List of Free Online Earth Science Courses and Classes
See our list of the top free online Earth science courses. Learn about what courses are available, what topics they cover and whether you can use them to get college credit.
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Information on Free Online Earth Science Courses and Classes
These free online Earth science courses don't require registration or tuition, but the grand majority of them also don't result in college credit. Students may need to download document readers and media plug-ins, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader or QuickTime, in order to access some course materials.
Education-Portal.com
The geology chapter of Education-Portal.com's course on natural sciences includes two lessons on the theory of continental drift. Students can watch lively videos and read through the transcripts of each lesson. They can then test their knowledge with a quiz after each lesson. Users may be able to earn valuable college credits by passing the College Board's College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) test in the natural sciences if they study the rest of the course's chapters as well.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Ecology I: The Earth System
- Geobiology
- Structure of Earth Materials
- Essentials of Geophysics
- Special Topics in Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences: The Environment of the Earth's Surface
- General Circulation of the Earth's Atmosphere
- Turbulence in the Ocean and Atmosphere
Students can download lecture notes in PDF form for all these courses, although some only offer notes from selected lectures. Textbooks and recommended readings may be required to fully learn from the courses, but are not available for free.
Ecology I examines the Earth as one complex system. It's recommended that students have a background in biology prior to starting this course. Students examine how the geosphere, atmosphere, oceans and biosphere function together and support ecosystems. Assignments and exams with solutions are available, as well as examples of student papers. Geobiology is an undergraduate course that teaches students how the Earth's environment was created and how life developed. Topics include the history of the universe and solar system, molecular evolution, photosynthesis, biomineralization, climate change and genomics.
In Structure of Earth Materials, students explore the chemical bonds and crystalline structures that comprise various types of rocks. They also learn how structure influences rock properties. Students can view image galleries to help them identify different types of rocks. Essentials of Geophysics can be taken by both undergraduate and graduate students. Topics of study include gravity, geodynamics, the Earth's magnetic field and seismology.
Special Topics in Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences is a multidisciplinary undergraduate course that explores the forces that impact the Earth's surface, such as erosion, glaciers and precipitation. Charts and graphics are provided in the lecture notes. Exam questions, but not solutions, are available. General Circulation of the Earth's Atmosphere is a graduate-level course that covers topics like spectral analysis, kinetic energy budgets and numerical models. Turbulence in the Ocean and Atmosphere is also a graduate course. Students need a background in physics and math to understand the material taught in this course. Topics covered include convection, QG turbulence, 2D and 3D turbulence, wind-driven turbulence and topographic waves.
The Open University
These courses include transcripts of lessons along with activities and informative graphics. All information is presented within the lessons, and no textbooks or additional readings are required.
In Global Warming, an introductory course, students look at temperature patterns and the causes of global warming. They can read lessons on global warming, examine charts that depict data and review additional documents that discuss global warming. Climate Change, an intermediate-level course, teaches students about natural and manmade reasons for global warming and climate change. Study questions at the end of the course give students a chance to further explore the topics.
The Frozen Planet looks at the Earth's polar regions, teaching how the Sun's energy reaches these areas and what the average temperatures are like throughout the year. The course discusses the habitats that characterize the Antarctic and the Arctic zones. Volcanic Hazards explores types of eruptions. Students can learn about the various hazards, like pyroclastic flows and volcanic ash clouds, that result from different types of eruptions. Images and text referring to real eruptions helps convey this information.
San Diego State University
This 47-minute video lecture is available through the geological sciences department's weekly seminar series. The instructor discusses a 7.3 earthquake in Mexico and explores whether a similar quake could happen along San Diego's Rose Canyon fault and, if so, when? There is no additional material provided with this lecture.
University of California - Irvine
This is an approximately 40-minute video of a lecture delivered by Professor Soroosh Sorooshian, who directs the Center for Hydrometeorology and Remote Sensing at the university. He discusses the planet's climate throughout its history and what is predicted for the future, based on past circumstances. No other course materials are provided.
