Short course
Walking the Past
Course status:
Applications being accepted
Dates and time:
16/04/2027 - 21/05/202710:00 - 12:00
Study format:
In-person weekly
Fees:
£315.00
There are archaeological sites all around us, such as hillforts and stone circles, Roman towns, ancient fields and roads. During this course, we will venture out and look at the archaeological landscape, to help you pick out and identify sites on the ground.
We will visit some of the best sites that have been visited during the previous 12 Walking the Past courses:
Ivinghoe Beacon; Durrington Walls and Woodhenge; Ashdown, Wilts; and St Albans.
The first and last sessions will take place in Oxford, at Ewert House, from 10.00am-12.00pm.
The next four sessions are four hours out in the field from 10.00am to 2.00pm and we will meet at agreed points at 10.00am. The field trips will not be too strenuous, but some sites have restricted access and agility will be required. Students should come equipped for rain (as this is an all-weather course) and bring packed lunch/coffee.
Please note: students will need to arrange their own transport for the field trips, however those without transport will be able to arrange lifts with fellow students during the first session at Ewert House.
Book this course
Book your place online using the button below.
Course starts Friday 16 April 2027
This is an in-person course which requires your attendance at the weekly meetings in Oxford and at field locations each Friday at the times outlined below.
Week 1: Introduction at Ewert House 10.00am-12noon
Week 2: First trip, 10.00am-2.00pm
Week 3: Second trip, 10.00am-2.00pm
Week 4: Third trip, 10.00am-2.00pm
Week 5: Fourth trip, 10.00am-2.00pm
Week 6: Conclusion, at Ewert House 10.00am-12noon
Please note: students will have to arrange their own transport for the field trip, and cover the cost of any entry fees.
Course aims
This course aims to enable participants to develop an understanding of archaeological sites through field-based study.
Course objectives
By the end of the course, participants will have been given the opportunity to:
- gain first-hand experience of observing, identifying and interpreting archaeological sites through field visits
- develop an understanding of a range of prehistoric and later archaeological site types and their characteristics
- examine archaeological sites within their wider landscape settings and consider how landscape evidence contributes to archaeological interpretation
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course students will have been given the opportunity to learn how to:
- give descriptive and interpretative accounts of the sites visited;
- be able to recognise the remains of past human activity in the landscape;
- assess landscapes from an archaeological viewpoint.
Level and demands
The Department’s Weekly Classes are taught at FHEQ Level 4, first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in a significant amount of private study in preparation for the classes. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class.
Teaching methods
This course is very much a voyage of exploration: it is never possible to predict what you might find.
There will be plenty of discussion, with handouts for each trip (eg where sites have been excavated and published).
Assessment methods
Only those students who have registered for assessment and accreditation, in advance of the course start date, can submit coursework/assignments for assessment.
Assessment
Assessment for the course will take the form of a field notebook due at the end of the course, and is marked pass or fail. Guidance and feedback given in the classroom sessions and on the field trips will help you prepare for this assessed work.
Dr Jennifer Foster
Jennifer Foster is an archaeologist who has specialised in the study of artefacts. She has worked at the British and Ashmolean Museums. She has been teaching archaeology to continuing education students for 30 years.
Academic credit
Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme (CATS Points)
Please note, students who do not register for assessment and accreditation during the enrolment process will not be able to do so after the course has begun. If you wish to gain credit from completing this course you must register to do so before the course starts.
Only those who have registered for assessment and accreditation will be awarded CATS points for completing work to the required standard. Please note that assignments are not graded but are marked either pass or fail.
Learn more about the Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme.
If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education at the Department you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee for assessment and accreditation.
Digital certificate of completion
Students who are registered for assessment and accreditation and pass their final assignment will also be eligible for a digital Certificate of Completion. Information on how to access the digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course attended. You will be able to download the certificate and share it on social media if you choose to do so.
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Course fee (with no assessment) | £315.00 |
| Assessment and Accreditation fee | £60.00 |
Funding
If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, or are a care-leaver in the UK, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:
Concessionary fees for short courses
Recommended reading
Recommended reading is optional and you are not required to purchase these books to study this course.
Library facilities
All weekly class students may become borrowing members of the Rewley House Library, part of the Bodleian Libraries, for the duration of their course. Prospective students whose courses have not yet started are also welcome to use the Library for reference.
- More information about the Library can be found on the Bodleian Libraries website.
- This guide for Weekly Class students also provides further information.
Preparatory reading
- Interpreting the landscape / Aston M
- Roads, Tracks and their Interpretation / Hindle BP
Module code: O26P438AHW
How to enrol
Please use the ‘Book now’ button on this page.
How to register for accreditation and assessment
To be able to submit coursework and to earn credit (CATS points) for this course, if you wish to do so, you will need to register and pay an additional £60 fee. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.
Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process will not be able to do so after the course has begun.
If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education at the Department you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.