Non award bearing | Page 3 | Institute of Continuing Education (ICE)

Course code:

2526NOE048

Start date:

Monday, 5 January, 2026 - 00:00 to Sunday, 22 February, 2026 - 00:00

Apply by:

Monday, 5 January, 2026 - 00:00

Course ID:

31621

Tuition fee:

£415

Course programme:

Online Courses

Duration description:

7 Weeks

Non-accredited

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Overview

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Aims of the course

To comprehend the fundamental concepts and principles of ethical AI.
To critically analyse the ethical implications of AI technologies on individuals and communities.
To explore real-world examples highlighting ethical challenges in AI applications.
To discuss and develop strategies for promoting fairness, transparency, and accountability in the AI rapidly evolving scenario.
To gain insights into diverse perspectives on AI ethics and how to responsibly use AI tools.

Target audience

Individuals interested in exploring the ethical dimensions of AI and considerations in its technology development.
Professionals looking to expand their knowledge on AI ethics and usage of AI tools.
Individuals from any discipline where AI is applicable and who are interested in understanding its ethical implications.
Those interested in policymaking, regulation, and social impact of AI technologies.

Course content overview

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of our daily lives. However, its omnipresence brings forth complex ethical issues revolving around safety, intellectual property, privacy, and responsible use. This introductory course aims to provide a comprehensive overview of these issues, fostering constructive discussions and exploration of ethical AI principles, challenges, and best practices while experimenting with tools and prompting new ways to generate content.

The goal of the course is to inspire learners to use AI responsibly, delving into AI essentials, ethical implications, and real-world applications. Through case studies, practical exercises, and engaging forum discussions, students will sharpen their critical thinking skills and effectively navigate the ethical complexities of generative AI by exploring new tools and their applications.

Schedule (this course is completed entirely online)

Orientation Week: 5-11 January 2026

Teaching Weeks: 12 January-15 February 2026

Feedback Week: 16-22 February 2026

Teaching Week 1 - Introduction to ethical AI

This week aims to lay the groundwork for understanding the historical context and evolution of AI and ethics. The week explores the definitions of AI, Machine Learning, and related technologies, setting the stage for a deep dive into the ethical dimensions of AI.

Learning objectives:

To gain insight into the historical context and evolution of AI and its ethical considerations.
To define key terms such as AI, Machine Learning, and related technologies.
To participate in forum discussions exploring the ethical considerations of AI tools for prompt engineering.

Teaching Week 2 - Key principles of ethical AI

This week aims to deepen the understanding of the key principles of Ethical AI, focusing on fairness, accountability, transparency, safety, and privacy in AI systems. The week also delves into the ethical decision-making processes inherent in AI.

Learning objectives:

To develop a comprehensive understanding of the key principles of Ethical AI.
To explore the application of these principles across various scenarios.
To engage in forum discussions, sharing experiences and thoughts on different personal use cases of AI tools.

Teaching Week 3 - AI tools discovery

In this week the focus is on delving into AI tools for text and image generation, understanding their functionalities, and guiding participants in choosing the right tool based on specific goals. The week includes an activity where students create a personal repository of AI tools and rank them based on ethical and effective criteria.

Learning objectives:

To acquire knowledge and understanding of various AI tools for text and image generation, along with their applicability.
To learn to apply tools through a-sync exercises and discussion.
To develop the ability to prioritise tools and chose the most appropriate, depending on individual needs.

Teaching Week 4 - Ethical prompt engineering

This week is dedicated to shedding light on case studies that demonstrate the ethical application of different prompts, offering participants insights into employing user-centred approaches to create inclusive, accessible, and useful content.

Learning objectives:

To analyse and understand various case studies, gaining proficiency in the ethical application of diverse prompts within AI.
To acquire the skills to craft content that is inclusive, accessible, and serves a practical purpose in AI applications.
To participate in forum discussions, demonstrating critical thinking abilities regarding the ethical considerations associated with AI, particularly in the context of prompt engineering.

Teaching Week 5 - Living with AI: challenges and opportunities

This week is dedicated to navigating the landscape of AI challenges and opportunities. It aims to explore the potential of AI for creating new job opportunities, enhancing efficiency, and preparing individuals for a career in a world increasingly shaped by AI systems.

Learning objectives:

To develop a comprehensive understanding of AI's potential for generating new job opportunities and improving efficiency.
To prepare for entering a job market increasingly influenced by AI systems.
To engage in forum discussions to discuss the future of AI, its challenges, and the abundant opportunities it presents.

Each week of an online course is roughly equivalent to 2-3 hours of classroom time. On top of this, participants should expect to spend roughly 2-3 hours reading material, etc., although this will vary from person to person.

While they have a specific start and end date and will follow a weekly schedule (for example, week 1 will cover topic A, week 2 will cover topic B), our tutor-led online courses are designed to be flexible and as such would normally not require participants to be online for a specific day of the week or time of the day (although some tutors may try to schedule times where participants can be online together for web seminars, which will be recorded so that those who are unable to be online at certain times are able to access material).

Virtual Learning Environment

Unless otherwise stated, all course material will be posted on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) so that they can be accessed at any time throughout the duration of the course and interaction with your tutor and fellow participants will take place through a variety of different ways which will allow for both synchronous and asynchronous learning (discussion boards etc).

Certificate of participation

A Certificate of Participation will be awarded to participants who contribute constructively to weekly discussions and exercises/assignments for the duration of the course.

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Requirements

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Entry requirements

This course is open to everyone, and you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject to attend.

Our short courses are designed especially for adult learners who want to advance their personal or professional development. They are taught by tutors who are expert in both their subjects and in teaching students of all ages and experiences.

Please note that all teaching is in English. You should have near-native command of the English language in order to get the maximum benefit from the course.

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Fees and financial support

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Fees

The course fee includes access to the course on our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), personal feedback on your work from an expert tutor, a Certification of Participation (if you complete work and take part in discussions), and access to the class resources for two years after your course finishes.

VAT does not apply to course fees and there is no service charge (gratuities to domestic staff are left to your discretion).

Concessions

For more information on available concessions, please visit the Concessions information page on our website.

Alison Fordham Bursary

The Institute is proud to offer the Alison Fordham bursary, which is awarded to students who wish to study on one of our short online courses via our virtual learning platform, reducing the fee paid by 50%. The bursary is limited to a single award for each set of online courses.

Application criteria:

Applicants should set out their personal learning motivations since priority will be given to those who are returning to learning after an extended break, or have not previously engaged with fully online learning, or are seeking to use the online short course as a bridge towards undergraduate award-bearing study.
Applicants who can demonstrate financial need.
Apply here https://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/bursary-application

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Canonical Course ID:

31590

Approaches to Western Art History

Short description:

image: Seagull, 2006, installation at Kumu Art Museum, Tallinn, Estonia. Photo: A.Koutny-Jones

Subject ref:

History of Art

Architectural History

Type ref:

Dr Aleksandra Koutny-Jones

Course code:

2526NOE047

Start date:

Monday, 5 January, 2026 - 00:00 to Sunday, 22 February, 2026 - 00:00

Apply by:

Monday, 5 January, 2026 - 00:00

Course tutor id:

9443

Course ID:

31620

Tuition fee:

£415

Course programme:

Online Courses

Duration description:

7 Weeks

Non-accredited

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Overview

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Aims of the course

To explore key theorists of art from classical antiquity to the modern era.
To examine specific texts produced by seminal theorists, and to begin to make connections between them.
To analyse theoretical texts about art by contextualising and critiquing them.

Learning outcomes

To understand the development of theoretical approaches to Art History from classical antiquity to the modern era.
To demonstrate a knowledge of key primary sources and theoretical texts relevant to the study of Western art in particular.
To think critically about written sources relating to Art History and make comparisons between them.

Course content overview

In this course we will explore how art has been written and thought about from classical antiquity to the modern era. By considering primary source texts as well as works of criticism, we will gain an understanding of the historiography and theory of Art History. Topics will include debates about art and architecture in the classical world; Renaissance approaches to art and architecture; art and the European Enlightenment; nineteenth and early twentieth-century art theory; and the New Art Histories. We will also consider how theoretical texts relate to artistic practice, and how approaches to Art History are expected to evolve in the future.

