This is a short online course which requires your attendance to weekly meetings which take place online using Microsoft Teams.
This short online course will combine pre-recorded lectures with live, weekly, online meetings where discussion and debate will take place between students and the tutor. Visit our how our short online live courses work page for full details.
This course will close to enrolments 7 days prior to the first live webinar.
The existence and sustainability of human civilisation has reached a crisis point with the convergence of the impact of a number of factors.
These include climate change, developments in biotechnology, developments in artificial intelligence, increased migration from developing to developed countries and increases in global populations.
In this context, this course will evaluate the existence of human civilisation.
First live webinar: 24 April 2025, 5:00-6.00pm (UK time)
Week 1: Introduction
Week 2: Climate Change 1
Week 3: Climate Change 2
Week 4: Migration, Climate Change and Population Growth 1
Week 5: Migration, Climate Change and Population Growth 2
Week 6: Biotechnology 1
Week 7: Biotechnology 2
Week 8: Artificial Intelligence 1
Week 9: Artificial Intelligence 2
Week 10: Conclusion
All short online course students may become borrowing members of the Rewley House Continuing Education Library for the duration of their course. Prospective students whose courses have not yet started are welcome to use the Library for reference. More information can be found on the Library website.
There is a library guide for short course students which will give you further information.
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.
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Course Fee | £285.00 |
| Take this course for CATS points | £30.00 |
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:
Sangaralingam Ramesh is an Economics Tutor in the Department for Continuing Education at the University of Oxford and a Senior Teaching Fellow in Economics at University College London, UK. He has been an Associate Professor in Economics at the Université Paris Dauphine GBD and Economics Module Leader at Kings College London
This course aims to help to gain a better understanding of the four main factors which are converging on humanity in the contemporary world.
This course will enable students to:
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.
By the end of this course, students will be expected to understand:
“To what extent have human cognitive development and environmental challenges co-shaped the trajectory of human civilization from prehistory to the modern Anthropocene? In your answer, consider the role of innovation, climate change, and migration, and support your discussion with reference to relevant academic sources.”
“Critically assess the impact of converging technologies—namely artificial intelligence, quantum computing, nuclear fusion, biotechnology, and space exploration—on the future of human civilization. In your answer, consider both the opportunities and existential risks posed by these technologies, and evaluate the role of global governance and ethical regulation in shaping their long-term societal implications.”
Please note that summative assignments are not graded but are marked either pass or fail.
The summative assignment deadline is Friday 11th July 2025.
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
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.
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.
