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RECOMMENDED TUTORIALS (COURSES) A very wide range of courses is available at Oxford, taught by highly qualified specialists who are often leaders in their fields. The links below will take you to some of the many subject areas offered with descriptions of some tutorials and tutors that work with OSAP. In addition to your area of academic interest, it is recommended that you read the Academic Information carefully. ACADEMIC INFORMATION Associate Members and Visiting Students are not, of course, candidates for Oxford degrees. Their credits are awarded by their home colleges and count towards their home college degrees. Their curriculum in Oxford must, therefore, be approved by both their home college and their Oxford academic advisers. This means that many options are open to them, so long as the courses they study make good sense academically. Naturally, they must possess the academic background to pursue any particular course. Within those constraints, however, their Oxford academic advisers are free to seek out the best teachers available anywhere in the University. They will often be faculty of other colleges. The academic advisers have found by experience that most OSAP students tend to select from five or six subjects, primarily history, English, politics (including political thought and international relations), economics and philosophy. A few students will study psychology, physics, chemistry, math, law, geography, sociology, art history, etc. (Remember that practical science courses, i.e., those requiring laboratory facilities, are usually available given sufficient notice). Laboratory use must be approved by the Science Department, not by your Oxford college. Study at the graduate level is available. Several students enrolled by Law Schools received ARA approval to study in this program. We also have many summer courses. Home college advisers and students often ask for course descriptions of Oxford tutorials. Since all education at Oxford is highly individual (the exact courses are worked out jointly by the academic adviser, the student and the tutor) there is no Oxford Course Catalog in an American sense. As a convenience to North American students, academic advisers in Oxford have collected as much information as possible from individual tutors. They have relied upon the Oxford Examination Decrees for some of the information and for some of the wording. The Oxford University Press is aware that we have made use of some of the material in their publications. They have then analyzed which courses seem most in demand by North American students. Not surprisingly, a good many wish to come to Oxford to study British History, British politics, and English Literature -- especially Shakespeare, Milton, Chaucer, the Victorian novels, etc. A good number wish to study Modern European History, the EC, Eastern Europe, the Commonwealth, etc. After much discussion with students, tutors, other advisers, and with US professors and advisers, the academic advisers in several Oxford colleges have identified a good range of tutorial courses which seem well suited to the academic needs of one-year or one-term North American students. We must stress that this list is not by any means exhaustive or complete. One of the many advantages of Oxford is that there is a faculty: student ratio of about 1:4; there are specialists in almost every academic subject. Please look upon this as a starting point and a rough guide. Also please bear in mind that most of the courses listed may be sub-divided and studied in greater depth. That is, "History of Philosophy" could consist of four philosophers or two or even one. "Seventeenth Century English History" could be divided so that a student might study "Economic Aspects of the Civil War", as an example. IMPORTANT : All courses are taught at the level of the U.S. Junior or Senior year; they are similar to U.S. "electives" and are specialised, one cannot study a "survey course", such as "European History", or "British Literature". Students normally study a primary course for 9 tutorials and a secondary for 5 tutorials (equal to 14 U.S. semester credits in each term/semester). Visiting Students usually study in the primaries - 18 meetings in total. Under most courses we have listed a few Oxford teachers who have