Week 5 Seminars OUSSA
Join us in Oxford for a study holiday
Week 5: Saturday 8 - Saturday 15 August 2026
The Oxford University Summer School for Adults (OUSSA) is a residential summer programme held at Rewley House central Oxford, offering more than 60 week-long accredited courses for adult learners (18 years and over) covering a wide range of subjects in Literature, Archaeology, Architectural History, Creative Writing, History of Art, Philosophy, Biological Sciences, Theology and Psychology.
A selection of courses taking place during week 5 can be previewed below. To view all week 5 courses please select 'full listing'.
To learn more about this summer programme, and to browse courses taking place during other weeks, see full details of the OUSSA programme.
Upcoming courses
Summer schools • Short courses
2026 marks the 150th anniversary of the first production of Wagner’s Ring, arguably the greatest work of art conceived by a single individual but also one of the most controversial. Explore the music and the controversy and debate it caused.
- Sat 08 Aug 2026 – 15 Aug 2026
- 9:00am – 12:30pm
Summer schools • Short courses
An introduction to the process of recording archaeological sites prior to excavation. Through lectures and site visits, we class will go through the fundamentals of site recording emphasising simple measurement techniques.
- Sat 08 Aug 2026 – 15 Aug 2026
- 9:00am – 12:30pm
Summer schools • Short courses
‘A human being is by nature a political animal.’ Aristotle’s 'Politics' remains one of the most influential works in the history of political theory. Discover how his enduring insights about how we could flourish in a state remain invaluable.
- Sat 08 Aug 2026 – 15 Aug 2026
- 9:00am – 12:30pm
Summer schools • Short courses
Does technology control us? Do experts and billionaires actually run the world? We’ll try to answer those questions by looking at some serious cultural, technical and political critiques of modern societies and governments.
- Sat 08 Aug 2026 – 15 Aug 2026
- 9:00am – 12:30pm
Summer schools • Short courses
Explore the remarkable contribution of successive generations of Oxford-educated explorers, merchants, intellectuals and prime ministers who were instrumental in the building and the breaking-up of British America.
- Sat 08 Aug 2026 – 15 Aug 2026
- 9:00am – 12:30pm
Summer schools • Short courses
A non-mathematical overview of the current scientific understanding of space and time. Including an introduction to Einstein's theory of relativity, its consequences and applications.
- Sat 08 Aug 2026 – 15 Aug 2026
- 9:00am – 12:30pm
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Oxford University Summer School for Adults
Undergraduate level. A residential summer programme offering week-long accredited courses for adult learners. Held at Rewley House on iconic Wellington Square.Undergraduate Certificate of Higher Education
Study your passion and discover new ideas with Oxford’s flexible, part-time Certificate of Higher Education – designed for learners who want to learn widely, deeply, and on their own terms.