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anythingispossible

Academic excellenceOxfords intensive teaching style isintellectually challenging, and leads to aworld-class education.See pp 45

Generous financial supportOxford is committed to providinggenerous support to Home/EU studentsfrom the lowest-income backgrounds.See pp 120121

Top career outcomesWhen our undergraduates go on to full-

time work, they have a median income20% higher than the UK average within 6months of graduating.See pp 122123

Hundreds of course optionsOxford offers traditional courses andmore unusual ones, some of which areunique to us.See pp 16117

Individual attentionOxford is made up of small academiccommunities called colleges, where you

will be taught in small groups or evenone-to-one.See pp 124163

World-class resourcesOxfords libraries and museums aresecond to none in their historicalbuildings and collections. Whether yourinterest is fossils or first editions, you canfind something to interest you here.See pp 172175

At the cutting edgeYes, we are an innovative researchinstitution, but thats not all thatsmodern about Oxford. We have manybrand-new buildings and a wifi networkcovering most of the city centre.See p 176

A diverse student bodyWhoever you are and wherever yourefrom, Oxford wants to welcome you.We have students from 142 differentcountries and aged 1677.See pp 177181

The Oxford experienceOxford students like to play as hard asthey work. The city has vibrant nightlifeand a thriving live music scene, whilehundreds of student societies coverevery conceivable interest.See pp 166171

from students and tutors

We hope youll enjoy reading thisprospectus and finding out what its liketo study at Oxford University. We knowthat you would like find out as much aspossible about the course, or courses,youre interested in. Weve providedvideos online for each one so that youcan hear more from Oxford studentsand tutors. These videos are easilyaccessible from your mobile device.

Heres what you need to do:

Download the free Layarapp on to your mobiledevice: get.layar.com.

With Layar running, holdthe device over the videoframe where you see theLayar icon.

Tap to watch our video

when it is displayed.

If you dont have amobile device: just visitox.ac.uk/courses.

Hear more

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Oxford has been awarded the Buttle UK Quality Mark in

recognition of support offered to care leavers throughout

the application process and during their time studying here.

If you have spent time in care and are thinking of applying,

or you are supporting a care-leaver in this situation, you

can visit ox.ac.uk/students/shw/careleaversfor

more information and contact details.

Do you need thisprospectus in another

format?Download a high-contrast version

from ox.ac.uk/moreinfoBraille, large print and audio formatsare also available on request from:

Admissions Information Centre

+44 (0) 1865 288000

study@ox.ac.uk

ox.ac.uk/study

Wednesday2July|Thursday3July|Friday

19September

There are also various smallerevents throughout the year.

See p 184 or ox.ac.uk/opendays

no. in Europe

no. in the world

Times Higher EducationWorld University Rankings

2013/14

DISCLAIMER

Details are correct at the time of going to press in January

2014. Any updates or changes to information can be found

on our webpages ox.ac.uk/study.

PRODUCTION

Produced by the University of Oxford

Public Affairs Directorate

Distributed by the Undergraduate Admissions Office

University Offices, Wellington Square, Oxford OX1 2JD

Telephone: +44 (0) 1865 288000

Printed on UPM Fine by Belmont Press, Great Britain

The University of Oxford 2014

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may

be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or

transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic,

mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,

without prior permission.

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Contents

Introduction2I love Oxford

4An Oxford degree

6 Oxford: opening doors 8Is Oxford for me?

10A day in the life

Courses 12Oxford courses

13 Entrance requirements

14Subject requirements

16 Archaeology and Anthropology

18Biochemistry

20Biological Sciences

22Biomedical Sciences

24 Chemistry 26Classical Archaeology

and Ancient History

28 Classics

30Classics and English

32Classics and Modern Languages

34Classics and Oriental Studies

36 Computer Science

38 Computer Science and Philosophy

40Earth Sciences

42 Economics and Management

44Engineering Science

46 English Language and Literature

48 English and Modern Languages 50 European and Middle Eastern

Languages

52Fine Art

54Geography

56 History

58 History (Ancient and Modern)

60History and Economics

62History and English

64 History and Modern Languages

66History and Politics

68History of Art

70Human Sciences

72Law (Jurisprudence) 74Materials Sciences

76Mathematics

78 Mathematics and Computer Science

80Mathematics and Philosophy

82Mathematics and Statistics

84Medicine

88Modern Languages

92 Modern Languages and Linguistics

94Music

96Oriental Studies

100 Philosophy and Modern Languages

102Philosophy, Politics

and Economics (PPE)

