Bugs 101: Insect-Human Interactions
- Free
- No certificate
- Beginner
- 5 weeks
Bugs 101: Insect-Human Interactions is a University of Alberta course on insects and other arthropods and the many ways they affect human life. Thirteen modules begin with insects and their terrestrial relatives and two modules on the business of being an insect, then look at locomotion, insects as decomposers, plant feeding and herbivory, pollination and beekeeping, and insects and disease. Two modules on integrated pest management cover sustainable ways to manage pests, including biological and cultural control, before the course closes with insect conservation, insects in human culture and a wrap-up.
Module estimates on the page range from one to six hours, and Coursera lists the course at beginner level with no prior experience required on a flexible schedule of five weeks at ten hours a week. The course FAQ states that all features are available for free and that no certificates, credentials or reports are awarded.
What you’ll learn
- Describe how insects relate to other arthropods and inventory the major insect groups
- Explain the adaptations that make insects successful
- Discuss insects as decomposers, pollinators, herbivores and disease vectors
- Evaluate integrated pest management approaches, including biological and cultural control
- Assess the roles insects play in conservation and human culture
Who it’s for
Gardeners, beekeepers, students and the simply curious; no biology background is required.
Syllabus
13 sections as listed on coursera.org, 49 h 29 min in total.
- Module 01: Introduction to Insects and their Terrestrial Relatives 6 h 16 min
- Module 02: The Business of Being an Insect Part 1 3 h 57 min
- Module 03: The Business of Being an Insect Part 2 3 h 55 min
- Module 04: Insect Locomotion 4 h 3 min
- Module 05: Insects as Decomposers 3 h 15 min
- Module 06: Plant Feeding and Impacts of Herbivory 3 h 39 min
- Module 07: Pollination and Beekeeping 3 h 51 min
- Module 08: Insects and Disease 3 h 29 min
- Module 09: Sustainable Human-Insect Interactions: IPM 3 h 39 min
- Module 10: Sustainable Human-Insect Interactions: IPM (Biological and Cultural Control) 4 h 4 min
- Module 11: Insect Conservation 4 h 24 min
- Module 12: Insects in Human Culture 4 h 24 min
- Module 13: Bugs 101 Wrap Up 33 min
Instructor
- Dr. Maya Evenden Professor of Entomology, Biological Sciences, University of Alberta
Course details
- Skills covered
- Biology
- Anatomy
- Criminal Investigation and Forensics
- Taxonomy
- Physiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Includes
- 13 modules · 14 assignments
- Prerequisites
- No prior experience required
- Subtitles
- 22 languages
On coursera.org
Rated 4.9 out of 5 by 1,576 learners; 56,749 enrolled, as shown on the course page on 20 Oct 2026. These are coursera.org’s own figures, not ours.
Source: Coursera (opens in a new tab) · Verified · Report a change
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