Mindfulness and Meditation: The Art and Science of Self-transformation



Overview

This course will teach participants the theory and practice of mindfulness/meditation practices, including techniques that involve breathing, visualisation, and recitation. We will move across Eastern and Western traditions focusing on how these techniques were created with the aim of transforming the self. We will also explore how these techniques have undergone significant transformation throughout the 20-21st centuries. 

The course is suitable both for those who have never tried meditation or those with previous experience who are interested in knowing more about the history, science, and experience of these practices. 

Programme details

First live webinar:  24 April 2025, 2.30-3.30pm (UK time)

Week 1: Introduction to the study of meditation

Week 2: Varieties of meditation techniques

Week 3: Meditation as a tool for self-transformation

Week 4: Therapeutic meditation for the homeless self

Week 5: The science of meditation: From modern Yoga to Transcendental Meditation

Week 6:  The effects of mindfulness on the mind, body, and prosocial behaviour

Week 7: Ethics of meditation: Controversies and adverse effects

Week 8: Stages of consciousness in meditation

Week 9: Matters of the heart: Meditations focused on love and compassion

Week 10: Course Summary and Poetry as Meditation

Certification

Credit Application Transfer Scheme (CATS) points 

To earn credit (CATS points) for this course you will need to register for credit and pay an additional £30 fee. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online. If you do not register for credit when you enrol you have up until the course closes to enrolments to pay the £30 fee. Students who do not register for CATS points prior to the start of the course can apply retrospectively from the January 1st after the current full academic year has been completed.

See more information on CATS point

Coursework is an integral part of all online courses and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework, but only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work at the required standard. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education, you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee. Students who register for CATS points will be posted a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.

 

Digital credentials

All students who pass their final assignment, whether registered for credit or not, will be eligible for a digital Certificate of Completion. Upon successful completion, you will receive a link to download a University of Oxford digital certificate. Information on how to access this 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 you attended. You will be able to download your certificate or share it on social media if you choose to do so. 

Please note that summative assignments are not graded but are marked either pass or fail. 

Fees

Description Costs
Course Fee £285.00
Take this course for CATS points £30.00

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, 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

Tutors

Dr Miguel Farias

Miguel Farias is an experimental psychologist, former Lecturer at Oxford University, founding director of the Brain, Belief, & Behaviour Lab, co-author of ‘The Buddha Pill: Can Meditation Change You?’, and lead editor of the Oxford Handbook of Meditation.

Ms Sara Shah

Sara Shah is a seasoned meditation and mindfulness expert, her almost decade of work in the space spans from advising Silicon Valley mental health startups building meditation apps to hosting international women’s meditation retreats merging ancient and modern practices. She also creates corporate mindfulness programs for leading multinational corporations. Sara’s meditative training includes Zen, Tibetan Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, Christian, and Shamanic traditions, ranging from the traditional to the esoteric. Her work and teachings continue to combine compassion-based, heart-centric, and embodied meditative practices. Her previous academic research evaluated the potential impact of compassion based mindfulness practices for trauma-populations, most notably female and child refugees. Her current academic research focuses on the anthropology of pilgrimage—the practice of pilgrimage as a metaphor for life and life as a metaphor for pilgrimage. And ultimately, the practice of pilgrimage as a potential gateway to meditation and deeper soul healing. 

Course aims

  • To study the varieties of mindfulness/meditation practices in the East and West, including its various aims in changing the self, the multiplicity of techniques, and scientific studies on its effects. 
  • To study the major types of mindfulness/meditation practices across the world.
  • To explore the aims of these practices within religious traditions and within a secular context.
  • To discuss the potential effects of these practices in transforming, healing, or enhancing the self.
  • To understand key developments in the scientific study of meditation.
  • To try out forms of mindfulness/meditation practices within the course.

 

Teaching methods

Learning takes place on a weekly schedule. At the start of each weekly unit, students are provided with learning materials on our online platform, including one hour of pre-recorded video, often supplemented by guided readings and educational resources. These learning materials prepare students for a one-hour live webinar with an expert tutor at the end of each weekly unit which they attend in small groups. Webinars are held on Microsoft Teams, and provide the opportunity for students to respond to discussion prompts and ask questions. The blend of weekly learning materials that can be worked through flexibly, together with a live meeting with a tutor and their peers, maximise learning and engagement through interaction in a friendly, supportive environment.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will be expected to:

  • understand and describe some of the major techniques of mindfulness/meditation practices;
  • understand and discuss the varieties of intended outcomes of these practices;
  • discuss the key elements in the scientific study of meditation and the more controversial findings;
  • articulate the differences between religious-based and secular therapeutic techniques, including the effects sought for transforming or enhancing the self;
  • have experienced various techniques from across Eastern and Western traditions. 

Assessment methods

Students will be assessed via a 1500 word essay related to the content of the course (e.g. Describe two meditation techniques which use visualisation and what are their intended outcomes on the practitioner).

Please note that summative assignments are not graded but are marked either pass or fail. 

Coursework is an integral part of all weekly classes and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework in order to benefit fully from the course. Only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work the required standard.

Students must submit a completed Declaration of Authorship form at the end of term when submitting your final piece of work. CATS points cannot be awarded without the aforementioned form - Declaration of Authorship form

 

Application

Please use the 'Book now' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an Enrolment Form (Word) or Enrolment Form (Pdf)

We will close to enrolments 7 days prior to the first live webinar to allow us to complete the course set up. We will email your joining instructions at that time (7 days before you first live webinar) so you can access the Canvas virtual learning environment (VLE) and watch your first pre-recorded video. Please check spam and junk folders during this period to ensure that these emails are received. 

 

Level and demands

The Department's short online courses are taught at FHEQ Level 4, i.e. first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in 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. FHEQ level 4 courses require approximately 10 hours study per week, therefore a total of about 100 study hours.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support