Interdisciplinarity involves taking insights from more than one branch of knowledge to create a more complete framework. This combination via integration of methods, approaches and analytical frameworks from the different disciplines, is usually done to analyze a situation from a fresh point of view.
Interdisciplinary Learning: Working Across Disciplines
Interdisciplinary Learning: Working Across Disciplines is an online course offered by the University of Leeds in the UK. The course duration is set at 2 weeks, with about 4 hours taught in English each week. The purpose of the course is to start from the basics, and introduce the beginners to Interdisciplinary learning; terms, methodologies, and key languages of different disciplines; as well as strategy creation for optimum and effective collaboration.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals: An Interdisciplinary Academic Introduction
The UN Sustainable Development Goals: An Interdisciplinary Academic Introduction is a Social Science online course offered by the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium. The 7 modules of the introductory course are taught in English, and spread across 7 weeks, with 3-5 hours per week. The prerequisite is a secondary school education. The course offers general introduction to the sustainable development goals set in 2015 by the United Nations and their impact on the society, economy and biosphere; infrastructure set up to realize these goals; implementations via global partnerships; difficulties encountered, and complexities of the 169 targets of the 17 goals.
Global Health: An Interdisciplinary Overview
Global Health: An Interdisciplinary Overview is an online course offered by the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Taught in English via videos, readings and quizzes, the course lasts for 8 weeks, and a total of 18 hours. The course draws its insights from Medicine, Economics, Public Health, Law, Social Science and Humanities. The purpose of the course is to discuss the current challenges of global health from these viewpoints, focusing on concepts, emerging trends, governance, foreign policy, and other critical topics.
Children’s Human Rights: An Interdisciplinary Introduction
Children’s Human Rights: An Interdisciplinary Introduction is an online course offered by the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Taught in English for 14 hours spread across 4 weeks, the 7 modules are influenced by various disciplines: Law, Psychology, Economics, History, Sociology, Anthropology, Education and Health Sciences. Subtitles are available in English, Slovak and Russian. The purpose of the course is to learn about the evolution of the critical challenges faced by children and societal response(s) given; presentation of international and regional standards on Children’s Rights, and the bodies designed to ensure their implementation. Skills to be gained from taking this course include Justice, Child psychology, International law, and Humanitarian law.
Sustainability in Architecture: An Interdisciplinary Introduction
Sustainability in Architecture: An Interdisciplinary Introduction is an online course offered by the Universita Politecnica De Valencia in Spain. Instructions are given in English for 3-4 hours each week, for 4 weeks. Prerequisite is a knowledge of basic engineering concepts on energy, carbon footprint, and materials properties. Insights are drawn from Urban Policies, and Performance Assessment to study the defining elements and trends of the 5 practices in Architecture today. A key part of the course involves the development of a conceptual model from basic architectural elements; others include learning methods for optimized performance; basic elements of sustainability assessment; measurement of the potential impact of the tools on climate change; and needs and constraints present in materials selection.
All courses described can be audited for free, however a little fee is required to purchase a certificate. Financial aid is available to those who qualify.
