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Overview
Cost
Curriculum
Term Dates
Assessment
FAQs
Student Testimonies
Meet your lecturers

Who the One-Year Programme is for

The One-Year Hybrid Course is for Christians who want to be better equipped for evangelism and apologetics. It suits people who want to grow in confidence sharing their faith, answering questions thoughtfully, learning alongside others online, and discerning how their gifts and skills can be used in outreach and ministry. The programme welcomes Christians with diverse life experiences and values practical, usable learning. This course is particularly for those who cannot take an extended period to travel to Oxford, and is designed to be taken on alongside your existing commitments where you are.

How the year works

This is a hybrid year with OCCA from wherever you are: you join digitally each week, with one in-person intensive in Oxford at the end of September. The programme runs on Wednesday afternoons across three academic terms, starting in September 2026. Teaching is delivered by experienced evangelists, academics, and practitioners active in evangelism, public theology, and apologetics. Weekly online sessions include a short devotional, plus two one-hour slots made up of lectures, Q&A, workshops, and or small-group discussion, designed to be interactive and engaging. The in-person element of the course is a three-day intensive in Oxford in September. You will also have the option to join us a second time for a special track as part of the OCCA Summer School in July 2027.

Recommended background

Formal qualifications are not required. However, it is recommended that participants have an educational level broadly equivalent to A-Level (high school graduate) and or some prior exposure to apologetics, religious studies, theology, or philosophy. This is simply a guidepost for the level of difficulty and to help ensure the year feels stretching but doable.

How to apply

Applicants complete an application and then take part in an informal interview. The interview is used to help you discern whether the One-Year Programme is the right fit, or whether an alternative OCCA apologetics course would be a better starting point.

Apply today
Payment Options

Coming soon…

This year, we’re adding an optional 5-day OCCA Summer School element to the One-Year Programme, which will be reflected in the programme’s cost. In the meantime, there is no cost to apply, so please do submit your application.

Apply today!
Questions? We'd love to hear from you!

Bible Theology & Historical Jesus

The BIBLE stream prepares you to deal with questions about theology, the bible and the historical Jesus, such as: ‘Are the gospels reliable? Has the text changed? What can be known about Jesus?’ You’ll dive into theological topics that can be crucial in apologetics such as the Trinity, Revelation, Creation and Atonement. These combine to form both a foundation and framework for answering questions and for gospel outreach.

Lenses Philosophical Thinking

The LENSES stream deals with Logic & Critical Thinking, the Concept of Worldview and Epistemology. Through ‘steeling up’ lectures, you will learn how to engage with strong viewpoints on Monism, Naturalism, Hinduism, Buddhism, ‘Spiritual not Religious’ and Agnosticism. LENSES is an introductory course in how to think carefully and logically about the world using the tools of philosophy.

Issues Challenging Topics

The ISSUES stream tackles common objections or contentious topics, including: Science & Religion, Miracles, Race, Suffering & Natural disasters, Divine Hiddenness, Sexuality, Gender & Identity, Environmentalism, Artificial Intelligence & Transhumanism, Power & Abuse.

Skills Preaching and Q&A

Conversational outreach, answering questions and sharing the message of the gospel in a way that connects is what this course is all about. The supportive and encouraging SKILLS track equips you in multiple ways to effectively serve in Christian outreach. In supportive small workshops, you will get to grips with the basics of preparing, structuring and delivering different kinds of outreach talks. In the One Year Hybrid Course, we don’t presume that everyone is a public speaker. Creativity and clarity in communications is the goal.

Heart Character Formation

In this track, spiritual life, prayer and the formation of individual Christian faith are nurtured and encouraged through spiritual disciplines, meeting with a local mentor, group devotions, and learning in community. This is a stimulating and refreshing aspect of the course which is often a highlight for those studying at OCCA.

Term Dates

Provisional dates

Term 1 September – December 2026
Term 2 January – March 2027
Term 3 April – June 2027
Half-terms Reading/self-study during weeks in October 2026, February 2027, May 2027
Intensive (required) In person: A Thursday to Saturday in September 2026. Commonly the last week of September. Dates to be confirmed.
Summer School (optional) In person: Commonly the 3rd week in July for 5 days. Dates to be confirmed.

