A Global History of Architecture

This online course from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) describes humanity’s rich architectural history around the globe -- from 100,000 BCE to ca. 1,600 CE. It is hosted by edX, an online education platform.

This course in architectural history is not intended as a linear narrative, but rather aims to provide a more global view, by focusing on different architectural "moments." Each lecture analyzes a particular architectural transformation arising from a dynamic cultural situation. Material covered in lectures will be supplemented by readings from the textbook titled, 'A Global History of Architecture.'

Among the course outcomes are:

• History and context of the important buildings that shaped our culture
• History of technological advances that significantly impacted the development of architecture
• Impacts of certain cultural and religious traditions on architecture
• History of climate and geographical changes that shaped human civilization and its architecture