Chemicals and Health

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

1

Section

4 hours to complete

Week 1: Welcome & Introduction

Start off this week with the peer assessment (we know, we know. . .how can we have an assessment before the course even starts, right?). We simply hope to gauge your initial understanding of the topics that we’ll cover (so grade easy). Then we get into a quick overview of the course, a discussion of chemicals & how we are exposed (in three parts) and an introduction to chemical production & regulation. The module ends with a fun homework assignment: watch an eight-minute video and discuss amongst yourselves (and with us too)....

5 videos (Total 67 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

5 videos

Lecture 0: Chemicals and Health: Course Overview - Megan Latshaw12m

Lecture 1A: Chemicals in Our Environment: What Is a Chemical and How Are We Exposed - Burke7m

Lecture 1B: Chemicals in Our Environment: What Is a Chemical and How Are We Exposed - Burke8m

Lecture 1C: Chemicals in Our Environment: What Is a Chemical and How Are We Exposed - Burke21m

Lecture 2: Production, Occupational Health, and Regulation - J. Morel Symons16m

2 readings

Syllabus10m

Grading10m

2

Section

1 hour to complete

Week 2 - Toxicology: What do chemicals do in our bodies?

Now that you have a sense of what a chemical is, and how we are exposed to them, we dive into the science of how chemicals impact our health, starting with toxicology. But before you dive into the study of poisons, please review, evaluate, and grade at least four of your classmates' submissions from last week. After you listen to the lectures by Professor Trush, take the ten-question/multiple-choice quiz that covers weeks 1 & 2. Feel free to go back and use the lectures to help you answer the questions....

3 videos (Total 33 min), 1 quiz

3 videos

Lecture 3A: A Look Into the World of Toxicology Section A - Trush11m

Lecture 3B: A Look Into the World of Toxicology Section B - Trush19m

Toxicology, Toxicokinetics, and Toxicodynamics .1m

1 practice exercises

Modules 1 and 2 Quiz20m

3

Section

1 hour to complete

Week 3 - Biomonitoring: How do we measure these chemicals in our bodies and why?

Start by watching a two-minute video and a five-minute news report. Post your reactions not only to the video and audio files, but also to your peers’ thoughts! Next you’ll hear from a CDC scientist about the US’ National Biomonitoring Program, then you’ll hear how that program translates to the local level. Be sure to keep in mind the relationship of communities to their government! This week is pretty light – so enjoy!...

2 videos (Total 37 min)

2 videos

Lecture 4: The CDC's National Biomonitoring Program - Mortenson26m

Lecture 5: Biomonitoring at State and Local Laboratories - King11m

4

Section

1 hour to complete

Week 4 - Health effects of chemicals: How do we figure out how chemicals affect our health?

Finally we get to one of the main questions presented in this course - how do scientists assess the impact of chemicals on our health? You’ll hear from a physician who specializes in environmental & occupational medicine and epidemiology. Then you’ll hear how policymakers use the knowledge that we do have (about chemicals & health) to assess risk and drive policy. Once you’ve viewed the two lectures, another ten-question/multiple-choice quiz will assess how much information you absorbed from weeks 3 and 4. Feel free to go back and use the lectures to help you answer the questions....

2 videos (Total 57 min), 1 quiz

2 videos

Lecture 6: Health Effects of Chemicals: How Do We Figure Out How Chemicals Affect Our Health? - Mitchell27m

Lecture 7: Risk Assessment in Environmental Decision Making28m

1 practice exercises

Modules 3 and 4 Quiz20m

5

Section

3 hours to complete

Week 5 - Chemicals Policy: What do we do about chemicals & health?

So far we’ve covered: how chemicals get into our bodies and how we measure them, what our bodies do with them and what they do to our bodies, and how that ultimately impacts our health. Now we turn to policy and how society addresses the impact of chemicals on health. We will hear from a non-profit group that works to change policies such as laws & regulations related to this area. Then we’ll hear how such changes have impacted our health and environment historically, looking specifically at air quality regulation in the US. After you view the lectures in Module 5, there is a second peer-reviewed writing assessment that aims to gauge your shift in understanding the complex relationship between chemicals and health (again grade each other generously)....

6 videos (Total 59 min), 1 quiz

6 videos

Lecture 8A: After 40 Years, a New Toxic Substances Control Act4m

Lecture 8B: After 40 Years, a New Toxic Substances Control Act9m

Lecture 8C: After 40 Years, a New Toxic Substances Control Act10m

Lecture 8D: After 40 Years, a New Toxic Substances Control Act11m

Lecture 8E: After 40 Years, a New Toxic Substances Control Act3m

Lecture 9: Air Quality Regulation - Samet19m

6

Section

2 hours to complete

Week 6: Case Studies

At this point you may be wondering: so how do all these pieces fit together? From chemicals in our natural world to production on a large scale, through exposure to health effects and policy . . . this module provides real world examples of how the general public, scientists, industry, governments and non-profit groups come together to effect change. Specifically, we’ll hear about tobacco, contaminated food, drinking water, nanotechnology & worker health. At some point this week (either before, after or in-between listening to the case studies), you’ll need to review, evaluate, and grade at least four of your classmates' submissions from last week. The final lecture offers a summary & conclusion, hopefully providing ideas for next steps for those of you interested in learning or doing more related to chemicals & health. Please let us know how we did and how we can improve! ...

6 videos (Total 114 min)

6 videos

Lecture 10: Cotinine and Secondhand Tobacco Smoke in New York - Aldous16m

Lecture 11: Chemicals and Cigarettes - Cohen20m

Lecture 12: Arsenic Exposure from Food: How It Gets There, Why We Should Care, How to Reduce Exposure - Rangan17m

Lecture 13: Drinking Water in the US - Schwab21m

Lecture 14: Nanotechnology & Worker Health - Breysse15m

Lecture 15: Course Wrap-Up - Resnick and Burke22m

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I pay for this course?
If you pay for this course, you will have access to all of the features and content you need to earn a Course Certificate. If you complete the course successfully, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. Note that the Course Certificate does not represent official academic credit from the partner institution offering the course.
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Chemicals and Health