Welcome to the Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies

Organised as three Schools, the Faculty works across a range of disciplines including Education, Childhood and Youth, Health and Social Care, Youth Work, Social Work, Languages and Applied Linguistics, Nursing, and Sport and Fitness. We take an innovative approach to teaching and learning, developing collaborative partnerships with employers and other institutions, and engaging in cutting-edge, action-oriented and internationally recognised research.

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Schools


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Study with us

The Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies offers 17 undergraduate and five postgraduate degrees as well as a wide range of certificates and diplomas, across nine subject areas in the fields of health and social care, education, sport and fitness, and languages and applied linguistics. We also offer short courses in languages and international culture, and apprenticeships in the key areas of nursing, advanced clinical practice, and social work. Our qualifications are developed by practice-based experts, including teachers and health care professionals, and informed by our internationally recognised and award-winning research.

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Our research

The key focus of our research is enabling communities to realise their potential, lead healthy, fulfilling lives, create inclusive societies, and thrive in the context of global change and uncertainty. Driven by the OU’s social mission, and inspired by the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, our research covers the span of life from the cradle to the grave. A key characteristic of our research is its interdisciplinary and practice-based approach. We harness the expertise and insight of our diverse research specialisms to help support change and impact policy, not just across the Four Nations, but also further afield in our global development work

Research in WELS
Shot of a young child's arm holding on to an elderly person's hand by the little finger. The older arm wears a brown leather watch with a gold buckle. The background is distorted greenery,

Welcome to the Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies

WELS news

CSGD researcher wins funding to improve children’s literacy

Dr Margaret Ebubedike, a research fellow in the Centre for the Study of Global Development (CSGD), has been awarded a research grant of £108,000 by the mc2h foundation to explore what activities parents, caregivers, and community groups do to engage children's interest in reading in Nigeria and Ghana. 

27th March 2024
Pictures of Abbey and Amy. Amy is holding a research poster about her app.

Nursing Times nominations for Abbey and Amy

Two OU nursing students, Abbey Williams and Amy Graham, have been nominated in the prestigious Student Nursing Times Awards, in the Student Innovation in Practice category. The winner will be announced in late April.

22nd March 2024
Person sitting while using laptop computer and green stethoscope near

New research investigates services for bereaved families

The Open University (OU) has embarked on a groundbreaking study examining the impact of the Medical Examiners Service on families coping with loss.

6th March 2024
Joyful woman in sport clothes dancing at home

Online dance sessions beneficial to unpaid carers

Research at the OU finds that online dancing for unpaid adult carers proves beneficial to their mental and physical health.

6th March 2024
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