Schedule
The Who, What, When, and Where of the Universe!
About the Schedule
The 46th Annual Dickens Universe will begin on Sunday, July 26, 2026 and end on Saturday, August 1, 2026 at Cowell and Stevenson Colleges, UC Santa Cruz. Faculty and grad students should arrive Saturday afternoon, July 25, for a round of important meetings to be held through Sunday morning.
You’ll notice from the schedule that the program is full, although you have a free evening to go into town or explore the beautiful campus. We also don’t expect you to attend everything, so pace yourself.
Some sessions are only available to faculty and graduate students representing our consortium schools. Those items are indicated with an “F” for faculty or a “G” for graduate students. Other sessions signified with a “B” are by application or invitation only. If you have a question, please don’t hesitate to contact the Project office.
If you are joining virtually, you will have access to all virtual sessions (Plenary lectures and talks, Faculty-Led Contextual Discussion, Graduate-Led Seminar, Dickensian Seminar, and film screenings).
The schedule will also be available on Sched.com and via their mobile app. The mobile app allows you to build your own schedule and to easily share contact information with other conference participants.
What if I’m not a Scholar?
You do not need to be a scholar to attend. The morning and afternoon lectures are given by our consortium member faculty and sometimes invited guest faculty. These speakers share important scholarly research, while the evening talks are generally lighter and cover more general topics of the Victorian era. We try to offer activities for everyone, but please be aware that specific programs are restricted to our member faculty and grads as a privilege of membership. We offer a workshop for high school teachers as an opportunity to share teaching materials and strategies related to several 19th-century novels. We also have an undergraduate course for students enrolled in the LIT 112C: Charles Dickens summer class.
Take a peek at one of our previous programs — with our complete archive located under the History of the Universe.
Dickens Universe participants have the opportunity to select from multiple free seminars and activities that take place at various times throughout the week. If you’d like to participate in one of these activities, simply indicate when you register. There is no additional cost, and they are entirely optional.
Special Seminars & Activities
Dickensian Seminar: Can’t get enough? A Dickens Project faculty members facilitate a group of folks, including Community College instructors and others, who want a more in-depth discussion of the novel and the lectures. If you have more to say or want to move to another level, the Dickensian Seminar is the place for you.
Dickensian Activities: Rotated annually, the Dickens Universe hosts a variety of special activities to add a creative twist to the week. These activities include crafts such as knitting and needlepoint, field trips to the boardwalk and Arboreteum, and more.