Natural sciences
Explore natural phenomena with Oxford University
Short courses in Oxford and online
Our courses in the natural sciences include biology, physics, astronomy and earth science, with some overlap into the medical and environmental sciences. Courses might be hands-on or philosophical, and might address topics as diverse as climate change, particle physics, animal behaviour, the universe or the brain.
Many of our short courses can be studied for credit, which means they can count towards a recognised qualification such as our Undergraduate Certificate of Higher Education.
Upcoming courses
In-person weekly • Short courses
Explore black holes, from stellar birth and cosmic collapse to singularities, Hawking radiation, and cutting-edge discoveries at the frontier of physics.
- Tue 20 Jan 2026 – Tue 24 Mar 2026
- 10 meetings
- 2:00 – 4:00pm
In-person weekly • Short courses
Iceland, Hawaii, Canary Islands, Krakatoa, Santorini, Yellowstone: just a few of the world's active and ancient volcanic regions featuring in this course. Discover the geological reasons why volcanoes erupt, and why some volcanoes are more dangerous.
- Wed 21 Jan 2026 – Wed 18 Mar 2026
- 10 meetings
- 7:00 – 9:00pm
In-person weekly • Short courses
What does a plant do to exist in this world? The course will uncover how plants function, from the cellular to the organismal level, how plants respond to other organisms, and survive in the changing global environment.
- Wed 21 Jan 2026 – Wed 25 Mar 2026
- 10 meetings
- 10:30am – 12:30pm
In-person weekly • Short courses
Einstein’s dream for unification of the fundamental forces is still unfulfilled. The course surveys the evolution of the concept of force and focuses on the current efforts to complete the last step of unification by adding the force of gravity.
- Fri 23 Jan 2026 – Fri 27 Mar 2026
- 10 meetings
- 2:00 – 4:00pm
Online - flexible • Short courses • Professional development
Part-time over five weeks, this tutor-led training course can be taken from anywhere in the world. It will appeal to students and practitioners who want to improve their ability to conduct bird surveys.
- Wed 11 Feb 2026 – 18 Mar 2026
- 5 meetings
Online - flexible • Short courses • Professional development
A 10-week, tutor-led data analysis course taken entirely online. The course introduces students to the use of QED Statistics and R software.
- Wed 11 Feb 2026 – 22 Apr 2026
- 10 meetings
Environment and sustainability
Courses in the environment, sustainability, urbanism, wildlife conservation and ecology - whether your interest is professional or personal.Ecological survey techniques
Flexible postgraduate and online courses in ecological survey techniques for professionals working in field surveysMedical and health sciences
Postgraduate qualifications, short courses, part-time study and online courses in medical and health sciences at Oxford University.