Postgraduate Certificate in Architectural History

Across your first two units, you’ll explore how England’s architecture has developed over time and learn different ways to understand the history of buildings.

Unit 1: Historical Studies 1
Settlement, Landscape and Medieval Buildings

Unit 1 concentrates on the medieval period. It provides an introduction to the evolution of the landscape and the major elements of architectural history in England up to the sixteenth century. The aim is to develop a sound understanding of the basic development of medieval buildings and their context.

Teaching is by means of lectures and field trips. Students also need to ensure they have sufficient time for directed reading and private study. Tutorials are available by request.

Assessment: three essays, each of approximately 1,500 words.

Unit 2: Historical Studies 2
Modern Buildings

This unit will continue the themes introduced in Historical Studies 1 and will analyse the major architectural developments from the sixteenth century to the present century. The aim is to develop a sound understanding of the development of English architectural history and its broader context down to the present century in a manner which is relevant to historic conservation.

Teaching is by means of lectures. Students also need to ensure they have sufficient time for directed reading and private study. Tutorials are available by request.

Assessment: two essays, each of 2,000 words.

Unit 3: Site Evaluation and Survey
Local Historic Building Survey

This unit is held at Oxford Brookes University, Headington. It is a skill-based unit designed to develop:

• expertise in understanding the special architectural and historical characteristics of a particular site, building or group of buildings
• techniques for its representation through research, measurement, and drawn/photographic recording.

This unit will develop the skills necessary to plan, prepare and execute a programme for the recording of structures and sites, and will introduce the main sources of archive material for investigations into historic buildings, sites and monuments. It provides an introduction to the making of a competent analytical record of a site through text, photographic and measured surveys, and drawn representation.

Teaching is by means of lectures, field trips and practical workshops, which need to be supplemented by private study and individual fieldwork.

Assessment: workbook record of a selected building to be submitted by mid-May.

Unit 4: Individual Dissertation

Students write an 8,000-word dissertation on a subject relevant to architectural history, chosen in consultation with the Course Director and supervised within Oxford Lifelong Learning. The dissertation provides an opportunity for an extended exploration of a single topic based on primary and secondary research, to demonstrate the skills and knowledge gained in the other elements of the course.

Dissertation topics are chosen during Hilary term, and all students make a short initial presentation of their subject in the last session of that term. Individual supervisions are given at mutually convenient times from May to the end of July. Dissertations are due for submission by the end of August.

As this is a postgraduate course, you are normally expected to have a good first degree, although in exceptional cases candidates may be admitted on the basis of relevant professional experience. In addition, you are expected to have a sound background knowledge of English social, economic and political history.

Students come from a variety of backgrounds and circumstances, including those who:

• wish to learn more about architectural history for its own sake
• are seeking to start a career in a conservation-related profession
• are already engaged in a conservation career and wish to expand or update their knowledge
• may ultimately wish to pursue further academic study in architectural history, conservation studies or a related field.

This is a part-time course taken over 11 months and includes a mixture of lectures, field trips and practical workshops.. There are three taught units and a dissertation:

• The first two units, Historical Studies 1 and 2, are taught at Oxford Lifelong Learning, Rewley House.
• The third unit, Site Evaluation and Survey, is taught at Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane.
• The dissertation is supervised within Oxford Lifelong Learning.

Teaching takes place on Monday mornings, from 9.30am to 1pm, over three terms commencing in the autumn each year. Some sessions in Unit 3 will be held on Monday afternoons between 2pm and 5.30pm, and one continues on to a Tuesday.

It is anticipated that you will need to spend roughly 12–15 hours per week in private study in addition to time spent in classes or tutorials, as students are expected to read widely, and research and prepare their assignments and dissertation.

Course structure

Historical Studies 1: Settlement, Landscape and Medieval Buildings

• Term: Michaelmas term, classes start late September and run for 10 weeks
• When: Mondays from 9.30am–1pm at Rewley House, Oxford.