In term, students will meet weekly online on Wednesdays, 3:00-5:30pm UK time. Please note that the timezone will change between GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) and BST (British Summer Time) throughout the course.

 

Assessments to equip you for ministry

Assessments on the One-Year Programme are there to help you grow. They help you process what you’re learning, listen carefully to the beliefs and questions of others, and practise sharing the Gospel in a way that is thoughtful, accessible, and persuasive. We want you to finish the year more confident in your faith and better equipped for meaningful conversations.

How is the course assessed?

The course completion is dependent on;

attendance and participation at online sessions and intensives; completion of required work such as pre-reading and short written reflections;a combined grade from termly assessments, which may take the form of an essay, article, written talk or similar task.

The course is non-accredited, but certificates will be awarded for successful completion.

FAQs

  • An application form must be filled out and completed in its entirety. This includes some longer written responses. Once submitted, this will be viewed by the OCCA team, and you may be invited to attend a short online interview. This is intended to be a conversation to discern whether this course is the right fit for you;  there is no prep work required. Following this, we will notify you whether you have been awarded a place on the course, which you can secure with a deposit.
  • Interviews take place at three points in the year (Spring, Easter and Summer) rather than on an ad hoc basis.

No, this course does not count toward any official accredited degree. OCCA is an independent organisation that is not affiliated with any college or university

  • We do not ask for any specific prerequisites, but the majority of our students are educated to uan ndergraduate level.
  • There is no language test requirement, but applicants should be comfortable that all lectures and resources are provided in English. Lectures are not recorded.
  • You are required to join us online for the teaching each week during term dates on Wednesdays, 3-5:30pm UK Time.
    • Please note that the UK timezone will change between GMT and BST throughout the year.
  • There is one required three-day intensives in person in Oxford to attend (late September), and an option to attend a special track of the OCCA Summer School in July 2027.
  • In addition to the contact time, we anticipate that you will need to set aside an average of couple of hours each week for additional reading and assignments.
  • Our students are a diverse bunch from all over the world, with different ages, contexts and experiences. They share a passion for evangelism and apologetics, and are looking to deepen their understanding of issues and theology in order to increase their ability to share the gospel.
  • If you are not able to commit to joining the online sessions each week, unfortunately this course is not suitable for you! We do not record the live sessions, and do require that students attend these weekly sessions.
  • The September in-person intensive is a required part of the course that is an important aspect of the teaching and community.
  • Attending the OCCA Summer School is optional.
  • If you are unable to participate in the course due to its cost, please do still get in touch! We offer a small number of limited bursaries to students who would otherwise be unable to attend.
  • We are unable to award full bursaries. The maximum amount awarded is unlikely to be over 50% of the course fee; the majority of bursaries awarded will be lower.
  • We are only able to award bursaries towards the course fee, and cannot provide any funding towards travel or accommodation costs for the intensives.
  • As the OCCA is a charity, any bursary funding available is solely due to the generosity of our donors, and is dependent on the number of students applying for financial assistance.
  • Yes, we can offer a payment plan (either monthly or termly) if that is helpful.
  • There are only a limited number of places on the course, so we recommend you apply early! However, if you do not get a place, we do plan to run this course again next year.
  • You might be interested in some of the other courses we run!

If you have any further questions not answered here, please do contact our team at courses@theocca.org

  • I would highly encourage you to join this course! The lecturers are lovely and knowledgeable, we cover a wide range of topics and get the chance to practice different skills in a number of different settings. Plus, you can connect with a bunch of students from all over the world with totally different backgrounds!

    Rachel 2024-25 course student

  • Attending the one year OCCA Hybrid Course has been a deeply enriching experience. This course goes far beyond simply gaining knowledge. It challenges and shapes your understanding, encouraging personal growth and spiritual development. From where I started to where I am now, I can see how my perceptions have shifted and deepened. More importantly, I can see how God continues to lead me forward, using what I’ve learned not just to inform, but to transform both my thinking and how I engage with others.

    Martin 2024-25 course student

  • What a great way to build a thinking faith, being equipped in a wide range of issues which people can find challenging and being encouraged to engage thoughtfully and respectfully when questions get raised. [My favourite part of the course was] the people - getting to know fellow students and the OCCA staff, all part of God’s family.

