If you are impassioned about the environment and want to learn more about green topics such as conservation, energy, sustainable development, or global warming, then you will find plenty of free college classes in the list below to help expand your knowledge base. The following courses are organized by discipline, but don’t let your English literature background stop you from exploring civil engineering classes. There is plenty of crossover between these courses and various other disciplines.

Earth Sciences

From climate change to global warming to environmental Earth science, the following classes will have you learning plenty about the environment.

1. Conservation and biodiversity. This podcast explores the ecological communities in Honduras and Indonesia and introduces the concept of conservation bio-geography. [University of Nottingham]
2. Dynamics of Complex Systems: Complexity in Ecology. This course reviews both classical works and recent literature that discuss the complexity of ecology. [MIT]
3. Dynamics of Complex Systems: Ecological Theory. Students will examine both classical and current works on ecological theory. [MIT]
4. Practising science: reading the rocks and ecology. This course is a great introduction to both Earth sciences and ecology and the interconnectedness of the two. [The Open University]
5. Geobiology. Learn about biology as it relates to the Earth throughout history from the origins of the Earth to global warming. [MIT]
6. Seminar in Environmental Science. Get the latest in current research going on in the field of environmental science with this course. [MIT]
7. Climate change. Learn about climate change, global warming, and the greenhouse effect in this course. [The Open University]
8. Special Topics in Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences: The Environment of the Earth’s Surface. Study the basics about the Earth’s physical and chemical environment in order to know the best practices for management of the environment. [MIT]
9. Environmental Earth Science. Explore how "geologic processes control and modify the Earth’s environment" in this class. [MIT]
10. Global warming. Examine the changes in the Earth’s temperature through study of natural temperature changes, history of the climate, and recorded temperatures. [The Open University]
11. Strange Bedfellows: Science and Environmental Policy. Learn about the relationship between science and politics when it comes to setting environmental policies. [MIT]

Biology

These courses touch on such topics as tropical ecology, water and health, and mangroves and biodiversity.

12. Tropical Ecology and Conservation. Learn along with past students who experienced a hands-on trip to Costa Rica to study tropical ecology and conservation. [Tufts University]
13. Natural Science Part I and II. Students who need a little background in science can take this class to get an overview of such topics as energy, chemical processes, genetics, diversity of life, and geologic processes. [Western Governors University]
14. General Ecology. Not only can students learn the basics of ecology in this class, but also understand how ecologists construct knowledge. [Utah State University]
15. Introductory Biology. Having a working knowledge of biology will set the foundation for better understanding specialized biology courses pertaining to the environment, and this class will provide what knowledge. [MIT]
16. Animal Behavior. Understanding the basics for animal behavior is an important piece of understanding their role in the natural world. [MIT]
17. Biology of Water and Health. Explore the ways water and health are related in this multi-disciplinary approach class. [Tufts University]
18. Training Course on Mangroves and Biodiversity. Students will study the mangrove ecosystems and learn about threats to them as well as sustainability management options. [United Nations University]
19. Finding information in science and nature. Teaching the basics in finding and evaluating information, this course will help you know where to look for information, how to organize it, and how to stay current in your knowledge. [The Open University]
20. Introducing Environment–taster materials. This basic course is designed to instruct the novice about scientific and technical aspects of studying the environment while also teaching writing and learning skills to effectively communicate your findings. [The Open University]

Environmental, Chemical, and Biological Engineering

These engineering classes examine everything from transport processes to chemicals in the environment to designing for sustainability.

