St. Clare's successfully combines a modern, forward-looking approach to education with the traditions which have made Oxford one of the intellectual capitals of the world. Our campus is located in Summertown, North Oxford. These Day Events require no written work and offer high quality interactive teaching in lively, enjoyable and topical subjects areas.

Day Events

Location: St. Clare's, 18 Bardwell Road, Oxford
Course fees: £60 (includes lunch)
A 10% discount applies for multiple course bookings
All courses will take place on Saturdays throughout March from 09.45 to 16.45.
To apply for a course please follow the Apply now link on the left.
On confirmation of booking, all participants are also eligible to attend the St. Clare's Seminar Series at Blackfriars Hall. Follow this link to see the full list of seminars available.

The psychology of happiness

Saturday 7 March
Do you find yourself wondering where time has gone and what you can do to improve your well-being? This course looks at scientific thinking on happiness and the practical application of positive psychology to promote happiness and relieve stress. We will explore two tools that have been demonstrated to improve lives - gratitude and mindfulness – so as to maximise living "the pleasant life", "the good life", and "the meaningful life".

Making a medieval gilded panel

Saturday 7 March
Come and spend a relaxing, creative day mixing your own paint, learning to use gold leaf and making a gilded panel to take home. We will start with a visit to Christ Church Picture Gallery to look at medieval and renaissance art, considering techniques and details with sketch books in hand. Returning to St Clare's, we will set about making our own panels. Modern developments of these ancient art forms will be considered and personal expression will be encouraged.

Human Rights

Saturday 14 March
How can we intervene in international areas of conflict? This course encourages reflective thought on Human Rights and their violation in the world. We will consider the influence of political culture on Human Rights and the role of organizations such as the United Nations and Amnesty International. We will also assess the use of capital punishment in what claim to be liberal democracies.

An introduction to James Joyce

Saturday 14 March
This course is an introduction to the writings of James Joyce. There will be close readings of a number of key texts, but the primary focus will be on Dubliners and The Dead. These texts will be explored in terms of Irish cultural history, and in the wider context of European modernism.

Pain: can we make sense of it?

Saturday 21 March
Pain is one of the most universal and fundamental human experiences. Pain undermines, humiliates, humbles and breaks. Yet what would a life without pain be? Pain can be a descent to hell, but it can also be a quest, a journey to find oneself and to open oneself to others. Is there, as the Greek tragedians maintained, a necessary connection between suffering and understanding? We need to talk about pain. We have to give pain a voice.

Writing biography

Saturday 21 March
Do you have a story to tell about members of your family, a figure from history, a particular community or period in time? We will consider different approaches to life writing and develop a selection of hands-on writing techniques to improve readability and help you to find your personal voice. We will also consider how biography encompasses other genres, such as travel writing and social history.

Terrosim

Saturday 28 March
Who is a terrorist? What is it the terrorist's ultimate goal? Will we ever be free from the menace of terrorism? These are only a few of the questions that we will address, together with definitions of the "ideal terrorist" and terrorism as distinguished from freedom fighting. National security in the face of global terrorism will also be discussed.

Romantic affluence: the poetry of W B Yeats and Wallace Stevens

Saturday 28 March
In our uncertain, materialistic age we should return to Romantic values. This course is an introduction to the poetry of the last two upholders of the Romantic tradition, W.B. Yeats and Wallace Stevens. Through close readings of important but often overlooked poems, we will measure our relationship to the past against poetic allusion, imitation and influence. By the end of the course you will be well acquainted with the two greatest poets of the twentieth century.