Online courses directory (138)

This course will introduce you to the history of the Middle East from the rise of Islam to the twenty-first century.  The course will emphasize the encounters and exchanges between the Islamic world and the West.  It will be structured chronologicallyeach unit will focus on the emergence of a particular Middle Eastern society or empire during a specific time period.  Each unit will include representative primary-source documents that illustrate important overarching political, economic, and social themes, such as the emergence of Islam in the seventh century, conflicts between Islamic and Christian peoples during the Crusades, European domination of Muslim territories in the nineteenth century, independence movements and the rise of nationalism in the 1900s, and the formation of Islamic fundamentalist groups and anti-Western sentiment in the latter twentieth century.  By the end of the course, you will understand how Islam became a sophisticated and far-reaching civilization and how conflicts with the Wes…

In the 1970s, the Chinese Communist leader Zhou Enlai was asked to assess the outcomes of the French Revolution of 1789.  He supposedly answered: “It is too soon to say.”  Though this story has a somewhat apocryphal status, it captures a fundamental truth about the world in which we live: it is a world which has been shaped by revolutions, and their legacies are always difficult to evaluate. In this course, you will gain a better understanding of the modern world by studying some of the most important political revolutions that took place between the 17th century and today.  You will seek to understand the causes of each revolution, analyze the ideologies that inspired the revolutionaries, examine revolutionary uses of violence, and consider how historical revolutions still shape contemporary politics.  Close and critical readings of historical sources will be crucial in this process. The course begins with a theoretical analysis of revolutions and a careful examination of pre-revolutionary Europe…

This course will focus on the emergence and evolution of industrial societies around the world.  We will begin by comparing the legacies of industry in ancient and early modern Europe and Asia and examining the agricultural and commercial advances that laid the groundwork for the Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries.  We will then follow the history of industrialization in different parts of the world, taking a close look at the economic, social, and environmental effects of industrialization.  The course is organized chronologically and thematically.  Each unit will focus on key developments in the history of industry as well as on representative areas of the globe, using primary-source documents, secondary readings, and multimedia resources to illustrate the dynamic nature of industrial change.  By the end of the course, you will understand how industrialization developed, spread across the globe, and shaped everyday life in the modern era.

This course will focus on the history of humankind’s relationship with the environment.  We use the word “environment” to refer to the nonhuman components of the natural world.  We will examine how environmental factors have shaped the development and growth of civilizations around the world and analyze how these civilizations have altered their environments in positive and negative ways.  The course will be structured chronologically.  Each unit will include representative primary-source documents that illustrate important overarching themes, such as how early humans adapted natural resources for new purposes, how the expansion of civilizations led to environmental changes, how the interaction between European explorers and Native Americans led to significant and unexpected environmental consequences, and how modern societies have responded to environmental problems that threaten the well-being of humans and the environment.  By the end of the course, you will better understand the reciprocal rela…

This course provides an introduction to the history of technology for the Science, Technology, and Society (STS) major.  The course surveys major technological developments from ancient to modern times with particular attention to social, political, and cultural contexts in Europe and the United States.  You will also think critically about the theory of technological determinism, the ways in which technology has defined “progress” and “civilization”, and the major ethical considerations surrounding today’s technological decisions. This course begins with discussions of the promotion of technology in centralized states of the ancient and medieval worlds: the Roman Empire, Song and Ming China, and the Islamic Abbasid Empire.  After a period of relative decline, the states of Western Europe centralized and flourished once again, having benefited from the westward transmission of key ideas and technologies from the East. The focus of the course then shifts to the West, to the technologies of the…

Great managers are made, not born. Learn about the qualities and skills of great managers in this Business 101 course. Instructor Sherri Hartzell holds both an MBA and Ed.D., so she's an excellent choice to teach you about principles of management.