Schedule (this course is completed entirely online)

Orientation Week: 5-11 January 2026

Teaching Weeks: 12 January-15 February 2026

Feedback Week: 16-22 January 2026

Teaching Week 1 - Debates about art and architecture in the classical world

This week we will study seminal approaches to art and architecture in classical antiquity. We will look at two primary sources: Plato’s Republic and Vitruvius’s De architectura libri decem (The Ten Books on Architecture). We will begin by exploring the argument made by the Ancient Greek philosopher Plato that artistic production constitutes a mere imitation of reality, and is therefore a process of which we ought to be wary. We will then consider the key arguments made in the architectural treatise of the Roman architect and engineer Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, the only surviving writing on architecture from classical antiquity, and examine the impact this had upon later generations of architects.

Learning objectives:

To understand Plato’s theory of forms and how this relates to debates about the value of art.
To understand the elements which Vitruvius considered to be necessary for a well-designed building: firmness, commodity and delight.
To explore the impact of the work of Plato and Vitruvius upon later approaches to art.

Teaching Week 2 - Renaissance approaches to art and architecture

This week we will study seminal approaches to art and architecture in the Renaissance period. We will look at two primary sources: Leon Battista Alberti’s De re aedificatoria (On the Art of Building) and Giorgio Vasari’s Le Vite de' più eccellenti pittori, scultori, e architettori (Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors and Architects). We will explore how the work of the Italian architect and theorist Alberti epitomises the reawakening of classical architecture in the Renaissance period, and how it relates to the context of Humanist learning at that time. We will examine the motivations and narrative techniques of the Italian painter and writer Vasari and how his work served to establish a canon of art and artists.

Learning objectives:

To understand how Alberti reimagined classical architecture for the contemporary Renaissance city.
To understand how Vasari used his own experience as an artist to shape his writing about art, and how his canon can be critiqued.
To explore the impact of the work of Alberti and Vasari upon later approaches to art.

Teaching Week 3 - Art and the European Enlightenment

This week we will study seminal approaches to art during the European Enlightenment. We will look at two theoretical works: Johann Joachim Winckelmann’s Reflections on the Imitation of Greek Works in Painting and Sculpture and Immanuel Kant’s The Critique of Judgement. We will explore how the work of the German art historian Winckelmann reflects the notion of an idealist classicism, and how it relates to the rediscovery of Ancient Greek heritage during the Enlightenment. We will examine how the work of the German philosopher Kant contributes to debates about aesthetic judgement and the concept of genius.

Learning objectives:

To understand how Winckelmann’s writings on the sculpture of ancient Greece and Rome provided a theoretical framework for Neo-classicism.
To understand how Kant’s work contributed to debates about aesthetics and the philosophy of art.
To understand how Kant’s work fits into wider concepts of formalism in art historical theory.

Teaching Week 4 - Nineteenth and early twentieth-century modernism

This week we will study the rise of modernism in the nineteenth century and early twentieth centuries. We will look at extracts from Charles Baudelaire’s The Painter of Modern Life and Jacques Derrida’s Restitutions of the Truth in Pointing. We will explore how the work of the French poet and art critic Charles Baudelaire reflects upon the purpose of art and the role of the artist. We will also look at the impact of Baudelaire’s art historical criticism upon later art theory and practice. We will examine the work of French philosopher Jacques Derrida, including his response to the work of Immanuel Kant, and his own contribution to the analysis and understanding of the visual arts.

Learning objectives:

To understand how Baudelaire’s art historical criticism contributed to the development of modernism.
To understand how Baudelaire’s writings were responded to in later art theory and practice.
To understand how Derrida’s discussion of one of Van Gogh’s Boots paintings highlights the difficulties of specifying the referent in a work of representation.

Teaching Week 5 - The New Art Histories

This week we will study new approaches to Art History that emerged following World War II, which challenge previous traditional approaches. We will look at two examples of ‘New Art History’: Feminist Art Theory and Postcolonial Theory. We will analyse the seminal essay by American art historian Linda Nochlin, Why have there been no great women artists?, to see how it dismantles the concept of greatness and the male-centric genius in art. We will examine Globalization and its Discontents by American art historian Donald Preziosi to see how Art History can be broadened to incorporate a wider geographical context. Both of these approaches will be considered with reference to specific works of art.

Learning objectives:

To understand how Feminist Art Theory can be used to critique the traditional canon.
To explore the relationship between Feminist Art Theory and Feminist Art.
To understand how Postcolonial Theory can help us to understand colonial contexts for art and display.

Virtual Learning Environment

Certificate of participation

A Certificate of Participation will be awarded to participants who contribute constructively to weekly discussions and exercises/assignments for the duration of the course.

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Requirements

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Entry requirements

This course is open to everyone, and you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject to attend.

Please note that all teaching is in English. You should have near-native command of the English language in order to get the maximum benefit from the course.

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Fees and financial support

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Fees

VAT does not apply to course fees and there is no service charge (gratuities to domestic staff are left to your discretion).

Concessions

For more information on available concessions, please visit the Concessions information page on our website.

Alison Fordham Bursary

Application criteria:

Applicants should set out their personal learning motivations since priority will be given to those who are returning to learning after an extended break, or have not previously engaged with fully online learning, or are seeking to use the online short course as a bridge towards undergraduate award-bearing study.
Applicants who can demonstrate financial need.
Apply here https://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/bursary-application

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Canonical Course ID:

31545

Introduction to Screenwriting: writing the short film

Subject ref:

Creative Writing

Film Studies

Type ref:

Course code:

2526NOE046

Start date:

Monday, 5 January, 2026 - 00:00 to Sunday, 22 February, 2026 - 00:00

Apply by:

Monday, 5 January, 2026 - 00:00

Course ID:

31619

Tuition fee:

£525

Course programme:

Online Courses

Duration description:

7 Weeks

Non-accredited

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Overview

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Aims of the course

to give participants an introduction to, and overview of the screenwriting process
to equip participants with the knowledge and tools to develop and write a short screenplay following a step-by-step approach
to encourage and enable participants to develop their writing skills (in order to write a short screenplay)

Target audience

participants new to writing for the screen
creative writers from other disciplines looking to learn about screenwriting
screenwriters looking to improve their knowledge/understanding of the nuts and bolts of screenwriting

Schedule (this course is completed entirely online)

Orientation Week: 5-11 January 2026

Teaching Weeks: 12 January-15 February 2026

Feedback Week: 16-22 February 2026

Teaching Week 1 - Ideation

By studying this week participants should have:

a solid overview of the screenwriting process
a knowledge and understanding of how to generate a screen narrative idea
an understanding of the function of a premise
a knowledge and understanding of how to write a premise
an opportunity to write a premise
an opportunity to pitch a premise
an understanding of how screen narratives differ from other forms of (creative) writing

Teaching week 2 - From premise to outline

By studying this week participants should have:

an overview of the meta-elements of a screen narrative: character, theme, and story
a knowledge and understanding of how to develop a character by identifying a 'want', 'flaw', and 'need'
an understanding of how to write an effective character profile
a knowledge and understanding of how to identify and develop a unifying and universal theme within their writing
a knowledge and understanding of the ten story types and how to apply them
an understanding of the function of the one-page outline
an opportunity to apply the above to the writing of a one-page outline

Teaching week 3 - From outline to step-outline

By studying this week participants should have:

an understanding of how to structure a screen narrative
a knowledge of the structural frameworks as applied to short film narratives
an understanding of how to use Active Questions to structure a screen narrative for audience engagement
an overview of visual storytelling
an understanding of image systems and visual metaphors
an understanding of the function of a step-outline

Teaching week 4 - From step-outline to draft zero

By studying this week participants should have:

a knowledge and understanding of the functions of dialogue in a screen narrative
an understanding of the functions of subtext in a screen narrative
an understanding of the do's and don'ts of writing dialogue
an understanding of how a scene works
an understanding of how to write an intriguing/engaging opening
an understanding of how to utilise setting to enhance tension and atmosphere
an understanding of the function of a draft zero short screenplay
an opportunity to write and develop a draft zero short screenplay

Teaching week 5 - The rewriting process

By studying this week participants should have:

an overview of the rewriting process
an understanding of structured rewrites and their function
an understanding of the function and process of giving and receiving feedback
a knowledge and understanding of how to enhance mood/atmosphere through sound (effects)
a knowledge and understanding of how to write effective transitions
an understanding of how to stress test a screenplay
an understanding of tone

Virtual Learning Environment

Certificate of participation

A Certificate of Participation will be awarded to participants who contribute constructively to weekly discussions and exercises/assignments for the duration of the course.