Historical Studies 2: Modern Buildings

• Term: Hilary term, classes start January and run for 10 weeks
• When: Mondays from 9.30am–1pm at Rewley House, Oxford.

Site Evaluation and Survey: Local Historic Building Study

This unit is taught in Michaelmas term, with a refresher online session in Trinity term and submission in early May, at Oxford Brookes University in Headington, Oxford. The detailed timetable for this unit will be circulated before the start of Michaelmas term. The syllabus will cover drawing and survey techniques, documentary research, photographic recording and practical building analysis.

Dr David Lewis, Associate Professor of Architectural History and the Historic Environment

David Frazer Lewis is an architectural historian whose interests include the architecture of modern Britain and the United States, the design of sacred architecture, and the Gothic Revival. Prior to joining the academic staff of Oxford Lifelong Learning, he was an Assistant Professor at the Notre Dame School of Architecture. He has experience in museums and heritage, as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Yale Center for British Art, and has worked for architecture firms in San Francisco and London that specialise in historic conservation.

Other teaching staff

Staff from Oxford Brookes University School of the Built Environment and from English Heritage will also provide lectures.

Assessment will be by coursework and dissertation, as follows:

• Unit 1: three essays of 1,500 words each
• Unit 2: two essays of 2,000 words each
• Unit 3: workbook record of a selected building
• Unit 4: dissertation of 8,000 words

The three taught units and the dissertation will each count for 25% of the final mark. To be successfully awarded the Certificate, you will need to attend the taught classes and achieve an overall mark of 50%.

Full regulations and examination conventions can be obtained from the Registry at Rewley House, 1 Wellington Square, Oxford OX1 2JA.

Degree-level qualifications

Applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in any subject.

Applications are also considered from those who do not have previous higher education. Vocational qualifications equivalent to NVQ level 4 are acceptable substitutes, as is at least three years’ experience in a conservation-related profession.

If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University’s higher level. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. Further information on English language requirements can be found here.

IT requirements

This course uses the Department’s online assignment submission system. In order to prepare and submit your course assignments you will need access to the internet and a computer meeting our recommended minimum computer specification.

Students of this course may use the student computing facilities provided in Departmental buildings.

A Postgraduate Certificate will be awarded on completion of the course. You will be invited to celebrate at the annual Awards Ceremony, held at Oxford’s Sheldonian Theatre.

The syllabus and teaching of the course are aimed at first-year postgraduate level (FHEQ Level 7). Students who successfully complete this course will be credited with 90 CATS points at FHEQ level in the Department’s Qualifications and Credit Framework.

Learn more about the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS points).

Please visit the Postgraduate Certificate in Architectural History page on the University of Oxford Graduate Admissions website for details of course fees and costs.

Please see our funding page for help and information with regard to funding postgraduate studies. We further recommend that applicants search for funding opportunities via the online Fees, Funding and Scholarship search tool.

In order to be considered for many scholarships, applicants are required to apply by the January deadline. However, applicants should note that some scholarships require additional application materials and may have different deadlines, so applicants should make sure they check the application process for each scholarship carefully.

Applications for this course should be made via the University of Oxford Graduate Admissions website. This website provides information on fees and entry requirements, along with help on preparing and submitting your application.

Application deadlines

12:00 midday UK time on:

• Stage 1: Friday 14 November 2025 (Applications more likely to receive earlier decisions)
• Stage 2: Wednesday 28 January 2026 (Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships)
• Stage 3: Tuesday 3 March 2026

When to apply

Early application for the programme is strongly advised. After the March deadline, the course will only stay open for that year’s entry if places are still available.

Remember that it can take a number of weeks to obtain all of the documents you need and to prepare a competitive application. You should also allow your referees plenty of time to submit your references. We therefore recommend you apply as soon as possible.

Interviews are normally held as part of the admissions process within six weeks of the application deadline.