For aspiring theorists, designers, and grassroots urbanists, here are a few picks for a back-to-school courseload. Some are self-paced, some are archived, and some are starting this fall.

• A Global History of Architecture from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Quality of Life: Livability in Future Cities from ETH Zurich
• Reclaiming Broken Places: Introduction to Civic Ecology from Cornell University
• Vernacular Architecture of Asia: Tradition, Modernity and Cultural Sustainability from University of Hong Kong
• Urban Water: Innovations for Sustainability from University of British Columbia
• Social Work Practice: Advocating Social Justice and Change from University of Michigan
• Incarceration’s Witnesses from Hamilton College
• Sustainable Urban Development from Delft University of Technology & Wageningen University

If none of these quite fit the bill, you can always read some classics, or check out CityLab’s urban design syllabus with a focus on race and justice.