Making decisions
Making decisions is a self-paced online course delivered by The Open University (OpenLearn). It is free, takes about 4 hours, and awards a statement of participation (free).
- Relevance to work
- 1.8 / 3
- Cost and access
- 2 / 2
- Provider
- 2 / 2
- Credential
- 0.8 / 1.5
- Currency
- 0.45 / 1.5
- Total
- 7 / 10
Provider learner rating: 4.3 out of 5 from 36 ratings on OpenLearn course page, as at 2026-09-29
Key facts
| Cost | FreeFree. Free statement of participation on completion. |
|---|---|
| Time | 4 hours (provider stated) |
| Level | Advanced |
| Format | self-paced online |
| Prerequisites | none |
| Credential | statement of participation (free) |
| Open to | Worldwide |
| Free in | Worldwide |
| Content written for | Any country |
| Last checked | 2026-09-29 |
Topics:Judgement and decisions
Things to know
- OpenLearn marks it Level 3: Advanced, drawn from postgraduate study
- No digital badge and no CPD points for this course
- Last updated 2019
- Sign-up needed only to track progress and get the statement
Summary
A short course that looks at how people and groups actually make decisions, comparing the rational economic model with psychological and sociological views. It also covers how people perceive risk and what can be done to improve decision making at work.
You will be able to
- Reflect on your own approach to making decisions
- Explain the limits of the purely rational model of choice
- Use psychological and sociological lenses to understand group decisions
- Understand how perception of risk shapes decisions
- Identify practical ways to improve decision quality
Modules
- Making decisions
- Understanding your own approach
- The rational-economic perspective and its problems
- A psychological perspective
- A sociological perspective
- Risk and decision making
- Making a difference to decision making
Who it suits
Managers and team leaders who want a quick, research-based look at how decisions really get made.
Who is behind it
- Delivered by
- The Open University
- Hosted on
- OpenLearn (open.edu/openlearn)
- Funded by
- Not stated
- Partners
- Not stated
Related courses
Questions
- Is Making decisions free?
- Yes. It is free as at our last check. Free. Free statement of participation on completion.
- How long does it take?
- About 4 hours (provider stated).
- Do you get a certificate?
- Yes. It awards a statement of participation, free.
- Who is it for?
- Managers and team leaders who want a quick, research-based look at how decisions really get made.
- Can I take it from outside Australia?
- Yes. It is open worldwide. It is free in: Worldwide.
Sources
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