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
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level 2: intermediate icon
Science, Maths & Technology
Obesity: balanced diets and treatment
The incidence of obesity is on the increase in affluent societies, and the phenomenon commands increasing attention from health professionals, legislators and the media. This free course, Obesity: balanced diets and treatment, looks at the science behind obesity, examining the dietary, physiological and genetic aspects of the topic.
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Science, Maths & Technology
Drug development process: combating pain
Drug development process: combating pain, is a free course offering a brief introduction to the process of new drug discovery; from identification of a suitable candidate drug molecule to the development of a commercial drug product available in the clinic for pain relief or as an anti-inflammatory.
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Health, Sports & Psychology
Understanding service improvement in healthcare
This free course, Understanding service improvement in healthcare, will help you to understand what people mean by the terms ‘service’ and ‘improvement’ in relation to healthcare. The course will help you to think about how those involved in healthcare, whether as practitioners or service users, can monitor the progress of any initiative to ...
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Money & Business
Managing virtual project teams
Many projects are now ‘virtual’, i.e. some or all of the team are located remotely and may be working in different time zones. The project manager needs all the traditional soft skills, and more. This free course, Managing virtual project teams, looks at knowledge and techniques which underpin team selection and then consider the additional ...
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Money & Business
Employment relations and employee engagement
This free course, Employment relations and employee engagement, looks at raising levels of employee engagement, which is the latest in a long line of managerial strategies aimed at releasing employee ‘discretionary effort’ and aligning employee interests more closely with managerial goals, on the assumption that this will in turn boost ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Information security
Information security underpins the commercial viability and profitability of enterprises of all sizes and the effectiveness of public sector organisations. This free course begins by explaining why information security and its management are important for any modern organisation and to every individual. You need to be familiar with an ...
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Money & Business
Difference and challenge in teams
This free course looks at how teams ‘travel’ together on a journey of development. Those journeys are hardly ever smooth. The course encourages you to recognise difference and challenge amongst individuals in the team who are pulling in different directions. It will help you identify where such challenges can be embraced for the benefit of your ...
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History & The Arts
The Ancient Olympics: bridging past and present
This free course, The Ancient Olympics: bridging past and present, highlights the similarities and differences between our modern Games and the Ancient Olympics and explores why today, as we prepare for future Olympics, we still look back at the Classical world for meaning and inspiration.
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Society, Politics & Law
Managing complexity: a systems approach
Do you need to change the way you think when faced with a complex situation? Managing complexity: a systems approach, is a free course that examines how systemic thinking and practice enables you to cope with the connections between things, events and ideas. By taking a broader perspective complexity becomes manageable and it is easier to accept...
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Health, Sports & Psychology
Lead and manage change in health and social care
Change is everywhere in health and social care work and can evoke a variety of emotions, from excitement and eager anticipation, to fear and outright hostility. In this free course, How to manage change in health and social care, you will explore the role of managers in the change process and the skills required for managing and leading change ...
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Health, Sports & Psychology
Exploring sport online: Athletes and efficient hearts
We all know that the heart is very important but what exactly does the heart do? Why is the blood so important? What functions do the lungs perform? In this free course, Exploring sport online: Athletes and efficient hearts, we will try to provide at least a basic understanding so we can answer these questions and begin to understand why knowing...
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Science, Maths & Technology
People-centred designing
Designed products surround us all and range from bus tickets to buildings. This free course, People-centred designing, focuses firmly on usability and the increasingly important phenomenon of people-centred design. It aims to inform consumers of design (i.e., all of us) about this crucial characteristic of design. In addition to stimulating ...