History including local and social history
Step into the past — uncover the lives, choices and events that shaped the world.
Short courses for adult learners
Whether you're eager to explore a new interest or delve deeper into a historical time period, our short courses are designed for adult learners seeking intellectual enrichment. Taught in person or online, with some courses offered in both formats, so you can choose the study option that best suits you.
► View all short courses in history
► Ways to study: how our short courses work
Part-time undergraduate and postgraduate Oxford University qualifications
Part-time qualifications in history
Part-time qualifications in history
Our part-time undergraduate courses and postgraduate degree programmes in history are designed for adult learners with busy lives.
Part-time qualifications in local history
Part-time qualifications in local history
Our part-time local and social history courses concentrate on cultural and social aspects of local communities throughout history.
Upcoming courses
Online - live • Short courses
This online course provides an overview of how to trace family history in Britain from the present day to the 16th century using a range of digital and archival sources.
- Tue 14 Apr 2026 – 23 Jun 2026
- 10 meetings
- 11:00am – 12:00pm
Online - live • Short courses
Why did revolution break out again and again during the tumultuous 17th and 18th centuries? And why did they play such a key role in shaping the very nature of modern western political culture? Explore with us this fascinating topic!
- Thu 16 Apr 2026 – 25 Jun 2026
- 10 meetings
- 2:00 – 3:00pm
Short intensive • Short courses • Professional development
The Oxford Pre-sessional Course is an intensive programme for international students who need to prepare for a Master's degree taught in English..
- Mon 20 Apr 2026 – 19 Jun 2026
In-person weekly • Short courses
Germany became a democratic republic in 1919 after the disastrous WWI. The republic found it difficult to maintain its political and economic stability. A Nazi dictatorship replaced it in 1933. This course examines why the Weimar Republic did not last.
- Mon 20 Apr 2026 – Mon 06 Jul 2026
- 10 meetings
- 2:00 – 4:00pm
In-person weekly • Short courses
Get to know a fascinating group of influential women who helped to shape the life and beliefs of early Christian communities. Together, we will consider the status and identity of women in their various contexts in the first five centuries of the church.
- Tue 21 Apr 2026 – Tue 19 May 2026
- 5 meetings
- 4:30 – 6:30pm
In-person weekly • Short courses
The Middle Ages was a period of widespread travel. Explorers, pilgrims, missionaries, soldiers, and diplomats all ventured to the ends of the known world. This course investigates medieval travelers, their accounts, and their conception of the world.
- Wed 22 Apr 2026 – Wed 20 May 2026
- 5 meetings
- 2:00 – 4:00pm
Part-time Oxford qualifications
Undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in history and local history.
Your guide to history at Oxford Lifelong Learning
If you're thinking about studying history part-time at Oxford but you're not sure which course is the right fit for you, then this is the place to start. Hear from the Course Directors of our undergraduate and postgraduate history programmes.Undergraduate Certificate of Higher Education
Study your passion and discover new ideas with Oxford’s flexible, part-time Certificate of Higher Education – designed for learners who want to learn widely, deeply, and on their own terms.Undergraduate Certificate in History
Equivalent to the first year of a full-time undergraduate history degree at Oxford University, this two-year part-time course introduces key historical periods and builds a strong foundation for further study.Undergraduate Diploma in English Social and Local History
Equivalent to second-year undergraduate study, this two-year part-time course explores English society from the early medieval era to the twentieth century, tracing how religion, reform, empire and industry shaped everyday life.Undergraduate Advanced Diploma in Local History
Equivalent to third-year undergraduate study, this one-year part-time online Advanced Diploma helps you develop your skills and methodology in researching local, regional and social history.Postgraduate Certificate in Historical Studies
Equivalent to first-year postgraduate study, this course offers an exciting opening for graduates of all disciplines to pursue a taught postgraduate qualification in historical studies.MSt in Historical Studies
One-year part-time course combining focused study of key historical themes and concepts in British and Western European history.MSt in Literature and Arts
An interdisciplinary programme which encompasses literature, history, art, architectural history, political thought and the history of ideas.MSc in English Local History
The MSc programme draws on knowledge and skills acquired in many years of providing specialist classes in local history.DPhil in English Local History
Drawing on knowledge and skills acquired in many years of providing specialist classes in local history.