Free courses

Produced by The Open University, a world leader in open and distance learning, all OpenLearn courses are free to study. We offer nearly 1000 free courses across 9 different subject areas. Our courses are available to start right away.

  • All topics
Grid List Results: 66 items
Introducing Climate Psychology: facing the climate crisis free course icon level 2: intermediate icon

Health, Sports & Psychology

Introducing Climate Psychology: facing the climate crisis

This free course introduces the emerging field of Climate Psychology. It is now widely accepted that facts about climate change, taken alone, do not promote change. There is growing recognition that deeper psychological perspectives, beyond traditional psychological approaches, could enrich environment movements. Additionally, evidence is ...

Free course
12 hrs
Energy in buildings free course icon level 3: advanced icon

Nature & Environment

Energy in buildings

Themes covered in this free course, Energy in buildings, include reducing heating demand in buildings, heating systems and fuel emissions, and reducing electricity use by appliances. The course looks at the importance of energy in buildings in the UK, investigate heat loss and how to prevent it, ways of increasing building efficiency, ...

Free course
10 hrs
Wildfires: environmental and social entanglements free course icon level 2: intermediate icon

Society, Politics & Law

Wildfires: environmental and social entanglements

This course explores how environmental and social factors interact to cause wildfires and shows why these interactions need to be considered when preparing for future wildfires. Focusing on the 2007 wildfires in Greece, this course introduces students to the geographical concept of entanglement as a tool for exploring these interrelated factors....

Free course
6 hrs
Could we control our climate? free course icon level 1: introductory icon Badge icon

Science, Maths & Technology

Could we control our climate?

Climate crisis is one of the grand challenges we face as a society, but it can be hard to approach as a subject. Not only can the science at times seem dauntingly complex, but the solutions are also far from clear. This leaves many people feeling confused, guilty, anxious, angry, or else completely switched off from the subject. This course ...

Free course
24 hrs
Why are nonhuman animals victims of harm? free course icon level 2: intermediate icon

Society, Politics & Law

Why are nonhuman animals victims of harm?

In this free course, Why are nonhuman animals victims of harm? you will investigate why nonhuman animals tend to be overlooked as victims of violence. The course explores some of the social processes and structures that victimise other animals, such as ‘livestock’ farming. The course also highlights some of the environmental harms related ...

Free course
2 hrs
Fire ecology free course icon level 2: intermediate icon

Science, Maths & Technology

Fire ecology

This course explores the role of fire as a natural disturbance in ecosystems. It introduces the concept of a fire regime and its influence on the type and distribution of organisms that occur in fire prone ecosystems. It also looks at some of the adaptations of plants that have evolved in these ecosystems and how animals either avoid or exploit ...

Free course
4 hrs
Microbes – friend or foe? free course icon level 1: introductory icon

Nature & Environment

Microbes – friend or foe?

Microbes often get a bad name. Whilst some of them do cause disease, others play vital roles in recycling nutrients in the soil to enable plants to grow, and in breaking down human waste. Without microbes, we would have no beer, no yoghurt, no coffee. That's quite impressive for something too small to see. This free course, Microbes friend or ...

Free course
2 hrs
Eating for the environment free course icon level 2: intermediate icon

Nature & Environment

Eating for the environment

This free course, Eating for the environment, will explore the links between food, nutrition and environmental sustainability.

Free course
8 hrs
Animals at the extremes: polar biology free course icon level 2: intermediate icon

Nature & Environment

Animals at the extremes: polar biology

The extreme challenges of life in the polar regions require the animals who make their habitat there to make many adaptations. This free course, Animals at the extremes: polar biology, explores the polar climate and how animals like reindeer, polar bears, penguins, sea life and even humans manage to survive there. It looks at the adaptations to ...

Free course
14 hrs
Introducing mammals free course icon level 1: introductory icon

Nature & Environment

Introducing mammals

Mammals come in a bewildering variety of shapes and sizes, and yet all species have some characteristics in common. These similarities justify the inclusion of all such diverse types within the single taxonomic group (or class) called the Mammalia. This free course, Introducing mammals, offers a starting point for the study of mammals. It will ...

Free course
5 hrs
Introducing the environment: Ecology and ecosystems free course icon level 1: introductory icon

Nature & Environment

Introducing the environment: Ecology and ecosystems

What is ecology and why is it important to our understanding of the world around us? This free course, Introducing the environment: Ecology and ecosystems, looks at how we can study ecosystems to explore the effect that humans are having on the environment.

Free course
5 hrs
Aquatic mammals free course icon level 1: introductory icon

Nature & Environment

Aquatic mammals

Mammals come in a bewildering variety of shapes and sizes and yet all of the 4700 or so species have some characteristics in common, which justifies the inclusion of diverse types within a single group. Although mammals evolved on land, a number of species have become adapted to spending part or all of their lives in water and it is these ...

Free course
5 hrs