Career advice

Get Creative

Get creative with free online courses from top universities and creative organisations. Explore acting, animation, filmmaking, poetry, songwriting or creative writing courses.

Develop your creative skills with these free online courses

  • Start storytelling

    Discover how to tell compelling stories in different mediums and master how to write successful fiction, poetry and songs.

  • Learn how to make a film

    Explore the process of filmmaking, from learning how to make your own visual effects and promoting a film, to going behind the scenes of feature filmmaking.

  • Make music

    Understand how and why music affects us and then learn how to write powerful music yourself.

  • Find a new creative career

    Discover a creative vocation, find a new hobby or develop a new skill - from commercial photography to performance to running a fashion business.

Develop your creativity with these FutureLearn courses

The University of Sheffield

How to Write Your First Song

Get a practical introduction to the mechanics of songwriting and meet established songwriters with this free online course
6 weeks
3 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
University of Leeds

Physical Theatre: Exploring the Slap

Learn about Meyerhold’s form of physical theatre, biomechanics, and understand and perform ‘The Slap’.
2 weeks
2 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
UEA (University of East Anglia)

An Introduction to Screenwriting

This online course explores the key concepts and fundamental principles involved in the process of screenwriting.
2 weeks
3 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
The Open University

Start Writing Fiction

Get started with your own fiction writing, focusing on the central skill of creating characters, with this hands-on course.
8 weeks
3 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
Film Distributors' Association

Film Distribution: Connecting Films with Audiences

Discover how your favourite films make it to your local cinema or television screen, through the film distribution process.
4 weeks
3 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
Goldsmiths, University of London

Learn Jazz Piano: I. Begin with the Blues

Get an introduction to the wonderful world of playing jazz piano and learn to play and improvise on the blues and a jazz standard.
6 weeks
2 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
Goldsmiths, University of London

Learn Jazz Piano: II. Improvising on Jazz Standards

Explore improvisation in jazz music and further develop your ability to improvise jazz piano.
6 weeks
3 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
Into Film

Filmmaking and Animation in the Classroom

Learn how to use simple filmmaking and animation to bring learning to life, and aid cross-curricular attainment and assessment.
3 weeks
3 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
London College of Fashion

Fashion and Sustainability: Understanding Luxury Fashion in a Changing World

Get an introduction to issues, agendas and contexts relating to fashion and sustainability in a changing world.
6 weeks
3 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
University of Wollongong

The Power of Podcasting for Storytelling

Discover all things podcasting: learn how to plan, write and publish your own podcast.
2 weeks
3 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
University of Leeds

Effective Fundraising and Leadership in Arts and Culture

Improve your chances of raising funds for arts and culture by developing your leadership and entrepreneurial skills.
2 weeks
4 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
University of Leeds

Physical Theatre: Meyerhold and Biomechanics

Learn how to practise Meyerhold’s biomechanics and study its place in the history of physical theatre.
3 weeks
4 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
Keio University

Exploring Japanese Avant-garde Art Through Butoh Dance

See how Japanese art absorbed, refigured and influenced Western art in the 20th century through Hijikata Tatsumi's butoh dance.
4 weeks
4 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited
The Open University

The Business of Film

Explore the intriguing world of film production and find out about the complexities of development, distribution and finance.
6 weeks
3 hrs per week
Included in Unlimited

The benefits of taking a creative course online with FutureLearn

Learn online, for free, wherever you are

From Filmmaking and songwriting, to creative writing and careers in music, expand your creative skillset for free. Learn on desktop, tablet or mobile.

Upgrade or buy Unlimited for extra benefits

Upgrade your course for ongoing access to the course content, tests, and the chance to gain a Certificate of Achievement. Buy Unlimited for access to hundreds of short courses in a year and the ability to keep access to courses you gain a certificate on.

Meet professional creatives

Learn with experts from top universities and creative organisations. Expand your creative network using social learning.