Environmental Science OpenCourseWare: MIT's Free Undergraduate Environmental Science Course

Published Feb 02, 2009

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'Seminar in Environmental Science' is a bachelor's-level OpenCourseWare offered by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This free online course serves as an introduction to the latest research in geoengineering. Students studying Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences may find 'Seminar in Environmental Science' particularly useful; a core background in environmental science is recommended for all students interested in this self-directed course.

Seminar in Environmental Science: Course Specifics

Degree Level Free Audio Video Downloads
Undergraduate Yes No No Yes

Lectures/Notes Study Materials Tests/Quizzes
No Yes No

Seminar in Environmental Science: Course Description

On the MIT campus, 'Seminar in Environmental Science' focuses on different environmental science themes each term. This free OpenCourseWare contains content from the Spring 2008 section of the seminar course, which was taught by Professor Daniel Rothman and themed around geoengineering. Geoengineering is the practice of manipulating the environment to mitigate the effects of carbon dioxide accumulating in the atmosphere. The course stresses how concepts rooted in central scientific theory are integrated into environmental policy choices. Students explore topics such as the political ramifications of disposing nuclear waste, environmentally sound policies for coastal land use, and global regulation of the open ocean environment. The recommended prerequisites for this course--'Environmental Earth Science' and 'Strange Bedfellows: Science and Environmental Policy'--are both available online as OpenCourseWare.

A reading list is provided for this OpenCourseWare, and downloadable materials include summary assignments and final papers written by students enrolled in the Spring 2008 section of the on-campus course. If you're interested in learning about geoengineering, visit the environmental science course page.

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