Public Courses

Cars have sat nav systems, mobile phones use GPS: maps are important in everyday life whether captured by aerial photography, satellite imagery or simply drawn. This unit looks at how we read and evaluate the information in maps and assesses the values embedded within them. From mental maps to...

You're about to start a course in science and technology and you're wondering whether your level of maths is going to be enough to get you through. This unit will show you how to reflect on what you know, identify which skills you might need for your course, and help you to learn those skills using...

This unit examines the use of polymers and demonstrates how the properties of polymers are controlled by their molecular structure. You will learn how this structure determines which polymer to use for a particular product. You will also explore the manufacturing techniques used and the how the use...

Why do products fail and who finds out why? This unit enters the complex world of forensic engineering and examines how scientists analyse product failure. From investigating a ladder accident to determining the reasons behind the failures in medical products, you will understand how the...

The human eye is a fascinating and complicated device, but how do digital cameras capture images? This unit examines one of the human–machine interfaces that link optical information to the electronic world. You will learn how the components within a digital camera capture images for electronic...

Where does the structure of our body come from? This unit looks at the structure of cells and how proteins are used by both animals and plants to create a framework for cellular growth. You will also learn how a material as fine as spider silk can exceed the strength of steel.

The unit will examine the Enlightenment. To help understand the nature and scale of the cultural changes of the time, we offer a 'map' of the conceptual territory and the intellectual and cultural climate. We will examine the impact of Enlightenment on a variety of areas including science,...

This subject is aimed at students with little or no programming experience. It aims to provide students with an understanding of the role computation can play in solving problems. It also aims to help students, regardless of their major, to feel justifiably confident of their ability to write small...

Latin is the basis for many languages in the world. This unit will provide you with a general introduction to learning Latin allowing you to assess whether you would like to learn more. You will look at the links that exist between Latin and English, examine the structure of sentences and gain an...