How the Earth Works

By Professor
Michael E. Wysession

The combination of continents, oceans, and atmosphere makes Earth unique among all the planets in the solar system, and perhaps in the galaxy. These features also create the conditions for life in all its diversity. But where did the land, water, and air come from? And how do these systems work together to produce the complex phenomena that are evident everywhere on this beautiful planet? How the Earth Works takes you on an astonishing journey through time and space, from the big bang, to the formation of the solar system, to the subsequent evolution of Earth.

Big History: The Big Bang, Life on Earth, and the Rise of Humanity

By Professor
David Christian

Perhaps you've studied cosmology before. Maybe you've taken courses in geology, anthropology, biology, and history. But have you ever wondered: How do all of these disciplines fit together? Big History: The Big Bang, Life on Earth, and the Rise of Humanity answers that question by weaving a single story from accounts of the past developed by a variety of scholarly disciplines. This course will expand the scope of your perspective on the past and alter the way you think about history and the world around you.

The History of the English Language, 2nd Edition

By Professor
Seth Lerer

Sixteen centuries ago a wave of settlers from northern Europe came to the British Isles speaking a mix of Germanic dialects. Today we call that dialect Old English, the ancestor of the language nearly one in five people in the world speaks every day. How did this ancient tongue evolve into the elegant idiom of Chaucer, Shakespeare, and other great writers? And how does English continue develop today? The History of the English Language, 2nd Edition, is Professor Seth Lerer's revised and updated investigation of the remarkable history of English.

Argumentation: The Study of Effective Reasoning, 2nd Edition

By Professor
David Zarefsky

Reasoning, tested by doubt, is argumentation. We do it, hear it, and judge it every day. We do it in our own minds, and we do it with others. What is effective reasoning? And how can it be done persuasively? This is equally a course in argument and in reasoning. This course teaches how to reason. It teaches how to persuade others that what you think is right. And it teaches how to judge and answer the arguments of others—and how they will judge yours.

Understanding the Fundamentals of Music

By Professor
Robert Greenberg

Professor Greenberg offers a spirited introduction to the mysterious realm of music theory—the complex syntax of structural and instrumental resources that composers draw on. Sidestepping the necessity to read music, these lectures represent a rare opportunity for learning music theory—for understanding the processes of composition. The course will reward you many times over as you find yourself enjoying much deeper connections with the language of music.

From Jesus to Constantine: A History of Early Christianity

By Professor
Bart D. Ehrman

The traditional form of Christianity we know today emerged only after many years of transition and conflict. Professor Bart D. Ehrman takes you through Christianity's first centuries to examine its transition from the religion of Jesus to a religion about Jesus. This 24-lecture series offers you a fresh outlook on the subject's most intriguing questions.