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.

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Grid List Results: 199 items
The Moon free course icon level 1: introductory icon

Science, Maths & Technology

The Moon

As the only planetary body everyone is familiar with seeing in the sky, the Moon has long been an object of fascination and speculation. This free course will teach you about the nearest planetary body to Earth: the missions to the Moon, the basic facts of its composition, the cratering on its surface, and the ancient eruptions that flooded many...

Free course
6 hrs
Information security free course icon level 3: advanced icon

Science, Maths & Technology

Information security

Information security underpins the commercial viability and profitability of enterprises of all sizes and the effectiveness of public sector organisations. This free course begins by explaining why information security and its management are important for any modern organisation and to every individual. You need to be familiar with an ...

Free course
10 hrs
Could we control our climate? free course icon level 1: introductory icon Badge icon

Science, Maths & Technology

Could we control our climate?

Climate crisis is one of the grand challenges we face as a society, but it can be hard to approach as a subject. Not only can the science at times seem dauntingly complex, but the solutions are also far from clear. This leaves many people feeling confused, guilty, anxious, angry, or else completely switched off from the subject. This course ...

Free course
24 hrs
Systems engineering: Challenging complexity free course icon 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 ...

Free course
25 hrs
The oceans free course icon level 2: intermediate icon

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.

Free course
15 hrs
Studying mammals: Plant predators free course icon 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. ...

Free course
10 hrs
The science of alcohol free course icon level 1: introductory icon Badge icon

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...

Free course
24 hrs
Software and the law free course icon 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...

Free course
8 hrs
Meiosis and mitosis free course icon 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. ...

Free course
8 hrs
Engineering: The nature of problems free course icon 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...

Free course
40 hrs
Dynamics free course icon 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...

Free course
16 hrs
Pain and Aspirin free course icon 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.

Free course
4 hrs