Introductory Level Courses
These short courses are presented 4 times a year and you can spread your study over 2 months or longer - the choice is yours. They are ideal first courses for undergraduate study with the OU.
S194 Introducing Astronomy - a wide-ranging introduction to astronomy including observations of the night sky.
S196 Planets: an Introduction - an introduction to planets and minor bodies in our solar system, as well as planets around other stars.
S197 How the Universe Works - topics in cosmology and particle physics explore the origin and behaviour of the Universe.

Standard Courses
These longer courses are presented from February each year and last for 9 months. The courses are intended for a wide range of people, and with proper preparation they are suitable for anyone who has a general interest in astronomy, and who want to develop their understanding of astronomy and planetary science - e.g. amateur astronomers, or schoolteachers who want to use the enormous attractiveness of the subject matter to enhance their teaching of science (at all levels).
S282 Astronomy - covers the life cycles of the Sun and other stars; the Milky Way and other galaxies; and the evolution of the Universe. It includes project work and computer-based multimedia activities.
S283 Planetary Science and the Search for Life - covers the origin and evolution of the solar system; planetary processes; and the structure and atmospheres of planets. It explores the search for extrasolar planets and the possibility of life existing beyond the Earth.

Practical Course
SXR208 Observing the Universe - based at the Observatori Astronomic de Mallorca, it includes guidance on observational techniques in astronomy and planetary science, then an intensive week-long programme of observations, data analysis and investigation at an observatory.

S269 Earth and Life - If the relationship between meteorites and "native" Earth rocks has caught your imagination, you might find this course of interest; it explores the interplay between geology, climate and life on our planet.

In 2006, a new course, S250 is planned, which include a case study on Near-Earth Objects. Details will appear on the Courses and Qualifications pages of the Open University website when the new course becomes available.

Advanced Courses
S357 Space, Time and Cosmology - presents the topics of special and general relativity with application to the Big Bang, cosmology and black holes.
S381 The Energetic Universe- includes studies of the life and death of stars, interacting binary stars, and active galaxies, concentrating on the energetic processes that occur in these systems.

S369 - The Geological Record of Environmental Change - an advanced geology course, students will use rock specimens and other materials to discover how changes in the planet's systems can be tracked through study of the ground beneath our feet.

SXP390 Science Project Course: Radiation and Matter - intended for people who are coming to the end of an undergraduate science degree programme, participants undertake a specific investigation within the general area of ‘Radiation and matter’.

SXG390 Science Project Course: Geohazards - again, intended as a final element to an undergraduate programme, in this case, in the geosciences. Participants will work with their tutors to choose what form of geohazard they wish to consider, and then explore the topic in depth. Amongst the geohazards that might be chosen is meteorite impact.