Enigma and the Intelligence War



Overview

The Enigma cipher was the backbone of German military, air and naval intelligence communications during World War II. Bletchley Park was home to the Allied codebreakers who worked in impenetrable secrecy on decryption of the cipher and, in the process, gave birth to the modern world of computing. Bletchley was acquired in 1938 by the Government Code and Cypher School and, at its wartime peak, some nine thousand men and women worked there.

This course, which includes a full-day site visit to Bletchley Park, will analyse the development of decryption measures, and consider both the impact of Bletchley’s work on the war in Europe and the Far East and the extent to which it may have shortened the war and ensured an Allied victory.  

This course is part of The Oxford Experience summer school, held at Christ Church.

Programme details

Daily schedule

Seminars meet each weekday morning after breakfast.

After lunch, afternoons are free for individual study or exploring the many places of interest in and around the city. Optional plenary excursions and social activities including walking tours will also be available.

The course fee includes breakfasts Monday-Saturday (residential guests only), lunches Sunday-Friday, and three-course dinners Sunday-Thursday. All meals are taken in Christ Church’s spectacular dining hall. 

On Friday, there will be a special four-course gala dinner to celebrate the closing of the week.

Seminars and field trip

Monday seminars

We begin with a review of the pre-war intelligence heritage of the ‘Station X’ operation, including the invaluable work of Polish intelligence in the 1930s, and its establishment at the Bletchley Park country house complex. The commercial origins and functional structure of the Enigma substitution codes will be examined as will the period’s unique social and political circumstances.

Tuesday seminars

Y Stations: these were the vital listening stations that gathered the signals intelligence material essential to Bletchley Park’s secret work. We will also consider the key personalities – not only Alan Turing – whose painstaking and insightful work led cryptographic success, the risks inherent in that very success, as well as the technical advances that emerged from it.   

Wednesday seminars

Today we will evaluate the Enigma decrypts in relation to particular wartime theatres and campaigns, not least the vital Battle of the Atlantic on whose successful outcome not only the sustenance of the British nation depended, but also the Allies’ eventual capacity to take the war to the enemy and reconquer Europe.

Thursday seminars

Full day visit to Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire, which has been a museum since 1993. Participants will visit the original Mansion, the Bombe and Codebreaking Huts and the Museum which includes Enigma machines. The adjacent National Museum of Computing will also be visited.

Friday seminars

The concluding day considers the work of Station X as extended to overseas outstations and operational theatres. There will be an informed conjectural discussion of the progress and conduct of World War II had Ultra Intelligence not played such a crucial role. Finally, there will be a critical evaluation of recent cinematic depictions of the Station X operation.

Field Trip

Destination: Bletchley Park and the National Museum of Computing

Duration: All day 

Excursion Rating: Moderate - up to two hours' walk on even ground or up to an hour's walk on rough and/or steep ground or up lots of stairs and steps.

Certification

Certificate of Attendance

At the end of the course you will receive a Certificate of Attendance.

Digital badge

You will also be issued with an official digital badge of attendance. After the course, you will receive an email with a link and instructions on how to download this. You will be able to share this on social media and add to your email signature if you wish to do so.

Fees

Description Costs
Fee option 1 (single en suite accom and meals per person) £2485.00
Fee option 2 (single standard accom and meals per person) £2375.00
Fee option 3 (double en suite accom and meals per person) £2365.00
Fee option 4 (twin en suite accom and meals per person) £2365.00
Fee option 5 (twin set standard accom and meals per person) £2365.00
Fee option 6 (no accom; incl lunch and dinner per person) £1765.00

Funding

Please note there are no sources of funding (scholarships, bursaries, etc) available for the Oxford Experience programme.

Payment

All fees are charged on a per week, per person basis.

Please be aware that all payments made via non-UK credit/debit cards and bank accounts are subject to the exchange rate on the day they are processed.

Course change administration fee: Please note that course transfers may be permitted in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the programme administrator, up to the 1 May 2026. In accordance with our Terms and Conditions, an administration fee of £50 will be charged.

Supplementary costs

  • Any excursions listed in the 'programme details' above are included in the course fees and do not require a separate payment.
  • If your course includes a day-long excursion, you may need to make your own lunch arrangements.
  • Any optional, plenary excursions/social activities not detailed in the 'programme details' above may incur an additional cost. A social programme outlining these options will be sent to you in advance of the course start date.