What our students say

"Rick is a excellent tutor- his feed back on my ELLa story was most appreciated- I would take another class from him."

"In the beginning, my primary goal has been to enhance my writing skills and become a better storyteller. Along the way, I have delved into the fundamentals of screenwriting, gaining valuable insights into formatting techniques and the art of crafting a more immersive and well-rounded narrative."

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Requirements

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Entry requirements

This course is open to everyone, and you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject to attend.

Please note that all teaching is in English. You should have near-native command of the English language in order to get the maximum benefit from the course.

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Fees and financial support

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Fees

VAT does not apply to course fees and there is no service charge (gratuities to domestic staff are left to your discretion).

Concessions

For more information on available concessions, please visit the Concessions information page on our website.

Alison Fordham Bursary

Application criteria:

Applicants should set out their personal learning motivations since priority will be given to those who are returning to learning after an extended break, or have not previously engaged with fully online learning, or are seeking to use the online short course as a bridge towards undergraduate award-bearing study.
Applicants who can demonstrate financial need.
Apply here https://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/bursary-application

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Canonical Course ID:

31589

Instructional Design Fundamentals

Subject ref:

Education

Type ref:

Course code:

2526NOE037

Start date:

Monday, 27 October, 2025 - 00:00 to Sunday, 14 December, 2025 - 00:00

Apply by:

Monday, 27 October, 2025 - 00:00

Course tutor id:

9883

Paul Clothier

Course ID:

31612

Tuition fee:

£415

Course programme:

Online Courses

Duration description:

7 Weeks

Non-accredited

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Overview

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Aims of the course

To provide a practical introduction to Instructional Design
To explore effective theories and frameworks for designing learning/training content
To define effective aims, learning objectives, and learning outcomes
To explore ways to effectively evaluate the effectiveness of learning and training
To have participants create an instructional storyboard for a simple learning project

Target audience

Anyone with an interest in the subject: teachers; instructors; professors; digital learning developers; students; learning managers; and anyone who is a stakeholder in the creation and delivery of learning/training content.

Course content overview

This course is designed for those who want to create highly effective instructor-led training, online learning, or mobile learning content — on any subject and for any audience. The course will cover:

Understanding the function and fundamentals of instructional design
Designing effective instructional content using the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation) model
Researching an audience and defining clear aims, learning objectives, and learning outcomes
Designing an effective learning framework using a storyboard approach
Evaluating the effectiveness of learning and training delivery

Teaching week 1 - What is instructional design?

Purpose/Learning outcomes

Describe underlying principles of instructional design (ID) and explain the benefits
Demonstrate a high-level knowledge of different ID models
Describe, explain, and compare each of the phases of the ADDIE ID model
Critically evaluate ADDIE as an appropriate model for ID
Apply these outcomes to participant’s chosen project. Participants will be asked to justify approaches/choices they make.

Teaching week 2 - Learning domains and Bloom's Taxonomy

Purpose/Learning outcomes

Compare and contrast the different types of learning gaps and evaluate the optimal approach for a given audience
State the aspects of evaluating and analysing an audience and its value for ID
Explain the essential elements and underlying principles of needs analysis
Evaluate specific example audiences and present appropriate learning strategies
Describe, discuss, and critically evaluate Gagne and Bloom's idea of Learning Domains
Describe, discuss, and critically evaluate the use of Bloom's Taxonomy to inform an appropriate learning framework
Apply these outcomes to participant’s chosen project. participants will be asked to justify approaches/choices they make.

Teaching week 3 - Defining objectives and choosing delivery formats

Purpose/Learning outcomes

Define what aims, learning objectives, and learning outcomes are
Write and evaluate effective learning objectives using Blooms verbs
Compare and contrast different delivery formats
Evaluate and recommend appropriate delivery formats for different learning use cases
Apply these outcomes to participant’s chosen project. participants will be asked to justify approaches/choices they make.

Teaching week 4 - Designing content

Purpose/Learning outcomes

Describe the concept of a learning storyboard and state its value
Evaluate sample story boards an evaluate their effectiveness
Compare and contrast different ways to create an effective storyboard screen
Create a simple storyboard for a chosen project
Use storyboard screens to help inform the development of learning topics
Apply these outcomes to participant’s chosen project. participants will be asked to justify approaches/choices they make.

Teaching week 5 - Evaluating learning

Purpose/Learning outcomes

By studying this week the students should be able to:

Explain the benefits of evaluation and its relationship to analysis and design
Describe the Kirkpatrick evaluation approach
Determine which aspects of learning/training should be evaluated
Discuss shortcomings of the Kirkpatrick approach
Compare LTEM (Learning Transfer Evaluation Model) approach with Kirkpatrick approach
Apply these outcomes to participant’s chosen project. participants will be asked to justify approaches/choices they make.

Schedule (this course is completed entirely online)

Orientation Week: 27 October-2 November 2025

Teaching Weeks: 3 November-7 December 2025

Feedback Week: 8-14 December 2025

Virtual Learning Environment

Certificate of participation

A Certificate of Participation will be awarded to participants who contribute constructively to weekly discussions and exercises/assignments for the duration of the course.

What our students say:

"Paul was very helpful, very responsive, and put effort and energy into guiding us in the right direction. I would happily recommend this course to any teachers looking to move into instructional design."

"It gave a good broad overview of instructional Design, applicable to a range of experiences and job roles."

"The course met all my expectations. It was structured, pitched and delivered just right. I liked the mix of webinar, activities, and support material."

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Requirements

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Entry requirements

This course is open to everyone, and you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject to attend.

Please note that all teaching is in English. You should have near-native command of the English language in order to get the maximum benefit from the course.

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Fees and financial support

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Fees

VAT does not apply to course fees and there is no service charge (gratuities to domestic staff are left to your discretion).

Concessions

For more information on available concessions, please visit the Concessions information page on our website.

Alison Fordham Bursary

Application criteria:

Applicants should set out their personal learning motivations since priority will be given to those who are returning to learning after an extended break, or have not previously engaged with fully online learning, or are seeking to use the online short course as a bridge towards undergraduate award-bearing study.
Applicants who can demonstrate financial need.
Apply here https://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/bursary-application

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31548

Learning and memory in the brain

Short description:

Find out what happens in the brain when we learn and create memories, and why we shouldn’t always trust everything we remember. By understanding our brains better, we can find ways to help improve these processes, at any stage of our lives. During the course, you will find out how memories are stored in the brain, how this process can go wrong, and what changes in the brain as you age. Using research from psychology and neuroscience, we will also cover tips and tricks to help you make the most of your memory.

Subject ref:

Biological Sciences

Psychology

Type ref:

Course code:

2526NOE031

Start date:

Monday, 27 October, 2025 - 00:00 to Sunday, 14 December, 2025 - 00:00

Apply by:

Monday, 27 October, 2025 - 00:00

Course tutor id:

8952

Ginny Smith

Course ID:

31606

Tuition fee:

£415

Course programme:

Online Courses

Duration description:

7 Weeks

Non-accredited

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Course information

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Aims of the course:

Improve understanding of what the neuroscience and psychology of learning and memory can (and can’t) tell us.
Raise awareness of how the brain changes throughout life and how this affects our behaviour.
Help develop strategies that can be used at home to improve learning & memory.

Learning outcomes:

As a result of the course, within the constraints of the time available, students should be able to:

Know what happens in the brain when we learn.
Recall what psychological studies have taught us about learning & memory, and their limits.
Understand how the brain changes as we grow and age.
Use this understanding to improve the efficiency of their learning & memory.

Target audience:

Anyone with an interest in the brain, learning and memory. Teachers, parents, those with elderly relatives.

Course content overview:

Research in Psychology and Neuroscience progresses rapidly; we discover more about how we learn and how our memories work. This online course will provide a guided tour through the brain, looking at the changes that occur on a cellular level when we learn new information or store a memory. We will examine the way the brain changes from child to teenager to adult, and how these affect the way we learn and remember information. By understanding more about the way memories are stored and recalled, we can explore different ways to help improve this process, at any stage of our lives.
The study of how learning happens in the brain is a popular emerging field, but it is filled with misinformation. The course will tackle common misconceptions and look at ways in which we can use our understanding of the brain, as well as the tricks psychological research has uncovered, to help everyone learn more quickly and efficiently. We will finish with a practical session covering memory tricks and exercises anyone can use to learn and remember information more effectively.