104Philosophy and Theology

106 Physics

108Physics and Philosophy

110Psychology (Experimental)

112Psychology, Philosophy

and Linguistics

114 Theology and Religion

116Theology and Oriental Studies

Applying to Oxford,finance and careers

118Applying to Oxford120Student finance

122Your career after Oxford

Colleges124 Oxford colleges

126 Which colleges offer my course?

128The colleges (alphabetically)

163Choosing a college

Supporting yourstudies164Where will I live?

166Exploring Oxford168Clubs and societies

169Oxford University Student

Union (OUSU)

169 Sport

170Music

170Choral and organ awards

171Drama

172Libraries

174Museums and collections

176 IT Services

176Language Centre

177Support and well-being178International students

179 Mature students

180Disabled students

181Equality for all

Events and ways tofind out more182Open days

184Events in Oxford

186Events near you

188 Admissions Information Centre

188Publications

189Oxford online

Index and maps190 Index

191Small print

192 Maps

Contents

Oxford gave me confidence toargue my point and think formyself, and opened doors to thebest employers in the country.Gary, Managing Director CD (UK) LTD

It felt great to find out that I wasgoing to receive such generousfinancial support, far beyond whatI might have previously hoped for.I was genuinely surprised by the size

of the scholarship and the range ofopportunities it could provide.Nikita, Moritz-Heyman Scholar

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Oxford retains a special place in the academiclandscape of the UK and in the hearts of those

who live, study and teach here.

There are many reasons why Oxford generates

such admiration, pride and loyalty. No individual

reason is unique, but when they are all viewed

together it becomes clear that Oxford is a

university like no other. These are the

characteristics that have differentiated Oxford

from all other universities for hundreds ofyears, and will continue to form the essence

of the Oxford experience for years to come.

At the heart of learning

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IloveOxford

I didnt know what to expect from Oxford other thana great education. In fact those three years havestayed with me in all sorts of ways. But perhapsmost importantly I left university feeling able tochoose who I wanted to be and what I wanted to do.I still feel lucky to have been there.Matthew, Oxford graduate

The college system

Every student at Oxford is a member of acollege. They are sometimes compared to hallsof residence at other universities, but they areso much more besides. Your college will beyour home for much of your time at Oxford,providing accommodation, meals, a libraryand IT support. The relatively small numberof students at each college allows for closeand supportive personal attention to be givento your induction, academic developmentand welfare.

See p 124 for more information aboutcolleges at Oxford.

Tutorial teachingTutor is Oxfords name for a member ofacademic staff. They are often world-leadingexperts in their field, and tutorials are a chanceto get individualised teaching from them. Atleast once a week in each subject studied, groupsof two or three students will spend an hourwith their tutor, discussing a topic in depth.

This personalised attention means that youwill face rigorous academic challenges on a

weekly basis, encouraging and facilitatingyour learning in a way that just isnt possiblein a lecture. It also means that tutors areimmediately aware if you need any extrasupport with any aspect of your course, sothey can help you right away.

Financial support

Oxford is strongly committed to thisprinciple: if you are a UK student and havethe talent and ability to study with us, youshould never be put off from applying forfinancial reasons. In 201516, Oxford iscommitted to providing generous financialsupport to students from lower-incomehouseholds, to ensure they can make themost of what Oxford has to offer.

See p 120 for more information aboutfinancial support at Oxford.

Career opportunitiesOxford graduates are highly valued byemployers for their communication,leadership and problem-solving skills.Hundreds of recruiters visit the Universityeach year, and nearly 95% of all Oxfordleavers are in work or further study sixmonths after leaving. The Careers Servicecan help you find an internship, learnbusiness skills and land your dream job.

See p 122 for more informationabout careers after Oxford.

OXFORDGRADUATES:MOSTEMPLOYABLEIn the 2013 Global Employability

Rankings, Oxford was ranked #1 by

2,700 recruiters around the world.

