Program Overview

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University Programs

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

Subject Areas

• Archaeology and 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)

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

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 Programs

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

Graduate School

The Graduate School offers a supportive and stimulating environment for both internal and external postgraduate students and researchers.

Research Forums

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

Course Details

Plant Biodiversity and Habitat Assessment Methods (10-week)

Overview

This tutored online course aims to give students the essential knowledge and skills to conduct effective vegetation surveys.

Programme Details

Topics Covered

• Rationale for surveying vegetation: Why survey vegetation? The wider context
• Choosing a vegetation survey technique: Approaches to surveying vegetation; how to plan a field project
• Structural methods of vegetation description
• Floristic methods of vegetation sampling
• Overview of quadrats and plotless sampling: Introduction to quadrats; what size? Species-area curves; qualitative or presence/absence data; plotless sampling where quadrats are inappropriate
• Quantitative or abundance measures; subjective measures; objective measures
• Vegetation monitoring permanent quadrats and vegetation mapping: methods of monitoring vegetation; setting up permanent quadrats; vegetation mapping
• Sampling strategy or protocol: stratified, random and systematic sampling; transects and grids; how many samples?
• Recording and storing data; diversity indices
• Case study: Virtual model of Magdalen College Meadow: the meadow habitat; the meadow flora; management; the virtual meadow; aims of the practical

Teaching Methods

The course tutor will guide students through a series of key topics via reading materials, online activities, and discussion forums.

Level and Demands

The course is designed for Masters-level students.

Certification

Students can choose to study for academic credit or simply for the learning experience.

Accredited Study

Students taking the course for credit submit an assignment of up to 2000 words or equivalent.

Non-Accredited Study

Students taking the course not for credit do not submit an assignment.

Fees

• Accredited fee: ｣1248.00
• Non-accredited fee: ｣790.00
• Student rate: ｣555.00

Application

Application/registration processing will close 6 weeks before the start of the course.

Selection Criteria

All candidates will need to:

1. Hold a minimum qualification equivalent to a first Honours Degree (BA, BSc, etc).
2. Offer some first-hand knowledge and/or experience of field work or conservation issues.
3. Satisfy the minimum required English language criteria set by the University.
4. Demonstrate an ability to commit the necessary time to study.
5. Have good access to a computer and a fast/reliable internet connection.
6. Demonstrate an ability to work alongside fellow students and tutors as part of an online community and independently.