taught Visiting Students or Associate Members (some in one of the related programs with which we work) in the past (some might not be available in any particular term) or who have offered in writing to do so. (This may be of help to your own U.S. professor, who may know some of these scholars.) Some of these tutors have taught in lecture courses (British Culture and Society, International Relations, etc.). We list a few tutors in most subjects to illustrate the breadth of Oxford faculty. It should be clearly understood that these are tutors who historically (naturally) have taught at least one of our students. Some of them may not be available to teach again for any number of reasons. The Academic Advisers have been very successful (as you will see by glancing at the list of tutors below) in persuading some of the very best teachers and scholars in Oxford to offer to teach Associate Members or Visiting Students. Many of these tutors are international leaders in their fields - Fellows of the British Academy (only a few scholars in Britain in each field are elected to the British Academy), Fellows of the Royal Society (the equivalent honour for scientists), Fellows of the Royal Historical Society, Fellows of All Souls and of other leading graduate colleges (Nuffield, St. Antony's, Wolfson), holders of chairs in their field (there are only one or two chairs in each subject in Oxford), Heads of colleges, Directors of Institutes, etc. Almost all have published widely in their fields. About a third of Oxford's permanent faculty never bothered with a Ph.D; they wrote a book (or several books instead) - the equivalent. You will note that many of the Chairs (and Fellows of the British Academy, etc.) never took a PhD degree. For some tutorials, advisers will appoint a young scholar (less widely published but a leading specialist in the student's chosen subject); in all cases every tutor will be a scholar who has normally taught candidates for Oxford degrees, or has been associated with Oxford University. Some of our staff are broadly familiar with Oxford;
if you have a detailed question an Oxford scholar will be glad to
discuss it with you. Return to top. Renowned as a center for both research and teaching in Anthropology, Oxford boasts both the School of Anthropology and the Museum of Ethnography including the Institutes of Biological and Social & Cultural Anthropology. A diverse and flexible course selection is available, including an Anthropological Theory introductory course and topics spanning the representation, practices, development, beliefs, analysis and interpretation of social and cultural trends. Topics may be explored with both a regional (e.g. South America, South East Asia) and thematic (e.g. Art, urban anthropology, gender) approach. Also available are courses in human evolution and ecology, and comparative studies of change and urbanization in complex social structures. Dr N. J. Allen, MA, DPhil., Fellow of Wolfson College Dr Cathie Lloyd, PhD, Director, Center for Cross Cultural Research on Women Dr Helene La Rue, MA, DPhil, Fellow of St Cross College Professor D. Parkin, MA, PhD., Fellow of All Souls College Dr Philip Kreager, DPhil., Lecturer, Somerville College Oxford is a major center for archaeology, with research concentrated at the Institute for Archaeology. A wide variety of courses may be studied, including regional studies such as Archaeology of the Middle East, Aegean Archaeology, Egyptology, etc. Dr. Martin Henig, DLitt, FSA, Lecturer in Roman Art and Archaeology, Institute of Archaeology Dr Simon Sherratt, MA DPhil, Senior Research Fellow, Worcester College Dr Andrew Wilson, DPhil, Lecturer, Magdalen College Return to top.ART, PRACTICAL ART & ARCHITECTURE Associate Members may draw upon considerable resources in Oxford in these fields. Students may study the history of art and architecture, fine arts and may do practical work in painting and drawing. Dr Barry Flood, PhD, Fellow in Art, Wolfson College. Dr Kenneth Garlick, PhD, Fellow of Balliol, former Keeper of Western Art, Ashmolean Museum. Professor Stephen Farthing, MA, Fellow of St. Edmund Hall Dr. Martin Henig, DLitt, FSA, Lecturer in Roman Art and Archaeology, Institute of Archaeology Return to top.Every field of Biological Science is available, containing a formidable range and depth of courses. A