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Oxford University is world famous for academic

excellence. We pick the best and brightest

students purely on their academic merit andpassion for their chosen course. If that sounds

like you, and you like to think for yourself,

Oxford could be the right university for you.

The system of teaching at Oxford combines the

best of one-to-one or small group tutorials in

college with the wealth of resources in the

University. Students share lectures, classes and

practicals in their department, depending on

their subject. Studying at Oxford is exciting: a

springboard from which to dive into an ocean

of opportunities.

anythingispossible

An

degree

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AnOxforddegree

Each Oxford course has a compulsory core, plus various options you can choosefrom to tailor it to your personal interests. These aspects of the course areorganised by departments of the central University:

AssessmentOxford courses have two stages. There areexams at the end of the first stage (usually

the end of the first year) that you must passto continue the course, but dont count foryour final grade.

After this, assessment depends on thecourse you are studying (see pp 16117).You might sit your Finals (written exams onwhich your final grade is based) at the endof your last year, or at the end of each year.Some exams may be replaced by a project,extended essay or dissertation, or theremight be an oral exam.

PracticalsAll students inscience-basedsubjects cometogether for labworkand/or fieldwork.Typically, sciencestudents can expectat least two half-daysin the lab per week.

LecturesAll students in a

particular subject willcome together forlectures. These providecore information aboutdifferent elements ofyour course that youmay find useful intutorials, essays orexams.

Tutorials take place at least once a week and its up to you toresearch and prepare for them. Then you meet your tutor,perhaps with one or two other students, to discuss an essayor solutions to set problems. The aim is to review your answersor theories and explore ideas that arise in discussion.

A tutorial relies on the exchange of ideas between you, your tutor andother students. You dont need to be experienced in debating justready to present and defend your opinions, accept constructive criticismand listen to others.

Tutorials develop your ability to think for yourself not only an essentialability for academic success but also a skill that the best employers lookfor in Oxford graduates.

Colleges are notjust where you live,but in most cases

are your base fortutorial teaching

Selecting the rightcourse is the mostimportant decisionyou will have tomake when applyingto university

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As a truly global university, Oxfordunderstands the importance of internationalexperiences to your academic, career andpersonal development. There are opportunitiesto study, work, or undertake research indozens of countries across every inhabitedcontinent. These are organised and funded bythe University and last year more than 1,300undergraduate students participated. Someexamples include: A year abroad for all students of Modern

Languages, Oriental Studies and Law withLaw Studies in Europe

Student exchanges with Princeton Summer Schools at universities in the US,

China and Singapore Field trips to Borneo, Spain and Greece Over 650 college travel grants to anywhere

in the worldox.ac.uk/students/goabroad

ErasmusWhen you see this logo on a course page,this means that there are study exchangeswhich let you spend up to 12 months at oneof our partner universities. ModernLanguages students also have the option ofan Erasmus work placement during theircompulsory year abroad. Erasmus issupported by the European Commission,and includes a monthly allowance to helptowards the costs of being abroad.ox.ac.uk/erasmus

Theres more to Oxford than just your course.

Studying at Oxford can be a gateway to a whole

world of unique possibilities.

International study & research

openingdoors

Oxford helped makeme who I am today.Yes, that's corny, but it's true andit's wonderful. I've had the chanceto explore a million different thingshere (I've played three different

sports at uni level, been a memberof two committees, and helped startup Sports Plus), and I've also hadthe chance to meet a milliondifferent people. It's all helped mefigure out who I am and what I wantto be doing.Heather, 4th year

My favouriteOxford memory is...watching the US presidentialelection results at 4am with fellowstudents who were equally aspassionate about internationalpolitics as I was. It was a reallyamazing experience to be able toshare something so important withso many people.Charlie, 2nd year

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For information

about studying at

Oxford University as

an international student

please see p 178

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Oxford:openingdoors

Find an internshipOxfords Internship Office coordinateshundreds of student placements each year, manyof them paid. An internship can give invaluableinsight into the country or industry you areinterested in from publishing in Hong Kongto museums in the US to climate change researchin the UK.

