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
  • English Local History
• Architectural history
  • Architectural History
  • History of Design
• Business and management
  • Business and management
• Data science, computing, maths
  • Data science, computing, maths
  • IT Systems Analysis and Design (Online)
• Diplomatic studies and law
  • Diplomatic Studies
  • Foundations of Diplomacy Pre-Master's Course (six months, full-time)
• Economics and politics
  • Economics and politics
• Education and study skills
  • Education
• Environment and sustainability
  • Environment and sustainability
  • Sustainable Urban Development
• History of art
  • History of Art
• History, including local and social
  • History
  • English Social and Local History
• Languages and cultural studies
  • Languages and cultural studies
• Literature, creative writing and film studies
  • Creative Writing
  • English Literature
  • Literature and Arts
• Medical and health sciences
  • Medical and health sciences
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
  • Evidence-Based Health Care
  • Experimental and Translational Therapeutics
  • Health Research
  • Nanotechnology for Medicine and Health Care
  • Patient Safety and Quality Improvement
  • Psychodynamic Counselling
  • Qualitative Health Research Methods
  • Surgical Science and Practice
  • Teaching Evidence-Based Health Care
• Music
  • Music
• Natural sciences
  • Natural sciences
• Philosophy
  • Philosophy
  • Practical Ethics
• Psychology and counselling
  • Psychology and counselling
  • Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
  • Psychodynamic Practice
• Religion and theology
  • Theological Studies
• Technology and AI
  • Technology and AI
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) Steering Group

Course Format

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

Academic Credit

Many courses can be studied for academic credit, which means they can count towards a recognised qualification.

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)

Summer Schools

• Oxford University Summer School for Adults

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

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

Research Degrees (DPhil)

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

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

The university has an active interdisciplinary research community, with a strong focus on the humanities and social sciences.

Research Community

Research at the university 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

Curating Contemporary Art: An Introduction

• Code: O25P464ARW
• Credit: 10 CATS points
• Fees: From Ł300.00
• Dates: 19 Jan 2026 - 23 Mar 2026
• Sessions: 10
• Day of week: Monday
• Time: 7:00-9:00pm
• Location: Ewert House, Ewert Place, Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7DD

Course Aims

• To provide an introduction to curating and to contemporary art.
• To engage with curatorial practices in relation to temporary exhibitions, museum and library collections, digital programmes and public art commissions.
• To understand the historical evolution of curating with relation to contemporary art.
• To understand some of the routes to becoming a curator or working in related professions in the cultural industries.
• To engage with the imperative to decolonise museums, galleries and curatorial practice.

Teaching Methods

Participants will be taught in seminar groups. The teaching methods used during this course will include:

• Object and exhibition analysis
• Lectures with presentations
• Seminars and group discussions
• Practical workshops
• Demonstrations

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will have been given the opportunity to learn how to:

• Discuss and articulate definitions of curating in historic and contemporary contexts.
• Understand a variety of curatorial approaches and methodologies as they relate to working with artworks, collections and artists.
• Practice forms of research and writing common to curating in a range of contexts, and demonstrate a critical approach to the reading of curatorial and interpretive texts.
• Apply problem-solving techniques to curatorial issues.
• Show familiarity with professional standards and networks in the curatorial community.

Assessment Methods

Only those students who have registered for assessment and accreditation, in advance of the course start date, can submit coursework/assignments for assessment.

• Three (500) word essays written throughout the course with relation to the visits and lessons.
• A presentation of a proposed exhibition.

Fees

• Course fee (with no assessment): Ł300.00
• Assessment and Accreditation fee: Ł60.00

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.