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: 197 items
Unsolved problems in cosmology free course icon level 2: intermediate icon

Science, Maths & Technology

Unsolved problems in cosmology

The science of cosmology has been very successful in explaining a wide range of observational evidence about the Universe, from the detailed properties of the cosmic microwave background radiation to the distributions of galaxies, and the elemental abundances in astrophysical environments. However, there are several major unknowns in ...

Free course
6 hrs
Everyday maths 1 (Northern Ireland) free course icon level 1: introductory icon

Science, Maths & Technology

Everyday maths 1 (Northern Ireland)

This free course will develop and improve your essential maths skills for work, study and everyday life. The course has four sessions, which cover the following topics: numbers, measurement, shapes and space, and handling data. There will be plenty of examples to help you progress, together with opportunities to practise your understanding.

Free course
48 hrs
Introduction to differentiation free course icon level 1: introductory icon

Science, Maths & Technology

Introduction to differentiation

This free course is an introduction to differentiation. Section 1 looks at gradients of graphs and introduces differentiation from first principles. Section 2 looks at finding derivatives of simple functions. Section 3 introduces rates of change by looking at real life situations. Section 4 looks at using the derivative of a function to deduce ...

Free course
18 hrs
Returning to STEM free course icon level 3: advanced icon Badge icon

Science, Maths & Technology

Returning to STEM

This free badged course, Returning to STEM, offers useful skills and solutions to help you get back into a career in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM).

Free course
24 hrs
Astronomy: images of the Universe free course icon level 2: intermediate icon

Science, Maths & Technology

Astronomy: images of the Universe

Modern astronomy utilises a range of techniques across the electromagnetic spectrum that allow astronomers to measure the brightness, size and shape of astronomical objects, as well as their structure in many cases. This free course enables you to explore multiwavelength images of the Universe and make your own measurements of stars, nebulae and...

Free course
6 hrs
Moons of our Solar System free course icon level 1: introductory icon Badge icon

Science, Maths & Technology

Moons of our Solar System

In this free course, Moons of our Solar System, explore the many moons of our Solar System. Find out what makes them special. Should we send humans to our Moon again?

Free course
24 hrs
Data analysis: hypothesis testing free course icon level 1: introductory icon

Science, Maths & Technology

Data analysis: hypothesis testing

Making decisions about the world based on data requires a process that bridges the gap between unstructured data and the decision. Statistical hypothesis testing helps decision-making by formulating beliefs about the world, including people, organisations or other objects, and formally testing these beliefs. In this free course, you will ...

Free course
9 hrs
Data analysis: visualisations in Excel free course icon level 1: introductory icon

Science, Maths & Technology

Data analysis: visualisations in Excel

Evidence comes in the form of qualitative or quantitative data about the world around you. It is not always obvious, however, how to structure, aggregate, analyse or interpret the data to help you make decisions. In this free course, you will look at how to use data to make decisions in a systematic way using Microsoft Excel. Microsoft Excel ...

Free course
6 hrs
Engineering: environmental fluids free course icon level 3: advanced icon

Science, Maths & Technology

Engineering: environmental fluids

This course introduces the properties of the atmosphere and how wind movements arise and are affected by pressures and the Earth’s motion, development of weather system, moving onto the Earth’s oceans and seas. Understanding how ocean movements are generated and sustained in the form of waves, tides, flows and currents is important in many ...

Free course
7 hrs
Microgravity: living on the International Space Station free course icon level 1: introductory icon Badge icon

Science, Maths & Technology

Microgravity: living on the International Space Station

This free badged open course, Microgravity: living on the International Space Station, will help you to consider microgravity environments in more detail than before! You will make direct comparisons of some important physical values between the International Space Station (ISS), the Earth and the Moon.

Free course
24 hrs
COVID-19: Immunology, vaccines and epidemiology free course icon level 2: intermediate icon Badge icon

Science, Maths & Technology

COVID-19: Immunology, vaccines and epidemiology

This free badged course, COVID-19: Immunology, vaccines and epidemiology, explains how antibodies protect against viral infections and how the incidence of antibodies can be used to track an epidemic. The course incorporates an interactive on-line assay (ELISA) of the type that is used to detect antibodies against COVID-19 infection. The samples...

Free course
24 hrs
Introduction to complex analysis free course icon level 3: advanced icon

Science, Maths & Technology

Introduction to complex analysis

This free course, Introduction to complex analysis, is an extract from the third level Open University course M337 Complex Analysis, which develops the theory of functions of a complex variable, emphasising their geometric properties and indicating some applications.

Free course
12 hrs