Oxford Summer School for Adults
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Psychological & Behavioural Science - Oxford

Oxford Royale Academy's 2022 Psychology Summer School for Adults, on the campus of the University of Oxford, taught by elite ORA academic faculty.

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Why Study Psychology?

Find your career path in the exciting fields of psychology and behavioural science as you conduct original research, design investigations, debate ethical concerns, and explore emerging advances in social psychology. Personalize your experience by selecting either or both of two immersive modules including the “Psych Research Module” and the “Cognition Module”—designed to strengthen your skills and propel your future.

Why Choose This Course

  • Identify your own career trajectory as you engage with leading academics and practitioners in the exciting world of psychology and behavioural science.
  • Sharpen your communication, critical thinking, and public speaking skills as you present research and participate in critical ethical debates impacting the field of behavioural science.
  • Build your qualitative and quantitative research skills and expand your personal portfolio of research.
  • The “Psych Research Module” provides a comprehensive and immersive introduction to fields of psychological and behavioural science research where you will:
    • Apply quantitative and qualitative research techniques to design and conduct research studies in behavioural science.
    • Discover the importance of SPSS as a tool in psychological research and practice its implementation.
    • Design a qualitative experiment focused on Personality and develop supporting pilot questionnaires using tools like Qualtrics.
  • The “Cognition Module” provides an exciting exploration into contemporary issues and fields in Psychology with an emphasis on memory and abnormal psychology where you will:
    • Evaluate historical and emerging memory research and theory, while innovating current applications based on research.
    • Examine the structure and function of the human brain and discuss the risks and rewards of brain activity measurement techniques.
    • Explore critical areas of emphasis like depression, schizophrenia and memory disorders while also analyzing the cognitive aspects of social psychology including prejudice, conformity, aggression, stereotypes, and interpersonal relationships.
  • Reside in the prestigious colleges of the University of Oxford and build a global network of peers to strengthen your career trajectory.

What’s included?

  • Residential in the prestigious colleges of the University of Oxford
  • Inspiring courses taught by experts
  • A truly international environment – form a global network
  • Accommodation, meals, tuition and cultural programme
  • Graduation, report cards and certificate
  • 10 exciting lectures and 10 lively discussion-based seminars
  • Maximum 10 students per class
  • 15+ hours tuition / week
  • Talks with world-class guest speakers
  • Inspirational cultural programmes, including excursions to historic UK locations
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What you will learn

On our Psychological and Behavioural Science course, you will:

  • Gain insight into multiple fields and career trajectories within psychology and behavioural science.
  • Develop strong research, reporting, writing and presenting skills.
  • Design valid investigations and experiments.
  • Set up, use and run SPSS to arrive at statistical conclusions and integrate those findings into high quality psychology and behavioural science research reports.
  • Practice research in Cognitive Psychology and explore areas of investigation including developmental, social and abnormal psychology.
  • Build a basis in theory and practice to design and deliver future experimental studies.

Great For Students Thinking About

  • Uses of psychology for social development and clinical counseling.
  • Designing robust investigations using human actors.
  • The complexity of the human brain and the role of “intelligence” in human development and flourishing.
  • Considering advanced psychology and behavioural science degrees with an emphasis in research, consulting and clinical work.
  • Pursuing careers in teaching, counselling, clinical psychology, or research.

Earn your certificate

After your amazing summer of discovery, we know that you’ll want to share your success with your family, friends and teachers back at home. We also know that you’ll want to understand from your ORA tutor what you did particularly well on your course, but also where there might be room for future learning and development.

After successfully completing your course, you’ll receive a graduation certificate, awarded at a memorable ceremony hosted for you and your parents on the final Friday of your summer school. We’ll also provide a detailed report card, highlighting all that you have achieved during your time with us, as well as some next steps for future success.

Learn from the world’s best minds

Have you ever wondered what it takes to make a new discovery at the cutting edge of science? Would you like to learn what it’s like to study in an Oxford tutorial, a Cambridge supervision, or in a top British boarding school? Or explore whether university study in your favourite subject is really for you?

Whatever your motivation, our exceptional, inspiring, world-leading teachers can help you achieve more this summer. Our amazing array of talented tutors includes Oxbridge academics, Ivy League lecturers, groundbreaking medical researchers, glittering industry leaders in film and fashion, acclaimed authors, and more!

We assemble our diverse faculty from all over the world, exclusively for you, so you only learn from the very best. Every tutor will guide you on your path to future greatness.

Join exciting trips and activities

At Oxford Royale Academy, we strive to offer a summer of fun and enjoyment alongside your academic immersion.

We can help you uncover Oxford’s secrets, from the best coffee shops to the dreamiest riverside parks, from Oxford’s very own castle to must-visit shops, galleries and museums. Alongside your new friends from around the world, you will enjoy a busy extra-curricular timetable, including a sophisticated graduation ceremony and dinner, guest talks from Oxford researchers and academics, excursions offering a glimpse of Britain’s past, and much more.

Useful Information

Arrival and Departure

Welcome to the Summer School Arrivals and Departures Hub. Here you can find all the information you need prior to departure including information about flights, transfer options and other important information regarding your arrival and departure.

Oxford Royale online learning

COVID-19 Response

As members of the British Safety Council, student safety is our top priority. Our coronavirus measures go beyond the latest UK government and Public Health England guidance, and as a minimum, guarantee a number of key features.