Schedule (this course is completed entirely online):

Orientation Week: 27 October 2 November 2025

Purpose/Learning outcomes: By studying this week the students should have:

Become familiar with navigating around the VLE and from VLE to links and back
Tested their ability to access files and the web conferencing software and sorted out any problems with the help of the eLearning Helpdesk
Learnt how to look for, assess and reference internet resources
Used forums to introduce themselves to other students
Contributed to a discussion forum to introduce themselves to other students and discuss why they are interested in the course, what they hope to get out their studies and also to respond to News item sent out on behalf of tutor

Teaching Weeks: 3 November-7 December 2025

Week 1 Learning in the brain

Purpose: To introduce students to the neuroscience of learning and memory, and our limitations in its understanding. We will cover the reconstructive nature of memories, false memories, and their implications. By studying this week the students should have:

Understood what neurons and synapses are, and their role in memory formation.
Know the main brain regions implicated in memory and learning.
Learnt that memory is fallible and changeable, and thought about what this means for e.g. eyewitness testimony.

Week 2 Types of memory

Purpose: To discuss the distinctions that can be made between different types of memory, and their usefulness. By studying this week the students should have:

Understood the difference between short term and long term memories.
Explored different types of long term memory, including explicit and implicit, and the brain regions involved.
Looked at how recall and recognition memory differ.

Week 3 Brain changes through the ages

Purpose: To cover the way the brain changes as we progress from babies to children, teens, and adults and as we age. We will explore how these changes impact our ability to learn at each stage in our life. By studying this week the students should have:

Understood how the infant’s brain is primed for learning, and how different abilities mature at different times. Examined the evidence for critical periods in human learning.
Looked at the teenage brain, and its implications for teen behaviour.
Gained knowledge about healthy aging, and the brain and behaviour changes associated with it.

Week 4 Memory problems

Purpose: To cover a variety of conditions that can affect memory, including traumatic brain injury, stroke and dementia. We will look at the portrayal of amnesia in the media and its accuracy and discuss what happens in the brain to cause these symptoms. By studying this week the students should have:

Understood that damage to different areas of the brain can cause different types of memory problem.
Looked at psychological causes of amnesia and the controversies surrounding them.
Covered childhood amnesia, and our limits in explaining it.
Become aware of the limits in our understanding of dementia, and the direction future research is likely to take.

Week 5 Brain Boosts

Purpose: To provide practical, science-based tips and tricks that students can use in their daily lives to help improve their memory and learning. By studying this week the students should have:

Understood that psychology, not neuroscience, currently provides us with the most practical guidance.
Tried a variety of memory boosts to determine which work best for them, and thought about how they could apply them in their lives.
Analysed how the information they have learnt in the course can help make them better learners.

Feedback Week: 8-14 December 2025

Purpose:
•   Assessment of student learning
•   Assessment of student satisfaction
•   Encouragement of further study

Certificate of Participation

A Certificate of Participation will be awarded to participants who contribute constructively to weekly discussions and exercises/assignments for the duration of the course.

What our students say:

"I’ve really enjoyed the course. Ginny, you have made quite complex topics really clear and easy to understand. The quality of your weekly presentations have been excellent and I’ve benefited from being able to work at my own pace. Additionally, the reading lists have been helpful in expanding my understanding of topics."

"Thank you for this great course Ginny. I enjoyed it all... It was good to be able to try live experiments on ourselves too!"

"Ginny responded so well to our forum answers and questions and even supplied further material on it. Ginny made the course really interesting and understandable."

"The course was well structured, thorough and well-presented and the tutor engaged in conversations, sharing her opinions and insights."

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Requirements

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Entry requirements

This course is open to everyone, and you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject to attend.

Our short courses are designed especially for adult learners who want to advance their personal or professional development. They are taught by tutors who are expert in both their subjects and in teaching students of all ages and experiences.

Please note that all teaching is in English. You should have near-native command of the English language in order to get the maximum benefit from the course.

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Fees and financial support

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Fees

VAT does not apply to course fees and there is no service charge (gratuities to domestic staff are left to your discretion).

Concessions

For more information on available concessions, please visit the Concessions information page on our website.

Alison Fordham Bursary

Application criteria:

Applicants should set out their personal learning motivations since priority will be given to those who are returning to learning after an extended break, or have not previously engaged with fully online learning, or are seeking to use the online short course as a bridge towards undergraduate award-bearing study.
Applicants who can demonstrate financial need.
Apply here https://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/bursary-application

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Canonical Course ID:

31549

Introduction to emotional and social embodied cognition

Subject ref:

Psychology

Type ref:

Course code:

2526NOE045

Start date:

Monday, 5 January, 2026 - 00:00 to Sunday, 22 February, 2026 - 00:00

Apply by:

Monday, 5 January, 2026 - 00:00

Course ID:

31618

Tuition fee:

£415

Course programme:

Online Courses

Duration description:

7 Weeks

Non-accredited

Course photo:

City or Town:

Postcode:

Single capacity:

Double capacity:

Twin capacity:

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Overview

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Aims of the course

To introduce participants to key theories and concepts in psychology of social cognition and emotions
To learn the key methods to study emotional and social cognition: how to measure our ability to recognise facial expressions and the feelings of others
To study the foundations of the theories of embodied cognition: we are what we feel

Target audience

Anyone with an interest in psychology. This course will touch on the fundamental principles of cognitive psychology with a specific focus on emotional social and embodied cognition

Course content overview

Psychology is the study of the human mind. cognitive psychologists primarily focus on how our mind works when interacting with other minds and bodies as well as interacting with itself, such as with our own memories and sensations. This course is an introduction to a fascinating discipline. It is intended for anyone with an interest in psychology. We will explore the key theories and findings on emotions and social embodied cognition, the key methods to measure our ability to understand the feelings of others. We will focus on the main theories of embodiment and hypotheses and on how researchers investigate and address them. In doing so, we will learn about the main methods and materials used to explore emotional embodiment and to measure our ability to recognise other people’s facial expressions. This will include the main experimental designs, behavioural and neuroimaging methods adopted. This course will show that psychology is not just about the mind; it will introduce participants to the idea that our mind is rooted in our body and that perhaps it is time to move on from this dichotomy.

Schedule (this course is completed entirely online)

Orientation Week: 5-11 January 2026

Teaching Weeks: 12 January-15 February 2026

Feedback Week: 16-22 February 2026

Teaching week 1 - What is Cognitive Psychology: an overview

This week will provide an overview of key findings, theories and research methods of cognitive psychology.

Cognitive psychology is the scientific study of the mind as an input and output processor. Cognitive psychologists base their research on models of how people's minds process information and how different areas of the brain interact with each other to do it. These models relate to various cognitive functions including perception, attention, language, memory, thinking, and consciousness.

This week will explore:

a. History and key findings of cognitive psychology.

b. What is the purpose of cognitive psychology?

c. What is the literature framework of the major models.

Learning outcomes

By studying this week participants should:

Learn about the key findings and assumptions of cognitive psychology;
Familiarize themselves with some of the central debates in cognitive psychology concerning the role of nature vs nurture in shaping the human mind;
Understand the relationship between the mind and the brain and the role of automatic vs controlled processes in shaping human behaviour.

Teaching week 2 - How we feel emotions: introduction to the psychology of facial expressions and to theories of embodied emotional processing

This week will provide an introduction to the main concepts and theories of social cognition. In particular, this week explores the extent to which mirror neurons shape our ability to understand others and our ability to understand that others might have mental states that differ from our own (theory of mind reasoning).

Learning outcomes

By studying this week participants should:

Learn key concepts and theories in studying emotional and social cognition;
Become familiar with core debates on the role of facial expressions and on the embodiment of emotional recognition.
Understand how the production and perception of emotional facial expressions is explored from different angles by different theories.

Teaching week 3 - How do we study emotions? Emotional processing and social cognition research methods

This week explores the key research methods of embodied emotional processing and social cognition. It will outline the most important techniques in the broader cognitive psychology and evaluate the contribution they can make to emotional processing research and embodiment theories. It will also introduce the role of neuropsychological research in understanding how brain lesions can help us understand how the brain normally functions. Key methods of neuroimaging techniques covered will be specifically focused on electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyography (EMG).