Yale University
Students learn about the forces that dictate the weather and ocean currents. Topics include El Niño, global warming, air pollution and storms. They can download videos of 35 classroom lectures, along with four exams and the exam answers. Users can purchase the recommended textbook if they would like to fully benefit from the course.
Earn Real Credit from Free Courses
While the free courses above don't award credit directly, you can earn credit by passing an exam and transferring credit to your college. There are two widely recognized and affordable options for exams that award credit.
Option #1: CLEP Exams
The College Board's 33 CLEP exams allow you to test out of your general education requirements. Credit is accepted at 2/3 of colleges and universities in the U.S.
Option #2: Excelsior College's Credit-by-Exam
Excelsior College offers over 40 exams that lead to transferable credit. You can also earn three full degrees by taking free online courses and earning your credit by exam.
Learn how Education Portal Academy will pay you to earn credit!
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4 Popular Schools
The schools in the listing below are not free but are popular choices among our users. Tuition and costs will vary across programs and locations. Be sure to always request tuition information before starting a program.
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be a high school graduate or have completed GED
Online Programs
- Bachelor
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be 17 years of age or older
Online Programs
- Non-Degree
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be 18 years of age or older
Distance Learning Programs
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Non-Degree
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- Certificate in Holistic Planet
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- Certificate in Feeding the Family
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Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Applicants must have a bachelor's degree or higher
Online Programs
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Master
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- MA in Teaching - Secondary Science
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Other Popular Schools:
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Areas of study you may find at Iowa State University include:
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- Graduate: Doctorate, First Professional Degree, Master
- Undergraduate: Bachelor
- Agriculture
- Architecture
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Business
- Communications and Journalism
- Computer Sciences
- Education
- Engineering
- Liberal Arts and Humanities
- Mechanic and Repair Technologies
- Medical and Health Professions
- Physical Sciences
- Psychology
- Visual and Performing Arts
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Areas of study you may find at University of Michigan include:
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- Graduate: Doctorate, Master
- Undergraduate: Bachelor
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Business
- Communications and Journalism
- Computer Sciences
- Education
- Engineering
- Legal
- Liberal Arts and Humanities
- Medical and Health Professions
- Physical Sciences
- Psychology
- Visual and Performing Arts
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Areas of study you may find at New England Institute of Technology include:
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- Non-Degree: Coursework
- Undergraduate: Associate, Bachelor
- Business
- Communications and Journalism
- Computer Sciences
- Engineering
- Liberal Arts and Humanities
- Mechanic and Repair Technologies
- Medical and Health Professions
- Visual and Performing Arts
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Areas of study you may find at Golden Gate University include:
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- Graduate: First Professional Degree, Master
- Non-Degree: Certificate, Coursework
- Post Degree Certificate: Postbaccalaureate Certificate
- Undergraduate: Bachelor
- Business
- Computer Sciences
- Legal
- Liberal Arts and Humanities
- Medical and Health Professions
- Psychology
- Visual and Performing Arts
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Areas of study you may find at University of South Florida include:
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- Graduate: Doctorate, First Professional Degree, Master
- Undergraduate: Associate, Bachelor
- Architecture
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Business
- Communications and Journalism
- Computer Sciences
- Education
- Engineering
- Liberal Arts and Humanities
- Medical and Health Professions
- Physical Sciences
- Psychology
- Visual and Performing Arts
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Areas of study you may find at Texas Tech University include:
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- Graduate: Doctorate, First Professional Degree, Master
- Undergraduate: Bachelor
- Agriculture
- Architecture
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Business
- Communications and Journalism
- Computer Sciences
- Education
- Engineering
- Legal
- Liberal Arts and Humanities
- Mechanic and Repair Technologies
- Medical and Health Professions
- Physical Sciences
- Psychology
- Visual and Performing Arts
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