About this Course

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We all have to breathe to live. But the air we breathe is polluted both outdoors and indoors. Each year, this pollution costs 7 million lives across the globe – and a lot of suffering. 1 in 8 deaths is due to air pollution. This course will provide you with an introduction to the most recent research in the field of health effects of air pollution as well as a broader understanding of sources and spread of air pollution and what we should do about it.
What is air pollution? What are the sources? How and where are we exposed outdoors and indoors? What happens in the body? Which diseases are the result? Who are the most vulnerable? How can we assess the effects of air pollution? And what should we do to reach the Sustainable Development Goal to “substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution”? These are some of the important questions we will address in the course.

During the course you will meet researchers and experts from the University of Copenhagen and the Technical University of Denmark. They work with different aspects of air pollution and health: toxicology, exposure assessment, epidemiology, engineering and health impact assessment. It is a global responsibility to combat the health impacts of air pollution, and this fight can only be won through new knowledge and global collaboration. 

We hope you will join us in the course and equip yourself to take part in this global and individual health challenge.

Flexible deadlines

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Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

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Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

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Beginner Level

Approx. 12 hours to complete

English

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Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Beginner Level

Approx. 12 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructors

Instructor rating

4.71/5 (393 Ratings)

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating98%(1,945 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

5 hours to complete

The air we breathe

5 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 25 min), 4 readings, 3 quizzes

4 videos

Steffen Loft: Introduction1mPeter Møller: Sources and Composition of Air Pollution7mPeter Moller: What Happens in the Lungs?7mPeter Moller: What Happens in the Rest of the Body?7m

4 readings

UN Sustainable Development Goals30mWant to know more? Air pollution sources1hWant to know more? Counseling patients using the Air Quality Health Index25mWant to know more? Emerging hazards and improved understanding of risk45m

3 practice exercises

Sources and Composition of Air Pollution30mWhat Happens in the Lungs?30mWhat Happens in the Rest of the Body?30m

Week2

Week 2

4 hours to complete

Outdoor air pollution

Outdoor air pollution affects all of us – no matter where we are on the Globe. But there are big differences in air pollution levels from one country to another, from rural to urban areas, from city to city, and even from one side of the street to the other. Though all people are affected, some people are more vulnerable to the damaging health effects of air pollution than others. This module will explain about how we can study health effects of exposure to outdoor air pollution in diverse population groups. We will also look at what we can do to fight outdoor pollution – and cope with it.

4 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 31 min), 1 reading, 4 quizzes

Week3

Week 3

3 hours to complete

Indoor air pollution

Most people spend most of their time indoors. The building envelope traps and accumulates pollution from both indoor and outdoor sources. This module will explain about health effects of indoor use of solid fuel as a particularly important source in large parts of the world, as well as of other sources of indoor air pollution. You will also learn about what you can do to improve the air quality in your home.

3 hours to complete

2 videos (Total 21 min), 2 readings, 2 quizzes

Reviews

4.8

361 reviews

5 stars
80.41%
4 stars
16.78%
3 stars
2.15%
2 stars
0.28%
1 star
0.35%

TOP REVIEWS FROM AIR POLLUTION – A GLOBAL THREAT TO OUR HEALTH

by BNJun 28, 2020

The course was short and to the point. I have learned a lot about different types of air pollutions, their causes, their effects and how I can play my part to reduce it.

by SSMay 16, 2020

An excellent course about Air Pollution. Gained a lots of knowledge and ideas about pollutants, diseases and various factors of air pollution. This course also gives us awareness about air pollution

by MTJun 5, 2020

I acknowledge the resource persons efforts and pain in making this highly beneficial and most needed course for giving solutions to the evils (air pollution) present in the civilized world.

by ABSep 14, 2020

It's an excellent course in which you can know some facts and ideas about what is the great effect of pollution to all of us. That's why we should help one another to save our planet.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

Air Pollution – a Global Threat to our Health