Tangential cool stuff - Stuff to make your CV look great

Courses that might make universities look at you!

All of these below are courses that link nicely with a variety of Environmental Science based university degrees. Many are 2-20 hours long so you could technically do them in a few weeks of independent study! Any courses you do, add to your personal statement and reference to put you ahead of anyone you are competing against for a place. No excuses to not be a badass environmentalist now...

Introducing the environment: Ecology and ecosystemsWhat is ecology and why is it important to our understanding of the world around us? This free course, Introducing the environment: Ecology and ecosystems, looks at how we can study ecosystems to ...

An introduction to energy resourcesEnergy resources are essential for any society, be it one dependent on subsistence farming or an industrialised country. There are many different sources of energy, some well-known such as coal or ...

Animals at the extremes: polar biologyThe extreme challenges of life in the polar regions require the animals who make their habitat there to make many adaptations. This free course, Animals at the extremes: polar biology, explores the...

Animals at the extremes: hibernation and torporHibernation is an ingenious adaptation that some animals employ to survive difficult conditions in winter. This free course, Animals at the extremes: hibernation and torpor, examines the ...

Animals at the extremes: the desert environmentAnimal life has adapted to survive in the most unlikely and inhospitable habitats. This free course, Animals at the extremes: the desert environment, looks at the surprisingly diverse desert ...

Aquatic mammalsMammals come in a bewildering variety of shapes and sizes and yet all of the 4700 or so species have some characteristics in common, which justifies the inclusion of diverse types within a single...

An introduction to sustainable energyThe search for sustainable energy will dominate the twenty-first century. This free course, An introduction to sustainable energy, provides an introductory overview of the present energy systems ...

Why sustainable energy mattersAccess to safe, clean and sustainable energy supplies is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity during the twenty-first century. This free course, Why sustainable energy matters, will ...

BiofuelsThis free course, Biofuels, investigates what is meant by a biofuel and covers the advantages of using biofuels compared with fossil fuels. The different types of biofuel are explored, with ...

Can renewable energy sources power the world?We ask the question ‘Can renewable energy sources power the world?’ as a response to the growing awareness that increased use of renewable energy technologies is making a major contribution to ...

Citizen science and global biodiversityThis free course, Citizen science and global biodiversity, deals with the importance of biodiversity and explores how anyone can contribute to and be involved in identifying and recording wildlife,...

Climate change: transitions to sustainabilityHuman societies have to take urgent action to end their dependences on fossil fuels. We have to alter the whole path of our development and decision making in order to make our societies both ...

Could we control our climate?Climate crisis is one of the grand challenges we face as a society, but it can be hard to approach as a subject. Not only can the science at times seem dauntingly complex, but the solutions are ...

Eating for the environmentThis free course, Eating for the environment, will explore the links between food, nutrition and environmental sustainability.

Effects of pollutants on the aquatic environmentEffects of pollutants on the aquatic environment is a free course. It begins with an introduction to water and goes on to briefly outline the major sources of water pollution (these being sewage ...

Energy in buildingsThemes covered in this free course, Energy in buildings, include reducing heating demand in buildings, heating systems and fuel emissions, and reducing electricity use by appliances. The course ...

Energy resources: solar energyEnergy from sources other than fossil and nuclear fuels is to a large extent free of the concerns about environmental effects and renewability that characterize those two sources. Each alternative ...

Environment: understanding atmospheric and ocean flowsWhat affects the atmospheric and ocean flows? This free course, Environment: understanding atmospheric and ocean flows, explores the mechanisms that are important; the most rapid carrier is the ...

Environmental management and organisationsIt is believed that environmental management requires action at all levels and by organisations of all types and sizes. However it is not always clear what we mean by environmental management and ...

EutrophicationManaging eutrophication is a key element in maintaining the earths biodiversity. Eutrophication is a process mostly associated with human activity whereby ecosystems accumulate minerals. This free ...