selection of courses include: introductions to both Biochemistry and Genetics; Proteins; Molecular Biology; Cell Biology; Biological Chemistry; Pharmacology; Environmental Biology; Physiology (including Development Neurobiology and Neurophysiology); Invertebrate and Vertebrate Zoology; Ecology; Animal Biology and Behaviour; Human Evolution; Plant Physiology and Quantitative Methods and Statistics for Biology. Professor Richard Dawkins, MA, D. Phil., D.Sc., Chair in Zoology, New College. Dr Robert Wilkins, University Research Lecturer, Faculty of Physiological Sciences. Dr Malcolm Campbell, MA BSc, PhD, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, Brasenose College Dr Robert Gilbert, Lecturer in Biochemistry, Magdalen College. Professor S.J. Simpson, MA, BSc, PhD, University Reader in Zoology, Fellow of Jesus College Professor Geoffrey Harrison, Emeritus Fellow, Linacre College Professor Stuart Ferguson, MA, DPhil., Professor of Biochemistry, Fellow of St. Edmund Hall Dr Stephen Matthews, PhD, Lecturer in Biochemistry, Trinity College Dr David Staunton, Lecturer in Biochemistry, Hertford College Dr David Shotton, MA, PhD, University Lecturer in Zoology, Fellow of Wolfson Dr P.S. Savill, MA, MSc, PhD, Reader in Forestry and Fellow of Linacre College Return to top.A good number of courses in business are taught at Templeton College, the Business Management college of the University. The Said Business School constitutes the University's department of Business Studies. Subjects generally available include: Advertising Management; Business Ethics; European and British Business Culture; International Management; Organizational Behaviour; Management Studies; Leadership; Marketing, Business Strategy, Business Entrepreneurship. Dr R L Davies, MA, M.Sc, PhD, Fellow of Templeton College Dr Sue Dopson, MA, PhD, Fellow of Templeton College Dr George Bowen, Lecturer in Management Studies, Queen's College. Dr John Dowling, PhD, Sometime Visiting Research Fellow, Templeton College Mr David Palfreyman, MA, LLB, MBA, Fellow and Bursar, New College Professor Steve Rayner, Professor of Science and Religion, Said Business School Professor Ray Loveridge, Leverhulme Research Fellow, Said Business School Return to top.A wide variety of courses is available, covering all branches of the subject. The list includes: Introduction to Reaction Kinetics; Quantum Theory of Atoms and Molecules; Biophysical Chemistry; The Chemistry of Solutions; Structure and Bonding in Inorganic Compounds; Introduction to Transition Metal Chemistry; Introduction to Physical Chemistry; Introduction to Chemical Thermodynamics; and Introduction to General Organic Chemistry. Dr Christian Hill, Fellow, Corpus Christi College. Professor R P Wayne, MA, PhD, Fellow of Christ Church. Dr Steven A Hill, MA, PhD, University Lecturer, Fellow of St Hugh's College Return to top.Oxford is world famous for its Classical curriculum, known as Literae Humaniores or "Greats". Unlike almost all universities today, it still has a large number of classical specialists in almost every field. Students may study the history of Greece and Rome (including Jewish Studies) and the literature of the classical world (Homer, Sophocles, Thucydides, Aristophanes, Virgil, Horace, Ovid, Tacitus etc.) Greek and Roman philosophy may be studied (the pre-Socratics, Plato, Aristotle, etc.). Courses in ancient art & archaeology are offered as well as the politics, sociology, theology and culture of the ancient world. All work may be studied in English translation as well as in the original language. Students may study Latin and Greek at any level as well. Dr Richard Fowler,BA, DPhil, Lecturer in Ancient History, Jesus College, Oriel College Dr Alfonso Moreno, Fellow and Tutor in Ancient History, Magdalen College. Mr David Raeburn, Lecturer in Literae Humaniores, New College. Dr Alison Cooley, MA, DPhil, Lecturer in Classics at Corpus Christi College Professor J. Ackrill, MA, FBA, Emeritus Fellow of Brasenose College and Emeritus Chair of the History of Philosophy. Return to top.The following courses are recommended: The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development since 1945 Post-war development of the OECD, comprising a comparative study of OECD countries and/or economic analysis of USA, Japan or Western Europe. The course includes the formation