Find out more about The Open University's Environment courses
I’m a Tutor Support Manager and I really like the multidisciplinary opportunities that the module offers. If I was to study this module, I would be interested in studying courses about the environment, because it is a challenging subject which can be seen from a number of different points of view and it’s such an important issue.
Most of the courses I would choose are at the introductory level due to my lack of experience in the subject area, but I would also select some intermediate study towards the end of my studies so that I could get a feel for that level of study.
I would consider studying the OpenLearn courses below to give me an insight into:
- Understanding issues relating to the environment
- An introduction to ecology and the science relating to environmental studies
- Global factors affecting the environment
Free courses in the Environment...
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Introducing the environment: Ecology and ecosystems
Learn more to access more details of Introducing the environment: Ecology and ecosystemsWhat 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.
Level: 1 Introductory
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Working with our environment: an introduction
Learn more to access more details of Working with our environment: an introductionGlobal warming: are we responsible? Is our environmental impact damaging the planet? This free course, Working with our environment: an introduction, examines the use of ozone-depleting technology, the impact of fossil fuel use and explores how the development of technology can influence the direction of a society. From the Industrial Revolution...
Level: 1 Introductory
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Introducing mammals
Learn more to access more details of Introducing mammalsMammals 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 ...
Level: 1 Introductory
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Could we control our climate?
Learn more to access more details of 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 ...
Level: 1 Introductory
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Can renewable energy sources power the world?
Learn more to access more details of Can renewable energy sources power the world?We ask the question ‘Can renewable energy sources power the world?’ as a response to the growing awareness that increased use of renewable energy technologies is making a major contribution to global efforts to limit anthropogenic climate change. The course begins by examining the environmental concerns that have caused a rise in interest in ...
Level: 1 Introductory
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Environment: treading lightly on the Earth
Learn more to access more details of Environment: treading lightly on the EarthEnvironment: treading lightly on the Earth focuses on the problem of greenhouse gas emissions, especially carbon dioxide. This free course will give you an understanding of the nature and importance of carbon footprints of individuals and households. It will enable you to measure your own carbon footprint and explore what you could do to reduce ...
Level: 1 Introductory
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Environment: understanding atmospheric and ocean flows
Learn more to access more details of Environment: understanding atmospheric and ocean flowsWhat affects the atmospheric and ocean flows? This free course, Environment: understanding atmospheric and ocean flows, explores the mechanisms that are important; the most rapid carrier is the wind. The basic principle of global atmospheric circulation is simple: warm air rises and cold air sinks. How does this principle affect the ...
Level: 1 Introductory
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Waste management and environmentalism in China
Learn more to access more details of Waste management and environmentalism in ChinaThis free course, Waste management and environmentalism in China, is an introduction to waste generation and waste management processes currently being practiced in China. This course explores how the Chinese can deal with increasing volumes of waste, drawing parallels with the UK experience of waste management. It also discusses the conceptual ...
Level: 1 Introductory
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Eating for the environment
Learn more to access more details of Eating for the environmentThis free course, Eating for the environment, will explore the links between food, nutrition and environmental sustainability.
Level: 2 Intermediate
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Animals at the extremes: polar biology
Learn more to access more details of Animals at the extremes: polar biologyThe 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 ...
Level: 2 Intermediate
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Climate change
Learn more to access more details of Climate changeClimate change is a key issue on today's social and political agenda. This free course explores the basic science that underpins climate change and global warming.
Level: 2 Intermediate
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Evolution through natural selection
Learn more to access more details of Evolution through natural selectionIn this free course, Evolution through natural selection, we describe the theory of evolution by natural selection as proposed by Charles Darwin in his book, first published in 1859, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or The Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life. We will look at natural selection as Darwin ...
Level: 1 Introductory
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Sustainable Scotland
Learn more to access more details of Sustainable ScotlandSustainable Scotland is a free course that will appeal to anyone with an interest in a sustainable future in the context of contemporary Scottish society. It will give you a broad-based introduction to a number of different aspects of sustainability that impact on Scotland and the wider world.
Level: 1 Introductory
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Business matters in voluntary organisations
Read now to access more details of Business matters in voluntary organisationsYXM130 Example subject pathway created by Sheona Mathewson, Partnerships Manager for YASS, OU in Scotland.
Level: 1 Introductory
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Mental health in society
Learn more to access more details of Mental health in societyIn this free course, Mental health in society, you will explore and critically reflect on mental health. You will explore the relationship between the lived experiences of individuals, and the society and environment in which they live. Different perspectives, approaches and models of understanding and critiquing mental health will be explored ...
Level: 1 Introductory
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