The Art and Psychology of Meaningful Conversations

University-level study and support

During your time on the Oxford University Summer School for Adults you will:

• Study in small seminar groups with no more than 12 students, guided by expert tutors
• Receive two one-to-one tutorials
• Have the opportunity to attend guest lectures and participate in social events
• Have access to the on-site Bodleian Library and IT facilities
• Gain experience of studying at university level
• Develop new skills
• Experience a friendly and supportive learning environment
• Connect with a global community of lifelong learners

Seminars

Participants are taught in small seminar groups of up to 12 students, and receive two one-on-one tutorials with their tutor.

Sunday

Seminar 1: Course outline, group introductions, mindsets

We will establish the foundations of the course, get to know one another, and explore the mindsets that shape how we show up in conversation.

Seminar 2: Navigating small talk 

Why does small talk feel unsatisfying, and what is it actually for? We will explore the psychology behind conversational scripts and social rituals, and introduce practical techniques for navigating small talk with curiosity and creativity, turning routine exchanges into doorways for deeper connection.

Monday

Seminar 1: Exploring our awareness 

This session focuses on self-awareness as a conversational skill. You will explore where your attention goes during conversation and begin to develop the capacity to notice and redirect your awareness in real time.

Seminar 2: Initiating conversations

We will tackle the practical challenges of starting conversations: building rapport quickly, navigating social norms, approaching strangers, handling the fear of rejection, and knowing how to close a conversation gracefully.

Tuesday

Seminar 1: Presence

We will explore what it means to be fully present with another person. Drawing on techniques from the practice of circling, you will experiment with slowing down, letting go of agenda, and giving your full attention to what is unfolding in the present moment.

Seminar 2: Empathy 

We will explore empathy as a practical conversational skill. You will learn techniques for identifying underlying feelings and needs, both your own and those of others, and practise tools such as mirroring and labelling to create genuine understanding and connection.

Wednesday

Seminar 1: Deep listening 

Most of us listen to respond rather than to understand. This session introduces deep listening as a transformative conversational practice, drawing on coaching and active listening frameworks. You will practise listening at multiple levels, for facts, meaning and experience.

Seminar 2: The art of meaningful questions 

A great conversation is often shaped by the quality of the questions asked. We will explore what makes a question powerful, how to move beyond surface-level enquiry, and how to use questions to open up new territory in a conversation rather than narrowing it down.

Thursday

Seminar 1: Exploring our identity 

We will examine how identity – the stories we tell about who we are – shapes and constrains our conversations. You will explore how labels, roles and assumptions influence what we feel able to say and who we feel able to connect with.

Seminar 2: Limiting and empowering beliefs

Building on the identity work, this session draws on CBT and coaching frameworks to identify beliefs that hold us back in conversation such as ‘I’m not interesting’ or ‘I shouldn’t approach strangers’ and to develop more empowering alternatives.

Friday

Seminar 1: Playfulness

Drawing on improvisation theatre, we will explore how playfulness, spontaneity and risk-taking can transform the energy and depth of a conversation. You will practise techniques for bringing lightness, creativity and a spirit of adventure into your interactions.

Seminar 2: Conversation lab and course conclusion

In this final session, you will bring together everything you have learned in a live ‘conversation lab’, a structured space to practise your new skills in real exchanges with fellow participants. We will close with reflection on your conversational journey and how to continue developing these skills beyond the course.

Programme timetable

The daily timetable will normally be as follows:

Saturday

14.00–16.30: Registration

16.30–17.00: Orientation meeting

17.00–17.30: Classroom orientation for tutor and students

17.30–18.00: Drinks reception

18.00–20.00: Welcome dinner

Sunday – Friday

09.00–10.30: Seminar

10.30–11.00: Tea/coffee break

11.00–12.30: Seminar

12.30–13.30: Lunch

13.30–18.00: Afternoons are free for tutorials, individual study, course-related field trips or exploring the many places of interest in and around Oxford.

18.00–19.00: Dinner (there is a formal gala dinner every Friday to close each week of the programme).

Social programme

A range of optional social events will be offered throughout the summer school. These are likely to include a quiz night, a visit to historic pubs in Oxford, a visit to Christ Church for Evensong, and after-dinner talks and discussions.

Beyond the summer school, Oxford is a vibrant and cosmopolitan city with a busy cultural and social scene offering a wide variety of plays and shows, concerts, films and exhibitions.

Residential options are outlined below.

Please see the ‘how to enrol’ section below for guidance on how to book or request the right accommodation for you.

Residential option

This includes accommodation and all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner).

Our central Oxford accommodation combines the character of an historic building with the convenience of a modern hotel. All rooms are located in Wellington Square, a short walk to Oxford city centre, and include tea and coffee making facilities and free Wi-Fi.

View full details of Rewley House accommodation.

