Things to do in spring: 9 online courses about everything
alexander savina
The academic year traditionally begins in the fall. - but nothing prevents you from practicing at any other time. We have collected some interesting courses that are about to begin or have already begun - and which will be enough for the whole spring. Useful, practical and just interesting - everything is there.
Nutrition and Health: Macronutrients and Overnutrition
Wageningen University
From March 13, 7-8 weeks
This course (or rather, two parts - one devoted to excess, the other - malnutrition) does not talk about diets and the "right" diet. Instead, experts from the University of Wageningen in the Netherlands will explain how we are affected by what we eat: the first half of the program is devoted to proteins, fats and carbohydrates, the second half is devoted to vitamins, minerals and trace elements. This, of course, does not mean that you need to immediately lose weight - it is primarily about health, a conscious approach to food and caring for your body: knowing how certain products influence you, it will be much easier to make decisions.
Religion, Conflict and Peace
Harvard
Free schedule, 8 weeks
When talking about religion, there are often two polar points of view: some consider it a source of violence, repression and intolerance, others say that extremism has nothing to do with the fundamental foundations of faith. The authors of this course believe that everything is actually more complicated: using the example of armed conflicts in Syria, Israel, Egypt and other countries, they will show how religion can incite conflicts and play the role of a peacemaker. It is possible to study how religion operates in peacetime and affects education and health, the economy and the political life of a state.
Exploring Our Oceans
Southampton University
From February 26, 4 weeks
A course for those who want to know more about the oceans - from the history of their research to ocean biodiversity and how humanity affects its condition. Training does not require special knowledge - just a simple interest and love for the sea and its inhabitants. True, there are those who will benefit from classes more - for example, if you decide to link your life with ecology and environmental protection.
Maintaining a Mindful Life
Monash University
From March 19, 4 weeks
If you have long wanted to start meditating on a regular basis, but you could not get up to your courage, this course is for you Monash University teachers will tell you how important is awareness in everyday life, as well as teach practices and exercises - they and how the course goes can be discussed with other students. For those who have never meditated and do not understand the basic principles, the course is not suitable - the authors advise them to pay attention to more general classes. In addition, the creators emphasize that the course does not replace psychotherapy sessions and will not help to solve serious mental problems: if you need the help of a specialist, contact him.
Game theory
Stanford University, University of British Columbia
From February 26, 8 weeks
Game theory is a new, but dynamically developing and interesting discipline. This, of course, is not only about strategic games like chess and poker: theory studies how decisions are made when several “players” interact with agents, and the action of each influences the rest. This includes political campaigns, and the stock exchange, and market competition, and the relations of different countries - for example, voting in the UN Security Council. If the course in English seems too complicated, there is a similar one in Russian - it was organized by the teachers of the Higher School of Economics.
The Truth About Cats and Dogs
Edinburgh University
From February 19, 5 weeks
Classes for those who work with animals or who have a dog or a cat at home and who want to understand them better. The course will help to decipher the behavior of the pet, the signals that it sends, and the language of his body. At the same time, you can learn how to make your home safer and more comfortable for an animal (after all, for it is an unnatural habitat), it is better to take care of it and build better relationships.
Synergetics - the science of the complex
Institute of Philosophy RAS
From March 19, 13 weeks
Academic course, which is hardly suitable for those who want to just pass the couple of evenings on the couch. If to simplify greatly, synergetic is an interdisciplinary area of research that studies open nonlinear systems and how they move from order to chaos and vice versa. The authors of the course believe that these synergy can be applied in science, culture and technology - so it can be useful to those who consider themselves exclusively humanities.
Risk management
NIU HSE
From February 26, 10 weeks
Another academic course for those who love a serious approach to learning - especially since it will require you 4-5 hours a week. As it is easy to guess from the title, this course will teach you how to manage risks — assess possible adverse effects and losses and prevent them. Each week, tests and tasks await you, and at the end of training - an exam. Classes are designed for untrained students, but with basic knowledge of economics and management will be easier.
The holocaust
Open university
Free schedule, 12 hours
The Holocaust is one of the worst events of the 20th century, if not the whole world history. The course will help you learn more about it: understand what led to the terrible events, see the origins of anti-Semitism and Nazi ideology, understand how it happened that ordinary Germans participated in the genocide, as well as see how the Holocaust influenced the history and development of Europe. The authors not only cite statistics and cite research, but also suggest that we reflect on many difficult questions on our own - after all, this is the only way to make sense of such a complex event.
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