Short courses and events
Study with Oxford online or in person
Start or continue your learning journey with Oxford Lifelong Learning at any time of life!
You’ll join a highly diverse learning community: students of all ages, from all backgrounds and from all over the world. Learn more about the different types of open-access short courses we offer below.
- Day and weekend events run in person or online, with some offered in both formats. Explore a topic in depth over one or two days with multiple speakers, hone your skills in small workshops and hands-on practical sessions, or explore the city of Oxford with a walking tour.
- Lecture series are a series of weekly lectures on a given topic, providing a comprehensive introduction to your chosen subject. All can be watched online, with many taking place in a hybrid format – so you can choose to attend online or in person.
- Weekly learning programmes include courses that meet weekly in Oxford, online courses with live sessions, and flexible online courses.
- Professional development short courses are designed with academic experts from across the University and beyond, allowing professional learners from across the globe the opportunity to benefit from Oxford University's excellence in research and teaching.
- Summer schools: Join us in Oxford for personal enrichment, academic progression or professional development. Many summer schools can be taken for credit; others require no coursework and are non-assessed.
Upcoming courses
In-person day/weekend • Short courses
As the US celebrates the Founding Fathers and the 250th anniversary of independence, this day event examines the “forgotten founders”: the English and English-backed adventurers who first searched for and settled what became North America.
- Sat 16 May 2026
- 9:45am – 5:00pm
In-person day/weekend • Short courses
Explore the crime fiction of Agatha Christie, examining her two most famous detectives: Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. We’ll look at the historical contexts and narrative structures of some of Christie’s most successful whodunits.
- Sat 16 May 2026 – 17 May 2026
- 9.45am Sat - 5.00pm Sun
In-person day/weekend • Short courses
Explore photography's power to express emotions and heal wounds. Learn techniques and apply them for mental wellbeing and personal growth. Gain practical experience and insights to use photography for self-development and professional practice.
- Sat 16 May 2026
- 9:45am – 5:00pm
Online - flexible • Short courses
From Paris to Moscow, Glasgow to Barcelona, this short online course examines the richness and variety of European art nouveau.
- Mon 18 May 2026 – 31 Jul 2026
Short intensive • Short courses • Professional development
Master financial investment fundamentals. This interactive course covers markets, strategies, portfolio construction, and risk management. Ideal for beginners and those seeking a refresher, it provides real-world insights to improve investment decisions.
- Mon 18 May 2026 – 28 May 2026
- 4 meetings
- 19:00 - 20:30 (UK time)
Online - flexible • Short courses
This course offers you the opportunity to learn how to study and analyse paintings, drawings and prints, and learn the 'language of looking'.
- Mon 18 May 2026 – 31 Jul 2026
