Online Environmental Science

• The role that organisms (including humans) play in the cycling of energy and resources on Earth
• The four Earth spheres (biosphere, atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere) and how energy and matter is cycled through these spheres
• The importance of ecosystems and biodiversity on human survival
• Informed arguments about public policy, especially regarding energy production and renewable versus nonrenewable resources, that can improve our environmental outlook
• Scientific reasoning and data to make predictions about energy use/consumption, land use, and human population
• The complexity of global climate change models and the data behind them
• Anthropogenic effects on the environment
• Waste reduction and recycling strategies using an understanding of issues with solid waste disposal

Video lectures, readings (including two free textbooks), quizzes, discussion board activities, and several lab assignments/quizzes. These lab assignments will be interactive and provide all the instructions necessary to complete the lab experiments yourself from your home.

This course appears on your transcript identically to how it appears on the transcript of an enrolled ASU student who has taken the course on one of ASU’s campuses.

This course includes a lab and satisfies 4 credit hours toward the SCIT: Scientific Thinking in Natural Sciences General Studies requirement at Arizona State University. It is strongly encouraged that you consult with your institution of choice to determine how these credits will be applied to their degree requirements prior to transferring your credit.