Welcome to the Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies

Organised as three Schools, the Faculty works across a range of disciplines including Education, Childhood and Youth, Health and Social Care, Youth Work, Social Work, Languages and Applied Linguistics, Nursing, and Sport and Fitness. We take an innovative approach to teaching and learning, developing collaborative partnerships with employers and other institutions, and engaging in cutting-edge, action-oriented and internationally recognised research.

Find out more about our Faculty

Schools


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Study with us

The Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies offers 17 undergraduate and five postgraduate degrees as well as a wide range of certificates and diplomas, across nine subject areas in the fields of health and social care, education, sport and fitness, and languages and applied linguistics. We also offer short courses in languages and international culture, and apprenticeships in the key areas of nursing, advanced clinical practice, and social work. Our qualifications are developed by practice-based experts, including teachers and health care professionals, and informed by our internationally recognised and award-winning research.

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Our research

The key focus of our research is enabling communities to realise their potential, lead healthy, fulfilling lives, create inclusive societies, and thrive in the context of global change and uncertainty. Driven by the OU’s social mission, and inspired by the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, our research covers the span of life from the cradle to the grave. A key characteristic of our research is its interdisciplinary and practice-based approach. We harness the expertise and insight of our diverse research specialisms to help support change and impact policy, not just across the Four Nations, but also further afield in our global development work

Research in WELS
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Welcome to the Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies

WELS news

A graphic showing a photo looking down on a girl sitting on grass holding a camera. The words to the right of the graphic read, OU Research Image of the Year Winner Dr Margaret Ebubedike

Dr Margaret Ebubedike wins OU Research Image of the Year

Dr Margaret Ebubedike is the overall winner of the newly launched OU Research Image Competition. Academics from across the OU submitted images which follow the theme, "impacting the world." An image has been selected by the judging panel for every month of the year.

4th February 2025
A blonde girl wearing a red hoodie and reading her mobile phone at a train station

OU academics collaborate with YSS on impact of online media exposure on children of prisoners

The Open University's Open Societal Challenges has provided funding to a team of academics including some based at the Faculty of WELS to collaborate on a challenge with the charity YSS.

3rd February 2025
Three star shaped glass trophies, overlaid with the text WELS Student and Tutor Awards 2024

WELS Student and Tutor Awards 2024

The winners of the 2024 WELS Student and Tutor Awards were recently announced in a virtual awards ceremony. In total, 24 awards were made across the two categories, which recognise the achievements of some of the OU’s outstanding students, and the tutors who support them to succeed.

29th January 2025

Dr. Alison Buckler elected as BAICE Chair

We are delighted that Dr. Alison Buckler, CSGD Co-Deputy Director, has been elected Chair of the British Association for International & Comparative Education (BAICE).

24th January 2025
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