21. Environmental engineering. This unique class is designed for school pupils to inform them of the type of work done by environmental engineers. [The Nottingham University]
22. Transport Processes in the Environment. With an emphasis on rivers and lakes, this course examines the "mass transport in environmental flows." [MIT]
23. Groundwater Hydrology. Learn about groundwater flow, managing contaminated groundwater, and more in this class. [MIT]
24. Systems Perspectives on Industrial Ecology. Students learn about life-cycle analysis of the impact of materials extraction, processing, and recycling. [MIT]
25. Chemicals in the Environment: Fate and Transport. Examine how man-made chemicals move through water, air, and soil and the effects of this transport on the environment and people. [MIT]
26. Globalization of the Engineering and Construction Industry. The challenges and risks involved for senior managers in construction, engineering, and architecture are examined against a backdrop of global markets. [MIT]
27. Project Management. Learn to "effectively plan, organize, and control" a construction project by learning effective methods and experiencing hands-on situations. [MIT]
28. Design for Sustainability. Explore the issues of water and wastewater management, energy use, material selection, and construction within the context of two methodologies as it pertains to the built environment. [MIT]
29. Introduction to Civil Engineering Design. Students will learn about the basics of civil design while taking into consideration such factors as built environment, natural environment, and economic and social factors. [MIT]
30. Fundamentals of Ecology. This engineering class focuses on the basics of the flow of energy and materials through ecosystems, with a special emphasis on aquatic systems. [MIT]
31. Ecology II: Engineering for Sustainability. Examine the connection of humans and natural environments as it pertains to physical, chemical, ecological, and economic principles. [MIT]
32. Sustainable Energy. Examine current and future energy sources with topics including extraction, resources, and end-use. [MIT]
33. Chemicals in the Environment: Toxicology and Public Health. Learn to define the relationship between disease and exposure to environmental chemicals in this biological engineering class. [MIT]
34. Public hygiene and epidemiology. Civil engineers can learn about human pathology as related to water sanitation throughout history and as it pertains to today. [Delft University of Technology]
35. Environmental Microbiology. Examine microorganisms in both natural and artificial environments. [MIT]
36. Transportation Policy and Environmental Limits. This engineering class looks at the "economic and political conflict between transportation and the environment" in an effort to teach students ways of developing policy. [MIT]
37. Environmental Engineering MEng Project. This graduate-level class provides students a hands-on opportunity to learn about environmental engineering. [MIT]
38. Economic & Environmental Issues in Material Selection. Learn how to take into consideration the environmental and economic implications of the materials selected for use in products. [MIT]
39. Introduction to Civil and Environmental Engineering Design I. Study the built and natural environment through projects and exercises in this class. [MIT]
40. Soil-based Hazardous Waste Management. Explore engineering management of hazardous waste in this course. [Utah State University]

Architecture

From building materials to sustainable design, these classes take a very green approach to architecture.

41. Fundamentals of Energy in Buildings. Learn about energy consumption in buildings and learn about designing with an eye on innovation and sustainable building. [MIT]
42. Introduction to Integrated Design. Students will find out the basics of architecture as it relates to disciplines including sustainability, history, and structures. [MIT]
43. Ecologies of Construction. Examine the resource requirements for current building as a primary resource for determining the materials and energy involved in new construction. [MIT]
44. Emergent Materials II. This course focuses on sustainable design by examining responsible building materials in both current and future usage. [MIT]
45. Contemporary Architecture and Current Debate. Students will learn about architecture after WWII and assess current issues against that period. [MIT]
46. Sustainable Design and Technology Research Workshop. Explore the issues of sustainability as they relate to architecture in this class where students will propose their own solutions. [MIT]

Urban Studies

Whether you are studying to become an urban planner or just want to know what you are talking about when speaking at city hall for your favorite cause, these classes cover plenty of information on the intersection of urban life and the environment.

