Architectural History (Taught)

The information provided on this page was correct at the time of publication (November 2025). For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas.

The PGCert in Architectural History is a one-year, part-time course covering English architecture from the Anglo-Saxon period to today. It consists of three taught units and a dissertation.

The course is designed to offer a progression from supported learning, with regular essays and feedback in the Historical Studies units, to more independent work in the Site Evaluation Survey Unit and, particularly, the dissertation, and can therefore act as a preparation for progression to a higher academic level, including doctoral work.

The PGCert is taught in association with the MSc Historic Conservation course at Oxford Brookes University.

Course structure
An overview of the course structure is provided below. Details of the compulsory elements of the course are provided in the Course components section of this page.

It is recommended that students plan to spend at least 15 hours per week in private study in addition to time spent in classes or tutorials. This may require careful scheduling at times to fit in with other commitments.

You will undertake four units.

• Unit 1: Historical Studies 1. Teaching is by means of lectures in Oxford. You will also need to ensure you have sufficient time for directed reading and private study. Tutorials are available by request.

• Unit 2: Historical Studies 2: Teaching is by means of lectures in Oxford. You will also need to ensure you have sufficient time for directed reading and private study. Tutorials are available by request.

• Unit 3: Site evaluation and survey. This unit is based at Oxford Brookes University in Headington. Teaching is by means of lectures, field trips and practical sessions, which need to be supplemented by private study. You will also have to conduct individual fieldwork. This unit is taught in Michaelmas term, with an online refresher session in Hilary Term and submission in early May, at Oxford Brookes University in Headington, Oxford. The detailed timetable for this unit will be circulated before the start of Michaelmas term.

• Unit 4: Individual dissertation: An 8,000-word dissertation on a subject relevant to architectural history, chosen in consultation with the course tutor and due for submission by the end of August. Dissertations are supervised within Oxford Lifelong Learning.