Learn business skillsThe Student Consultancy programme trainsteams of students to help Oxfordshireorganisations solve real business problems:it gives great work experience for all types ofwork, including consultancy.

The Shed provides a space to develop yourown ideas for innovation and entrepreneurship.There is training for students intending to starttheir own business.

Gain confidenceSpringboard is an award-winning programme

for professional women. The Oxford versionprovides female undergraduates with the toolsto enhance their personal development in allaspects of life.

There is also a Womens Leadershipdevelopment programme run by theStudent Union.

Develop your employabilityOxford's intellectually demanding academiccourses will equip you for many jobs. Thetutorial system will teach you to research,summarise, present and defend an argument.

Taking part in student societies can alsobe helpful in demonstrating teamwork andtime management, as well as giving you anopportunity to try out leadership andresponsibility.

Building your career

The bestthing Oxforddid for me...was when I joined thecommittee of the ScientificSociety. Over the past twoyears, I've been able to meetand talk at length with someof the best-known scientistsin the UK and beyond,including invaluable contactsin my own field.Nessa, 4th year

Choosing Oxford can make an enormousdifference, not just for the three or four yearsof your degree, but for the rest of your life.Wherever you go after graduating, fromLondon to Johannesburg, you will be partof a community of more than 200,000graduates who have shared the sameunique educational experience.

All Oxford alumni benefit from lifelongaccess to this network through more than200 volunteer-run groups in the UK andoverseas. The University also continuesto provide alumni with careers support

and access to the latest research whetherthats through extended membership ofthe Bodleian libraries or attendance atan exclusive event.

Oxford for life

www.alumni.ox.ac.uk

^

www.careers.ox.ac.uk^ MORE ON

Careers p 122Student clubs & societies p 168

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Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about Oxford...

What can I study?Oxford offers both traditional coursesand more unusual ones, some of whichare unique to the University. Read moreabout them on pp 16117.

How will I be taught?You will be taught in small groups byexperts in your subject. There are alsolectures and, depending on your subject,classes or practicals. See An Oxforddegree (p 4).

What is a college?Oxford University is made up of manydifferent colleges. All students aremembers of a college, which provideswelfare support and academicsupervision. See Oxford colleges (p 124).

Where will I live?Your college will provide accommodationfor your first year. After this, you canchoose to live in college for at least onemore year, or move out and rent a place

with friends. See Where will I live?(p 164).

Will I be happy?Oxford scored 91% for student satisfactionin the 2013 National Student Survey wellabove average. There is lots of supportavailable if you need it see Support andwell-being (p 177).

Will an Oxford degree helpme get a job?95% of Oxford leavers are employed sixmonths after graduating, and those in full-time jobs have a median salary that is 20%

higher than the UK average. See Your careerafter Oxford (p 122).

Can I afford it?In 2012 and 2013, Oxford provided themost generous, no-strings attached financialsupport to UK/EU students from the lowest-income backgrounds. The exact financialsupport package for 2015 has not yet beenconfirmed, but Oxford remains committedto providing generous funding. See Studentfinance (p 120)

Is it just hard work?Oxford is famous for its student social life.Its quite hard to have an interest which youcant pursue here there are over 600 clubsand societies, and you can always start yourown. See Clubs and societies (p 168).

Is forme?

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IsOxfordforme?

Am I clever enough?If you expect to achieve AAA or more atA-level (or similar grades in an equivalent

qualification see ox.ac.uk/enreqs) thenyou could make a competitive applicationto Oxford. The exact grades required willdepend on the course see pp 16117.

What subjects do I need?That depends on the course see Subjectrequirements (pp 1415). Apart from anyspecific requirements, we accept almostall subjects particularly those which candemonstrate that you have the necessaryskills for your chosen degree.

Can someone from my schoolever get in?Absolutely yes. Oxford does not carewhere you have been to school as long asyou can show academic potential.

Do I have to be an all-rounder?No selection at Oxford is purelyacademic. Unless your extra-curricularachievements can help demonstrate yourpassion for and commitment to yoursubject, they wont influence whether ornot you get a place.

Do I have to choose acollege?When you apply, you can specify which

college youd prefer, but it is not required;in 2013, 34% of successful applicants gotan offer from a college they didnt specify.See Oxford colleges (p 124).