47. Introduction to Environmental Policy and Planning. Environmental planning techniques and strategies are the focus of this introductory class that sets the foundation for further investigation into environmental policy and planning. [MIT]
48. Gateway: Planning Action. Explore themes and challenges facing urban planners in this course, which examines real-life case studies. [MIT]
49. Special Studies in Urban Studies and Planning - The Cardiner River Corridor Workshop. Learn about preserving and enhancing existing landscapes with this workshop that focuses on the Cardiner River Corridor in Catalunya, Spain. [MIT]
50. Environmental Justice. Explore the issues surrounding environmental justice and the effects of analyses of these issues on environmental policy and planning. [MIT]
51. Foshan China Workshop. This course examines the issues of creating a sustainable environment along the downtown riverfront area of Foshan in order to improve the quality of life there. [MIT]
52. Gaoming Studio - China. Students will plan and design options for this waterfront district with an eye to watershed and ecosystem protection as well as other urban considerations. [MIT]
53. Sustainable Economic Development. Study environmental and economic development planning, policy, and management for urban communities. [MIT]
54. Planning for Sustainable Development. Looking at the US and Europe, this class examines ways to incorporate sustainable development in urban planning. [MIT]
55. Environment and Society. Students will take a look at the environmental and social impacts of industry, examine personal responsibilities and roles in these problems, and explore solutions. [MIT]
56. Managing coastal environments. Learn about estuaries by specifically studying the Blackwater estuary and learn how best to manage sustainable development in this type of environment. [The Open University]
57. Environmental Management Practicum: Brownfield Redevelopment. Participate in an urban renewal project on a former inner-city industrial site being transformed for optimum community usage. [MIT]
58. Urban Transportation, Land Use, and the Environment. Three in depth studies of cities in South and Central America allow students to explore transportation and environmental issues of urban planning. [MIT]
59. Civil Society and the Environment. This class takes a close look at NGOs and their relationships to environmental policy and planning. [MIT]
60. Science, Politics, and Environmental Policy. Study the role of science in environmental policymaking in the US and compare to other political systems’ processes. [MIT]
61. Environment and Sustainable Development. Examine "policy responses to environmental problems caused by economic development" in this class. [United Nations University]
62. Regional Energy - Environmental Economic Modeling. Students will look at "regional energy-environmental modeling" within context of such topics as supply and demand, energy forecasts, and environmental implications. [MIT]
63. Reforming Natural Resources Governance: Failings of Scientific Rationalism and Alternatives for Building Common Ground. Examine the results of scientific management in recent natural resource cases and explore alternative methods for decision-making processes. [MIT]

History

Learn about the history of technology, food and energy as it relates to the environment in these classes.

64. Introduction to Environmental History. Take a look at the way people after the time of Columbus have impacted their environments and study the biological consequences through time to the present environmental crisis. [MIT]
65. Technology and Nature in American History. Examine the way technology and industry have shaped the American landscape and explore the place of nature in a technological world. [MIT]
66. Food and Power in the Twentieth Century. Explore the transformation of food over the past 100 years and examine how this has affected industrialization, globalization, agriculture, labor movements, business, and even race and gender. [MIT]
67. Energy and Environment in American History: 1705 - 2005. Learn the history of how America became the largest consumer of energy in the world and explore possible paths for the future. [MIT]

Sociology and Anthropology

From consumer culture to conflict and social change, these classes take a look at humanity’s role in the current state of the environment.

68. The Social Construction of Technology in Development. This class explores the possibility that technology develops as a response to social factors and examines issues surrounding this development. [United Nations University]
69. Consumer Culture. Examine what it means to be a part of a consumer culture and explore the ramifications of such a lifestyle in this Humanistic Studies course. [MIT]
70. Environmental Conflict and Social Change. Examine the relationship between humans and natural environments against a backdrop of environmental conflicts in this course that uses real-world case studies. [MIT]
71. Energy, Environment, and Society. Participate in energy innovation opportunities at MIT with this class that has students create projects based on "understanding of energy systems and their major components." [MIT]
72. Environmental Struggles. Examine the definition of "nature" as well as conflict over the use of natural environments to explore the connection between nature and humanity. [MIT]
73. Working with our environment - an introduction. Review the history of technology and its impact on the environment and explore ways that society can responsibly embrace technology while being mindful of the environment. [The Open University]

Humanities

These philosophy and English classes let students explore the thoughts of themselves and others when it comes to green issues.