    Simon 2024-25 course student
Photo of Aase Victoria Bøe
Aase Victoria Bøe

Aase Victoria is a Speaker-in-training at the OCCA The Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics.

She loves meeting people who think differently, especially when those encounters lead to meaningful conversations about life’s deepest questions.

Some of the questions she often explores and wrestles with include: If God exists, why doesn’t He make Himself more obvious? Are feelings a reliable guide to one’s relationship with God? If God is good, why is there so much evil in the world?

Alongside her interest in theology and philosophy, she has a passion for fantasy literature. She is fascinated by how stories like The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, and Avatar awaken in us a sense of longing – and by the question of whether that longing points to something real beyond ourselves.

Though she has always been a Christian, she has also always been a sceptic. Her questions about faith sparked a lifelong desire to search for truth and to examine which worldview best explains the reality we live in. For that reason, she believes it is essential to honestly explore and engage with the many questions people bring to the Christian faith.

Aase Victoria holds a degree in Theology and Leadership (BTh.) from the Norwegian School of Leadership and Theology. She is currently studying philosophy at the University of Cambridge and Intellectual History at the University of South-Eastern Norway.

In the past, she worked as editor of the Christian online youth magazine iTro.no in Norway. She has also worked on ethical issues relating to human dignity, biotechnology, abortion, and euthanasia.

While from Norway, Aase Victoria currently lives in Oxford with her husband.

Photo of Alanzo Paul
Alanzo Paul

Alanzo is passionate about literature, philosophy and theology. His work primarily focuses on questions such as, ‘Why does God allow suffering and injustice?’ and ‘What is the meaning of life?’. Additionally, he enjoys exploring topics such as the Occult, identity, Gen Z, difficult passages in the Old Testament, and the case for the historical Jesus.

Photo of Ben Thomas
Ben Thomas
Ben qualified as a doctor in 2003, and worked full-time in the medical field outside of the one year he took to pursue training in Theology and Apologetics at the University of Oxford and OCCA. In 2016, he became a consultant in Neurosciences Intensive Care Medicine and Anaesthesia unit, but now works as a consultant part-time alongside his role as a speaker at the OCCA.
Ben has interests in the intersection of faith and sexuality, gender, medical ethics, and psychology. He has spoken numerous times to the younger generations and adults in churches, conferences, and mission events across the UK and Australia. In his attempts to work out what it looks like to follow Jesus well, he is also a keen runner (Forrest Gump style!), musician, chef, and loves spending time with his family, friends, and Godchildren.
Photo of Charlie Styles
Charlie Styles

Revd. Charlie Styles is currently an Associate Speaker with OCCA, has been in church leadership for 12 years and loves teaching the Bible. Before becoming an Associate speaker, Charlie spent the last three years as CEO, helping to set the direction of OCCA through strategic and mission initiatives.

Photo of Cristo Rodriguez
Cristo Rodriguez
Cristo has a background in Modern Foreign Languages and Religious Education in secondary schools. He has been involved in education for over 20 years in one form or another. Having worked in schools abroad with the British Council he worked in Alternative Provision, Youth Work and the voluntary sector as well being Managing Director of a Christian Education Charity and recently a Chaplain. He currently works as a subject leader in Religious Education and is a speaker and tutor responsible for schools work here at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. Cristo will be a Farmington Scholar at Harris Manchester College University of Oxford 2024/25 researching RE exam questions. Cristo is also a trustee of the Association of Christian Teachers (ACT) and a member of the Christian Coalition for Education (CCFE) and a Committee Member of the Religious Education Network (REN).
Photo of John Lennox
John Lennox
John is the President of the OCCA The Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. He is an Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at Oxford University and speaks on the interface of science, and religion, and is a well-known biblical teacher. He has debated the likes of Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Peter Singer, and has lectured extensively in North America, Eastern and Western Europe, and Australasia on mathematics, the philosophy of science and the intellectual defence of Christianity.
John is also an Emeritus Fellow of Green Templeton College, Oxford University. In addition, he is a Senior Fellow with the Trinity Forum, and has written a number of books exploring the relationship between science and Christianity, among them: Where is God in a Coronavirus World? (2020), 2084: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity (2021), and Cosmic Chemistry: Do God and Science Mix? (2021). Most recently, Lennox has produced a biblical exposition, Friend of God: The Inspiration of Abraham in an Age of Doubt.
He gained his MA, MMath, and PhD at Emmanuel College, Cambridge University. He also holds an MA and DPhil from Oxford University (by incorporation), an MA in Bioethics from the University of Surrey, and a DSc from the University of Wales.
John lives near Oxford and is married to Sally. They have three grown up children and ten grandchildren.
Photo of Lara Buchanan
Lara Buchanan

