University of Alberta 2D Arctic: Development

This is a four-week, self-paced online course exploring regional development in the Arctic. You will investigate the role natural resources play across the Indigenous, Nordic, Russian and North American Arctics, examine different resource management strategies used in each region, and learn how these approaches affect community planning and development in a changing environment.

The course also examines the impacts of climate change on Arctic communities and surveys adaptations and resilience-building strategies being implemented across northern regions. The material is presented across four modules with readings, short videos, quizzes and assignments designed to give learners an understanding of northern sustainability, geopolitics, resource management, planning and development.

There are no prerequisites and the course is aimed at anyone with an interest in the Arctic, geography, social sciences, urban planning, history or economics. All modules and quizzes are available to audit for free on Coursera; learners may choose to pay for a certificate of completion via Coursera's upgrade option.