Online Courses

Through Michigan Online, learners all over the globe and at all levels can learn, connect, listen and explore without the boundaries of time, space, language and accessibility. Many options are available to all at no cost, with additional layers of access for U-M alumni, as well as students, faculty and staff.

Non-credit-bearing learning experiences are available at no cost to alumni and the whole U-M community. Anyone with U-M credentials has full access to courses and certificates on the Michigan Online platform. Courses belonging to degree programs, MicroMasters and MasterTrack Certificates

Act on Climate: Steps to Individual, Community, and Political Action is intended to help learners understand, address and respond to climate change as individuals and in partnership with their communities and political leaders. The course focuses on how to translate learning into action on climate change in the areas of food, energy, transportation and the built environment (cities). This course was co-developed and taught by SEAS Professor Michaela Zint and U-M students. 

Beyond the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Addressing Sustainability and Development is the first course in the Sustainability and Development MasterTrack® Certificate (detailed below), but you can also take this course as a stand-alone learning opportunity. Throughout the course, you will be introduced to the theoretical currents in Sustainability and Development, and will garner an in-depth understanding of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This course was developed by SEAS Professor Arun Agrawal.

The six courses are self-paced and, once validated, can earn credits toward a degree at SEAS in Sustainability and Development. This option allows you to get a jumpstart on your degree and can also save money on tuition.

You will learn how to understand and explain the world’s most pressing sustainability and development challenges. In addition, you will be able to critically analyze the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and how they relate to global challenges while learning how to use core frameworks and evidence to assess and develop effective solutions.

This teach-out allows you to engage in an intergenerational and interdisciplinary conversation about what sustainability means across different sectors, disciplines and lived experiences. You will explore themes including global sustainability efforts, climate change, environmental justice and more to inspire you to take action on Earth Day and beyond. Together, we will collectively develop visions for a sustainable, just and peaceful world.

Join other participants and a range of experts in this teach-out to explore the complexities of the food system and how we can, individually and collectively, create food habits that reduce our impact on climate change. We break down behaviors in three parts: 1) what we choose to eat, 2) where we source our food from, and 3) reducing food-related waste.

Browse various channels to discover and learn about a wide range of topics such as food literacy, environmental justice, and much more.