Develop a greater appreciation for how the air, water, land, and life formed and have interacted over the last 4.5 billion years.
Our Earth: Its Climate, History, and Processes
University of ManchesterAbout this Course
25,019 recent views
Learner Career Outcomes
60%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
33%
got a pay increase or promotion
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Flexible deadlines
Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
Beginner Level
Approx. 13 hours to complete
English
Subtitles: English, Italian, Chinese (Simplified)
Learner Career Outcomes
60%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
33%
got a pay increase or promotion
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Flexible deadlines
Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
Beginner Level
Approx. 13 hours to complete
English
Subtitles: English, Italian, Chinese (Simplified)
Offered by
University of Manchester
Tracing its roots back to 1824, the University of Manchester is home to almost 40,000 students. The University has three Nobel laureates among its current staff – more than any other British university - and a total of 25 Nobel laureates have come from our past and present students and staff. We have three main goals: to undertake world-class research; to deliver an outstanding learning and student experience; and to be socially responsible.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
3 hours to complete
Building Blocks of Earth’s Climate System
3 hours to complete
15 videos (Total 98 min), 7 readings, 1 quiz
15 videos
Video 1.0: Introduction and Philosophy7m
Video 1.1: How does science work?6m
Optional Video: How do scientific papers get published?10m
Video 1.2: Introduction to the Earth's climate system8m
Video 1.3: How do we measure geologic time?9m
Video 1.4: Geological Time Scale Song2m
Video 1.5: Minerals and Rocks2m
Video 1.5.1: Igneous Rock3m
Video 1.5.2: Sedimentary Rock6m
Video 1.5.3: Metamorphic Rock5m
Video 1.6: Using radioactivity to date rocks - Dr. Ray Burgess7m
Video 1.7: Using stable isotopes to understand Earth processes - Dr. Ray Burgess6m
Video 1.8: How do we know how old the Earth is?5m
Video 1.9: What are those rocks doing lying around?10m
7 readings
Course Guide10m
Grading & Logistics10m
Building Blocks of Earth’s Climate System10m
Google Earth Tour 110m
Activity 1: Introduction10m
Eloquent Science10m
Our Earth 001 Course Book10m
1 practice exercise
Assessment 120m
2 hours to complete
Formation, evolution, and processes of the solid Earth
2 hours to complete
14 videos (Total 107 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz
14 videos
Video 2.1.2: Why is the Moon important to life on earth? - Dr. Katherine Joy 3m
Video 2.2: What came before plate tectonics?5m
Video 2.3: How did plate tectonics get discovered?6m
Video 2.4.1: The Earth's magnetic field7m
Video 2.4.2: The magnetic poles flip? You're kidding me, right?6m
Video 2.5: How earthquakes happen14m
Video 2.6.1: What's inside the Earth?6m
Video 2.6.2: How do we know about the insides of the Earth?6m
Video 2.7: How do the plates move?3m
Video 2.8: How does magma form?11m
Video 2.9: How were the Himalaya formed?7m
Video 2.10: Supercontinent Pangaea9m
Video 2.11: The supercontinent cycle4m
2 readings
Formation, evolution, and processes of the solid Earth10m
Google Earth Tour 2 and 310m
1 practice exercise
Assessment 220m
3 hours to complete
Water in Earth’s Climate System: Oceans, Atmosphere, and Cryosphere
3 hours to complete
14 videos (Total 124 min), 5 readings, 1 quiz
14 videos
Video 3.1.2: Are the Oceans in Steady State?13m
Video 3.2.1: How the oceans work - Dr. Gregory Lane-Serff9m
Video 3.2.2: The oceanic conveyor belt - Dr. Gregory Lane-Serff12m
Video 3.3.1: What is the Atmosphere Made Of?6m
Video 3.3.2: What Controls the Temperature Profile of the Atmosphere?5m
Video 3.3.3: Three Radiation Laws4m
Video 3.3.4: What if the Earth had no Atmosphere?7m
Video 3.4.1: How does the Atmosphere Work?9m
Video 3.4.2: How do the Jet Streams Control the Weather?7m
Video 3.5: Extratropical cyclones8m
Video 3.6: The Rise and Fall of Ice on Earth12m
Video 3.7: How do Glaciers Control the Height of Mountains? – Dr. Simon Brocklehurst10m
Video 3.8: Why the Arctic is Crucial to Earth's Climate - Dr. Bart Van Dongen and Dr. Robert Sparks 7m
5 readings
Water in Earth’s Climate System: Oceans, Atmosphere, and Cryosphere10m
Google Earth Tour 410m
Activity 2: Further Exploration10m
The Thinking Persons’ Guide to Climate Change10m
The shaping of storm tracks by mountains and ocean dynamics10m
1 practice exercise
Assessment 320m
3 hours to complete
Life, and its Effect on Earth’s Climate System
3 hours to complete
17 videos (Total 116 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz
17 videos
Video 4.3.1 The Formation of Organic Molecules and the Tree of Life13m
Video 4.1: The Earth's primitive atmosphere10m
Video 4.2: Fossils6m
Video 4.4.1: Welcome to The Manchester Museum - Prof. Phil Manning54s
Video 4.4.2: Apex Chert and Stromatolites - Prof. Phil Manning 3m
Video 4.4.3: Ediacaran Fauna - Prof. Phil Manning 5m
Video 4.5.1: How Oxygen Changed the Earth Forever11m
Video 4.5.2: The Arrival of Multicellular Life and the Cambrian Explosion11m
Video 4.6.1: How Plants and Animals Came Onshore - Dr. Victoria Egerton7m
Video 4.6.2: Colonization of Land3m
Video 4.7.1: Devonian: From Fish to Tetrapod - Prof. Phil Manning7m
Video 4.7.2: Carboniferous - Prof. Phil Manning2m
Video 4.7.3: Jurassic Coast - Prof. Phil Manning3m
Video 4.7.4: Dinosaurs - Prof. Phil Manning 4m
Video 4.7.5: Chemical Fossils - Prof. Phil Manning 4m
Video 4.8: Controls on Life on Earth: Mass Extinctions12m
2 readings
Life, and its Effect on Earth’s Climate System10m
Google Earth Tour 510m
1 practice exercise
Assessment 420m
Reviews
TOP REVIEWS FROM OUR EARTH: ITS CLIMATE, HISTORY, AND PROCESSES
by SDJun 4, 2020
I absolutely loved each and every part of this course. The video lectures and reading material were very interesting and easy to understand. Definitely recommending this course to my friends!
by BLMar 28, 2017
It is a dry subject, but these folks do a good job of making it as relevant as possible. I like the variety in the video lectures and the BYOE is a neat tool.
by FMJun 25, 2020
I audited the course and completed all except the exams and am using it as a refresher course. Great course and I recommend it highly.
by CEApr 25, 2020
This is very interesting and a lot of great information to help improve and balance out how we understand our earth and it's history.
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.
What is the refund policy?
You will be eligible for a full refund until two weeks after your payment date, or (for courses that have just launched) until two weeks after the first session of the course begins, whichever is later. You cannot receive a refund once you’ve earned a Course Certificate, even if you complete the course within the two-week refund period. See our full refund policy.
Is financial aid available?
Yes, Coursera provides financial aid to learners who cannot afford the fee. Apply for it by clicking on the Financial Aid link beneath the "Enroll" button on the left. You’ll be prompted to complete an application and will be notified if you are approved. Learn more.
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