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 30 days of invoice date.

Cancellations and refunds

Please see the terms and conditions for our open-access courses.

The Department cannot be held responsible for any costs you may incur in relation to travel or accommodation bookings as a result of a course cancellation, or if you are unable to attend the course for any other reason. You are advised to check the terms and conditions carefully and to purchase travel insurance.

Tutor

Prof John Harris

A former Merchant Navy and Naval Reserve Officer with a specialist interest in British naval history, John Harris leads cruises and battlefield tours on maritime themes. He teaches maritime history programmes for The Oxford Experience and is Steward Emeritus of his college, Christ Church. He was co-organiser of a 2002 Oxford conference to which many Bletchley veterans contributed archive material.

Teaching methods

Participants will be taught in seminar groups of up to 12 people. The teaching methods used during this course may include:

  • Short lectures/presentations
  • Physical handouts
  • Seminars/group discussions
  • Video recordings
  • Audio recordings
  • Tutor-led field trip

Application

Enrolment deadline: registration closes at midnight on 1 May 2026. 

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 and non-residential places should be booked online by clicking on the 'Book now' button at the top of this page.

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

Single bedroom options:

  • Single en suite (private bathroom facilities – shower, washbasin and toilet)

  • Single standard rooms (includes a washbasin and shaver point only, with bathroom facilities shared with other rooms)

Enrolment form (multi-occupancy or accessible accommodation)

Double and twin bedrooms

Double and twin bedrooms are only available for two participants that apply to the programme together. They are charged per person and cannot be booked by individuals. If you wish to book a twin or double room for two people, each person should complete an enrolment form.

Shared bedroom options:

  • Double en suite (private bathroom facilities – shower, washbasin and toilet)
  • Twin en suite (private bathroom facilities – shower, washbasin and toilet)
  • ‘Twin set’ standard (comprising two separate single standard rooms, each with a washbasin and shaver point only, opening onto a private sitting room, with bathroom facilities shared with other rooms)

Ground/lower floor accommodation

Christ Church rooms do not have lift access, and the higher rooms can be located up a few flights of stairs. If you need a room on a ground or lower floor please complete an enrolment form indicate your requirements, or contact the programme administrator directly at oxfordexperience@conted.ox.ac.uk as soon as possible before 1 June 2026. 

Enrolment form

The enrolment form is an editable PDF and can be competed electronically, so you should not need to print and scan it. 

Completed forms should be sent:

  • by email to oxfordexperience@conted.ox.ac.uk, or

  • by post to The Oxford Experience, Oxford Lifelong Learning, University of Oxford Department for Continuing Education, 1 Wellington Square, OXFORD, OX1 2JA, UK.

Level and demands

The Oxford Experience is aimed at non-specialists: no prior knowledge is required, and classes are pitched at an introductory level. The courses are designed for an international audience aged 18 and over.

There are no assessments for this course.

Accommodation

During your course you can stay in typical Oxford student accommodation at Christ Church, in buildings which range from the 18th to the 20th century. Please note that bedrooms are modestly-furnished and do not have air-conditioning.

The course fee includes breakfasts Monday-Saturday (residential guests only), lunches Sunday-Friday, and three-course dinners Sunday-Thursday. On Friday, there will be a special four-course gala dinner to celebrate the closing of the week. All meals are taken in Christ Church’s spectacular dining hall. 

Residential options are outlined below.

Please see the 'application' section above for guidance on how to book or request the right accommodation for you, including how to request a lower/ground floor room.

Accommodation options at Christ Church

Single, twin and double bedrooms are available. 

We welcome participants who want to attend multiple courses over the summer. Resident participants staying in Christ Church for consecutive weeks will have bed and breakfast accommodation arranged for the Saturday night between their courses at no extra cost.

Non-residential option

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

Accommodation before/after your course

We are unable to arrange accommodation at Christ Church prior to or following your course. Please contact Christ Church directly if you require additional nights of bed and breakfast accommodation, and they may be able to assist.

Additionally, family or friends who are not enrolled in the programme cannot be accommodated in college. 

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support