Evolution through natural selectionIn this free course, Evolution through natural selection, we describe the theory of evolution by natural selection as proposed by Charles Darwin in his book, first published in 1859, On the Origin ...

Fire ecologyThis course explores the role of fire as a natural disturbance in ecosystems. It introduces the concept of a fire regime and its influence on the type and distribution of organisms that occur in ...

The frozen planetThis free course is a general introduction to the frozen planet, including the temperature in the polar regions; the energy from the Sun and the seasons; reading and understanding graphs and maps; ...

Introducing environmental decision makingMany of the decisions we make have implications for our environment, particularly those concerning natural resources and waste. Taking account of environmental factors in decision making can be ...

Life in the PalaeozoicFossils are a glimpse into the distant past and fascinate young and old alike. This free course, Life in the Palaeozoic, will introduce you to the explosion of evolution that took place during the ...

Living without oilCrude oil is currently our most important global source of energy. It is vital in the manufacture of many modern materials. But the worlds supply of oil is finite, its price is unstable and our ...

Managing coastal environmentsCoastal environments are by their nature ever-changing. This free course, Managing coastal environments, looks at the example of the Blackwater Estuary in Essex, England, describing how the current...

MigrationMigration is a free course looking at the migrations of animals, with special reference to birds, and also introducing the themes of movement, selection and homeostasis.

Modelling pollution in the Great LakesThis free course, Modelling pollution in the Great Lakes, introduces the idea of modelling with mathematics. The course centres on a mathematical model of how pollution levels in the Great Lakes of...

Nature matters in conversationThis free course, Nature matters in conversation, focuses on the substance of environmental responsibility-what matters. The question 'What should constitute our prime focus of attention' can ...

Nature matters: caring and accountabilityThis free course, Nature matters: caring and accountability, considers environmental responsibility and what may matter from a caring perspective and an accountability perspective. Caring for an ...

Nature matters: systems thinking and expertsThis free course, Nature matters: systems thinking and experts, explores conceptual tools for assisting our thinking and deliberation on what matters. The notion of 'framing' nature is introduced ...

The oceansThe oceans cover more than 70 per cent of our planet. In this free course, The oceans, you will learn about the depths of the oceans and the properties of the water that fills them, what drives the...

Organisations, environmental management and innovationDo you want to discover more about how organisations innovate for environmental management? This free course, Organisations, environmental management and innovation, focuses on the innovations ...

The science of nuclear energyThis free course, The science of nuclear energy, will delve into the science behind nuclear power and explain what happens inside a nuclear reactor and what it means for an element to be ...

Understanding the environment: Co-evolutionThere is increasing recognition that the reductionist mindset that is currently dominating society, rooted in unlimited economic growth unperceptive to its social and environmental impact, cannot ...

Understanding the environment: Flows and feedbackThere is increasing recognition that the reductionist mindset that is currently dominating society, rooted in unlimited economic growth unperceptive to its social and environmental impact, cannot ...

Understanding the environment: Problems with the way we thinkThis is the third course in the 'Understanding the environment' series. For more information, see the introductory session here339.

Understanding water qualityPlease note, this course was written in 2003/2004 therefore some of the information is now outdated.

Watching the weatherThis free course, Watching the weather, describes how meteorological observations are made looking upwards from the surface of the Earth, looking downwards from satellites in space and from ...

Water for lifeAtoms, elements and molecules are the building blocks of everything that makes up our world, including ourselves. In this free course, Water for life, you will learn the basic chemistry of how ...

Why are nonhuman animals victims of harm?In this free course, Why are nonhuman animals victims of harm? you will investigate why nonhuman animals tend to be overlooked as victims of violence. The course explores some of the social ...

Mosquito resistance to insecticidesLearn about how allele frequency can change rapidly in a population in response to selective pressure by considering how evolutionary change can occur in insects that are exposed to insecticides. ...

Nuclear power: friend or foe?Are you for or against nuclear energy? The necessity to respond to climate change has put nuclear energy back on the political agenda as an alternative energy source. This is part of approaches to ...

