Name: Sustainability and the Circular Economy
Brand: University of Colorado Boulder
Availability: OnlineOnly
Rating: 4.7 (47 reviews)

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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Sustainability and the Circular Economy by University of Colorado Boulder

4.7

stars

132 ratings

About the Course

As the world’s population continues to rise toward an expected 10 billion citizens by 2050, it is imperative that business practices change to ensure a high quality of life is possible for all of us, both human and non-human. Today’s learners are very aware of this. Moreover, they are highly motivated and have the extraordinary capacity to create a future that provides both economic success and a more enduring, resilient, and sustainable planet. If you are one of these learners, then Sustainability and the Circular Economy is a course for you. Sustainability and the Circular Economy is the first course in the Applied Sustainability for Technical Managers specialization and builds the foundation for the rest of the specialization. It aims to provide learners with the strategies and tools to realize their vision by integrating sustainability into everyday life, and in the companies where they work. The course opens with an examination of climate change and human impact on the environment, and the opportunities created for innovative solutions that drive real change. We then explore the sources of many of our environmental challenges, and the need to transition to a zero-carbon energy future. A sustainable future is more than just renewable energy, as we need to pay attention to our ever-growing desire for products that add value to our lives. Therefore, the course explores how we’re electrifying transportation, making our homes more energy efficient, eating more sustainable food grown with regenerative agricultural practices, and wearing clothes designed to last and made from more natural materials using fair and equitable labor. It is important to recognize that many of the 10 billion global citizens will want the same products and lifestyles as citizens in wealthier industrialized nations. Yet products require materials - and our current extractive approach to resources will not meet this burgeoning demand. The course concludes with an overview of the Circular Economy, an innovative way of decoupling such economic growth from traditional resource extraction. This course was developed in collaboration with Siemens Digital Industries Software and is part of the "Design for the Circular Economy" collection. Learners who complete and pass the course can receive an industry-recognized digital badge. The “Design for the Circular Economy” microcredential and graduate certificate are developed around the educational goals of providing technical, business, and leadership knowledge and skills that inspire the transformation towards a more circular economy. This includes gaining technical knowledge to apply circular economy principles in product design, minimizing waste and maximizing impact; developing business acumen to implement innovative circular economic models that prioritize sustainability and resilience; and acquiring leadership strategies to communicate effectively and inspire change within an organization. This course can be taken for academic credit as part of CU Boulder’s Master of Engineering in Engineering Management (ME-EM) degree offered on the Coursera platform. The ME-EM is designed to help engineers, scientists, and technical professionals move into leadership and management roles in the engineering and technical sectors. With performance-based admissions and no application process, the ME-EM is ideal for individuals with a broad range of undergraduate education and/or professional experience. Learn more about the ME-EM program at https://www.coursera.org/degrees/me-engineering-management-boulder....

Top reviews

Sep 6, 2024

This was a great course to cover basics on sustainability. It could have been better if the section on Circular Economy was more elaborate to include how to make everyday tasks circular ecologically.

Oct 21, 2024

Course content was relevant well explained by the professor. It was interesting throughout the course module. Happy to finish it within timeline.

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26 - 48 of 48 Reviews for Sustainability and the Circular Economy

By CLAUDIA Y D E

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Feb 25, 2026

Excelente curso

By eduar a

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Dec 17, 2025

excelente curso

By Elisa T R

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Nov 22, 2025

Muy buen curso

By 陳秋幸 C C

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Dec 24, 2024

Concise course

By Brijesh S

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Oct 18, 2024

Nice Learning

By Zayed A

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Jul 2, 2025

i had funnn!

By Talha

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Aug 13, 2024

best course

By MARIA I S G

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Feb 28, 2026

buen curso

By Estela I V R

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Mar 3, 2026

Excelente

By YURY A V T

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Feb 25, 2026

excelente

By sebastian f

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Apr 24, 2025

i enjoyed

By JENIFER A L P

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Mar 12, 2026

muy bien

By farahim a

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Apr 4, 2025

useful

By Qcare Q

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Oct 1, 2024

Great

By NURIDA H

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Nov 16, 2025

Good

By Nita A D K

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Jun 23, 2025

good

By DAYANAT O

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Oct 23, 2025

By Maria L B

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May 9, 2024

I really enjoyed doing this course. I think it was a very good introduction to climate change and the circular economy. It was very dynamic and graphic