of institutional policies and strategies; macroeconomics; labor markets; industrial, financial and trade relations; economic competition and integration, etc. Derek Robinson, CBE, MA, Emeritus Fellow and former Vice-President of Magdalen College. International Economics Dr Martin Davies, Lecturer in Economics, St John's College Monetary and trading systems; institutions; trade theory; economic policy; economic integration. Mr Nicholas Dimsdale, Emeritus Fellow, The Queen's College. Dr John Enos, Emeritus Fellow in Economics, Magdalen College, and Visiting Research Fellow, Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. Numerous other courses are available: Money and Banking; Microeconomics; Macroeconomics; Economic Theory; Econometrics; International Financial Markets; Development Economics; Labor Markets and Industrial Relations; Collective Bargaining; Classical Economic Thought; Command Economies and their Marketization; Public Economics; Economics of Industry and Management and Business Administration; Mathematics for Economists; Environmental Economics. Derek Robinson, CBE, MA, Emeritus Fellow and former Vice-President of Magdalen College. Dr George Bitsakakis, Fellow, Brasenose College Mr Nicholas Horsewood, Lecturer in Finance, Pembroke College Dr Walter Eltis, DPhil, Emeritus Fellow, Exeter College Dr John Enos, Emeritus Fellow in Economics, Magdalen College Dr Colin Jennings, Lecturer in Economics, The Queen's College Dr Richard Mash, Lecturer in Economics and Fellow, New College Dr Kevin Sheppard, Fellow, Keble College The European Union Topics include the cost of UK entry into the EEC; the Common Agricultural Policy; European Integration Policy and Regional Policy; Industrial Policy in Europe; European Labour Market; and the implications of the Single Market (1992). This subject may be studied with an economic, a political or an historical emphasis. Statistical Methods in Social Science Statistical Theory; Economic Statistics; Politics and Sociology (applications of statistical theory to social and political research; problems in the collection of aggregate and survey data). Dr Kevin Sheppard, Fellow, Keble College. Dr Eirini Flouri, Research Fellow, Dept of Social Policy and Social Work, Deputy Director of the Centre for Research into Parenting and Children Return to top.A number of courses are taught at the University's Department of Educational Studies, including Sociology of Education; Educational Policy; Alternative Education; Comparative Education and Educational Research Methodology. Dr Geoff Hayward, MA, DPhil, University Lecturer in Educational Studies and Fellow of Kellogg College Professor Antony Heath, MA, PhD, FBA, Professor of Sociology, Official Fellow of Nuffield College Dr Colin Brock, Senior Research Fellow, Department of Educational Studies Return to top.A wide variety of courses in Engineering may be studied including: Metallurgy, Physical Metallurgy, Electrical and Magnetic Properties of Materials, Polymeric Materials (including synthesis, microstructures and engineering applications of polymers). Dr Christopher Stevens, BA, D.Phil., Senior Research Fellow of Somerville. Dr Christopher Grovenor, MA, DPhil, University Lecturer in Metallurgy, Fellow of St. Anne's College Dr Peter Wilshaw, MA, DPhil, University Lecturer in Materials Science, Fellow of St Anne's College Return to top.The following courses are recommended in particular. English Literature from its Origins to 1100 Students may study Anglo-Saxon, Old English, Norse, Norman-French and other aspects of the literature and language of the time. Dr. Mark Griffith, DPhil, Fellow in English, New College Dr Roger Dalrymple, MA, PhD, Lecturer in Old and Middle English, Somerville College English Literature from 1100-1509 The following may be studied: Piers Plowman: Pearl (ed. E.V. Gordon), Malory, Morte D'Arthur: Henryson, Fables, Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, Troilus and Criseyde: Langland, as well as other texts in Old English and Middle English. Professor Douglas Gray, MA, FBA, J.R.R. Tolkein Chair of English Literature and Language, Lady Margaret Hall. Dr Mark Griffith, DPhil, Fellow in English, New College Dr Santha Bhattacharji ,Lecturer in English, Keble College Dr Carolyne Larrington, Tutor in Medieval English, St John's College. English Literature from 1509-1642 