Oxford’s Art & Architecture Summer Course 16s-18s

Course Summary

The course is divided into six separate classes, with each session following roughly the same format. After approximately thirty minutes of classroom learning on a particular artistic period or style, students then embark on a ninety-minute walking tour of Oxford’s buildings, colleges, art collections and museums, observing ‘case studies’ which illustrate the period under discussion. Periods range from the development of art and architecture in Europe between the Roman and Norman Conquests to the architecture of the University in the 20th and 21st centuries, looking at how the forces of Modernism and Post-Modernism have shaped art and architecture in Oxford. These developments will be viewed through the expression of these major currents and styles in the artistic and architectural legacy of Oxford, one of the world’s greatest cultural centres.

Students will be able to explore the Ashmolean Museum and its 2,500 years of European Art – a fantastic resource for keen art historians. The city of Oxford contains an example of every major period of English architecture from the Saxons to the present day, and is consequently the ideal location for our course.

Students will all bring their own insights from the artistic traditions of their respective countries, so entering debate and making contributions for the benefit of the whole class is strongly encouraged.

What will you get out of the Oxford's Art and Architecture Summer Course?

This course is intended to offer students a brisk and lively introduction to the history of European art and architecture, with particular attention to Oxford’s unique heritage. Students are given practical experience of visiting specific buildings and art collections in Oxford, and are endowed with the basic critical apparatus needed to engage critically with the works they observe.

The Broadening Horizons Programme

This subject is part of the Broadening Horizons course at Oxford Royale Summer Schools’s Oxford summer school.

The Broadening Horizons course, for students aged 16 to 18, is suitable both for those who are trying to decide what to pursue in further education, and for those who simply want to learn about a variety of interesting subjects - 30+ study options are available!

Students choose two morning classes and one afternoon workshop to provide a diverse and stimulating curriculum that is tailored to their needs, allowing them to pursue areas of interest or try out something new. Students studying Broadening Horizons in Oxford get the chance to live and learn in a college of the University of Oxford or in our 17th-century manor house, Yarnton Manor.

Learn more about and apply for the Broadening Horizons Programme in Oxford

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Expectations and Pre-requisites

Students are not expected to have any familiarity with the history of art or architecture before taking this course; however, students who have already studied such topics should nonetheless find plenty to interest them in this course, especially if they are keen to explore how what they have already learned is reflected in the fascinating heritage of Oxford. Students with a keen interest in Architecture might be interested in the Summer Architecture Programme – a course dedicated solely to the fascinating discipline of architecture.

Choose your options and apply for Broadening Horizons

The Broadening Horizons programme - our flagship Oxford summer course - allows you to combine different subject options to enable a flexible, tailored programme that best suits your academic needs

To view other options, select your choice of options and apply, please visit the main Broadening Horizons Programme page

Art and Architecture Summer Course in Oxford Ages 16-18