Non-residential option

We also offer places on a non-residential basis whereby participants can take classes and have meals (lunch and dinner) at Rewley House, having arranged their own accommodation elsewhere.

Course aims

This course aims to equip participants with a deep understanding of the psychology behind everyday conversation and practical, evidence-based techniques for initiating more meaningful, novel and rewarding exchanges.

Drawing on coaching, applied linguistics, CBT and improvisation theatre, the course aims to develop conversational confidence, self-awareness and deep listening skills that participants can apply across personal, social and professional contexts including with strangers.

Course objectives

This course aims to enable students to:

• recognise and move beyond habitual conversational scripts;
• apply techniques from improvisation, coaching and psychology to initiate deeper and more novel exchanges;
• practise deep listening;
• develop greater self-awareness of their own conversational patterns and how these shape connection; and
• build confidence through real-world conversational practice in and around Oxford.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, students will have been given the opportunity to understand:

• Their conversational patterns, strengths and weaknesses in conversation, and any limiting beliefs that are getting in the way.
• The psychological mechanisms behind superficial conversational scripts and how to move beyond them.
• Techniques for initiating meaningful exchanges with both familiar people and strangers.
• The role of deep listening, empathy and self-awareness in building authentic connection.
• How effective conversational skills contribute to mental health, wellbeing, and professional outcomes.

Teaching methods

The teaching methods on this course may include:

• Short lectures/presentations
• Physical handouts
• Seminars/group discussions
• Video recordings

Participants will attend two one-on-one tutorials with their tutor during the week.

Pre-course assignment

Participants are required to undertake preparatory reading and complete a pre-course assignment of 1,500 words. Although this does not count towards credit, it is seen as an important way of developing your ideas and is mandatory. The pre-course assignment is typically due in the first week of June.

IT requirements

Students are encouraged to bring a laptop to Oxford to assist them with their studies.

For residential students, wireless internet access is available in all bedrooms; for all students, wireless access is available in communal spaces of the college.

All students will be eligible to use the computers and printer in the computer room at Rewley House.

Assessment methods

You will be assessed during the summer school by either a 1,000 word written assignment or a presentation supported by individual documentation. To successfully gain credit (10 CATS points) students should attend all classes and complete the on-course assignment.

Please see the ‘certification’ section for more details about CATS points.

Georgie Nightingall

Georgie Nightingall is a conversation researcher, practitioner, and founder of Trigger Conversations — a 
London-based organisation on a mission to make the world more human through the lost art of meaningful 
dialogue. A PhD candidate at Imperial College London, her research sits at the intersection of psychology, 
linguistics, and behavioural science, exploring how to design environments that cultivate high-quality 
interactions. Her practice draws on over a decade of study across disciplines including Nonviolent 
Communication, life coaching, dance and improvisation theatre.  

Her ideas have reached audiences worldwide through a TEDx talk, Channel 4, The Times, and The Telegraph, 
and are featured in Joe Keohane’s book The Power of Strangers. Through Trigger, she has led global training 
programmes and immersive events for communities, universities, and organisations, helping thousands of 
people transform the way they speak to and relate to others.

Certificate of Attendance

All participants who complete the course will receive a physical Certificate of Attendance.

Academic credit

OUSSA is an accredited summer school taught at undergraduate level; each one-week course carries 10 CATS (Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme) points at FHEQ (Framework for Higher Education Qualification) Level 4.

CATS points will be awarded to students who attend all classes and complete the on-course assignment to the required standard. Please see the ‘assessment methods’ section below for more details.

Certificate of Higher Education

Credit (CATS points) earned from OUSSA can be transferred towards our flexible Certificate of Higher Education. This part-time, award-bearing course lets you decide what, how and where you study by gaining credit from short courses, including short online courses, in-person weekly classes and OUSSA.

For full details, including transfering credit gained from OUSSA to the programme, see our Certificate of Higher Education programme page.

English language requirements

As students are expected to participate fully in seminar discussions and are required to produce written work, it is important that applicants can demonstrate an appropriate level of proficiency in the four language skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking.

If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence of your proficiency in the form of an original certificate, or a certified copy, that is not more than two years old on the date the summer school starts. You must satisfy one of the following requirements:

• IELTS Academic: minimum overall score of 7.5, with not less than 7.0 in each of the four components
• TOEFL iBT: minimum overall score of 110, with not less than 22 for listening, 24 for reading, 25 for speaking and 24 for writing
• C1 Advanced, formerly known as Cambridge English: Advanced or CAE: minimum overall score of 191, with not less than 185 in each of the four components

For further information on English language qualifications:

• IELTS
• TOEFL
• Cambridge English

The requirement to provide English language test scores may be waived in either of the following circumstances:

• If you have completed a full-time degree-level programme at a recognised institution where teaching and assessment throughout the course was undertaken entirely in English, and the programme was completed with a gap of no more than two academic years to the course to which you are applying. If you studied this course in a country that is not majority English speaking, you will need to provide evidence that the course was taught in English. This can either take the form of a link to the appropriate page of the institution’s website or a statement from the institution confirming this.
• If you have worked for a minimum of two years in a majority English-speaking country where the main language for the role was English, and your role involved daily professional use of each of the four language components: reading, writing, listening and speaking.