Lara Buchanan holds degrees in History, English Literature, and a PGCE in Secondary Education from the University of Cape Town. She also has a Certificate in Apologetics through the OCCA The Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics, and Theology from Oxford University. Previously, Lara worked for several years as an English and History secondary school teacher, before going on to run the internship and theological training program for St Aldates Church, Oxford.

Lara has a specific interest in studying the impact of Jesus’ life for the individual and for the community. Lara has spoken in various academic and corporate settings in Africa, Europe, Asia, North America, and across the UK. Her hope is to develop meaningful connections with people from other cultures, faiths, and worldviews in order to explore the deep questions of life together within the context of friendship.

 

Photo of Max Baker-Hytch
Max Baker-Hytch

Dr. Max Baker-Hytch is the Academic Advisor at OCCA. He received his PhD in Philosophy from Oxford University in 2014. Afterwards, he held two postdoctoral research fellowships, one at Oxford (2014-15), and one at the University of Notre Dame. Separately to his role at OCCA, he is Lecturer in Philosophy at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University.

Photo of Rahil Patel
Rahil Patel
Rahil's work revolves around Hinduism and searches how to offer the beauty of the Christian Gospels to that eastern worldview in order to build bridges across demographics and faiths.
Photo of Sara Stevenson
Sara Stevenson
Sara is passionate about exploring questions raised by Philosophy of Religion and Ethics. She has an MSc in Philosophy of Science and Religion from the University of Edinburgh, and an Education Degree in Religious Studies.
Photo of Simon Edwards
Simon Edwards
Simon Edwards is a speaker and writer at the OCCA The Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. His work focusses on addressing the deep questions of our culture and pointing to meaningful answers that found in the Christian faith. Simon originally hails from Australia, where he worked as a lawyer, before moving to the UK to study apologetics at OCCA and Theology at Oxford University.
He is the author of The Sanity of Belief: Why Faith Makes Sense (2021) and speaks widely about the evidence for Christian faith. Simon has spoken in various contexts around the world around the world (i.e., Oxford, Cambridge, Hong Kong, Oslo, and Queensland).  including churches, businesses, government institutions, conferences, and university campuses. In the UK, he has been interviewed for several BBC Radio programs, as well as Christian radio stations and podcasts, including Unbelievable? on Premier Christian Radio and Facing the Canon with J John.
Simon lives in Buckinghamshire, England, with his wife, Natasha, and their three young children.
Photo of Tom Price
Tom Price
Tom Price studied Philosophy at university and later completed an MA in Christian Apologetics, and is currently undertaking doctoral research in theology, philosophy and film.

What our students are saying…

  • I enjoyed the Q&R. Not only did I feel heard and understood, but all the responses of lecturers to my questions really widened my scope of knowledge.     

    Pehan. D Alumni

  • Although apprehensive  beforehand, I really enjoyed the assignment. It was rewarding and enlightening to actually practice apologetics. The principle of responding to an individual rather than an argument and of listening well really came through clearly and will stay with me.

    John. B Alumni

  • The speakers,[have] been a tremendous help and encouragement in my personal evangelism. It is easy to get discouraged but having this course has been a help.

    Nick. E Alumni

  • When I started this course the first thing I said to my family is how grateful I was that every week we spend time with one another.  I love seeing all the beautiful faces of different colours and hearing all the different beautiful accents of my brothers and sisters in Christ, and knowing we are all there for one purpose - we want to share the Gospel effectively.  I love hearing the discussions and even coming to know a little about them personally.   It is a blessing to be able to interact with the OCCA speakers, and I find the little devotional time in the beginning enriches our time together.  This is truly the best online course I have taken in apologetics.

    Candice. C Alumni

  • It is very encouraging to see people from all over who are passionate about reaching the lost in whichever vocation and location the Lord has put them in. 

    Earl. A Alumni