Start by learning about the different levels of management in organizations and then dive into how good managers lead to great employees. Students of business, budding entrepreneurs and independent online learners alike can benefit from these short, engaging video lessons and interactive online quizzes. Business 101: Principles of Management can prepare you to earn real, widely transferable college credit by taking the Principles of Management CLEP exam or the Excelsior Principles of Management exam .

Great managers are made, not born. Learn about the qualities and skills of great managers in this Business 101 course. Instructor Sherri Hartzell holds both an MBA and Ed.D., so she's an excellent choice to teach you about principles of management.

Start by learning about the different levels of management in organizations and then dive into how good managers lead to great employees. Students of business, budding entrepreneurs and independent online learners alike can benefit from these short, engaging video lessons and interactive online quizzes. Business 101: Principles of Management can prepare you to earn real, widely transferable college credit by taking the Principles of Management CLEP exam or the Excelsior Principles of Management exam .

Professor Lynn Hunt lectures in this course which covers a broad, historical study of major elements in Western heritage

This course examines both the

US History Overview 1: Jamestown to the Civil War. US History Overview 2: Reconstruction to the Great Depression. US History Overview 3: WWII to Vietnam. Appomattox Court House and Lincoln's Assassination. Communism. Korean War Overview. Bay of Pigs Invasion. Cuban Missile Crisis. Vietnam War. Pattern of US Cold War Interventions. Allende and Pinochet in Chile. When Capitalism is Great and Not-so-great. 20th Century Capitalism and Regulation in the United States. US History Overview 1: Jamestown to the Civil War. US History Overview 2: Reconstruction to the Great Depression. US History Overview 3: WWII to Vietnam. Appomattox Court House and Lincoln's Assassination. Communism. Korean War Overview. Bay of Pigs Invasion. Cuban Missile Crisis. Vietnam War. Pattern of US Cold War Interventions. Allende and Pinochet in Chile. When Capitalism is Great and Not-so-great. 20th Century Capitalism and Regulation in the United States.

In this introduction to computer programming course, you’ll learn and practice key computer science concepts by building your own versions of popular web applications. You’ll learn Python, a powerful, easy-to-learn, and widely used programming language, and you’ll explore computer science basics, as you build your own search engine and social network.

Introduction to Psychology is a journey through all of the major psychological concepts and principles. The knowledge gained from this course will allow students to critically evaluate psychological research and have a more in-depth understanding of human thought and behavior.

This class teaches you about basic concepts in theoretical computer science -- such as NP-completeness -- and what they imply for solving tough algorithmic problems.

Computer science is a diverse topic encompassing computer technology, hardware, software, security, communications, programming, algorithms, functions, and storage. By studying it you will learn how computer science impacts on our daily lives. In this free online computer science course you will start by reviewing bits and binary code, including how they are transmitted and stored, and go all the way to computer algorithms which help solve complex problems in an efficient and cost-effective manner. You will also review various computer systems and architecture such as Linux, Windows, and Mac operating systems. This free online computer science course will be of great interest to IT professionals who would like to review the diverse range of topics found in computer science. It will also be useful to learners interested in a career in IT and computing who would like an introduction to the topic.<br />

Basic course for engineering students on Introduction to Information Technology and Introduction to Computer Sciences

This course is a survey of the scientific study of human nature, including how the mind works, and how the brain supports the mind. Topics include the mental and neural bases of perception, emotion, learning, memory, cognition, child development, personality, psychopathology, and social interaction. Students will consider how such knowledge relates to debates about nature and nurture, free will, consciousness, human differences, self, and society.

Course Format

This course has been designed for independent study. It includes all of the materials you will need to understand the concepts covered in this subject. The materials in this course include:

• A full set of Lecture Videos by Prof. John Gabrieli.
• Reading Assignments in several books, including one free online textbook and detailed notes on another book.
• Assorted multiple choice and short answer questions to Check Yourself on the material in each session.
• Supporting Discussion content that elaborates on the lectures and reading.
• A rich collection of online resources for Further Study on each session's topics.
• A full set of Exams with solution keys, and extra practice questions for review.