Courses

Oxford University’s Department for Continuing Education welcomes students of all ages and backgrounds, from anywhere in the world. We offer a wide range of adult education courses: from day events, weekly classes and summer schools to part-time undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

Find out more about the different course types below, or view all upcoming courses.

Summer schools

Join us for a study holiday in Oxford – for personal enrichment, academic progression or professional development. You'll live and study at one of Oxford's historic colleges or at Rewley House in central Oxford. Choose from more than 100 one-week introductory courses; or opt for a longer, specialist summer school in a single topic. Learn more about our summer schools.

Open-access short courses

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 or hone your skills in small workshops and hands-on practical sessions.
Weekly learning programmes are studied over one or two terms. These include courses that meet in Oxford, online courses with live-time sessions, and flexible online courses. Most of these courses are taught at undergraduate level, require coursework and may be studied for credit.
Lecture series are a series of six weekly lectures on a given topic, providing a comprehensive introduction to your chosen subject. All are held in person in Oxford, with the majority also being livestreamed.

Oxford qualifications and professional development

Undergraduate award courses (certificates, diplomas and advanced diplomas) are equivalent to, or taught at, first, second and third-year undergraduate level. Some have online study options and two are taught entirely online.
Postgraduate programmes (certificates, diplomas, master's degrees and DPhils) are a great way to continue your studies and further your knowledge, progress in your career, or learn for personal enrichment. Some are taught mostly online, some are formed of short residencies in Oxford.
Professional development programmes (CPD) include short courses and Oxford qualifications and are geared toward working professionals in many fields, including the health and medical sciences, technology, business, environment and sustainability.