Stony Brook University is offering two new one-credit online courses this fall that focus on climate change and artificial intelligence. The courses, “Climate Change and You” and “AI and You,” are designed to provide students with an introduction to these important topics through academic modules led by faculty from a range of disciplines.
“Climate Change and You” will run during the first half of the semester, from August 25 to October 10. “AI and You” will be offered in the second half, from October 15 to December 8. Both courses are asynchronous and open for enrollment now via SOLAR. Students must register before the add/drop deadline at 4 pm on Monday, September 8.
“These courses represent a truly interdisciplinary approach to complex issues that are shaping and will continue to shape lives and societies around the world and individual and global interactions,” said Amy Cook, vice provost for academic affairs and professor of English. “Students will gain a multifaceted understanding of these complex issues from experts on our faculty from diverse disciplines: health, social and natural sciences, engineering, the arts, and the humanities.”
The climate course was initially introduced as a pop-up class in Spring 2025. It proved popular among students, reaching its enrollment cap of 50 undergraduates.
“Last spring was our pilot phase, where we sought to gauge student interest in these kinds of course offerings and work with faculty experts to build and refine modules offered rewarding learning experiences that scaffolded well with the other parts of the course,” said Kevin Reed, associate provost for climate and sustainability programming and professor at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, who served as lead instructor for the spring course. “We received positive feedback from our students and used that feedback and other metrics to refine the course, and to inform the design of the AI pop-up.”
Both courses were developed with support from instructional design staff at Stony Brook’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.
CIS 101: Climate Change and You will cover topics such as scientific background, political considerations, ethical decision-making, as well as personal impacts related to climate change.
CIS 102: AI and You will address how artificial intelligence is affecting areas like digital literacy, art, creativity, society, climate issues, energy use, health care, and education. The course also covers AI’s potential uses along with its limitations while providing strategies for effective engagement with AI tools.