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.
- All topics
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level 3: advanced icon
Science, Maths & Technology
Systems engineering: Challenging complexity
This free course, Systems engineering: Challenging complexity, examines system engineering and why it is important. You will learn to identify and evaluate the importance of relationships within the process and assess the relative importance of stakeholders. You will also be able to classify a systems engineering project in terms of the balance ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
The oceans
The oceans cover more than 70 per cent of our planet. In this free course, The oceans, you will learn about the depths of the oceans and the properties of the water that fills them, what drives the ocean circulation and how the oceans influence our climate.
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level 1: introductory icon
Nature & Environment
Studying mammals: Plant predators
From the mouse-deer to the elephant, plant eaters come in all shapes and sizes. But how do they manage to flourish on a salad diet? In this free course, Studying mammals: Plant predators, we will examine the special features that allow them to extract their nutrients from leaves, and see how some plants protect themselves from these predators. ...
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level 1: introductory icon
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Science, Maths & Technology
The science of alcohol
Alcohol plays a considerable part in the daily lives of humanity and has done for thousands of years. This free course, The science of alcohol, looks at the science behind the processes of brewing, distilling and vinification, and how many of our beverages are made. A historical aspect is also covered showing how the modern production techniques...
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level 3: advanced icon
Science, Maths & Technology
Software and the law
In this free course, Software and the law, you'll look at the laws relevant to software and its use, taking a global perspective. A major part of this course is devoted to intellectual-property law, the issue of who owns software and digital content and how that ownership can be protected using instruments like copyright and patents. We also...
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level 1: introductory icon
Science, Maths & Technology
Meiosis and mitosis
This free course, Meiosis and mitosis, looks at how units of inheritance are transmitted from one generation to the next. First you will look at what happens to the chromosomes of animals and plants during the process of sexual reproduction. Then you will examine how genes are transmitted in particular patterns from generation to generation. ...
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level 2: intermediate icon
Science, Maths & Technology
Engineering: The nature of problems
Engineering is about extending the horizons of society by solving technical problems, ranging from the meeting of basic human needs for food and shelter to the generation of wealth by trade. In this free course, Engineering: The nature of problems, we learn that engineers see the problems more as challenges and opportunities than as difficulties...
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level 2: intermediate icon
Science, Maths & Technology
Dynamics
This free course is concerned with moving objects, that is, dynamics. Section 1 introduces concepts like position, velocity and acceleration, which describe the way an object moves. Section 2 discusses Newton’s laws of motion, which predict the motion of an object when the forces acting on it are known. Section 3 shows how Newton’s second law of...
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level 2: intermediate icon
Science, Maths & Technology
Pain and Aspirin
What causes pain and how do we stop it? This free course, Pain and Aspirin, looks at how the human body responds to the release of certain chemicals and as a result feels pain. Pain can be reduced by inhibiting the formation of such chemicals and you will learn how the molecular structure of aspirin has been formulated to help in this process.
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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.
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level 2: intermediate icon
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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...
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level 1: introductory icon
Nature & Environment
Studying mammals: Life in the trees
David Attenborough looks at life in the trees: examining how species have evolved to cope with arboreal living. In this free course, Studying mammals: Life in the trees, you will learn how lemurs, anteaters, bears and many others have developed different methods to help movement and survival.