Visa requirements

The Department welcomes international students on all its courses. However, it is the responsibility of successful applicants to ensure that they comply with UK immigration law.

If you are not a UK or Irish national, you might need to apply for a visa before coming to the UK, depending on which passport you hold. You can check if you need a visa before coming to the UK on the UK Government’s website. We strongly recommend that you establish whether you will require a visa before submitting your application.

If you do not require a visa to come to the UK for a short period of study, you will need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).

The Programme Administrator will provide non-UK/Irish nationals enrolled on the summer school with a standard-format PDF letter by email confirming enrolment and course details once their fees have been paid in full. These letters are issued on request only.

If you require a visa, you should ensure your summer school application is submitted as early as possible to allow yourself sufficient time to complete the visa application process. See current visa processing times.

For legal reasons, the Programme Administrator is not permitted to provide any visa advice to applicants; any queries should be addressed to student.immigration@admin.ox.ac.uk.

Information about visiting the UK to study is available on the UK Government’s website and Oxford University’s Student Immigration website.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have taken the necessary steps to enable you to be admitted to the UK. The University takes no responsibility for a visa being denied at any point before or during a course.

Please note that the standard cancellation policy applies in all cases. See ‘Cancellations’ in the section below.

Fees

Payment

Payment terms:

• If enrolling online: full payment by credit/debit card at the time of booking
• If submitting an enrolment form: full payment online by credit/debit card or via bank transfer within 1 calendar month of invoice date. Where payment is made by bank transfer, enrolment is accepted once cleared funds have been received by the University.

If payment is not received within 1 calendar month of the invoice date, we cannot guarantee that your place will continue to be held. Where a course or accommodation option has a waiting list, the place may be offered to another applicant.

Funding

Concessionary rates are available on a non-residential basis for those that qualify.

The concessionary fee is for non-residential attendance only; participants will then be responsible for finding their own accommodation. For full details, including eligibility, see our OUSSA FAQ page.

Recommended reading

Joe Keohane (2022) The Power of Strangers: The Benefits of Connecting in a Suspicious World. Penguin 

Robert Poynton (2024) Do Conversation: There’s No Such Thing As Small Talk. Penguin

Gillian Sandstrom (2026) Once Upon a Stranger: The Science of How ‘Small’ Talk Can Add Up to a Big Life. Harper Collins

Module code: O26I610SSR

Most courses fill quickly so early registration is strongly recommended. If your preferred course is fully booked, you may wish to add yourself to the waiting list and the Programme Administrator will contact you should a place become available.

Please note, the programme is only open to those over the age of 18.

Online enrolment (single person accommodation and non-residential)

Single accommodation, double room for 1 person and non-residential places should be booked online by clicking on the ‘Book now’ button on this page.

Online enrolments require payment in full at the time of registering.

Enrolment form (multi-occupancy or accessible accommodation)

Those requiring twin, double or accessible accommodation (including ground/lower floor accommodation) should complete an enrolment form as these rooms cannot be booked or requested online.

Please send the completed enrolment form to the email address below. Both the PDF and Word option of the form below are editable, so you can complete them online before saving and sending to us as an email attachment. You do not need to print and scan them. (Please use these forms only if you are making a twin or double booking for two people.)

Enrolment form:

• PDF
• Microsoft Word

Please send your completed enrolment form to oussa@conted.ox.ac.uk.

Accessibility and disability support

Disabled students who have registered for, or are planning to attend, the OUSSA summer programme should contact the Programme Administrator by email at oussa@conted.ox.ac.uk to discuss any support needs.

Students with a mobility impairment can consult the University Access Guide and should contact the Programme Administrator at oussa@conted.ox.ac.uk to request any accommodation they need in this regard.

There is a special access ramp and a self-contained bedroom suite on the ground floor at Rewley House, equipped for use by people with mobility problems, with an adjoining room for carers. Two public disabled parking bays provided by Oxford City Council are situated on Wellington Square close to the Department. If you need this accessible room, please indicate this on your enrolment form, or contact the Programme Administrator prior to your arrival. Please also let us know of any support needs you may require.

If you need a room on a ground or lower floor, please indicate this on your enrolment form or contact the Programme Administrator prior to your arrival.

If you would like more information about support available to students with disabilities, please see our support page.

Terms and conditions

View our terms and conditions

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact us at oussa@conted.ox.ac.uk.

You may also find our frequently asked questions help page useful.

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