Physiology Courses
Take free online physiology courses to build your skills. Learn animal, plant and cell physiology and explore other in-demand subjects with courses from top universities and institutions around the world on edX.
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What is Physiology?
Physiology is the study of the chemical and physical functions and processes of a living system. This includes cell function, organ systems, movement, nutrition and much more. Physiology connects the sciences of chemistry, biology and physics as they relate to living organisms and is divided up into several areas of study including animal physiology, plant physiology, microbial physiology, bacterial physiology, viral physiology and cellular physiology.
Online Physiology Courses and Programs
Learning Physiology involves studying the chemical, biological and physical characteristics of living organisms. Courses cover a broad range of topics from cell biology to the anatomy of cardiovascular and respiratory systems and much more. Take online courses in genetics, biochemistry, neurobiology, psychology and other life science disciplines.
Harvard’s self-paced course, Cell Biology: Mitochondria, is an excellent introduction to the study of human physiology and living systems. Learn about the internal structure and organization of a cell and understand how cells work. This 4-week, free online course will explain how cells form together to create tissues, organ and multicellular organisms.
Explore additional courses in DNA, genomic data science, animal behavior and anatomy. The University of Michigan offers a multi-part anatomy physiology XSeries program that includes the study of neuroanatomy, musculoskeletal and other systems of the body. Learn the fundamentals of anatomy and physiology for every major organ system as well as the relationships between them.
Jobs in Physiology and Related Fields
Physiology includes a very broad range of life science fields and the number of job opportunities will vary greatly depending on your specialization. For example, recent searches on Indeed.com showed over 1,500 open positions in cell biology, over 260 in anatomy-related positions and just over 350 in the area of exercise physiology. Physiologist can work in hospitals, zoos, farms, exercise facilities, nutrition centers and more. Take online courses in a number of areas to see if you want to focus on medical physiology or another part of this exciting field of life science.