Learning outcomes

By studying this week participants should:

Understand of the main methods in Cognitive Psychology.
Learn neuroimaging techniques and neuropsychological findings and how they contribute to our knowledge on emotional processing and embodied cognition.
Develop a critical approach to methods and how each of them helps answer to specific research questions.

Teaching week 4 - How do we recognise the emotional facial expressions of others? Feeling me to feel you - from theory-theories to the simulation theory

This week will provide an introduction to the main theories of emotional facial expression recognition. It will include an overview of the Theory theory models as well as of the simulation theory models. It will also illustrate the key findings on facial mimicry often associated with better facial expression recognition.

Learning outcomes

By studying this week participants should:

Learn the main theories of emotional facial expression recognition and to critically evaluate the extent to which empirical studies support different theoretical claims.
Understand how the simulation models account for the facilitating role of sensorimotor simulations during emotion mind-reading process.
Develop a critical approach towards the literature on production and recognition of emotional facial expressions and the mechanisms involving both sensorimotor simulation and theory-theory processing.

Teaching week 5 - Is it always easy to understand others' emotions? The influence of context and expression ambiguity on mimicry during emotional recognition

Any emotional expression is a communication channel that has the intrinsic intention of conveying a message. The expression finds its meaning in the interaction with another person and its sense in the social context.

This week provides an overview of the factors that influence the emotional understanding in a natural social situation. This week will outline some of the main factors that are thought to affect the way we have insights about other’s feeling and intentions. This includes our attitude towards the other (for instance our motivation to understand their emotions), prior knowledge that we have about them and the ambiguity of the facial expression itself.

Learning outcomes

By studying this week participants should:

Learn that the embodied understanding of other’s emotions is an interpretation of emotional signals.
Understand that the embodied understanding of other’s emotions is influenced by contingent factors of the reader and the expresser.
Develop a critical approach to the literature and research questions of the field.

Virtual Learning Environment

Certificate of participation

A Certificate of Participation will be awarded to participants who contribute constructively to weekly discussions and exercises/assignments for the duration of the course.

What our students say

"I think the content was easy to follow, considering it is open to everyone. Then, the articles and additional readings and videos were complementary of the course transcript. I think it is a good mix."

"It was better than my expectations! The combination of a summary provided by the professor with related articles and videos was very engaging."

"The mixture of learning delivery was great - readings, lectures, quizzes, discussions. There was a lot of information so great value for money."

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Requirements

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Entry requirements

This course is open to everyone, and you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject to attend.

Please note that all teaching is in English. You should have near-native command of the English language in order to get the maximum benefit from the course.

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Fees and financial support

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Fees

VAT does not apply to course fees and there is no service charge (gratuities to domestic staff are left to your discretion).

Concessions

For more information on available concessions, please visit the Concessions information page on our website.

Alison Fordham Bursary

Application criteria:

Applicants should set out their personal learning motivations since priority will be given to those who are returning to learning after an extended break, or have not previously engaged with fully online learning, or are seeking to use the online short course as a bridge towards undergraduate award-bearing study.
Applicants who can demonstrate financial need.
Apply here https://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/bursary-application

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Canonical Course ID:

31588

Making academic writing accessible

Subject ref:

Creative Writing

Type ref:

Course code:

2526NOE043

Start date:

Monday, 5 January, 2026 - 00:00 to Sunday, 22 February, 2026 - 00:00

Apply by:

Monday, 5 January, 2026 - 00:00

Course ID:

31616

Tuition fee:

£525

Course programme:

Online Courses

Duration description:

7 Weeks

Non-accredited

Course photo:

City or Town:

Postcode:

Single capacity:

Double capacity:

Twin capacity:

Single usage:

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Booked places:

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false

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Overview

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Aims of the course

To discover how academic writing can be made more accessible and engaging for a wider audience
To develop an appreciation of writing in terms of communication and pleasure
To give information on pursuing commercial/popular publication

Target audience

Undergraduates, Postgraduates, and more senior academics who want their research to be read by a wider audience.

Course content overview

Participants will look at how to build bridges between the sometimes esoteric language of academia and writing for the general reader
Participants will discuss style, language, narrative, brevity, clarity and knowing your audience
Participants will explore and experiment with different writing styles
The course will also look at how to approach agents and publishers

Teaching week 1: Why is academic writing so academic?

To discuss the nature of academic writing

Learning outcomes:

To provide an understanding of the language and system of academic writing
To provide an appreciation of what makes academic writing seem elite or opaque to the general reader
To discuss how academic writing can be deconstructed

Teaching week 2: Writing for a diverse audience

To show how academic writing can be made more accessible to the general reader

Learning outcomes:

To provide an understanding of style, language, brevity and clarity
To provide an appreciation of writing that can communicate, inform, and induce delight
To experiment with re-writing a short piece of academic script into a more accessible style

Teaching week 3: What makes a story?

To explore what a story is, what it is for, and how to shape one.

Learning outcomes:

To provide an understanding of the 'hook', and the means to find one
To provide an appreciation of structure, framing the narrative and driving it on
To provide the means to recognise and assess what makes a good story

Teaching week 4: What kind of writer do you want to be?

To explore different styles of writing.

Learning outcomes:

To provide an understanding of different writing styles
To experience writing for a wider audience
To provide the means to develop a lucid and engagingly memorably style
To provide knowledge of the audience you want to reach

Teaching week 5: Aiming for publication

To look at how to approach publication

Learning outcomes:

To provide an understanding of what agents, publishers, and the media want from writers
To provide an insight into the potential for self-publishing
To provide knowledge about how best to approach publication

Schedule (this course is completed entirely online)

Orientation Week: 5-11 January 2026

Teaching Weeks: 12 January-15 February 2026

Feedback Week: 16-22 February 2026

Virtual Learning Environment

Certificate of participation

A Certificate of Participation will be awarded to participants who contribute constructively to weekly discussions and exercises/assignments for the duration of the course.

What our students say

"Everything was fine. Louise adopted just the right approach in this course for working adults, most of whom I guess had limited time. She encouraged us and gave honest feedback. (She also has a very nice speaking voice, so was easy to listen to!)"

"I loved this course! Louise is an excellent tutor. She gave us a vast range of interesting and helpful tips on how to write in a creative and engaging way. The activities were challenging and stimulating, allowing us to explore our authentic selves. I now feel free from the shackles of academia! Thanks, Louise, you are great, I have learned a lot from you and now feel more confident in expressing myself."

"A fantastic course worth every second of time investment! Revelations at every turn!"

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Requirements

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Entry requirements

This course is open to everyone, and you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject to attend.

Please note that all teaching is in English. You should have near-native command of the English language in order to get the maximum benefit from the course.

tab3name:

Fees and financial support

tab3html:

Fees

VAT does not apply to course fees and there is no service charge (gratuities to domestic staff are left to your discretion).

Concessions

For more information on available concessions, please visit the Concessions information page on our website.

Alison Fordham Bursary

Application criteria:

Applicants should set out their personal learning motivations since priority will be given to those who are returning to learning after an extended break, or have not previously engaged with fully online learning, or are seeking to use the online short course as a bridge towards undergraduate award-bearing study.
Applicants who can demonstrate financial need.
Apply here https://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/bursary-application

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Course Image version:

Study level ref:

Canonical Course ID:

31586

The Grandest Tour: exploring the wonders of the Cosmos

Subject ref:

Astronomy

Type ref:

Course code:

2526NOE042

Start date:

Monday, 5 January, 2026 - 00:00 to Sunday, 22 February, 2026 - 00:00

Apply by:

Monday, 5 January, 2026 - 00:00

Course tutor id:

3532

Dr Hardip Sanghera

Course ID:

31615

Tuition fee:

£415

Course programme:

Online Courses

Duration description:

7 Weeks

Non-accredited

Course photo:

City or Town:

Postcode:

Single capacity:

Double capacity:

Twin capacity:

Single usage:

Double usage:

Twin usage:

Maximum places:

Booked places:

Course cancelled:

false

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booking destination ref:

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Purpose ref:

Study mode ref:

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Overview

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Aims of the course

To provide a full structure and understanding to ones learning in this subject, through a framework that gives a clear and comprehensive understanding of the relative size of objects and their relationship to one another.
A review of the structures found in the wider universe, beyond the edge of our Milky Way galaxy, from galaxies, galaxy clusters, to the cosmic web, resulting in an understanding of our place, relationship to, and a sense of scale to the cosmos we inhabit.
To provide a framework, in this present golden era of astronomy, within which participants may better understand the science of astronomy encountered on multimedia, and to place into context the importance of new discoveries.
To help participants take full advantage of online resources, such as YouTube astronomy channels, audiobooks and astronomy books aimed at the general public.
To encourage participants to attend astronomical observing opportunities and consider undertaking additional astronomy courses.

