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Open online courses

Take one of our courses for free, in your own time, and from anywhere in the world through FutureLearn.

Studying with Bath and FutureLearn

Our massive open online courses (MOOCs) are free to study, fit flexibly around your schedule, and are designed by experts to help you learn new skills, pursue your interests, or advance your career.

Learn for free

With FutureLearn, you can access full courses for free or choose to upgrade for more benefits. You can also subscribe to ‘Unlimited’, giving you access to more courses and more time to complete them.

University of Bath staff and students can also take advantage of FutureLearn campus, and gain free upgraded access to a range of courses from Bath and other institutions.

Learn from anywhere

You can use FutureLearn to complete our courses anywhere in the world, so wherever you live or travel, you’ll have access to expertise from the University.

Study when you want

Our FutureLearn courses are flexible, which means you can choose when you study and fit your learning around your schedule.

You can choose from different start dates and many of our courses are always available, letting you plan your time better so you get the most out of your study.

All our courses are between two and six weeks long and take up to three or four hours a week to complete.

Learn from the experts on a range of subjects

Choose from a variety of different subject areas, including:

  • healthcare and medicine
  • politics and society
  • psychology and mental health
  • science, engineering, and maths
  • study skills
  • teaching

Healthcare and medicine courses

Improve your knowledge of healthcare and medicine, including how genes influence cancer development and new ways to organise health and social care services.

Inside Cancer: How Genes Influence Cancer Development

Illustration of genes

Understand how genetics influences the development and spread of cancer, with this free, introductory online course.

This course is available to join at any time.

Quality Improvement in Healthcare: The Case for Change

Photo of a stethoscope on a medical chart

Explore new and better ways of organising health and social care services to improve quality with this free CPD-certified course.

You can join this course at any time.

An Introduction to Innovation in Healthcare

Photo of a medical devices and charts

Explore the need for innovation in healthcare, the development, adoption and spread of an innovation, and blockers to adoption.

You can join this course at any time.

Politics and society courses

Find out about the uses, impacts, and ethics of biosecurity, biosafety, special ops units, and private security firms.

From State Control to Remote Control: Warfare in the 21st Century

A man wearing a military uniform

Explore the impact and ethics of using drones, special ops units and private security firms, with this free online course.

You can register interest in this course now, next facilitated run from 26 June 2023.

Next Generation Biosecurity: Responding to 21st Century Biorisks

Illustration of a lightbulb with the biohazard symbol at the centre

Learn about biosecurity, biosafety and bioethics, and why they're vital - inside and outside of the lab.

You can join this course at any time.

Psychology and mental-health courses

Develop your understanding of good practice for educating children with autism, including developing an inclusive curriculum and finding the best technological resources.

Good Practice in Autism Education

Child in a classroom laughing at a puppet

Explore the benefits and challenges of the different schooling available to children with autism.

You can join this course at any time.

Science, engineering, and maths courses

Learn how climate change, technology, and regulation are changing science and engineering.

Modern Building Design

A spiked edge on a modern building

Explore how trends such as climate change and technology are changing modern building design and how higher education can work with industry to help.

You can join this course at any time.

Study skills courses

Find ways to improve your study skills and succeed in your EPQ or Welsh Baccalaureate.

How to Succeed in Your EPQ: the Nuts and Bolts of Completing Your Project

an illustration of nuts and bolts

Prepare for EPQ qualifications while developing skills to help you transition to university.

You can join this course and start at any time.

How to Succeed in Your Welsh Bacc: the Individual Project Essentials

an illustration of a blackboard with steps and symbols drawn on

Prepare for the Welsh Bacc Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate – Individual Project.

You can join this course at any time. Also available in Welsh.

Teaching courses

Learn key concepts and how to integrate them into the classroom.

Understanding and Teaching Evolution

A photo of a peacock

A short course designed to help students and teachers understand the key scientific concepts of evolution, starting with genetics.

You can join this course at any time.

Take a MOOC or Create a MOOC

The University has signed up to FutureLearn Campus. This initiative gives University of Bath staff and students free access to a range of FutureLearn MOOCs, from Bath and other institutions. Follow the link and log in with your University credentials to explore what is available.

If you’re a member of staff with an idea for a course topic and would like to produce a MOOC, please submit an initial proposal to the Centre for Learning & Teaching.

We can provide you with advice and support on designing and producing your MOOC.

Learn more about our courses

Browse our courses on futurelearn.com

Contact us

If you have any questions about our online courses on FutureLearn, contact the Technology Enhanced Learning team in the Centre for Learning & Teaching.