Informal learning

As part of The Open University’s mission to widen access to higher education, the law school has developed a wide range of free online learning resources – helping to bridge the gap between informal and formal learning.

OpenLearn: the home of free learning

OpenLearn is packed with fascinating free articles, blogs, discussions and mini-courses from the OU, covering a huge range of subject areas.

Law-related resources can be found on the OpenLearn Society, Politics and Law website.

Short courses in Law

The Law School currently has two short courses that are designed for individuals seeking to learn about UK immigration law and practice as a qualified immigration adviser at the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC).

For more information about law-based short courses, select this link: Short courses in Law.

Open Justice Centre: free bespoke courses

View our range of specially created bespoke free courses hosted in OpenLearn Create, showcasing our pioneering collaborations with external partner organisations and other higher educational institutions.

Select this link to view the Open Justice Centre range of free online courses including taster courses for 'Justice in action' and 'Introduction to UK immigration law': Public understanding of law - Open learning free bespoke courses.

The Open University and BBC partnership

For half a century the OU has produced programmes with the BBC, starting with late night lectures (before the days of video and online learning) and evolving into today’s prime time TV and radio shows – designed to engage millions of viewers and listeners with entertaining, informative and educational content.

High profile law-related programmes include BAFTA-nominated series The Detectives: Fighting Organised Crime as well as Catching Britain’s Killers: The Crimes That Changed Us, The Met and The Prosecutors.

Select this link to explore and watch a range of current TV and radio programmes co-produced by The Open University and BBC: The OU and BBC partnership website.