All our free courses
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Science, Maths & Technology
Surfaces
Surfaces are a special class of topological spaces that crop up in many places in the world of mathematics. In this free course, you will learn to classify surfaces and will be introduced to such concepts as homeomorphism, orientability, the Euler characteristic and the classification theorem of compact surfaces.
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level 2: intermediate icon
Health, Sports & Psychology
Investigating psychology
One of the keys to understanding psychology is to know about its history and core questions. This free course, Investigating psychology, allows you to explore psychology using an interactive resource. You can follow links to people, contexts, perspectives and methods to discover information, images and links from across psychology. The resource ...
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level 1: introductory icon
Science, Maths & Technology
IT: Information
In a world of 24-hour news and instant updates, this free course explores how information is gathered, stored and shared through technology. Learn about the evolution of IT in news reporting, compare different media sources, and develop a critical eye for trust and authenticity in the information you consume.
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Science, Maths & Technology
IT in everyday life
We now live in a global village where distance is no longer a barrier to commercial or social contact. This free course, IT in everyday life, will enable you to gain an understanding of the information and communication technologies that drive our networked world and how they now permeate our everyday lives.
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level 1: introductory icon
Science, Maths & Technology
IT: device to device communication
Are you a technophobe? Bluetooth, Ethernet, WiFi; are they terms that mean nothing to you? IT: device to device communication, is a free course that will gently guide you to an understanding of how devices 'talk' to each other and what technologies and processes are involved. You will also look at wired and wireless communication technologies, ...
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level 2: intermediate icon
Science, Maths & Technology
Modelling and estimation
This free course is concerned with modelling and estimation and looks in particular at the binomial distribution. Section 1 starts by defining probability, introduces relevant notation and briefly discusses basic properties of probabilities. The section concludes by considering some of the general features of and ideas about modelling discrete ...
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level 1: introductory icon
Science, Maths & Technology
Introduction to algebra
This free course is an introduction to algebra which builds on the idea of using letters to represent numbers. Section 1 looks at finding, simplifying and using formulas and includes useful tips on learning algebra. Section 2 introduces some of the terminology used in algebra and techniques such as evaluating and checking equivalence of ...
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level 2: intermediate icon
Science, Maths & Technology
Introduction to linear equations and matrices
In this free course, matrices are used as a concise way of representing systems of linear equations which occur frequently in mathematics. Section 1 looks at simultaneous linear equations in two and three unknowns and then generalises the ideas to systems of linear equations. Section 2 develops a strategy for solving systems of linear equations....
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level 2: intermediate icon
Science, Maths & Technology
Introduction to group theory
This free course is an introduction to group theory, one of the three main branches of pure mathematics. Section 1 looks at the set of symmetries of a two-dimensional figure which are then viewed as functions. Section 2 introduces an algebraic notation for recording symmetries and calculating composites and inverses of symmetries. Section 3 ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Introduction to analysis
This free course is an introduction to analysis which looks at real numbers and their properties, with a particular emphasis on inequalities. Section 1 starts by revising rational numbers and their decimal representations. Then, real numbers are introduced as infinite decimals. Section 2 looks at rules for manipulating inequalities and finding ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Introduction to differential equations
Differential equations are any equations that include derivatives and arise in many situations. This free course, Introduction to differential equations, considers three types of first-order differential equations. Section 1 introduces equations that can be solved by direct integration and section 2 the method of separation of variables. Section...
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Education & Development
Networked practitioner: open or closed practice?
This free course, Networked practitioner: open or closed practice?, starts a debate to support the decision-making process around openness and the different preferences we each have.
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level 1: introductory icon
History & The Arts
Understanding musical scores
This free course, Understanding musical scores, provides a general introduction to how to understand a musical score, and insights into what professional musicians do with the notation that these contain. You’ll learn how to connect the notation you see with the music you hear, from short familiar melodies to a full orchestral score.
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level 1: introductory icon
Education & Development
Understanding children: babies being heard
In this free course, Understanding children: babies being heard, you will find out some of the things that very young babies can do. You will also discover how babies can contribute to family life and relationships from birth. You will look at what they need from other adults and children, and what they can learn.
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level 2: intermediate icon
Society, Politics & Law
Children’s rights
How do children fit in to our society? This free course will help you to understand the issues surrounding children's rights as well as examining the implications of seeing children as citizens. You will also explore the meaning of childhood and analyse children's needs.
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Languages
Language and creativity
This free course is an introduction to the relationship between language and creativity, to the roles that linguistic creativity plays in culture and society, and to the different approaches to its study.
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level 2: intermediate icon
History & The Arts
Early modern Europe: an introduction
The early modern period from 1500 to 1780 is one of the most engaging periods for historical study. Beginning with the upheavals of the Reformation, and ending with the Enlightenment, this was a time of fundamental intellectual, social, religious and cultural change. At the same time, early modern Europe was rooted in and retained many of the ...
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level 3: advanced icon
Society, Politics & Law
Economics explains discrimination in the labour market
Discrimination in the labour market exists in many forms: the 'glass ceiling', ageism, racism, and so on. This free course, Economics explains discrimination in the labour market, will help you look at this problem from a new perspective: through economics. You will learn how economists have tried to understand what drives this distortion of the...