Our new part-time Diploma has been specifically designed for professionals working in education, policy and technology interested in developing competency as research-informed leaders in the field. The PGDip AIEd is offered on a part-time basis, taking place over three academic terms.
Who is the course for?
- Educators: classroom teachers, school leaders, and higher education professionals who are increasingly requested to lead the integration and evaluation of AI-powered tools into pedagogy, assessment, and education systems.
- Policy-makers and system leaders including professionals in government agencies, local authorities, NGOs, and international organisations responsible for shaping education policy and regulatory frameworks in response to AI.
- Technology professionals including product designers, managers, and strategists seeking to align innovation with sound pedagogy, ethical frameworks, and regulatory requirements.
Please note that delivery of this course is mostly online to allow you to engage at your own pace whilst working. There is a one-week residential in January to set the foundations for the year and allow you to meet tutors and your cohort.
Please note:
Applicants applying to this course on or before the deadline of 6 November 2026, will be considered for a January 2027 start. The course information on this page is for the 2026-27 academic year. Information for entry in the 2027-28 academic year (starting August 2027) is on a separate course page. Please apply for the start date that you would prefer.
This interdisciplinary course draws on expertise from across the University of Oxford to support the core teaching team in our Department of Education. Drawing on Oxford’s expertise in research, pedagogy, and policy engagement, this programme will empower you to set the global standard for rigorous, ethical, and considered practice in AI and education.
A key feature of this course is the opportunity to learn alongside professionals from other sectors. The global challenges related to AI in education demand an interdisciplinary, cross-sector approach. Participants will develop cross-sector understanding of AI in education enhanced through collaborative projects. In addition, as a result of enrolling in this course, participants will benefit from:
- Prestigious, globally recognised degree qualification from the University of Oxford.
- Applied professional focus with outputs directly applicable to practice (e.g. school strategies, policy briefs, product roadmaps).
- Access to a thriving, global professional network during the course and as alumni.
On completing their studies, participants should feel more confident to lead AI and digital transformation as a research-informed, interdisciplinary and collaborative endeavour.
The course consists of three summatively assessed modules and one formatively assessed module. An optional research skills module will be available for the duration of the course and can be studied independently at your own pace.
Core components
Residential Week (January
Before the formal start of term, you will attend a one-week residential module in the Department of Education at Oxford. At the residential week you will meet your fellow participants and course leaders. The week will help to prepare you for the coming year’s study by introducing key themes around research and evidence in AI in education, exploring the principles of conducting and interpreting AI in education research, introducing you to the University’s IT and library systems, and providing guidance on engaging with research literature and writing for an academic audience. You will also get to meet and spend time with thought leaders in the field from across Oxford and around the world.
Module 1: Building the foundations of research-informed practice for AI in education (Hilary Term)
This module will be taken in Hilary term. You will explore what it means to be a research-informed practitioner, and the types of research that help us understand AI in education.
Module 2: Leading AI in Education as a research-informed practitioner (Trinity Term)
This module will be taken in Trinity term and focuses on applying your understanding of module 1 into real-world, cross sector scenarios for AI in education.
Module 3: Independent research project (the Long Vacation and Michaelmas Term)
You will build on your learning in Modules 1 and 2, to plan, conduct and write up an independent study/project relating to AI in Education. Supported by your academic supervisor, you will formulate a research question to be addressed through action research in your own professional context, or through a literature-based enquiry. You will conduct the study and write it up in a dissertation of between 10- and 15,000 words. The focus of your study will be unique to your professional development goals and circumstances, and will provide you with the opportunity to address to real-world questions about working with AI in Education.
Assessment
Assessment will take the form of both formative assessment and summative assessment. Formative assessments take place throughout the programme. There will be three summative assessments: one 2,500 word paper at the end of Module 1, one Strategic Simulation Task that is equivalent to a 2,500 word assignment at the end of Module 2, and a 10,000-15,000 research report based on independent study. All written summative assessments are uploaded to the University’s submission portal.
FAQs
What should I include in my statement of purpose and how long should it be?
Your statement of purpose should tell us why you are interested in following this particular course and how you feel that you will benefit from it. You should aim to submit one to two pages, which also includes an account of your career to date and the benefits of any professional or academic learning you have already undertaken. Please include your commitment to the subject, beyond the requirements of the course, and your capacity for sustained and intense work.
Do I need to attend the residential unit and is there an additional cost?
Yes, participants are required attend the one-week residential module in January prior to the formal start of the course, which covers introduction to:
- Key themes around research and evidence in AIEd
- Exploration of the principles of AIEd research
- The VLE (Canvas) which you will use while taking part in the course
- The Bodleian Education Library
- Guidance on engaging with research literature and writing for an academic audience
You will also have opportunity to spend time with your fellow participants and course leaders.
The residential lasts for five days, running from Monday to Friday. Participants are expected to find and pay for their own accommodation and subsequent refreshments. Further information is provided on entry to the course.
How much time will I be expected to study?
Terms at Oxford are 8 weeks long. participants will be provided with one 1.5-hour pre-recorded lecture for each week of the taught modules, accompanied by a mix of pre- and post-lecture readings, forum discussions, and independent and collaborative activities. Each week, participants are expected to spend 4 hours on pre- and post-session reading, and 4 hours on post-session tasks.
The practice-based research project module consists of seven hours of face-to-face support in the form of individual tutorials with your academic supervisor, and a further three hours of distance support (e.g. your supervisor reading and responding to drafts of your writing, or responding to enquiries about your project by email). Face-to-face tutorials will be distributed across the course, with two hours in Hilary Term, two hours in Trinity Term and three hours in the Long Vacation/Michaelmas Term.
How will my work on the course be supported?
You will be allocated a supervisor and be able to access the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (Canvas) to discuss aspects of your work with other participants. Other activities such as supervisory meetings will take place remotely, usually via MS Teams.
Who should I choose as my referees?
You are required to provide the details of three referees on your application form. We are looking for references from your employer, and an academic reference if possible. Please note that, as part of the University regulations, the Graduate Admissions Office is unable to release your application to us until you have provided at least two references with your application. Once we have received and considered your application we will then make a decision whether or not we wish to pursue the third if you have not already provided it.
How much will it cost to study and live in Oxford?
To find out how much it will cost to undertake your studies at the University, please visit the Fees and Living Costs webpage for details. As this is a distance degree, the only living costs in Oxford are associated with a one-week compulsory residential week at the start of the programme.
Will I have college membership?
Participants following diploma courses are not affiliated with a college at Oxford University.
Will I take part in the matriculation ceremony?
No, participants on this course do not matriculate. However, participants who successfully complete the course are invited to an award ceremony at the Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford.
Couldn’t find your answers under our FAQ section?
Please direct all enquiries to our administrative team and they will be happy to assist you.
Email: pgdip.ai@education.ox.ac.uk
