A general school-level science background is useful. Specialist biological training is not necessary to begin the introductory sequence.
About this course
Living systems can be studied across generations, environments and interactions between organisms. This free Yale course connects those perspectives through the foundations of evolution, ecology and behavior. It offers a broad starting point for understanding biological change and the relationships that shape the natural world.
Course at a glance
| Provider | Yale |
|---|---|
| Instructor / Teaching team | Stephen C. Stearns |
| Platform | YouTube · YaleCourses |
| Access | Free Video |
| Level | Beginner · WikiFree audience assessment |
| Language | English |
| Lessons | 36 |
| Video duration | 27h 28m · allow extra time for reading and practice |
| Format | Self-paced video learning |
| Certificate | No certificate included with free YouTube viewing |
What you’ll learn
- Explain the basic relationship between variation, inheritance and selection.
- Connect ecological questions with population and community processes.
- Recognize different types of evidence used in evolutionary reasoning.
- Compare explanations of behavior using the course's conceptual tools.
Skills you’ll gain
- Biological reasoning
- Evolutionary concepts
- Ecological thinking
- Evidence evaluation
Course Overview
The sequence begins with selection, inheritance and evolutionary history, then develops topics involving organisms, populations and ecological communities. The later material considers behavior, including cooperation and conflict. The course emphasizes mechanisms and evidence, helping learners see connections between observations that might otherwise seem unrelated.
How the course develops
- Evolutionary processes: examine inheritance, variation and the history of life.
- Ecological relationships: consider populations, communities and interactions with the environment.
- Behavioral explanations: investigate how evolutionary ideas are applied to competition, cooperation and altruism.
The classroom contains all 36 videos in this official YaleCourses playlist. Use the lesson list to follow the course or search for a topic you want to revisit. Introductory segments, teaching examples and supplementary discussions remain available within this course.
Who is this for?
Beginning biology and environmental-science students, educators and interested general learners.
Before you start
A general school-level science background is useful. Specialist biological training is not necessary to begin the introductory sequence.
Put the lessons into practice
Choose an organism or ecological interaction and form a testable question about it. Distinguish a description of what happens from a proposed explanation and identify evidence needed to evaluate that explanation.
This optional study activity is provided by WikiFree for independent reflection. It is not a graded Yale assignment. Keep a short record of what you can explain confidently and what you need to revisit; use that record to plan your next study session.
Certificate / Assessment
The public videos can be watched free of charge. This WikiFree listing does not include a Yale certificate, academic credit, a degree, graded assessments or feedback from the instructors. A similarly named course on another platform may have different enrollment, assessment and payment conditions.
The classroom’s Mark complete control records your personal progress. It does not assess your understanding or award a credential. Course examples reflect the recordings; check current sources whenever you need up-to-date professional information.
Related courses for your next step
- Explore a higher-level optionFree Yale Course: Evolution and Medicine
Focus: Evolutionary reasoning · Biological variation
Intermediate - Explore a higher-level optionFree MIT Course: Animal Behavior and Behavioral Ecology
Focus: Lec4: Ethology and Konrad Lorenz' Jackdaws · Lec9: Lorenz on fundamental ethology, part 1
Intermediate - Explore a higher-level optionFree MIT Course: Systems Biology and Biological Networks
Focus: Introduction to the Class and Overview of Topics · Graph Properties of Transcription Networks
Professional
Compare course focus, level and study time
| Course | Level | Focus | Study time |
|---|---|---|---|
| This course — Free Yale Course: Evolution, Ecology and Behavior | Beginner | Biological reasoning · Evolutionary concepts · Ecological thinking | 27h 28m of video; practice time is additional |
| Free Yale Course: Evolution and Medicine | Intermediate | Evolutionary reasoning · Biological variation · Research interpretation | 11h 33m of video; practice time is additional |
| Free MIT Course: Animal Behavior and Behavioral Ecology | Intermediate | Lec4: Ethology and Konrad Lorenz' Jackdaws · Lec9: Lorenz on fundamental ethology, part 1 · Lec12: Evolution and the development and plasticity of behavior, part 1 | 17h 25m of video; practice time is additional |
| Free MIT Course: Systems Biology and Biological Networks | Professional | Introduction to the Class and Overview of Topics · Graph Properties of Transcription Networks · Robustness and Bacterial Chemotaxis | 31h 48m of video; practice time is additional |
Frequently asked questions
Is this Yale course free?
Yes. This listing provides the official YaleCourses YouTube videos for free viewing. Textbooks, optional materials and separately enrolled programs may have their own costs.
How long does the course take?
The playlist contains 36 videos totaling approximately 27h 28m. Reading, note-taking, revision and independent practice add to that viewing time.
What background do I need?
A general school-level science background is useful. Specialist biological training is not necessary to begin the introductory sequence.
Will I receive a Yale certificate?
No. Watching these YouTube lessons or marking them complete on WikiFree does not earn a Yale certificate, degree or academic credit.
Can I watch on a phone?
Yes. Use the responsive lesson list and player on a phone, tablet or computer. A larger screen and a notebook may help with detailed examples, equations or software demonstrations.
What happens if a video becomes unavailable?
The lesson should remain visible in its place with its title and an availability notice. You can continue with the other lessons and report the problem through the correction link.
Provider: Yale. Videos play from the YaleCourses channel on YouTube.
Report a correction
Questions & discussion
Share a useful question or correction. Comments appear after moderation. Please avoid personal or sensitive information.