Health and Lifestyle from OpenLearn - free learning resources from the Open University.

If you would like to follow up your interest by taking a course, the OU offers a range of courses and qualifications designed to fit you.

Which type of course is best for you?

• Not sure you want to commit to a long course?
• Have study experience and looking for more?

Short Courses

If you want to study science but don’t want to commit to a full undergraduate course one of the OU’s science short courses could be perfect for you.

Understanding Human Nutrition (SK183)
Are we really what we eat? What is the link between food and our health and well-being? This course will provide you with information about the components of the human diet, and how food is processed in the body. It enables you to apply this information to understand the links between nutrition and health for people of all ages and a range of lifestyles.

Details of all the OU's short science courses are available on their short science courses page.

Longer Courses and Qualifications

Open University courses are the main 'building blocks' of our qualifications. You can take a single course or take several to build towards an Open University diploma or degree.

Which level of study is most suitable for you?

• Is studying Technology and Design new for you?
• Already have work or study experience in Design or Technology?

Where to Start

Environment: journeys through a changing world (U116)

Our world is changing fast – we are experiencing pressure from climate change, growing demands for finite resources and the extinction of many plants and animals. Environment: journeys through a changing world introduces you to environmental studies and the issues arising from environmental change. It shows how people are seeking positive solutions to environmental challenges where you live, in the Arctic, Africa, the Amazon and China. It also develops the key skills and concepts needed to understand our changing world. You do not need any prior knowledge to study this course, just an interest in the future of our planet.

Higher level study

Design and Designing (T211)

People encounter designed products every day, from bus tickets to buildings. We travel on, wear and even eat products that have been designed. A lot of design is associated with mass-market production, for example the music players or kitchen gadgets that most of us own. But there are also specialised design services that can result in very limited outputs such as a Formula One racing car, a solar-heated building or a unique wedding dress. But whatever the output designing it is essentially a creative human activity, even though in some fields it has become global and highly computerised.

The intention of this course is to enable you to learn about the design processes that generate products, to give you practice in basic design skills, and to develop your understanding of what it is like to be a designer. If you are already a practising designer, the course will give you an understanding of general design principles and allow you to see and compare their application in various design fields.

Energy for a Sustainable Future (T206)
How can we provide clean, safe, environmentally-sustainable energy supplies for Britain, Europe and the world as a whole during the twenty-first century, despite rising population and increasing affluence? You will study the sustainability problems of our conventional fossil and nuclear fuel use, and how they might be relieved; explore the technological and social possibilities for using energy much more efficiently; and investigate various renewable-energy sources (such as solar, wind and biofuels) that significantly reduce effects on the environment. In the course project, you research a sustainable energy proposal for your own home, workplace, or community.