74. Environmental Philosophy. This course looks at the current environmental crisis and explores solutions through a variety of disciplines. [University of Notre Dame]
75. Writing about Nature and Environmental Issues. Nature writing and environmentalist essay are the focus of this course. [MIT]
76. Writing and the Environment. Study the works of scientists and environmentalists who have written in an effort to transform thought and behavior and learn to write with the same strategies. [MIT]
77. Environmental Ethics. Explore human interaction with the environment in this look at contemporary environmental ethics. [Capilano University]
78. Expository Writing: Exploring Social and Ethical Issues through Film and Print. Engage in social and ethical issues through writing exercises and studying literature and film of those who have spoken about their own feelings on a variety of subjects. [MIT]
79. Writing on Contemporary Issues: Imagining the Future. Explore your vision of the future through studying the literature of others who have imagined and warned about the future as well as personal writings. [MIT]

Public Health

One important impact of the environmental problems is on public health. These classes cover everything from mad cow disease to water and sanitation issues to air pollution.

80. Social and Behavioral Foundations of Primary Health Care. Learn basic primary health care premises and understand their role in developing countries as well as discover ways to plan and implement this care within an ecological model of health behavior. [Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health]
81. Health and environment. Learn about the impacts of changes in the environment on health by studying the environmental legacy, pollution, population growth, and ecology. [The Open University]
82. BSE and vCJD: their biology and management. This course examines mad cow disease, the link between similar diseases that affects humans, and the management of these diseases. [The Open University]
83. Environmental Health. Students will examine health issues, causes, and potential approaches to manage environmental health issues in both developing and industrialized areas. [Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health]
84. Food Production, Public Health, and the Environment. Explore public health and food production as it pertains to issues such as economics, population, and equity through case studies. [Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health]
85. Tropical Environmental Health. Examine problems and solutions for water and sanitation issues in developing countries that impact public health. [Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health]
86. Public Health Toxicology. Learn the basic concepts of environmental toxicology as well as methods of preventing public health issues. [Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health]
87. How Risky is Breathing? Statistical Methods in Air Pollution Risk Estimation. Students examine the health effects of air pollution through the statistical analysis of national-level research done by the instructor. [Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health]
88. Water and Sanitation Needs in Complex Humanitarian Emergencies. Learn about the history of water and sanitation on public health and explore ways to assess and quantify water and sanitation needs during extreme emergencies. [Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health]

Political Science

Green topics are often at the forefront of political discussion. Understand their role in politics with these political science classes.

89. International Politics and Climate Change. Conflict and cooperation in relation to international politics and climate change are the focus of this class. [MIT]
90. Democracy? You think you know?. Examine the history of democracy and study what makes a democracy in this course that serves as a fundamental for anyone who may want to make a difference for the environment via politics. [The Open University]
91. Field Seminar in International Political Economy. Study the "theoretical, empirical, and policy perspectives" of international political economies in both industrial and developing regions. [MIT]
92. Environmental Politics and Policy. Explore the way environmental policy is created in the US through case studies. [MIT]

Business Management

Learning about green business is a smart move for managers and entrepreneurs. These classes offer a look at ways environmental factors impact business management.

93. Global Climate Change: Economics, Science, and Policy. Explore scientific, economic, and ecological issues surrounding global climate change in this class. [MIT]
94. Laboratory for Sustainable Business. Examine ways in which companies are embracing sustainability in order to make positive changes for their companies. [MIT]
95. Environmental factors and organisations. Concepts such as globalization and offshoring are explored in relation to the green environment and the ethics and responsibilities of organizations are discussed. [The Open University]
96. Environmental Policy and Economics. Students will learn about environmental regulations by the government through real-world experiences. [MIT]

Miscellaneous

From agricultural science to fire management, these courses offer a bit more knowledge to round out your green degree.

97. Agricultural Science and Policy I. Look at soil, water, air, and energy as it pertains to natural resource conservation to help ensure environments. [Tufts University]
98. Agricultural Science and Policy II. In the second part of this series, this class examines plant-pest interaction, crop breeding, plant nutrients, and livestock production. [Tufts University]
99. Wildland Fire Management and Planning. Learn about fire behavior, its interaction with the environment, and ways to predict fire behavior. [Utah State University]
100. Integrated safety, health and environmental management: an introduction. This class from the UK looks at the risks involved in safety, health, and environmental management, examines ways to integrate systems, and also explores emergency planning. [The Open University]

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