Paleontology Courses and Certifications

Paleontology: Ancient Marine Reptiles

35 ratings

The aquatic problem: trace how air-breathing land animals readapted to the sea through the diversity, convergence, and phylogeny of ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, and mosasaurs.

• Coursera
• 4 weeks, 2 hours a week
• Self-Paced
• Paid Course

Paleontology: Early Vertebrate Evolution

33 ratings

Trace the origin of vertebrates through Palaeozoic lineages, the evolution of fins, jaws and tetrapod limbs, and fossils from the Burgess Shale and Miguasha.

• Coursera
• 4 weeks, 2 hours a week
• Self-Paced
• Paid Course

Paleontology: Theropod Dinosaurs and the Origin of Birds

54 ratings

Paleontology: Theropod Dinosaurs and the Origin of Birds is a five-lesson course teaching a comprehensive overview of the origins of birds. This course examines the anatomy, diversity, and evolution of theropod dinosaurs in relation to the origin of bird…

• Coursera
• 5 weeks, 2 hours a week
• Self-Paced
• Paid Course

• Best of All Time

Studying Paleontology Flashcards

Interactive flashcards review dinosaur families, orders, types, and core paleontology concepts for class assignments, quizzes, and tests.

• Study.com
• 2 hours 56 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Paid Course

Introduction to Paleontology

147 ratings at The Great Courses Plus

Explore the latest paleontological discoveries and what they reveal about life on Earth with the Smithsonian and an award-winning professor.

• The Great Courses Plus
• 12 hours 37 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Trial Available

Dino 101: Dinosaur Paleobiology

179 ratings

Dino 101: Dinosaur Paleobiology is a 12-lesson course teaching a comprehensive overview of non-avian dinosaurs.

• Coursera
• 12 weeks, 1 hour a week
• Self-Paced
• Free Online Course

• Best of All Time

GEO GIRL

Foraminifera - Invertebrate Paleontology

1 rating

Explores foraminifera as microscopic protists, emphasizing their morphology, ecology, evolution, and use as index fossils and proxies for ancient ocean conditions.

• YouTube
• 33 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

GEO GIRL

Brachiopoda - Invertebrate Paleontology - GEO GIRL

1 rating

Explore brachiopods through shell symmetry, anatomy, classification, and evolutionary history across major fossil orders.

• YouTube
• 22 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

GEO GIRL

Arthropoda - Trilobites- Invertebrate Paleontology

Explore trilobite morphology, classification across 12 orders, Paleozoic ecology, and evolutionary history through their fossil record.

• YouTube
• 28 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

Utah State University

Vertebrate Paleontology

3 ratings

A sweeping fossil record of vertebrates, from early chordates and jawless fish to dinosaurs, mammals, and human ancestors.

• YouTube
• 18 hours
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

GEO GIRL

Echinoderms - Invertebrate Paleontology - Crinoids, Starfish, Sand Dollars, & More

Echinoderm paleontology explores the morphology, classification, ecology, fossil identification, and evolution of crinoids, blastoids, echinoids, and related animals.

• YouTube
• 28 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

GEO GIRL

Mollusca - Bivalves & Gastropods- Invertebrate Paleontology

Explore how paleontologists identify, classify, and understand the evolution of bivalves and gastropods through their shells and anatomy.

• YouTube
• 29 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

GEO GIRL

Bryozoa - Invertebrate Paleontology - GEO GIRL

Learn how colony anatomy, morphology, and thin sections distinguish bryozoan fossils across their classification and evolutionary history.

• YouTube
• 23 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

GEO GIRL

Porifera - Morphology, Classification, & Evolution - Invertebrate Paleontology

Learn how sponge anatomy, spicules, and body-plan complexity reveal poriferan diversity and fossil history.

• YouTube
• 23 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology

History and Contributions of Romanian Vertebrate Paleontology - Beasts, Bioevents, Geology

Romanian fossil case studies trace dwarf dinosaurs in insular Cretaceous Transylvania and Paleogene mammal migrations between Asia and Europe.

• YouTube
• 1 hour 3 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video