Marxism: An Introduction



Overview

Marxism was a significant political force in twentieth-century history. It also flourished philosophically, with a wide range of thinkers drawn to Marxist theory and also keen to take it in new directions. This course will examine some of the key strands within Marxist philosophy, showing how they developed from Marx’s own theories, interpreted them anew and melded them with ideas from other intellectual traditions. Key figures to be considered will include Kautsky, Lenin, Lukács, Horkheimer, Adorno, Marcuse, Sartre and Althusser. The more recent movements of analytical Marxism and post-Marxism will also be examined.

 

Programme details

Courses starts: 23 Apr 2026

Week 1: The Marxism of the Second International

Week 2: The Russian Revolution

Week 3: Hegelian Marxism

Week 4: Soviet Marxism

Week 5: The early Frankfurt School

Week 6: The later Frankfurt School 

Week 7: Existentialist and Humanist Marxisms

Week 8: Structuralist Marxism

Week 9: Analytical Marxism

Week 10: Post-Marxism

Certification

Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme (CATS) Points

Only those who have registered for assessment and accreditation will be awarded CATS points for completing work to the required standard. Please note that assignments are not graded but are marked either pass or fail. Please follow this link for more information on Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme (CATS) points

Digital Certificate of Completion 

Students who are registered for assessment and accreditation and pass their final assignment will also be eligible for a digital Certificate of Completion. Information on how to access the digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course attended. You will be able to download the certificate and share it on social media if you choose to do so.

Please note students who do not register for assessment and accreditation during the enrolment process will not be able to do so after the course has begun.

Fees

Description Costs
Course fee (with no assessment) £300.00
Assessment and Accreditation fee £60.00

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:

Concessionary fees for short courses

Tutor

Dr Meade McCloughan

Meade McCloughan has been studying philosophy for over 40 years and has taught at University College London and Birkbeck College London.  He is on the organising group of the Marx and Philosophy Society.

Course aims

  • To examine the main developments with twentieth-century European Marxist philosophy.
  • To show how Marxist philosophers have built on, developed and transformed Marx's ideas.
  • To examine how the positions considered develop out of each other and relate to their historical contexts.
  • To evaluate the continuing relevance of Marxist philosophy.

Teaching methods

Extracts from all the material to be discussed will be made available in class.  The tutor will give a presentation in class, before opening up for discussion. Electronic presentations will be used and made available to students in advance in a variety of formats.  Students will be able to benefit from formative feedback on written work during the course.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will be expected to:

  • be able to understand key aspects of twentieth-century Marxist philosophies;
  • be able to appreciate how Marxist philosophies relate to other philosophical and theoretical positions.

Assessment methods

Participants will be given four short exercises during the course to take home and complete (up to 500 words each) and then return subsequently. The tutor will assess and provide written comments on completed exercises. Students will be able to do all four short exercises.

Students can choose to be assessed for the course EITHER on the basis of THREE completed short exercises OR by submitting an essay of 1,500 words on a chosen topic from the course (suggested questions will be provided during the course). Those choosing to write an essay can submit a 500 word draft for feedback in advance of submitting the final version or can use one of the short exercises for the same purpose.

Only those students who have registered for assessment and accreditation will submit coursework.

Application

To be able to submit coursework and to earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £60 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online. Please use the 'Book now' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an Enrolment form for short courses | Oxford University Department for Continuing Education

Students who do not register for assessment and credit during the enrolment process will not be able to do so after the course has begun. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.

Level and demands

The Department's Weekly Classes are taught at FHEQ Level 4, i.e. first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in a significant amount of private study in preparation for the classes. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class.

Some prior familiarity with Karl Marx's own theories would be advantageous.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support