There are courses available in this subject area. The list includes: Spenser's The Faerie Queen, Elizabethan and Jacobean Prose, Social Contexts for Renaissance Drama, Renaissance Tragedy, Marlowe, and a large number of specialist courses on Shakespeare (see below). Dr David Cunnington, Lecturer in English, St John's College. Dr Hugh Gazzard, Fellow and Tutor in English, Jesus College. Dr Lucinda Rumsey, MA, Lecturer at Mansfield College. English Literature from 1642-1740 The following courses are among those available in this subject: Puritans and Literature, Political Contexts for Milton and Marvell, Bunyan, Restoration Comedy, Milton, 18th Century Poetry, Defoe, the Metaphysical Poets etc. Dr Katherine Turner, MA, DPhil, Lecturer in English, St Peter's College Professor Emrys Jones, MA, FBA, Emeritus Goldsmith's Chair of English Literature, New College Return to top.A tutorial course would normally examine one, two or three plays, to be studied in relation to dramatists contemporary with Shakespeare. This subject may also be studied with a political, sociological or philosophical emphasis. A number of tutors offer special subjects such as "Women in Shakespeare" etc. Dr James Methven, DPhil, Lecturer in English and Dean, Oriel College. Dr Katherine Turner, MA, DPhil, Lecturer in English, St Peter's College Val Dodd, JP, MA, BLitt., Lecturer in English, Blackfriars Return to top.A large number of novelists and poets from the Eighteenth century to the Twentieth century may be studied , among them the following: Fielding, Richardson, Trollope, Henry James, Dickens, Thackeray, Tennyson, Austen, George Eliot, D.H. Lawrence, Melville, Browning, Woolf, James Joyce, Yeats, Larkin, Plath and Hughes. Courses may examine in detail the works of one author. Alternatively, a thematic approach may be taken: e.g., British and Irish Drama from Wilde to Beckett, Literature of the First World War, Novels and Victorian Society, Women's Literature in the 19th (or 20th) century, contemporary British Literature, Interconnections between British and American literature, etc. Professor John Kelly, DPhil, Chair in English, St. John's College Dr Andrew Welburn, D.Phil., Lecturer in English, New College. Dr Muireann O'Cinneide, Lecturer in English, St. Peter's College Dr Sophie Ratcliffe, DPhil, Lecturer in English, Keble College. Dr Sally Bayley, Lecturer in English, Balliol College. Dr Clare Morgan, MA, DPhil, Lecturer in English, Christ Church College Dr Sara Salih, MA, D. Phil, Lecturer in English, Wadham College Return to top.The following courses are particularly recommended. (Sociology is often included under Geography in Oxford). Aspects of social segregation and behaviour, with particular reference to urban environments displaying complex cultural and racial patterns (e.g., USA); ethnic minorities; systems of legally enforced segregation (such as the former system in South Africa). Dr Eirini Flouri, Research Fellow, Dept of Social Policy and Social Work, Deputy Director of the Centre for Research into Parenting and Children Dr. Alisdair Rogers, D.Phil., Lecturer in Geography, Keble College. Return to top.The impact and problems of human development of the natural environment; exploitation and conservation of natural resources in different cultures; industrial and agricultural evolution and methods of political control; environmental issues (e.g., deforestation, acidification, climate change, pollution, erosion, desertification). Dr Nicholas Middleton, DPhil, Lecturer in Geography, Oriel College Dr Erik Swyngedouw, MA, PhD, Fellow in Geography, St. Peter's College The Geography of Southern Africa Lesotho, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Angola, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland, Malawi. "Human Geography" in Oxford is similar to "sociology" in the US. There are many other courses available in all areas of the subject. They include; Geomorphology, Concepts in Economic Geography, Climatology, Cities and Societies, Aspects of Landscape, etc. Return to top.Many specialist courses in history are regularly taught in Oxford, some of the main general topics include: Oxford is well known for its scholars in the ancient world. The history of Egypt, Greece and the Roman Empire may be studied including specialised aspects such as economic history, women's history, religious