Introduction to the UK Parliament: People, Processes and Public Participation (FutureLearn)

Offered by Houses of Parliament,
Introduction to the UK Parliament: People, Processes and Public Participation (FutureLearn)

Learn about the UK Parliament with this free online course - explore the work of Parliament and find out how it’s evolving. This free online course will introduce you to the work and role of the UK Parliament. From setting the age at which we start school to deciding pension policy, the UK Parliament makes laws that impact our lives, our work and our wider society.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see FutureLearn's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

Learn what Parliament is and does
You will begin by looking at what Parliament is, how it is different from government and how it has changed and evolved over hundreds of years. You will find out about the work of the House of Commons and the House of Lords and discover how things work in the Chambers and beyond on a day-to-day basis.

Learn how Parliament scrutinises government
Parliament is vital in scrutinising the work of government; on this course you’ll learn what this looks like in practice. You will consider the different tools MPs and members of the House of Lords use to check and challenge the work of government to ensure its decisions are transparent, efficient and fair. You will examine the purpose and role of different types of questions, discover some of the conventions of debate and explore the work of select committees.

Learn how Parliament is evolving
Towards the end of the course, you will examine the process of law making and discover the journey of a Bill. You will also explore the range of opportunities open to citizens, which enable you to engage with and influence the UK Parliament.
The course will begin on November 14th to coincide with UK Parliament Week, a programme of events and activities that connects people across the UK with Parliament and democracy.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Découvrir la science politique (edX) EdX
LouvainX,Université Catholique de Louvain - UCL

Découvrir la science politique (edX)

Décrypter des enjeux politiques actuels à partir d’une boîte à outils: des notions importantes, une démarche analytique et une perspective critique. Le politique nous concerne tous : chaque jour, des décisions publiques sont adoptées qui impactent notre quotidien. Dans quel contexte ces décisions sont-elles adoptées ? Au 21ème siècle, de nombreux paradoxes brouillent la vision que nous pouvons en avoir.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Power, Politics, and Influence at Work (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Manchester

Power, Politics, and Influence at Work (FutureLearn)

Discover the causes of global employment inequalities, how workers gain a voice through unions, and the future of work itself. Help build workers’ rights and a better future for employment and society. With the world of work in unprecedented flux, the role of workers’ rights has never been more pressing, as society grapples with issues such as how to ensure better employment equity and safety.

Self Paced
5-12 Weeks
UK Parliament Explored: Petitions (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Houses of Parliament

UK Parliament Explored: Petitions (FutureLearn)

This course looks at how petitions to the UK Parliament work and explores their role in raising awareness and instigating change. This course explores the role of petitions to the UK Parliament. Find out how petitioning the UK Parliament works, the possible impacts and outcomes petitions can have and the range of themes and issues people petitioned Parliament about in 2015-17.

No sessions available
2 Weeks
Global Diplomacy: the United Nations in the World (Coursera) Coursera
University of London,SOAS University of London

Global Diplomacy: the United Nations in the World (Coursera)

The course offers a well-researched and broad-ranging primer to the United Nations system. Consisting of an introduction to the complex UN family and its history, and a series of ‘snapshots’ of key UN functions, which are used to explore important UN themes and help learners develop important analysis, communication, and policy-based skills.

Aug 31st 2026
5-12 Weeks
China’s First Empires and the Rise of Buddhism (edX) EdX
HarvardX,Harvard University

China’s First Empires and the Rise of Buddhism (edX)

Learn about the Qin and Han dynasties, and how Buddhism and ideas of self-realization influenced the medieval period. This course, the second in a collection on Chinese history and culture, addresses how the Qin dynasty conquered China and established a new system of government and how the Han dynasty built a stable, centralized empire that lasted for hundreds of years. We cover the early history of Buddhism in China and how the rising feudal aristocracy responded to the loss of empire by looking inward.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Moral Foundations of Politics (Coursera) Coursera
Yale University

Moral Foundations of Politics (Coursera)

When do governments deserve our allegiance, and when should they be denied it? This course explores the main answers that have been given to this question in the modern West. We start with a survey of the major political theories of the Enlightenment: Utilitarianism, Marxism, and the social contract tradition. In each case, we begin with a look at classical formulations, locating them in historical context, but then shift to the contemporary debates as they relate to politics today.

Sep 7th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Understanding Financial Crisis: Business Cycles and Policy (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Uppsala University

Understanding Financial Crisis: Business Cycles and Policy (FutureLearn)

Discover the relationship between history, financial crises and business cycles, with this free online course. Economic crises often have severe consequences - for everyone from governments and corporations to you and I. But crises can be seen as an essential part of an evolving economy, along with structural adjustments and institutional changes. In this course you will learn more about the role of financial crises, their history and how they can be interpreted.

No sessions available
5-12 Weeks
Inequalities in Latin America and the Caribbean: Research, Policy and Management for Social Transformations (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
UNESCO

Inequalities in Latin America and the Caribbean: Research, Policy and Management for Social Transformations (FutureLearn)

Find out how to promote informed policies towards equity and social transformation in Latin America and the Caribbean. Use strategies to fight against social issues. Inequality is one of the main challenges facing Latin America and the Carribean and is a constant concern for their governments. Faced with these increasingly complex scenarios, a fluid dialogue between social research and public policy is essential.

No sessions available
4 Weeks
Desigualdades en América Latina y el Caribe: Investigación, Políticas y Gestión para las Transformaciones Sociales (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
UNESCO,CLAD

Desigualdades en América Latina y el Caribe: Investigación, Políticas y Gestión para las Transformaciones Sociales (FutureLearn)

Explore nuevas estrategias de producción y gestión de conocimiento para mejorar las políticas frente a las desigualdades. Las desigualdades representan uno de los principales desafíos que enfrenta América Latina y el Caribe, y constituyen una constante preocupación para sus gobiernos. Frente a estos escenarios cada vez más complejos, el diálogo fluido entre investigación social y políticas públicas resulta urgente y estratégico. Este curso aborda el actual panorama regional de las desigualdades, alerta sobre sus dramáticas consecuencias, y ofrece estrategias transformadoras que pueden diseñarse para mejorar las políticas sociales y la gestión pública.

No sessions available
4 Weeks
Building Alliances in Global Health: From Global Institutions to Local Communities (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Johns Hopkins University

Building Alliances in Global Health: From Global Institutions to Local Communities (FutureLearn)

Understand the challenges of alliance building within the global health sector with this innovative and informative course. Build alliances in global health using polio eradication as a case study. This hands-on course will prepare you to overcome the challenges associated with alliance building within the global health sector.

Available Now
5-12 Weeks
FinTech Law and Policy (Coursera) Coursera
Duke University

FinTech Law and Policy (Coursera)

Being a successful FinTech firm requires more than just great technology; it also requires an understanding of the laws and regulations applicable to your business. This course will provide you with that understanding. You will learn about the critical legal, regulatory, and policy issues associated with cryptocurrencies, initial coin offerings, online lending, new payments and wealth management technologies, and financial account aggregators.

Sep 7th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Global Health Policy (Coursera) Coursera
The University of Tokyo

Global Health Policy (Coursera)

In this course, learners will become familiar with principles and theories of global health problems, and major challenges and controversies in improving global population health as well as practical applications of quantitative methods to analyze and interpret issues and challenges for policy. Topics will include health and foreign policy, health governance, acute disease surveillance, non-communicable diseases, burden of disease, universal health coverage, health systems strengthening, health financing, and human resources for health and ageing.

Sep 7th 2026
4 Weeks