Target audience

Non-astronomers who are captivated by the night-sky and simply wonder why?

Course content overview

Assuming no prior knowledge (but students may wish to complete the 'An introduction to astronomy: exploring the wonders of our Universe' online course first, as celestial traveller's we'll obtain a step-by-step overview of this amazing cosmos, through the full-spectrum eyes of our present golden era of astronomy, as evidenced by 2019s first ever image of a black hole and the Hubble image of a quarter of a million galaxies at every stage of evolution back to 500 million years after the Big Bang. We shall undertake this part of our grand tour, starting outwards from the shoreline of our own Milky Way galaxy passing neighbouring companion galaxies in our local cluster, a small conglomeration amongst the 100,000 other nearby galaxies that compose the Laniakea Supercluster. We shall witness galaxies of all shapes and sizes, how they grow through cannibalization, and focus on that small percentage of galaxies, in which the dark heart is active, making them clearly visible across the universe. Despite the insignificant relative size in comparison to their host galaxy, there is a remarkably close and intimate relationship between the supermassive black holes that lie at the heart of all galaxies, how they appear to grow in lockstep, and how such ubiquitous objects can be used to explain the most monstrous of explosions in the cosmos, in which the birth scream of black holes, and their intergalactic death rays can sterilize vast regions of all potential life, but which provide the precious metals stored in our bank vaults. We shall trace the largest structure in the universe, the cosmic web, via it’s interconnecting filaments of clustered galaxies and gases, stretched out across the universe and separated by giant voids. A universal scaffolding formed by dark matter, down which flows the steady stream of gas that feeds the growth of galaxies, such as our own. These key building block of our cosmos have births, lives and deaths, just like that of the stars, that are their building blocks, which can be used to understand how such structure arose from the otherwise smooth universe following the Big Bang. Using the deepest observations we’ll take a census of the universe’s galactic population, and awe at how the foaminess of the universe gives way to a homogeneous composition, known as the End of Greatness, that describes the universe on the largest scales, and which underlies our present cosmological models. So, if you truly wish to expand your horizons, and occasionally blow your mind in the process, then please join me for this one truly amazing journey.

Teaching week 1: The birth, life and death of galaxies

We show how Edwin Hubble in the 1920 expanded our cosmic horizons beyond that of the Milky Way by showing the existence and nature of other island universes, which is demonstrated today

via the Hubble Deep Field image, displaying galaxies at every stage of evolution. We consider how structure first arose from the relatively smooth distribution of matter following the Big Bang birth of the universe, with the birth of galaxies through the hierarchical bottom-up model and review the observational data to support it. Through the evolution of galaxies, via the Hubble diagram, as they live and grow via cannibalization, and then die when they have exhausted their star-forming material, as observed in dead and dying galaxies, to a conclusion on their ultimate fate.

Learning outcomes

By studying this week the students should have:

Understood that our galaxy is one of a multitude of galaxies.
Comprehended a model for galaxy evolution firmly grounded in observations, with an awareness of how the birth of galaxies is moving into our observational window.
Consider the different types of galaxies that exist with examples of each, with the focus on what are termed normal galaxies.
How star formation exhausts the supply of material for new stars, or how it is stripped out of galaxies, leaving galaxies to slowly die and fade.

Teaching week 2: Active Galaxies - the ultra-violent universe (part 1)

The focus is on the 2% of all galaxies that are termed active galaxies, and why using radiation from the full electromagnetic spectrum is required to understand their true nature. We’ll review their behaviour in varying timescales and understand the differences between the know classes of active galaxies.

Learning outcomes

By studying this week the students should have:

How to tell the difference between normal and active galaxies.
The requirement for observations across the full electromagnetic spectrum.
The difference between narrow and broadband spectral observations.
The observational clues to the true nature of active galaxies.
The differences between the four classes of active galaxies: Seyfert, Double-lobed Radio galaxies, Quasars and Blazars.
Their high redshifts and density variation of quasars with redshift.

Teaching week 3: AGN model and Gamma-Ray bursts - the ultra-violent universe (part 2)

Active galaxies can be hundreds of time more luminous than normal galaxies, with far more energy emitted in the higher energy end of the spectrum. We shall interpret from the data a possible source of that energy, which is a spinning supermassive black hole emitting bi-polar jets. And it is view of that source from different directions that leads us to the different classes of active galaxies. A model that proves ubiquitous across the universe and used to explain many other violent phenomena, in which the formation of a black hole is key.

Learning outcomes

By studying this week the students should have:

From time variability of emission from active galaxies we can determine that the source is extremely small.
Review other evidence why the engine for such sources is likely a supermassive black hole, with an accretion disk responsible for the observed energies.
By classifying the various components of an active galaxies, we can combine them into a single model to explain their behaviour.
That the angle of orientation of the accretion disk and bi-polar jets that accounts for the 4 different classes that are observed.
The same model can be used to explain gamma ray bursts, which are even more energetic, and occurs at the point of creation, or merger, of black holes.
Observational confirmation is provided for such a model using gravitational waves.
The danger such objects pose to potential, and existing, life, like us.

Teaching week 4: Black Holes and galaxy formation

Black holes are often the culprit behind many of the most energetic phenomena observed in the universe and cover a vast range in sizes. They seem intimately connected with the growth of galaxies by dumping vast amounts of energy into its host galaxy, suppressing and encouraging stellar formation in waves, and thereby play a fundamental role in the formation and evolution of the universe.

Learning outcomes

By studying this week the students should have:

Understand the full range of black hole sizes from stellar, through to supermassive.
Review our understanding how they may evolve to supermassive size, but the problems this poses for observations of quasars quite early in the history of the universe.
The discovery of intermediate sized black holes, which had been missing from observational data until recently.
An understanding of supermassive black hole which lies at the heart of the Milky Way, and the evidence of its present and past activity.
Future collisions of the Milky Way, first with the LMC, and then later with the Andromeda galaxy.
An understanding of the relative size of the supermassive black hole to its host galaxy yet play a dominant role in its evolution. First supressing star formation in the growth phase of the black hole, then letting it continue when it becomes quiescent.
An awareness of the total number of galaxies in the observable universe.

Teaching week 5: Large scale structure in the universe

Multi-wavelength observations have revealed a diverse and complex universe, from different states of matter to a bewildering array of new objects and phenomena. The development of deep astronomical surveys has revealed a new level of structure, the largest known, termed the cosmic web. A structure that helps account for missing baryonic matter. And whose homogenous nature on the largest scales provides supporting evidence for modern cosmological models of the universe.

Learning outcomes

By studying this week the students should have:

A description of the Local Group, a galaxy cluster of which the Milky Way is a member, its size and membership.
The first catalogue of galaxy clusters, and how to determine their mass using gravitational lensing.
A description and outline of gravitational lensing.
Problems with making deep sky surveys, and description of a number of surveys that have mapped the large-scale structure of the local universe.
Large-scale structure in the form of clusters and super-clusters, including the Lanakea super-cluster to which the Milky Way belongs.
A description of the Great Attractor, its location and likely source of its gravitational pull.
Structure on even larger scales in the form of the Cosmic Web composed of filaments and voids, and homogeneous distribution of matter on the largest scale, in which one 200 Mpc region looks much like another.
A consideration of the origin of structure from inflated quantum fluctuations at the birth of the universe.

Schedule (this course is completed entirely online)

Orientation Week: 5-11 January 2026

Teaching Weeks: 12 January-15 February 2026

Feedback Week: 16-22 February 2026

Virtual Learning Environment

Certificate of participation

A Certificate of Participation will be awarded to participants who contribute constructively to weekly discussions and exercises/assignments for the duration of the course.

