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.
free course icon
level 1: introductory icon
Health, Sports & Psychology
Accessibility and inclusion in digital health
In this free course, Accessibility and inclusion in digital health, you will consider some of the ways that people can access digital health in the UK and how they are able to take more control over their physical and mental health.
free course icon
level 3: advanced icon
Education & Development
Accessibility of eLearning
It is part of a teaching professional's skills to understand the needs of a diverse population of students. This free course, Accessibility of eLearning, introduces the challenges for disabled students who may use computers in different ways when taking part in eLearning or may need alternative teaching methods. It covers the technology and ...
free course icon
level 1: introductory icon
Badge icon
History & The Arts
A freelance career in the creative arts
A freelance career in the creative arts is a free badged course which lasts 8 weeks, with approximately 3 hours’ study time each week. You can work through the course at your own pace, so if you have more time one week, there’s nothing to stop you pushing on and completing another week’s study. This course has a specific focus on the ...
free course icon
level 1: introductory icon
Education & Development
Am I ready to be a distance learner?
Distance learning can open up opportunities for study. You might have not studied for a while, you might be returning to education, or you might not have had the chance to study at a higher level before. This free course, Am I ready to be a distance learner?, will help to boost your confidence. You'll explore useful skills so you can discover ...
free course icon
level 1: introductory icon
Health, Sports & Psychology
An introduction to data and information in health and social care
Have you ever wondered about how information and technology have impacted healthcare? What influence does all this have on how a day-to-day clinical role is carried out? This free course, An introduction to data and information in health and social care, will help you to understand the ways computers and technology work with health data to ...
free course icon
level 2: intermediate icon
Health, Sports & Psychology
An introduction to death, dying and grief
Explore interesting and challenging ideas around death, dying and grief. This free course, An introduction to death, dying and grief, invites you to think more deeply about death and dying and encourages you to think about it in different ways. This course will introduce you to different perspectives on death; ethical issues related to dying and...
free course icon
level 1: introductory icon
Science, Maths & Technology
An introduction to design engineering
This free course, An introduction to design engineering, looks at the way in which engineers use ideas and approaches from the discipline of design thinking to inform their work. The complexity that people bring to design problems is introduced, along with some basic methods of dealing with such complexity.
free course icon
level 1: introductory icon
Health, Sports & Psychology
An introduction to social work
Do you want to learn more about the social work role and develop your understanding of some of the theory associated with social work practice? This free course, An introduction to social work, begins by introducing key ideas, values, the social work process and the skills needed for social work practice in the UK. You will then move on to look...
free course icon
level 1: introductory icon
Health, Sports & Psychology
An introduction to social work in Wales
Respecting the individuality of each person is a central value of social work but, as the term suggests, social work is not only about individual perspectives: it also takes place in a social context. Society, demography, geography, national legislation, national policy, and language all play an important part, both in the lives of service users...
free course icon
level 2: intermediate icon
Society, Politics & Law
An introduction to social work law
This course will get you to consider your initial perceptions of the social work role before exploring what social workers do in their day-to-day practice with people. It will highlight the core values of the social work profession and consider the challenges of applying these values in practice. The course will explore the relationship ...
free course icon
level 2: intermediate icon
Society, Politics & Law
Applying social work law to asylum and immigration
This course will present an overview of the policy and law that relates to social work with people involved in the asylum and immigration system and will introduce you to the ways in which social work practitioners can support people with insecure immigration status, refugees and asylum seekers more effectively. It will highlight some of the ...
free course icon
level 2: intermediate icon
Society, Politics & Law
Applying social work law with children and families
This course will introduce you to the law as it applies to social work with children and families in the United Kingdom. You will learn about varying definitions of childhood and family and then explore underpinning principles of the law relating to child rights and parental responsibilities. You will look at the key legislation relating to ...