What to Bring

You will receive a Welcome Pack after you enrol. Your Welcome Pack will provide a full list of what to pack and which personal items and travel documents you will bring with you when you join the programme

Guest Speakers

We believe that the chance to talk frankly and openly with leading figures from the worlds of culture, media, sport and academia allows our students to develop both their confidence and their analytical skills. Each of our speakers presents on a topic that they are world experts on before fielding questions from our student audience.

Any questions?

Check out our FAQs

How do I book a place on the course I want?

Once you have decided which course you would like to attend, you can book online using our secure booking system. Once your application has been submitted, you will be sent an email confirming that it has been received.

If you prefer, you can download an Application Form by clicking here. You can return the Application Form to us by any of these methods:

Scan and email to [email protected]
Fax to +44 (0) 845 280 01 22
Post to Oxford Royale Academy, Yarnton Manor, Church Lane, Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 1PY, UNITED KINGDOM.

Once your booking has been processed by one of our members of staff, you will receive email confirmation of your place on the course of your choice. A Welcome Pack will be available to download from the ORA Portal from April. If at any time you would like to discuss your booking with a course advisor, please feel free to email [email protected] or call us on +44 (0) 1865 954 800.

How do I pay for my course?

All courses require a deposit payment to secure the booking. This is £995 GBP for all two-week courses for ages 13+, and £395 for one-week courses for 8-12 years. You may either pay the full course fee when you book your place, or pay the deposit amount and then the balance at a later date. The balance clearance is required at least 60 days before the start date of the course. Where the student is booking less than 60 days before the start date, the balance must be covered in full.

New online enrolments will require a Debit or Credit Card payment of at least the deposit amount. If you would like to enrol and make your deposit payment via Bank Transfer, please contact our Admissions team, who will be happy to assist you in doing so. ([email protected])

Payments for existing enrolments can be made via a number of methods, including domestic and international bank transfer, credit or debit card, as well as local payment options; please log in to your ORA Portal and click on the ‘Pay Now’ button on your booking details.

What do my course fees include?

All course fees include the following:

  • Classes and tuition (20 taught hours per week)
  • Study files/materials
  • Guest lectures by academic speakers
  • Personalised academic reports and graduation certificate
  • Accommodation in your chosen location (see our accommodation page for the specific colleges and locations)
  • Meals in the Hall
  • Free WiFi (subject to availability)
  • Daily updates for parents and family on the ORA campus blogs
  • A wide selection of afternoon and evening activities
  • Coach excursions
  • Welcome and graduation events (parents invited)
  • A multitude of extras, including an ORA notebook and branded clothing
Will I receive a graduation certificate?

Yes, students will be awarded an Oxford Royale Academy Graduation Certificate in their chosen course upon satisfactory completion of the course. This will be presented in a graduation ceremony on the final evening of the course.

Will I have to share a room/facilities?

Most of our accommodation sites offer a mix of single and twin bedrooms, with some campuses having en-suite bedrooms available and others have shared bathroom facilities between a small group of same-sex students. If you have a particular preference for a certain room type, you can make a request on booking, which may be granted subject to availability. If a particular room type is required for medical reasons, please contact our Admissions Team who will be able to check availability on different sites, depending on the course chosen.

Sharing your room with fellow students is a great way of getting to know people and making friends.

How secure are the campuses?

All our programmes take place in a secure environment. Our students are supervised 24 hours a day by campus staff. All students must check-in regularly during the day: at roll-call at breakfast; at their morning classes; in the afternoon for lessons, workshops or activities; at dinner and in the evening before curfew. All campuses have a curfew.

Each campus office has its own safe where students may deposit items of value such as passports, travel documents, bank cards etc.

All campuses have residential staff who can be contacted 24 hours a day.

Do I need a visa to travel to the UK?

If your country is part of the EU or the European Economic Area you will not require a visa to enter the UK. It is always safest to check whether you need a visa with the relevant authorities.

I want to change to another course or study option. Is this possible?

If you wish to change your course or study options (including dates), please do not hesitate to contact us. However, changes to courses are always subject to availability. For this reason, it may be more difficult for us to accommodate any changes requested less than 60 days before the course start date.

If I need to cancel my booking, will I get my money back?

Oxford Royale Academy’s terms and conditions for refunds are as follows:

Any cancellation must be received in writing and can only be on the following terms:

no refund of deposit will be made under any circumstances, once the two-week cooling-off period has concluded;
for cancellations before your course start date, the remainder of the course fees less the deposit amount will be proportionally refunded as per the table below:

Period Before Start Date Total refunded

  • 120+ days 100%
  • 90-119 days 50%
  • 45-89 days 10%
  • 0-44 days 0%
I want to attend one of your English language courses: how will you know what my level of English is and what sort of tuition I need?

All students registered to attend our English Language courses will be required to take an English Language Placement Test, which will assess the relative abilities of each student. Students are then placed into ability groups based on the results of their assessment, and the material that they study is tailored to the level of the class.

Once you have booked your place on a course we will send you information on how to take our online Placement Test. This test should take approximately one hour and should be taken by the student at least one month prior to their arrival date.

Please note that Oxford Royale Academy English courses do not cater for beginners in English.

Can I take more than one course?

It is certainly possible to take more than one course and combine a variety of study programmes. This can be done in by enrolling on two different programmes. For example, you may wish to have two weeks on the International Medical Research course and then two weeks on the Advanced Medical Research course. You may also decide that you want to try two completely different subjects and choose International Law and Politics  and then take Global Business Management and Finance for two weeks.

Students staying for two consecutive sessions will be provided with accommodation for the Saturday night, and their campus will provide supervised activities between their first session ending and second session starting. Should you have any queries about how to take more than one course please do not hesitate to contact us.

Study in confidence