain controllers using PowerShell.
Plan Active Directory Sites and manage replication.
Perform Active Directory migrations.
Deploy and manage Certificate Services/Certification Authorities.

Course rating: 4.6 out of 5.0 (10,892 Rating total)
Duration: 5h
Certificate: Certificate on completion

4. Developing Azure Active Directory B2C Applications

Learn to create accounts and sign in to your applications with Azure AD B2C.

Microsoft Azure AD Business-to-Consumer (B2C) allows you to create and manage accounts for your applications. This course covers the management of consumer identities with Azure AD B2C. This course will teach you how to create and manage signups for web apps and APIs, protect the web apps and APIs, and manage the user experience with AD B2C.

Topics in this Active Directory course include:

Building and Testing User Flows
Authenticate Web Application with Azure Active Directory B2C
Implement Azure Active Directory B2C Custom Policies
Advanced Azure AD Custom Policies
Integrate Azure AD B2C with AAD and Microsoft Graph
Manage User Data in Azure Active Directory B2C Using Application Insights

You will first learn how to set up and configure Azure AD B2C. Then you will discover how to enable your applications to allow anyone to sign up/sign in, customize that experience, and protect back-end resources.

As a final step, you will learn about using Microsoft Graph and Application Insights to manage your users' identities. Upon completion of this course, you will have the skills and knowledge of Azure AD B2C required to allow anyone to sign in to your applications and then manage those users.

Duration: 2h
Certificate: Certificate on completion

5. Windows Server 2019: Active Directory, GPO, R. Server Access

Become a Network Administrator in Microsoft Windows Server 2019 with Remote Server Access.

For a network administrator, or a future network administrator if you're seeking a job in this area, knowing how to use Active Directory and create and edit group policies (GPO) for users in Microsoft Windows Server 2019 is essential. Furthermore, if you are already employed, this course will equip you with the tools necessary to pursue a better position within your organization.

In this Active Directory course, you will:

Learn To be a network administrator.
Start by learning how to administer Windows Server 2019.
Set up virtual machines and virtual laboratories.
Set up Windows Server 2019.
Learn what a domain is and how to create one using Active Directory.
Change, edit, lock, and create domain users' passwords using Active Directory and Group Policy (GPO).
Block computer access, limit logging in times, and prevent program execution with Active Directory and Group Policy (GPO).
Map domain folders and printers using Active Directory and Group Policy (GPO).
Create and edit Group Policies (GPO).
Provide domain users with automatic installation of Microsoft Office 365.
Set up and edit security policies in Active Directory and through Group Policies.
Stop potentially harmful programs from executing with Group Policies.
Audit logons and shared files.
Access the server remotely from your home office or anywhere in the world with remote server access.

As a network administrator, you will learn theory with hands-on labs during this Windows Server 2019 training for beginners course. As a result, you won't waste time on endless theoretical explanations.

Course rating: 4.4 out of 5.0 (5,334 Rating total)
Duration: 6h
Certificate: Certificate on completion

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