Online 6-week Course Overview that is approved for Master Gardener education hours
This award-winning six-week course is offered once a year and consistently draws strong interest. Since its launch in 2014, more than 2,500 people have participated, with 98% saying they would recommend it to a friend or colleague. For many, Introduction to Lakes Online is their first experience with an online course—and it’s designed to be user-friendly. The course features a simple, easy-to-navigate website, clear instructional videos, and weekly reminder emails, all of which contribute to high participant satisfaction.
This course is designed for interested individuals, decision makers, local leaders, resource professionals, and lakefront property owners interested in gaining knowledge about inland lakes and connecting with others who have a similar interest. In this introductory course, participants increase their knowledge and understanding of the following six topics:
Lake ecology
Watersheds
Shorelines
Aquatic plant management
Michigan water law
Community involvement
Course instructors include Bindu Bhakta, Erick Elgin, Paige Filice, Dr. Jeremy Hartsock, Julia Kirkwood (EGLE), Dr. Jo Latimore, Brad Neumann, Mary Reilly, and Dr. Lois Wolfson (retired).
Course Format
Six-week online class taught via prerecorded video lectures
Three live Ask-an-Expert webinars
Course units: lake ecology, watersheds, shorelines, aquatic plant management, Michigan water law, and community involvement
Access to units is provided on a week-by-week, unit-by-unit basis with each new unit opening on Tuesdays at 8:00 AM eastern. Access to units will be based on completion of the previous unit’s quiz. The quizzes are made up of 10 multiple choice and true/false questions.
Once a unit is available to view, it will remain open.
Course website closes May 31, 2026.
What to Expect
Every week a new unit exploring an inland lake topic will be released on our website. Participants will explore course topics through video lectures and activities such as readings and interactive websites. Many units also include a discussion forum, prompting participants to interact with others and the instructional team. For those looking to dive deeper into a topic, we also provide numerous additional resources. Each unit takes approximately 2 hours to complete. In order to view proceeding units, you must receive an 80% or higher on the previous unit quiz. You can retake quizzes an unlimited number of times.
Cost & Registration info
The course is $115/person. Register by January 5 for a discounted early bird rate of $95/person. The registration deadline is January 27 at 5:00 PM. If the cost of the course is a burden to your participation, please email Paige Filice at filicepa@msu.edu. Financial assistance may be available. This course is approved for education hours for Master Gardeners. For more details about the course and to register go to this MSU Extension website.