What our students say

'Thank you for a brilliant course. I intend on carrying on studying astronomy particularly high energy stuff and cosmology because of this course.'

'I learned that there is still so much to discover, so much that we do not yet understand. It also made me realize how wonderful Earth's environment is and that it is our responsibility as a species to protect this environment.'

'It has been a wonderful course, stimulating and challenging. I have learned so much and there is so much more to learn.'

'All too soon we have reached our destination and right there is our postal address. It has been the grandest of all journeys that deliver beyond what I have set out to observe. Thank you so much Hardip. It has been a greatest journey and I love it.'

'Thank you for putting together such an excellent and inspiring course on the wonders of the cosmos! The course provided just the right combination of breadth of coverage together with depth and detail. Thank you also for your prompt and comprehensive responses to questions raised.'

'Thank you for taking us on the grandest tour of all! I have learned so much over the last five weeks rediscovering what an exciting, though complicated subject astronomy is and how far it has evolved over the last fifty years. I put every moment I could into learning as much as I could each week becoming more enthusiastic each week.'

'I have gained an even greater appreciation of the vastness, complexity and wonder of the universe, and of how much we have learned but, at the same time, how much remains unknown or even unknowable. I still have an undiminished desire to know more and this course has provided me with more ideas and sources to do so.'

'Another great course from Hardip and ICE. I have been reading about astronomy as an armchair amateur for a very long time, and yet in this course I have been brought up to date on many new theories and research programs. This course, like “An introduction to Astronomy” course, does a fantastic job of summarizing the historical knowledge as well as presenting the state-of-the-art science. All this packaged in a user friendly, online format.'

'The sequencing of the presentations was perfect in relation to building on the acquired knowledge and gaining a wider understanding of the wonders of our cosmos. Thank you Hardip for creating another very high quality ,enjoyable and rewarding course.'

'I'd really like to thank Hardip for making this course such an exciting, fun, inspiring experience, and for caring about our learning! I'm very grateful for the great foundation this course has provided.'

'The course has inspired me to go on learning more and to try and keep up to date with new discoveries. As a start, I've taken out a subscription to New Scientist.'

'I have thoroughly enjoyed this course as a continuation from ‘An Introduction to Astronomy’, and I've enjoyed every topic covered in this course. As before in the previous course, I very much appreciated the clearly-created PDFs of the text and images from the audio/visual presentations – this made learning clearer as it is easier to go back and review the document along with my notes. I also very much enjoyed as always the fun quizzes along the way and the informative and thought-provoking exercises. Thank you Dr. Sanghera for another fantastic course!'

'Also, I want to remark something we already know, is that Hardip is an excellent teacher, that his courses are amazing and are taught to different public in one, from beginner's to advanced people and anybody learns a lot. I hope ICE continue developing new courses with Hardip, I will be attentive to re-enter.'

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Requirements

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Entry requirements

This course is open to everyone, and you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject to attend.

Please note that all teaching is in English. You should have near-native command of the English language in order to get the maximum benefit from the course.

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Fees and financial support

tab3html:

Fees

VAT does not apply to course fees and there is no service charge (gratuities to domestic staff are left to your discretion).

Concessions

For more information on available concessions, please visit the Concessions information page on our website.

Alison Fordham Bursary

Application criteria:

Applicants should set out their personal learning motivations since priority will be given to those who are returning to learning after an extended break, or have not previously engaged with fully online learning, or are seeking to use the online short course as a bridge towards undergraduate award-bearing study.
Applicants who can demonstrate financial need.
Apply here https://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/bursary-application

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Course Image version:

Study level ref:

Canonical Course ID:

31274

Understanding finance in organisations

Subject ref:

Type ref:

Course code:

2526NOE041

Start date:

Monday, 5 January, 2026 - 00:00 to Sunday, 22 February, 2026 - 00:00

Apply by:

Monday, 5 January, 2026 - 00:00

Course tutor id:

9467

Doug Williamson

Course ID:

31614

Tuition fee:

£415

Course programme:

Online Courses

Duration description:

7 Weeks

Non-accredited

Course photo:

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Overview

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Aims of the course:

This course is for you if your answer to one of these questions is Yes:

Do you interact with financial specialists at work, and want to communicate better with them?
Are you self-employed, or considering self-employment?
Are you considering a career or secondment in finance?

Target audience:

No prior knowledge or experience of finance is assumed or required.

This course is at an intermediate level between our introductory finance course 'Essential finance', and our most advanced course 'Financial decision-making in practice'. However, you are warmly welcome to follow these courses in any order that suits your personal schedule. Many participants have followed two - or all three - of these courses in different order.

Learning outcomes:

As a result of the course, within the constraints of the time available, students should be able to:

Enjoy collaborating with finance colleagues and specialist financial advisors
Appreciate and improve the financial dimensions of any self-employed work they do
Learn whether a secondment or career in finance likely to be enjoyable for them

Course content overview:

As a result of the course, participants should be able to understand and work with the financial aspirations and concerns of their employers, investors, customers and suppliers, including both internal and external financial considerations and trade-offs.

Topics will include:

Financial reporting and accounts
Financial planning and forecasting
Making friends with spreadsheets
Financial decision making
Getting your proposals considered
Next steps, including personal actions arising and accountability for doing them

Schedule:

Orientation Week: 5-11 January 20206

By studying this week the students should have:

Become familiar with navigating around the VLE and from VLE to links and back
Tested their ability to access files and the web conferencing software and sorted out any problems with the help of the eLearning Helpdesk
Learnt how to look for, assess and reference internet resources
Used forums to introduce themselves to other students
Contributed to a discussion forum to introduce themselves to other students and discuss why they are interested in the course, what they hope to get out their studies, and also to respond to any News items sent out on behalf of tutor.

Teaching Weeks: 12 January-15 February 2026

Week 1 - Financial reporting and accounts

Participants will gain a sound appreciation of the meaning and practicalities of financial reporting and accounts, together with its key terminology and conventions. By studying this week the students should have:

Understood the key conventions of the five primary financial statements in the financial reports of a large organisation, and the links between them.
Appreciated and applied the important accounting concepts of recognition, disclosure, depreciation, and amortisation.
Understood and worked with accruals, provisions, debtors, creditors, and other receivables and payables.
Attempted the related self assessment quiz questions on the VLE.
Contributed constructively to the related discussions on the VLE.

Week 2 - Financial planning and forecasting

Participants will grasp the fundamental importance of financial planning and forecasting, via mini-case studies. By studying this week the students should have:

Understood the key conventions of budgets, forecasts and variance analysis, including examples of favourable and adverse variances.
Understood and applied the concepts of gross and net profit, EBITDA, direct and indirect costs, and contribution.
Attempted the related self assessment quiz questions on the VLE.
Contributed constructively to the related discussions on the VLE.

Week 3 - Making friends with spreadsheets: This week we'll aim to improve the reliability and speed of your financial modelling work to support and deepen understanding of financial reporting, forecasting and decision making. By studying this week the students should have:

Appreciated the enormous potential of Excel to increase the speed, reliability and presentation of financial analysis.
Understood the fundamental importance of structuring Excel workbooks.
Learned the most important of Excel’s native functionality.
Understood the important differences between navigation, selection and editing.
Used the keyboard when appropriate, in place of the mouse.
Attempted the related self assessment quiz questions on the VLE.
Contributed constructively to the related discussions on the VLE.

Week 4 - Financial decision making

Participants will gain comfort and confidence with the practice and theory of financial decision making. By studying this week the students should have:

Appreciated the meaning and importance of production and pricing decisions, and scarce resource analysis.
Understood and applied payback and discounted cash flow analysis.
Integrated this understanding with their work in Weeks 1, 2 and 3.
Attempted the related self assessment quiz questions on the VLE.
Contributed constructively to the related discussions on the VLE.

Week 5 - Getting your proposals considered

This week we'll appreciate why and how financial decision makers require proposals to be presented for consideration, and will apply this understanding in a self-chosen case study. By studying this week the students should have:

Understood the reasons why financial decision makers need particular information about operational proposals, presented in conventional ways.
Connected this understanding with their learning from Weeks 1 to 4 of the course.
Deepened and broadened their practical appreciation of these concepts, by applying them to a self-chosen case study.
Attempted the related self assessment quiz questions on the VLE.
Contributed constructively to the related discussions on the VLE.

