Montana State University offers two non-credit courses this spring that address current events and global issues. The courses are open to adults of all backgrounds.

“Climate Science Explained: Understanding Current Issues on Climate Change” begins on Thursday, Feb. 10, and continues Tuesday, Feb. 15, and Thursday, Feb. 17. All classes are from 6:15 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The course covers how climate has changed in the past and what to expect in the future, with an emphasis on Montana and the Rocky Mountains. Content includes the basics of climate science, changes in climate versus weather and discussion of current issues. The course is designed to help people make informed decisions when presented with climate topics in general conversation or political decisions. The instructor is Twila Moon of the MSU Big Sky Institute and the University of Washington Program on Climate Change. The class is $59.

“Quest for Understanding: Positive Approaches to Global Issues” runs from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on three Wednesdays: Feb. 23, March 2 and March 9. Through multi-disciplinary questions and discussion, instructors will address issues such as global poverty, immigration issues, consumption, globalization and more. The course is intended to be mind-broadening for people of all backgrounds. The instructors are Lori Lawson, Leah Schmalzbauer and Steve Bruner, all instructors at MSU. The class is $89.

“We are pleased to offer these two new courses, because they bring the relevance of current topics and thoughtful conversation to non-traditional students,” said Lesa Pribyl, Extended University program manager. “We want to give people the opportunity to become engaged citizens in a class format that’s easily accessible.”

Enrollment for both courses is limited and early registration is encouraged.

For more information or to register, visit http://eu.montana.edu/professional/ or call (406) 994-6683. To learn about upcoming classes from Extended University, follow MSUExtendedU on Twitter or Facebook or subscribe to bi-monthly emails: http://bit.ly/EUnewsletter