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
  • Anthropology
• 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

Writing Lives

• Code: O25P339CRV
• Credit: 10 CATS points
• Fees: Ł665.00
• Dates: Mon 12 Jan 2026 - Fri 27 Mar 2026
• Location: Online (Flexible)

Course Overview

This course is designed to provide students with the skills needed to turn experiences, recollections, and real-life phenomena into literary works that are enjoyable and accessible to a wider audience.

Course Structure

The course is broken down into 10 units over 10 weeks, each requiring approximately 10 hours of study time.

Textbooks

• Roorbach, B., Writing Life Stories: How to Make Memories into Memoirs, Ideas into Essays and Life into Literature (Writers Digest Books, 2008)
• Recommended texts:
  • Bell, J. and A. Motion, eds., The Creative Writing Coursebook (Macmillan, 2019)
  • Hackles, L., Writing from Life: How to Turn Your Personal Experiences into Profitable Prose (How To Books, 2008)
  • Gilchrist, C. Your Life, Your Story : Writing Your Life Story for Family and Friends. (Piatkus, 2010)

Certification

• Credit Application Transfer Scheme (CATS) points
• Digital credentials: All students who pass their final assignment will be eligible for a digital Certificate of Completion.

Fees and Funding

• Course Fee: Ł665.00
• Funding: Eligible students may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees.

Tutor

• Ms Lisa Selvidge: Tutor with an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia.

Course Aims

This course aims to provide students with insight into the major aspects affecting life-writing and to enable them to use these features confidently in writing their own creative non-fiction.

Teaching Methods

• Introductory section, outlining key areas of work within each unit.
• Description of required reading and recommended reading.
• Presentation of materials taken from additional (e.g., online) sources, relevant to each unit.
• Online discussion forum.
• Online personal study diary.
• Area for short responses to literary extracts from key texts.
• Tutor responses to forum and exercises.
• Assessment and feedback.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be expected to understand key features in a work of life-writing and be able to recognize and name key features in contemporary life-writing.

Assessment Methods

• Two pieces of work for the course: The first of 500 words is due halfway through the course, and the second of 1,500 words is due at the end of the course.
• The assessed work is marked pass or fail.

Level and Demands

• This course is open to all and no prior knowledge is required.
• The course is offered at FHEQ level 4 (i.e., first-year undergraduate level).
• Students will be expected to engage in independent study in preparation for their assignments.
• The expected total commitment is 100 study hours.

English Language Requirements

• No English language certification is required, but students may be at a disadvantage if their language skills are not comparable to those listed on the university's website.

IT Requirements

• The course is delivered online; students must be familiar with using a computer for purposes such as sending email and searching the Internet.
• Regular access to the Internet and a computer meeting the recommended minimum computer specification is required.