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.

Grid List Results: 66 items
Eutrophication free course icon level 2: intermediate icon

Nature & Environment

Eutrophication

Managing eutrophication is a key element in maintaining the earths biodiversity. Eutrophication is a process mostly associated with human activity whereby ecosystems accumulate minerals. This free course, Eutrophication, explains how this process occurs, what its effects on different types of habitat are, and how it might be managed.

Free course
12 hrs
Environmental management and organisations free course icon level 2: intermediate icon

Nature & Environment

Environmental management and organisations

It is believed that environmental management requires action at all levels and by organisations of all types and sizes. However it is not always clear what we mean by environmental management and the role that organisations do and could play. This free course, explores the different interpretations and viewpoints involved by using system ...

Free course
15 hrs
Effects of pollutants on the aquatic environment free course icon level 3: advanced icon

Nature & Environment

Effects of pollutants on the aquatic environment

Effects of pollutants on the aquatic environment is a free course. It begins with an introduction to water and goes on to briefly outline the major sources of water pollution (these being sewage works, manufacturing and industrial plants, the farming and animal husbandry sectors, landfill sites and urban surface water run-off). It considers ...

Free course
3 hrs
Climate change free course icon level 2: intermediate icon

Nature & Environment

Climate change

Climate 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.

Free course
18 hrs
An introduction to sustainable energy free course icon level 1: introductory icon

Nature & Environment

An introduction to sustainable energy

The search for sustainable energy will dominate the twenty-first century. This free course, An introduction to sustainable energy, provides an introductory overview of the present energy systems and takes a brief look at where the world may find energy in the future - cleaner use of fossil fuels or renewable energy sources?

Free course
3 hrs
Life in the Palaeozoic free course icon level 1: introductory icon

Nature & Environment

Life in the Palaeozoic

Fossils are a glimpse into the distant past and fascinate young and old alike. This free course, Life in the Palaeozoic, will introduce you to the explosion of evolution that took place during the Palaeozoic era. You will look at the many different types of creatures that existed at that time and how they managed to evolve to exist on land.

Free course
12 hrs
Animals at the extremes: the desert environment free course icon level 2: intermediate icon

Nature & Environment

Animals at the extremes: the desert environment

Animal life has adapted to survive in the most unlikely and inhospitable habitats. This free course, Animals at the extremes: the desert environment, looks at the surprisingly diverse desert climates throughout the world and mammals, birds, lizards and amphibians that survive there. It splits these animals into three groups according to their ...

Free course
14 hrs
Water for life free course icon level 1: introductory icon

Nature & Environment

Water for life

Atoms, elements and molecules are the building blocks of everything that makes up our world, including ourselves. In this free course, Water for life, you will learn the basic chemistry of how these components work together, starting with a chemical compound we are all very familiar with water.

Free course
15 hrs
Migration free course icon level 2: intermediate icon

Science, Maths & Technology

Migration

Migration is a free course looking at the migrations of animals, with special reference to birds, and also introducing the themes of movement, selection and homeostasis.

Free course
8 hrs
School activities: Evolutionary tree of mammals free course icon level 1: introductory icon

Nature & Environment

School activities: Evolutionary tree of mammals

This introduction to the evolution of mammals considers Darwin's observations on mammals and how he noticed that species fell into natural groups. This free course, School activities: Evolutionary tree of mammals, looks at evidence from fossils and DNA to examine which mammals are most closely related to whales.

Free course
5 hrs
Climate change: transitions to sustainability free course icon level 2: intermediate icon

Nature & Environment

Climate change: transitions to sustainability

Human societies have to take urgent action to end their dependences on fossil fuels. We have to alter the whole path of our development and decision making in order to make our societies both environmentally adaptable and sustainable. This free course, Climate change, takes on the task of trying to chart some of the ways in which it might be ...

Free course
5 hrs
‘Land grab’: an environmental issue? free course icon level 2: intermediate icon

Nature & Environment

‘Land grab’: an environmental issue?

This free course, ‘Land grab’: an environmental issue?, explores how environmental problems are entangled with economic and political issues and offers tools for making sense of the complexity that results. The case of land grab illustrates how everyday issues such as food prices are caught up in connections that link different places, different...

Free course
8 hrs