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 8 different subject areas. Our courses are available to start right away.
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Science, Maths & Technology
Introduction to cyber security: stay safe online
This free course, Introduction to cyber security: stay safe online, will help you to understand online security and start to protect your digital life, whether at home or work. You will learn how to recognise the threats that could harm you online and the steps you can take to reduce the chances that they will happen to you.
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Science, Maths & Technology
Simple coding
Have you ever wanted to try out simple coding? Want to understand the basics of what it entails? This course introduces you to the skills, concepts and jargon of coding.
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Science, Maths & Technology
Successful IT systems
Information technology (IT) systems are a critical part of our world, in business and the public and voluntary sectors. They are often highly complex and interconnected combinations of technology, organisations and people. Success and failure of IT systems can be seen in many different settings. Many are highly successful; others fail, sometimes...
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Science, Maths & Technology
IT: e-government
You can now access government directly through the web. While studying this free course, IT: e-government, you look at the scope of e-government, the databases that are necessary, the use of biometrics in identification and verification of identity, and assess the usability and accessibility of websites.
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Science, Maths & Technology
Hearing
Hearing is a familiar and important human sense that is a topic naturally of interest to those who are curious about human biology. This free course will enable you to relate what you read to your own sensory experiences and indeed many of the questions asked have exactly that function. This course will be best understood by those with some ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Metric spaces and continuity
This free course contains an introduction to metric spaces and continuity. The key idea is to use three particular properties of the Euclidean distance as the basis for defining what is meant by a general distance function, a metric. Section 1 introduces the idea of a metric space and shows how this concept allows us to generalise the notion of ...
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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...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Surfaces
Surfaces are a special class of topological spaces that crop up in many places in the world of mathematics. In this free course, you will learn to classify surfaces and will be introduced to such concepts as homeomorphism, orientability, the Euler characteristic and the classification theorem of compact surfaces.
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Nature & Environment
Studying mammals: Chisellers
Ever wondered why rats, mice and squirrels seem to reproduce at such an alarming rate? Rodents are among the most successful of all the mammal groups. In this free course, Studying mammals: Chisellers, you will learn more about some of the evolutionary features that make these creatures so plentiful. This is the third course in the Studying ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
An introduction to electronics
Electronics is fundamental to modern life. Using an interactive website, videos, and easy-to-use electronic circuit design and simulation software, this free course, An introduction to electronics, will show how electronic devices and systems pervade everything we do, and teach some of the basic ideas.
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Science, Maths & Technology
Themes and theories for working in virtual project teams
This free course, Themes and theories for working in virtual project teams, offers an introduction to working in virtual project teams. It explains the terms and concepts related to teams and projects, and highlights the complexity around the interaction of people and technology.
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Science, Maths & Technology
Laboratory Skills for Biology and Health
An OpenSTEM laboratory school providing you with 18 hours of ‘hands on’ experience with several widely used molecular and microbiological techniques to investigate bacterial antibiotic resistance. Techniques will include PCR, qPCR, agarose gel electrophoresis, bacterial plasmid transformation, micro-pipette handling, sterile working, ...