Ocean SolutionsThis course will look at how intelligent and innovative use of the ocean can sustainably deliver the key resources necessary to help meet some of the...

Drones for Agriculture: Prepare and Design Your Drone (UAV) MissionWe are all getting familiar with the image of a drone in the sky. Although flying a drone is fun, drones are not toys. More and more UAVs or drones...

Politics and Economics of International Energy Energy issues have always been important in international relations, but in recent years may have become even more important than in the past due to...

Our Energy FutureThis course is designed to introduce students to the issues of energy in the 21st century – including food and fuels – which are inseparably...

Climate Change and Water in Mountains: A Global ConcernWhat is climate change ? How are mountain regions affected by the evolution of water resources and their uses ? What kind of risks need to be...

Climate Change Mitigation in Developing CountriesThis course challenges you to consider how one might lift societies out of poverty while also mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. We explore the...

Climate Change in Four DimensionsThis course views climate change from a variety of perspectives at the intersection of the natural sciences, technology, and the social sciences and...

Sustainable CitiesDid you know that experts estimate an additional three billion people will live in cities by 2050? What will the impact be on the current world...

Feeding a Hungry Planet: Agriculture, Nutrition and SustainabilityAgriculture is more than waving fields of wheat; our ability to grow food from existing natural resources –and without decimating those resources...

Capstone Economics and Policies for a Circular EconomyPlease note: The capstone project is only accessible for ID-verified MicroMasters Program learners who successfully obtained verified certificate in...

Sustainable Packaging in a Circular EconomyIt has become almost impossible to imagine what our lives would be like without the many benefits of packaging - just think about the different...

Cities and the Challenge of Sustainable DevelopmentAccording to the United Nations, urbanization and population growth could result in an increase of 2.5 billion people into urban populations by 2050,...

Nitrogen: A Global ChallengeIt’s a perfect storm. Limited food, water and energy unequally spread between an expanding population, and a warming climate as the bitter icing on...

Batteries, Fuel Cells, and their Role in Modern SocietyIn today's world, we see game-changing movements in transportation and energy markets. A better understanding of the processes involved can help you...

Climate Change: Carbon Capture and StorageThe atmosphere is a shared resource and the amount of greenhouse gases it can absorb is a finite resource. This introductory course to the technology...

From Climate Science to ActionEach part of the world faces specific vulnerabilities to climate change and has different opportunities to mitigate the effects and build resilience...

Agriculture, Economics and NatureSound economic thinking is crucial for farmers because they depend on good economic decision making to survive. Governments depend on economic...

Global Warming I: The Science and Modeling of Climate ChangeThis class describes the science of global warming and the forecast for humans’ impact on Earth’s climate. Intended for an audience without much...

Introduction to Faecal Sludge ManagementDo you want learn how to apply concepts of sustainable faecal sludge management (FSM) on a city-wide scale? This course starts with an overview of...

Sustainable Soil Management: Soil for lifeThis introductory environmental studies course will explore the importance of soil to life on earth, the issues, processes and societal challenges...

Essential Tools For The Low Carbon EconomyWant to be a key player in transitioning your organisation to the low carbon economy? This course is ideally suited to business managers, financial...

Environmental Engineering: Drinking Water TreatmentThis course will cover fundamental science and engineering principles dealing with natural and water environmental systems. First, we focus on what...

Solid Waste ManagementSolid waste management (SWM) is a crucial function of local governments around the world, and directly affects public health, the environment, and...

Water Related HealthWater plays a critical role in our daily lives. In order to understand the health implications, we must first understand the different ways to...

One Planet, One OceanIs the ocean the real final frontier? Humans have a greater understanding of the surface of the moon than they do of the depths of these waters. But...

Sustainability & Major Sport Events: PrinciplesWhile any major sport event can pose great opportunities for the host city or region, there are also challenges associated with hosting these events....

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