Program Overview

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University Program Information

The university offers a wide range of programs, including short and online courses, undergraduate, postgraduate, professional, and research programs.

Subject Areas

• Archaeology and anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Certificate of Higher Education
  • English Literature
  • History
  • History of Art
  • Theological Studies
• Architectural history
• Business and management
• Data science, computing, maths
• Diplomatic studies and law
• Economics and politics
• Education and study skills
• Environment and sustainability
• History of art
• History, including local and social
• Languages and cultural studies
• Literature, creative writing and film studies
• Medical and health sciences
• Music
• Natural sciences
• Philosophy
• Psychology and counselling
• Religion and theology
• Technology and AI

Course Format

• Day and weekend events
• In-person learning
• Lecture series
• Online learning
• Professional
• Summer schools
• Weekly learning

Undergraduate Programs

Certificates

• Archaeology
• Certificate of Higher Education
• English Literature
• History
• History of Art
• Theological Studies

Diplomas

• Archaeology
• Creative Writing
• English Social and Local History
• History of Art

Advanced Diplomas

• British Archaeology
• IT Systems Analysis and Design (Online)
• Local History (Online)

Pre-Master's

• Advanced Pre-sessional Course for Graduate Students (nine weeks, full-time)
• Foundations of Diplomacy Pre-Master's Course (six months, full-time)

Postgraduate Programs

Certificates

• Architectural History
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Ecological Survey Techniques
• Enhanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Health Research
• Historical Studies
• Nanotechnology
• Patient Safety and Quality Improvement
• Psychodynamic Counselling
• Qualitative Health Research Methods
• Teaching Evidence-Based Health Care

Diplomas

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Severe Mental Health Problems
• Health Research
• International Wildlife Conservation Practice
• Psychodynamic Practice

Master of Studies (MSt)

• Creative Writing
• Diplomatic Studies
• Historical Studies
• History of Design
• Literature and Arts
• Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
• Practical Ethics
• Psychodynamic Practice

Research Degrees (DPhil)

• Archaeology
• Architectural History
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• English Local History
• Evidence-Based Health Care
• Literature and Arts
• Sustainable Urban Development

Master of Science (MSc)

• Applied Landscape Archaeology
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• English Local History
• Evidence-Based Health Care
• Evidence-Based Health Care Medical Statistics
• Evidence-Based Health Care Systematic Reviews
• Evidence-Based Health Care Teaching and Education
• Experimental and Translational Therapeutics
• Nanotechnology for Medicine and Health Care
• Surgical Science and Practice
• Sustainable Urban Development
• Translational Health Sciences

Professional Programs

Continuing Professional Development

• Business and management
• Cultural heritage
• Data science, computing, maths
• Diplomatic studies
• Education
• Environment and sustainability
• Medical and health sciences
• Nanotechnology and nanomedicine
• Philosophy and ethics
• Psychology and counselling
• Research methods and skills
• Technology and AI
• Urban studies

Research

Research Community

Research at Oxford Lifelong Learning extends across the disciplines and is supported by a research culture that encourages interdisciplinary initiatives.

Research Areas

• Academic staff profiles
• Part-time DPhil programmes
• Research areas
• Research students

Research Forums

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Steering Group
• Lifelong Learning Pedagogies forum
• Research Ethics Colloquium
• The Vice-Chancellors Colloquium

Course Details

Fossils and Ancient Life

• Code: O25P600GEW
• Credit: 10 CATS points
• Fees: From ｣300.00
• Dates: 23 Apr 2026 - 25 Jun 2026
• Sessions: 10
• Day of week: Thursday
• Time: 2:00-4:00pm
• Location: Ewert House, Ewert Place, Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7DD

Course Overview

This is an in-person course which requires attendance at the weekly meetings in Oxford. The course explores fossils from each era of geological time, considering what fossils can tell us about past life, ancient environments, evolution, and extinctions.

Programme Details

• Week 1: Introduction to fossils and the first life on Earth
• Week 2: Fossil identification session - the 8 main groups of invertebrates
• Week 3: The trilobites - form and function
• Week 4: Bivalves and brachiopods - Life in the Silurian
• Week 5: Trace fossils - traces of life, but no bodies
• Week 6: Ammonites - more to them than you think & Life in the Jurassic
• Week 7/8: Field trip
• Week 9: Death of the dinosaurs
• Week 10: Fossil preservation

Certification

• Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme (CATS) Points
• Digital Certificate of Completion

Fees

• Course fee (with no assessment): ｣300.00
• Assessment and Accreditation fee: ｣60.00

Funding

Concessionary fees for short courses are available for those in receipt of a UK state benefit, full-time students in the UK, or students on a low income.

Tutor

• Dr Jill Eyers

Course Aims

• To give an overview of ancient life forms
• To develop fossil identification skills
• To determine potential lifestyle from fossil features
• To explore major changes in ancient life

Teaching Methods

Teaching methods vary and include introductory PowerPoint lectures, practical work handling fossils, guided exploration, discussion, and explanation.

Learning Outcomes

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

• Identify the main eight groups of invertebrate fossils
• Interpret an animal's potential lifestyle from physical features
• Identify crucial moments in the evolution of ancient life

Assessment Methods

Five elements for assessment, including four in-class activities and a short piece of writing on a fossil group or a field trip report.

Level and Demands

The course is taught at FHEQ Level 4, first-year undergraduate level, and requires significant private study in preparation for classes.