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 8 different subject areas. Our courses are available to start right away.
A growing selection of our courses offer a free Open University digital badge. Badges demonstrate your interest in a subject, a commitment to your career or provide evidence of continuing professional development.
Got a few spare minutes? Brush up on your knowledge with our range of free bite-size courses and activities.
free course icon
Level 1 icon
Badge icon
Money & Business
Working in diverse teams
This free badged course, Working in diverse teams, will help you consider your experience of working in teams and the different roles you play in them. It will increase your confidence in marketing this key skill to employers as well improve your ability to perform well in teams you are currently part of.
free course icon
Level 1 icon
Society, Politics & Law
The value of coffee
This free course explores the economic and cultural value of coffee. You will follow the chain of processes that connect the drink you enjoy on a daily basis with circuits of economic and cultural value, hearing from coffee farmers and consumers in different parts of the world.
free course icon
Level 2 icon
Badge icon
Money & Business
Entrepreneurship – from ideas to reality
This free course, Entrepreneurship: from ideas to reality, is about starting and running your own business. Using case studies it will take you through the decisions from generating initial ideas through to deciding what you will do and how to establish your business and grow it. It will guide you through business models, funding options, business types and the influence of location and importantly assessment of your own skills, values and attitudes to risk. It is focused on practical advice from real entrepreneurs, and will signpost learners to where they can find additional support and how they can further develop their own capabilities.
free course icon
Level 1 icon
Money & Business
Introduction to bookkeeping and accounting
Learn about the essential numerical skills required for accounting and bookkeeping. This free course, Introduction to bookkeeping and accounting, explains the fundamental rules of double-entry bookkeeping and how they are used to produce the balance sheet and the profit and loss account.
free course icon
Level 1 icon
Money & Business
Fundamentals of accounting
Learn about the essential numerical and double-entry skills required for accounting. This free course, Fundamentals of accounting, will explain the fundamental purpose and role of accounting as well as the double-entry rules that are the foundation of all financial records and reports in any modern business.
free course icon
Level 1 icon
History & The Arts
Speeches and speech-making
This free course, Speeches and speech-making, explores an aspect of language use where 'voices' and 'texts' converge: the art of speech-making.
free course icon
Level 1 icon
Money & Business
Managing my money
This free course, Managing my money, allows you to gain the skills to manage your personal finances: managing budgets, debts, investments, property purchase, pensions and insurance.
free course icon
Level 1 icon
Money & Business
Sustainable innovations in enterprises
This free online course, Sustainable innovations in enterprises, introduces you to the importance of sustainable innovations, the role it plays in commercial and social enterprises and the importance to society. It explores cases of sustainable innovations in specialist areas – arts and humanities; science, technology and engineering; health & social care. The course also evaluates three methods for measuring the societal impacts of sustainable innovations. Learners are encouraged to reflect on their own experiences of cases where sustainable innovations drive success or failures in enterprises and how the positive impacts on society can be evaluated and sustained.
free course icon
Level 1 icon
Badge icon
Money & Business
Understanding your sector
This free course, Understanding your sector, will help you to understand the difference between sectors, industries and professions. It will also help you to gain the inside knowledge to impress in applications and at interviews and to put together an action plan that is tailored to you.
free course icon
Level 1 icon
Badge icon
Health, Sports & Psychology
Communication and working relationships in sport and fitness
This free course, Communication and working relationships in sport and fitness, explores the personal skills that underpin so much work in sport and gyms. We often hear employers refer to the importance of these interpersonal relationships or ‘soft skills’ in sport and fitness, and in this unique course you’ll build valuable insights into understanding workplace communication, motivation and self-awareness and how this can increase your effectiveness and enhance how you work with others. All this is made possible by some unique film footage of coaches, trainers and instructors at work combined with engaging learning activities that accompany these case studies to benefit both your career and those you work with.
free course icon
Level 1 icon
Badge icon
Money & Business
Exploring career mentoring and coaching
This free course, Exploring career mentoring and coaching, will explain what mentors and career coaches do and how a colleague or expert who can ask the right questions, challenge assumptions, and help an individual to find the best solutions for themselves, can make a significant difference in a wide range of situations and contexts.
free course icon
Level 3 icon
Badge icon
Science, Maths & Technology
Mastering systems thinking in practice
This free course, Mastering systems thinking in practice, provides a primer for someone wanting to take the postgraduate qualifications in Systems Thinking in Practice. It will help you develop new ways of thinking about and approaching situations that cross multiple discipline and skill boundaries. You will learn to think more holistically about complex and messy situations, understanding the roles other people play, taking account of the interconnectedness of all the components making up the problem situation and working more collaboratively