This course introduces the academic approach of Sustainability and explores how today’s human societies can endure in the face of global change, ecosystem degradation and resource limitations. The course focuses on key knowledge areas of sustainability theory and practice, including population, ecosystems, global change, energy, agriculture, water, environmental economics and policy, ethics, and cultural history.
Offered By
Introduction to Sustainability
University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignAbout this Course
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Shareable Certificate
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Approx. 25 hours to complete
English
Subtitles: Tamil, Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Chinese (Simplified), Italian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Vietnamese, German, Russian, English, Spanish
Flexible deadlines
Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Approx. 25 hours to complete
English
Subtitles: Tamil, Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Chinese (Simplified), Italian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Vietnamese, German, Russian, English, Spanish
Offered by
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a world leader in research, teaching and public engagement, distinguished by the breadth of its programs, broad academic excellence, and internationally renowned faculty and alumni. Illinois serves the world by creating knowledge, preparing students for lives of impact, and finding solutions to critical societal needs.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
3 hours to complete
Orientation and Introduction
In this module, you will become familiar with the course, your classmates, and the learning environment. The orientation also helps you obtain the technical skills required for the course. In the introduction, we will examine some of the central ideas that underpin the Earth as a system, and their consequences for environmental sustainability.
3 hours to complete
5 videos (Total 37 min), 5 readings, 3 quizzes
3 hours to complete
Population
In this module, we will see how human populations have evolved over time and get a sense of where the next century of change will take us.
3 hours to complete
5 videos (Total 49 min), 1 reading, 4 quizzes
4 hours to complete
Ecosystems and Climate Change
In this module, we will see that the Earth faces many environmental pressures that result from human exploitation of natural resources. We will also look at the issue of climate change.
4 hours to complete
8 videos (Total 78 min), 1 reading, 5 quizzes
3 hours to complete
Energy
In this module, we will look at energy use. We will also consider what the trend of energy use means for the planet, and how we might transition to a more sustainable pattern of use.
3 hours to complete
8 videos (Total 58 min), 1 reading, 4 quizzes
Reviews
- 5 stars80.65%
- 4 stars16.38%
- 3 stars1.60%
- 2 stars0.42%
- 1 star0.93%
TOP REVIEWS FROM INTRODUCTION TO SUSTAINABILITY
by SPMay 29, 2020
A well thought and curated module which covers all essential aspects of sustainability. The course conduct was well designed and the examples and cases presented gave further insights.
by JFJul 11, 2020
Great course, instructor made lectures interesting. I wish when I got an answer wrong I was directed where to find the answer in the material so I could review and understand.
by BLOct 31, 2020
Professor Tomkins is fantastic and an excellent instructor! The course was was well structured and really gave me such a solid foundational understanding of sustainability topics. Thanks!
by AMJun 4, 2020
Professor John Tomkins did a great job. I am going to pursue a career in sustainability only after completing the course. The course has had a very positive impact on me. Thankyou.
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