England
Where do you live?
Key features
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Discover how to better support your students’ mental wellbeing -
Learning is applicable to a variety of educational settings and sectors across the world -
Designed by leading academics and global experts with experience in inclusive course design -
Acquire skills you can apply to your practice straight away -
Endorsed by Mental Health Foundation
What you will study
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Introduction to mental health, wellbeing and learning -
Barriers to student mental health in teaching and learning -
Diverse learners and their wellbeing -
Designing learning: multiple means of engagement -
Representing learners' backgrounds and developing strong communities -
Multiple means of expression: assessment and feedback -
Technology and learner wellbeing -
Online learning, social media and student wellbeing -
Institution-wide approaches to learner wellbeing -
Innovative pedagogies and learners' wellbeing
You will learn
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demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the different ways in which mental health is defined and discussed and of the relationship between mental health and learning in diverse global contexts -
identify and critically evaluate some of the barriers to embedding mental health into the curriculum and how they might be managed -
evaluate existing curriculum content and identify potential impacts, positive and negative, on student mental health -
design teaching, learning and assessment activities that promote mental wellbeing and are conducive to positive mental health -
demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the potential impact of educational technologies on student mental health and critically evaluate how those technologies can be used to enhance student wellbeing -
demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the different ways in which mental health is defined and discussed and of the relationship between mental health and learning in diverse global contexts -
synthesise and critically evaluate relevant experience, accounts and formal research evidence as the basis for recommending appropriate ways of designing curricula that are conducive to student mental health and wellbeing.
Skills you will gain
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Inclusive curriculum design -
Designing inclusive assessment and group work -
Designing teaching strategies -
Designing online learning that supports learner wellbeing -
Evaluating teaching, learning and assessment activities for their potential impact on learner wellbeing -
Building learner communities and supporting positive relationships -
Selecting educational technologies that support mental health -
Identifying barriers to mental health and wellbeing -
Selecting teaching resources that reflect learners' interests and backgrounds -
Teaching mental health-related topics -
Mental wellbeing and online learning -
Designing assessment activities
Vocational relevance
Created by leading experts and practitioners from The Open University
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Dr Leigh-Anne Perryman leads The Open University’s (OU) Masters in Online Teaching programme within the Institute of Educational Technology. Her research explores the relationship between equity, social justice, online teaching and open pedagogies. -
Kate Lister is a global expert in accessibility, inclusive pedagogy and mental health. She managed inclusive practice at the OU and co-led Advance HE’s Mental Health in the Curriculum project. She actively contributed to the OU’s Student Mental Health Working Group and the Mental Health Research Group, as well as chairing the Open and Inclusive Special Interest Group and cross-faculty Accessibility Working Group. -
Dr Simon Ball is an OU tutor and consultant researcher, specialising in inclusive online learning, educational technologies and accessibility. -
Dr Tim Coughlan is a lecturer at the Institute of Educational Technology (IET) at the OU, where he’s the Accessibility Coordinator for IET’s curriculum, chairs the Securing Greater Accessibility (SeGA) Coordination Group and plays a role in steering accessibility activities at the Open University and beyond. -
Dr Gini Harrison is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the OU. Her research spans several psychological domains, including mental health and wellbeing, eHealth, neurotoxicology and applied cognitive psychology.
This microcredential is endorsed by the Mental Health Foundation
You will gain
Teaching and assessment
Study support
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Learn 100% online on the OU’s learning platform with a mix of video, audio and written materials -
Engage in interactive learning through self-assessment questions, polls, tasks and reflection -
Share ideas and experiences in discussion with other learners, building skills, confidence and knowledge -
Receive support from mentors who guide discussions and answer questions -
Study at a time that suits you with the flexibility to access the course from your desktop, tablet or mobile device
Assessment
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End-of-module assessment
Course length
What's included
Future availability
Regulations
Entry requirements
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a bachelor’s degree or an equivalent level qualification -
experience working in education or training -
a strong interest in learner mental health and wellbeing.
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If you don’t have a degree or equivalent level qualification, you may find the postgraduate level assessment challenging. -
The course material doesn’t assume learners are working. Past experiences will be just as relevant. -
All teaching is in English, and your English proficiency needs to be adequate for postgraduate study. As a guide, this corresponds to Level 7 of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). However, you won’t need to provide a formal English language score to enrol.
Computing requirements
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Primary device – A desktop or laptop computer. It’s possible to access some materials on a mobile phone, tablet or Chromebook; however, they will not be suitable as your primary device. -
Our OU Study app operates on supported versions of Android and iOS. -
Operating systems – Windows 11 or the latest supported macOS. -
Internet access – Broadband or mobile connection.
If you have a disability
Course fee
| Start | End | Register by | England fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Jun 2026 | 30 Sep 2026 | 21 Jun 2026 | £725 |
| 12 Oct 2026 | 31 Jan 2028 | 11 Oct 2026 | £775 |
| 28 Jun 2027 | 30 Sep 2027 | 27 Jun 2027 | £775 |
