Useful Genetics - Free Open Course at Coursera starting May 1
For anyone interested in genetics who desires to know more, Coursera is offering a short, 10 week class that started yesterday, May 1, but the good news is that you can still sign up for it:
I think you can sign up till next week, when Module 2 begins, but hurry because Coursera does close classes after a while.
Here’s a brief video introducing the class:
The Coursera sales pitch:
Who might want to take this course?
People affected by or concerned about a genetic disease (either directly or in a family member)
People interested in the genetic diversity of humans or other species
People who have had (or are considering having) their genes or genomes analyzed by companies such as 23andMe or DecodeMe
People concerned about the public use of personal genetic information
People interested in breeding animals or plants, or in in conservation of endangered species
People interested in genealogy and ancestry analysis
Science teachers
Anyone interested in genetics but unable to enroll in university at this time
Looking at the first module’s videos, the class should be appropriate for anyone interested in the topic and college prerequisites are not required. However, this is still a class presented at the college freshman level (the kind offered for non-majors), and there is plenty of detailed information in the lectures and notes, so you should be prepared to spend a few hours a week viewing and reading.
Here’s the introduction to the Module 1 videos:
You’re never too old to learn!