Is there a test?Many courses require you to take anadmissions test, for which separateregistration is required. It is yourresponsibility to make sure you registerfor any test in time. Details of testsare on the individual course pages(see pp 16117), or at ox.ac.uk/tests.

What about the interview?If you are shortlisted, we will invite you tointerview. Interviews are held in Decemberand are designed to see if you are likelyto enjoy studying here. Find out more atox.ac.uk/interviews.

What if I dont live in the UK?All students compete for the same placesand apply in exactly the same way. If youare shortlisted for interview, this mayhappen by telephone or Skype. SeeInternational students (p 178).

FAQs about applying...

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Here are some examples of what a typical day can be like

as an Oxford student. Of course the details are different

for different subjects, and will vary depending on what

you like to do in your spare time. Visit our website to see

some more weekly timetables at ox.ac.uk/week

A day in the life

Henna: 1st-year PPE student

7.30am Get up and ready

9am Library all economics students are there.

I tie up some loose ends on my economics essay.

11am Time for a cup of tea I go to the JCR for tea

and biscuits and spend half an hour chilling out.

11.45am Production meeting were trying to put on

a Molire play, so we need to sort out bids,

the budget, auditions and things like that.

12.30pm Lunch, and then start some readingfor

an essay

2pm Logic class this is part of the Philosophy

course. Its like learning a language, and helps

you to see how good an argument is.

4pm Time for another cup of tea

- During tea, I complete my University

Challengeapplication.

4.30pm Readingfor an essay. The essay title is

Is it irrational to believe that the sun will

rise tomorrow?

Evening Dinner with friendsat a restaurant in town.

James: 4th-year Physics student

8.30am Gym its a great way to start the day,wakes me up and gets the endorphins going.

10am Lectures

12pm Lunch Im trying to do packed

lunches at the moment to save a

bit of cash, but I might buy a coffee.

1pm Library I might do a bit of admin for

Teach Green a volunteering project where

we go into primary schools and teach them

about the environment or work on a job

application, until I get settled. Then I get on

with my problem set: a series of questions

to work through in preparation for next

weeks tutorial, drawing on things Ive learnt

in lectures and studied in labs.

6pm Teach Green committee meeting

6.45pm Dinner in college it's a nice time to get

everyone together and catch up on the day.

Evening If its a busy week, Ill go and work in the

college library; if not, Ill meet up with

some friends.

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Nicole: 1st-year History & Politics student

6am Rowing I cycle down to Christ ChurchMeadow to go rowing. Im a morning

person, so like getting up early!

8.30am Shower and breakfast

10am Lectureon US Politics.

11am Reading I head back to college

to do some reading.

1pm Lunchat college.

2pm I relaxfor a while, and do some Japanese

studyready for this evenings class at the

Language Centre.

5pm Tutorial with two others. We go through

our essays that we submitted yesterday and

discuss our arguments.

6pm Japanese class Im enjoying starting to

get to know the characters in the group

now - its a real mix!

8pm Meet some friends in town to have dinner.

Evening I prepare some workfor a class that I am

teaching tomorrow at a local school, whichis organised through Schools Plus.

Jamie: 2nd-year Medicine student

9am Lecture 9am is usually when teachingstarts, although we have a few precious 10am

starts! I grab breakfast on the go and usually

sneak in at the back of the lecture. The

lecture is on virology.

10am Living anatomy we get to prod and poke

each other! Today, were looking at cranial

nerves so we test sensory reactions like taste.

11.30am An optional Computer Aided Learning

class I popped in and then went to the

Biochemistry caf for lunch with some friends.

2pm Tutorial in college We discussed essaysand then did a short presentation on a

pathogenic bacteria. Everyone picked the

most gruesome thing they could. I went for

syphilis. The tutorial was bigger than usual,

because we were doing presentations.

3.30pm Home finished off my essay work and

prepared for an upcoming tutorial.

6pm Dinner

7pm Rehearsal I play trombone in the Jazz

Orchestra so I cycled down to the MusicFaculty for the rehearsal.

10pm Catch up with friends to round off the day.

Adayinthelife