Three-day BA in how to use eBay offered to the technically confused

It has sold Elvis's tooth, Margaret Thatcher's handbag, and a British student's virginity. Now eBay, the online auction phenomenon, has academic respectability too. Birmingham University is introducing a course to teach people how to use it.

It has sold Elvis's tooth, Margaret Thatcher's handbag, and a British student's virginity. Now eBay, the online auction phenomenon, has academic respectability too. Birmingham University is introducing a course to teach people how to use it.

The course, entitled "The Technological Simpleton's Guide to Buying and Selling on eBay", will be run as part of the university's summer school. As well as covering the logistics of buying and selling items, the three-day course, which costs £125, will also provide modules on different selling strategies.

Cherry Nixon, the course tutor and an antiques collector, said: "I use eBay every day - it's such a phenomenon and has been the perfect way of getting rid of tat. The problem with it, though, is that it does require lots of different skills. Bits are legally binding which some find quite scary."

The site was founded by a French businessman, Pierre Omidyar, in 1995 and has become one of the most successful internet companies, used by 100 million people worldwide, and with £500-worth of goods traded through it every second. Anyone can put something up for sale on the website. Auctions usually last about a week, though most of the bidding takes place in the last frenetic hour of the auction.

The website has become the scourge of bosses across the UK, as employers spend hours frantically bidding for football memorabilia or the latest DVDs. Some of the more bizarre items placed up for auction have included a person's soul and a bucket of water. The soul went for £11.61, while the water was sold for £200.

The new course was welcomed by eBay. A spokesperson said: "This course is further evidence of the demand from the UK population to get involved in a fun and profitable pastime."