Environmental Hazards and Global Public Health (Coursera)

Environmental Hazards and Global Public Health (Coursera)

The second course of the Impacts of the Environment on Global Public Health specialization will explore a number of different environmental hazards. These are: air pollution, water pollution, solid and hazardous waste, and two physical hazards (radon and noise). These hazards each have the potential to harm human health, and we will explore how you may come into contact with these hazards and how they may harm you, as well as what we can do to minimize these exposures and health impacts. We will also explore two additional key topics: urban and global health, and the influence of the built environment on human health.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

Course 2 of 4 in the Impacts of the Environment on Global Public Health Specialization

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Air & Water Pollution
Welcome to Week 1! We start this week with an orientation to the course and our learning community. Then, we start our course by covering two important topics that touch our lives in an immense way: water and air pollution. Let’s find out about water and air, and more, in the Week 1 module.

WEEK 2
Physical Hazards (Noise and Radon) and Solid Waste
We are all exposed to physical hazards that can affect our quality of life to different degrees. The question, therefore, is how to manage our exposures to these hazards such as noise, radon, and solid and hazardous waste. Let’s find out about these types of physical hazards, and more, in the Week 2 module.

WEEK 3
Urbanization and Global Health
Urbanization is a global phenomenon that affects our environment, and therefore our lives in a significant way. As such, urbanization is tied to global health. Let’s find out about urbanization, and more, in the Week 3 module.

WEEK 4
Built Environment
Most of our living environment is designed and built for specific purposes. The question is how to design a built environment while protecting it at the same time? Let’s find out how, and more, in Week 4, our last module.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

COVID-19: What You Need to Know (CME Eligible) (Coursera) Coursera
Osmosis

COVID-19: What You Need to Know (CME Eligible) (Coursera)

COVID-19 is a global pandemic that has already resulted in hundreds of thousands of infections and thousands of deaths, with many more anticipated. This course is a go-to resource that will be regularly updated with all of the current information put forth by the CDC, WHO, and other leading agencies and covers the basics, personal protective equipment, diagnostics, and other material.

Jun 21st 2026
1 Week
An Introduction to Global Health (Coursera) Coursera
University of Copenhagen

An Introduction to Global Health (Coursera)

This course will provide you with an overview of the most important health challenges facing the world today. You will gain insight into how challenges have changed over time, we will discuss the likely determinants of such changes and examine future projections. Successful international strategies and programs promoting human health will be highlighted and global health governance structures will be mapped and the role of the key actors explored.

Aug 3rd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Improving Global Health: Focusing on Quality and Safety (edX) EdX
HarvardX,Harvard University

Improving Global Health: Focusing on Quality and Safety (edX)

An introduction to the emerging field of global healthcare quality. Access to healthcare services is critical – but is it enough? We are at a critical inflection point in global health. We have seen improvements in access to care, but struggle to improve human health. A key component of this equation is quality of care. Improving access to healthcare is only as useful as the quality of care provided. Many agree that quality is important – but what is it? How do we define it? How do we measure it? And most importantly, how might we make it better?

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Epidemics, Pandemics and Outbreaks (Coursera) Coursera
University of Pittsburgh

Epidemics, Pandemics and Outbreaks (Coursera)

What can we do to prevent outbreaks of infectious diseases from becoming epidemics or pandemic? In this course, you’ll learn the facts about infectious diseases and medical responses. We'll focus on the public health laws and policies that provide the framework for effective prevention, like quarantine laws, drug development policies, and bioterrorism and biodefense.

May 9th 2022
4 Weeks
Essentials of Global Health (Coursera) Coursera
Yale University

Essentials of Global Health (Coursera)

Essentials of Global Health is a comprehensive introduction to global health. It is meant to introduce you to this topic in well-structured, clear and easy to understand ways. Much of the course will focus on five questions: What do people get sick, disabled and die from; Why do they suffer from these conditions? Which people are most affected? Why should we care about such concerns? What can be done to address key health issues, hopefully at least cost, as fast as possible, and in sustainable ways?

Aug 10th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Diagnosing Health Behaviors for Global Health Programs (Coursera) Coursera
Johns Hopkins University

Diagnosing Health Behaviors for Global Health Programs (Coursera)

Health behavior lies at the core of any successful public health intervention. While we will examine the behavior of individual in depth in this course, we also recognize by way of the Ecological Model that individual behavior is encouraged or constrained by the behavior of families, social groups, communities, organizations and policy makers. We recognize that behavior change is not a simplistic process but requires an understanding of dimensions like frequency, complexity and cultural congruity. Such behavioral analysis is strengthened through the use of a toolkit of theoretical models and practical frameworks.

Aug 3rd 2026
4 Weeks
Non-Communicable Diseases in Humanitarian Settings (Coursera) Coursera
University of Copenhagen

Non-Communicable Diseases in Humanitarian Settings (Coursera)

NCDs are the leading cause of death in almost every region of the world, and place a huge burden on individuals, families and societies. Humanitarian settings have a negative effect on the levels of disease, and the possibility of treatment. The importance of NCDs in global health is acknowledged by their inclusion in the Sustainable Development Goals, which call for a reduction of a third in premature mortality from NCDs by 2030. However, NCDs have until recently received little attention in humanitarian settings, leaving prevention, care and treatment needs largely unaddressed among some of the most vulnerable populations. According to the World Health Organization, 70 percent of global deaths are due to NCDs.

Jul 27th 2026
3 Weeks
Introduction to Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage (Coursera) Coursera
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Introduction to Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage (Coursera)

It is well known that water treatment at the household level can lead to dramatic improvements in drinking water quality. But does Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage (HWTS) also have global relevance? What are the potential treatment solutions and how do they function? Is there a standard strategy for successful HWTS implementation, or can we identify key components which make programs more likely to succeed? In this course you will learn about the most important water treatment methods at household level, successful implementation strategies and about assessing the impact of HWTS.

Aug 1st 2026
5-12 Weeks
Global Health at the Human-Animal-Ecosystem Interface (Coursera) Coursera
University of Geneva

Global Health at the Human-Animal-Ecosystem Interface (Coursera)

The University of Geneva, Institute Pasteur, University of Montreal and Centre Virchow-Villermé/University Paris Descartes welcome you to this new MOOC on "Global Health at the Human-Animal-Ecosystem Interface"! Over the next 5 weeks, you will explore and learn about some of the major and current Global Health Challenges at the Human-Animal-Ecosystem Interface: zoonotic emerging infections (e.g. Ebola, Nipah, MERS, Avian Influenza), antimicrobial resistance, neglected tropical diseases (e.g. rabies, leishmaniasis, zoonotic TB), snakebite and other human-animal conflicts etc.

Jul 27th 2026
5-12 Weeks