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Accessibility statement
An image to illustrate The languages of crises short course
The COVID-19 pandemic was a global crisis unlike anything most of us have experienced. In this short course, you'll explore how language and culture influence how people respond to and manage crises. While the pandemic serves as the primary case study, you'll also examine other crisis contexts. You'll be introduced to key linguistic and intercultural concepts, and consider how people have used humour, art and shifts in language to cope and communicate during times of upheaval. On completion, you'll receive a digital badge, which can be shared on social media, added to your email signature or used as a certificate.
The course is divided into 5 units, which explore the role of languages and cultures in situations of crisis.
Unit 1 provides an introduction to the course. You’ll start by looking at people’s personal stories of the COVID-19 pandemic, from a linguist unpicking the evolving new language to the poignant experiences of teenagers at the forefront of the first European wave in Italy. These stories, and others, illustrate key concepts such as crisis, culture, culture shock and intercultural encounters.
Unit 2 focuses on the role of humour and language in the COVID-19 pandemic internationally. You’ll look at a range of examples in different languages, including English, German, Spanish, Korean and French, that illustrate how neologisms are created. In this unit, you’ll also look at the symbolic meanings of relevant objects and the effect that these symbolic meanings can have in public health messages in times of crises. The study of language use in public discourse continues with an analysis of the metaphor of war. Finally, the specific needs of multilingual societies are considered in the dissemination of public health information in times of crises.
Unit 3 explores how people use art to translate, document, transform, and make sense of crises. It includes explanations of key theories and perspectives of art, and also looks at art on digital platforms.
Unit 4 covers methods to gather, evaluate, read and share reliable information in times of crisis. You’ll undertake practical exercises to put these methods to the test, for example, through the use of Voyant Tools. A special focus is given to the role of social media platforms.
Unit 5 focuses on the situation of people adversely affected by structural inequalities in times of crisis. The unit starts by evaluating the overreliance on data gathering in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which can prevent some ‘invisible’ communities from being looked after. You’ll then explore the experiences of those who find themselves more severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises due to their race, gender, socioeconomic background, or disability using case studies from Brazil and the UK.
Please note that although this course is non-accredited, it can be used towards the module Making your learning count (YXM130) to gain OU credits.
By the end of this course, you will:
The course is taught entirely online, with the aid of a learning adviser to offer support where needed. You will have access to online forums that you are strongly encouraged to participate in, as they are an excellent source of support and information. These forums combine peer support with input from the specialist learning adviser(s). Other support is available via the StudentHome website and computing helpdesk.
The course is made up of 5 units, with each unit expected to take about 5 hours to study. In total, you’ll need around 25 hours to complete the course.
You can begin at any time during the life of the course and study at your own pace. The course will be open to you for a time period of between 6 and 18 months depending on your course registration date and you will be advised of the specific time limitations upon enrolment.
All learning materials are delivered entirely online and there is no formal tuition for this course.
Your study is self-directed and you’ll have access to a course website, which includes:
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations, which are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
There are no entry requirements for this course.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact us.
The course is delivered online and makes use of a variety of online resources. If you use specialist hardware or software to assist you in using a computer or the internet you are advised to contact us about support which can be given to meet your needs.
The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying LG005 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.
StartEngland fee
At anytime before 31/07/2026£99
We accept American Express, Mastercard, Visa and Visa Electron.
If this course is geared towards your job or developing your career, you could ask your employer to sponsor you by paying some or all of the fees. Your sponsor just needs to complete a simple form to confirm how much they will be paying and we will invoice them.
The fee information provided here is valid for short courses starting in the 2026/27 academic year. Fees typically increase annually. For further information about the University's fee policy, visit our Fee Rules.
You can start this course anytime.
You can start this course anytime.
Level info