Feedback Week: 16-22 February 2026

Purpose

Assessment of student learning, including optional personal action plans and accountability process
Assessment of student satisfaction
Encouragement of further study

Study commitment and Certificate:

There will be an optional interactive 1 hr webinar each week. All webinars will be recorded and shared on the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

Certificate of Participation

A Certificate of Participation will be awarded to participants who contribute constructively to weekly discussions and exercises/assignments for the duration of the course.

What our students say:

"Doug is an excellent tutor and I would recommend him and the course to my colleagues and friends. He has time for everyone and gives so much of it, especially to those students who struggle. He also works well with introverts as he does with extroverts - a skill that many do not have."

"I particularly like the Treasurer's Wiki. I have found this resource most helpful and the section on Spreadsheets. I also enjoyed the webinars and the one on one support that Doug provided. He has a very calm and reassuring manner, and his knowledge of the financial world is astounding."

"More than my expectations! I am so astounded by the amount of resources that were provided, and extra/optional info and tasks were very helpful too. This course gave me so much more than money's worth!"

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Requirements

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Entry requirements

This course is open to everyone, and you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject to attend.

Please note that all teaching is in English. You should have near-native command of the English language in order to get the maximum benefit from the course.

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Fees and financial support

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Fees

VAT does not apply to course fees and there is no service charge (gratuities to domestic staff are left to your discretion).

Concessions

For more information on available concessions, please visit the Concessions information page on our website.

Alison Fordham Bursary

Application criteria:

Applicants should set out their personal learning motivations since priority will be given to those who are returning to learning after an extended break, or have not previously engaged with fully online learning, or are seeking to use the online short course as a bridge towards undergraduate award-bearing study.
Applicants who can demonstrate financial need.
Apply here https://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/bursary-application

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31547

The big questions in archaeology

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Archaeology

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Dr Isabelle Vella Gregory

Course code:

2526NOE038

Start date:

Monday, 27 October, 2025 - 00:00 to Sunday, 14 December, 2025 - 00:00

Apply by:

Monday, 27 October, 2025 - 00:00

Course tutor id:

1928

Course ID:

31613

Tuition fee:

£415

Course programme:

Online Courses

Duration description:

7 Weeks

Non-accredited

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Overview

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Aims of the course

To explore key questions about humanity via archaeology
To learn the contribution of archaeology to these questions
to acquire new skills and methods in answering questions

Course content overview

Archaeology studies humanity’s past via material remains - but it does much more than that. As a discipline, it deals with some of the fundamental questions about humanity. Where do we come from? What makes us human? Are we the result of our genes? Do civilizations rise and fall? How does change happen? If you are interested in these questions, then this course is for you. Join me as we explore some of the big questions about what makes us human. Specifically, we will look at how archaeology can help us answer these questions. We will look at the key events and material remains and trace where ideas come from. Are our interpretations rooted in evidence or are they the result of wider historical forces? If you are interested in challenging what we know about our world, then this course is for you. Over the duration of the course we will explore some of the most challenging and fascinating questions with a mix of illustrated lectures, podcasts and discussions.

Schedule (this course is completed entirely online)

Orientation Week: 27 October-2 November 2025

Teaching Weeks: 3 November-7 December 2025

Feedback Week: 8-14 December 2025

Teaching Week 1 - Where do we come from? Are we just big apes?

What does it mean to have a common ape ancestor? This lecture offers an overview of humanity’s fascinating journey from the common ape ancestor to modern humans (H. Sapiens sapiens). Our journey starts in Africa, an Africa that was very different from the one we know today. The journey to ‘becoming human’ is full of twists and turns. We will encounter different species, trace ancient footprints and follow a complex but fascinating puzzle. What was the world before us like?

Learning outcomes

By studying this week the participants should have:

Understood the basic mechanisms of human evolution
Traced the spread of humans

Teaching Week 2 - Are we the result of our genes? Exploring genetics and race 'science'

What exactly is a gene? Is something invisible to the naked eye really important? We are all familiar with the idea of DNA, whether we are watching a TV show or sending off samples to a “genetic ancestry” company. It looks simple: provide some saliva and catch the killer or find your long-lost ancestor. In reality, it is not straightforward. Join me as we explore what a gene is, and how this thing, so tiny as to be invisible to the naked eye, has been used and abused. What can genes tell us? What cannot they tell us?

This week we will explore the basics of genetics. Genetics is an important and vibrant field, but it has its limitations. More importantly, concepts of genetics, superiority and adaptation pre-date the actual scientific study of genetics. This week we trace the complex history of the gene and focus on what we can and cannot learn.

Learning outcomes

By studying this week participants should have:

Familiarized themselves the basics of genetics
Explored the origins and impact of race ‘science’

Teaching Week 3 - The rise of civilisations

What is a civilisation? How does a civilisation emerge? This lecture will focus on specific examples of ‘civilisations’, but fundamentally it asks what a civilisation is. Why does the idea of a civilisation conjure up visions of the Roman Empire but not of Nubia, for example? Rather than exploring individual civilisations, this week we will look at the fundamental issues, while examining a number of key places and societies.

The aim is not to explore a specific ‘civilisation’ but, in line with the course ethos, to engage with the idea of civilisations. Participants will be taken on a journey, documentary-style, and their attention will be directed to the Big Questions.

Learning outcomes

By studying this week participants should have:

Developed an understanding of what a civilisation is
Developed a solid interpretive framework

Teaching Week 4 - Empires, Kingdoms and Power

What is an empire? If the concept of a civilization is hazy, how about an empire? What happens when empires fall? In this lecture we will delve further into power, and what happens when power is concentrated in the hands of one ruler? This week we will challenge what we think we know about kingship. Is kingship synonymous with empire? What does a king look like? Our journey will take us to Sudan, Mali and beyond as we explore different forms of power.

Learning outcomes

By studying this week participants should have:

Furthered their understanding of what a civilisation is
Developed experience in constructing their own arguments

Teaching Week 5 - Empires: ancient and modern

In the 21st century we are witnessing a widespread debate with imperialism and decolonization. Are empires a thing of the recent past? How might they differ from ancient empires? We will explore how ancient and modern empires conceptualize allies and enemies. How are divisions defined? Have they always been based on ideas of racial superiority?

This lecture discusses some hard-hitting topics. For example, what is the difference between Romans owning slaves and the Atlantic slave trade? Is discrimination a modern phenomenon? It is not, but its nature has changed considerably across time. This is something that archaeologists can and do trace in the archaeological record. It is also a multi-disciplinary project – because in asking the Big Questions we need to use a number of methods.

Learning outcomes

By studying this week participants should have:

Understood the different types of empires
The impact of different empires

Feedback Week

Virtual Learning Environment

Certificate of participation

A Certificate of Participation will be awarded to participants who contribute constructively to weekly discussions and exercises/assignments for the duration of the course.

What our students say

"This is another fascinating course from the ICE. Besides touching upon human evolution (which I wrongly thought would be the main theme), the tutor also gave an overview of various subjects. The topics of civilisation and the development of empires/kingdoms are particularly interesting and the related course materials certainly gave a different perspective compared with the conventional views. Overall speaking, I gained much knowledge through this course and the coverage of the course and the course materials surely exceeded my expectation."

"Isabelle's lectures where clear and she made tricky topics easy to follow and understand."

"It was brilliant to discuss archaeology with an expert such as Isabelle. I had private conversations on the invited zoom and participated in one of her lectures Jebel Moya. I'd never studied any aspects of archaeology before...and Isabelle informed me about Certificates and Diplomas with ICE."

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Requirements

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Entry requirements

This course is open to everyone, and you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject to attend.

Please note that all teaching is in English. You should have near-native command of the English language in order to get the maximum benefit from the course.

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Fees and financial support

tab3html:

Fees

VAT does not apply to course fees and there is no service charge (gratuities to domestic staff are left to your discretion).

Concessions

For more information on available concessions, please visit the Concessions information page on our website.

Alison Fordham Bursary

Application criteria:

Applicants should set out their personal learning motivations since priority will be given to those who are returning to learning after an extended break, or have not previously engaged with fully online learning, or are seeking to use the online short course as a bridge towards undergraduate award-bearing study.
Applicants who can demonstrate financial need.
Apply here https://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/bursary-application

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