history, etc. See Classics. Return to top.Oxford University itself has its origins in the Middle Ages and Medieval history springs to life in this city which traces its development to the Dark Ages when King Alfred the Great established a school in Oxford. Return to top.The History of Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England; including the history of British India; the history of British colonies and dominions, etc. The following periods may be studied: (1) Pre-1330; (2) 1330-1685; and (3) 1685-1964; any one of which may be approached thematically with regard to social, economic, political, cultural and constitutional issues. Dr. John Mason, MA, D. Phil., F.R. Hist.S., FSA, Emeritus Fellow, Christ Church. Professor J. Campwell, MA, FBA, Fellow of Worcester College. R.M. Franklin, MA, F.R.Hist.S., Fellow of All Souls College. R.T. Rowley, MA, MLitt, Fellow of Kellogg College. 1330-1685 Dr. Rowena Archer, D.Phil., Lecturer in Medieval History, Christ Church. Dr John Cooper, Praelector in Early Modern History, Lincoln College. Dr Toby Barnard, Tutor in Modern History and Fellow, Hertford College. 1685-1964 Godfrey LeMay, MA, Emeritus Fellow and former Dean, Worcester College. Dr Michael Hurst, MA, D.Litt., Emeritus Fellow of History and Politics, St John's College, and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, FRGS, FRAS. Dr Glen O'Hara, Lecturer in History, New College. Return to top.The history of English-speaking America from Jamestown (1607) to the present day. Relations with other English-speaking nations, with Europe and Africa, and with the other Americas may also be studied. Specific topics include early Colonial America; the War of Independence (1775-1783); the American Constitution and early years of the Republic; the Civil War; America's development as a world power; the two World Wars; Women's history in America; Black history; the Impact of Hispanic culture; economic and social history, etc. Dr. Alec Campbell, MA, Ph.D., Emeritus Fellow, Keble College. Dr Michael Hurst, MA, D.Litt., Emeritus Fellow of History and Politics, St John's College, and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, FRGS, FRAS. Return to top.Dr David Parrott, University Lecturer in Modern History and Fellow, New College. Dr L G Mitchell, Emeritus Fellow, University College. Dr Michael Hurst, MA, D.Litt., Emeritus Fellow of History and Politics, St John's College, and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, FRGS, FRAS. Return to top.The history of Europe or of individual nations, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, etc. may be studied in both the 19th and 20th centuries or earlier. Special topics might include the expansion of Europe, Imperialism, the two world wars, the rise of a united Europe, etc. Dr Peter Grieder, MA, PhD, Lecturer in Modern History, Magdalen College Dennis Mack Smith, CBE, MA, FBA, Emeritus Fellow, All Souls College. Mark Almond, MA, Lecturer in Modern History, Oriel College Anthony Kirk-Greene, MBE, MA, Emeritus Fellow, St. Antony's College and former Director, Oxford Foreign Service Program. Dr John Stevenson, MA, DPhil, University Reader in Modern History and Fellow of Worcester College Return to top.History of African, Latin American and Asian Nations In part because of the Commonwealth, many scholars in Oxford teach the history of most nations around the world. There are many courses in non-European history in Oxford. Return to top.Law may be studied at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Courses of special interest to overseas students include: international law, European Community law, the philosophy of law, jurisprudence, history of law, maritime law, Roman law, etc. A number of students currently in Law School have received American Bar Association approval to study law in Oxford at the graduate level. We have begun a new program for graduate law students for one term co-sponsored by San Diego University Law School which will provide an accredited transcript. Please email us for details. Sir David Yardley, D.Phil., Emeritus Fellow in Law, St. Edmund Hall. Dr Michael Spence, MA, D.Phil., former Dean and Fellow in Law, St. Catherine's College. Professor Guy Goodwin-Gill, MA, DPhil, Rubin Director of Research, Institute for European Studies, Senior Research Fellow, Center for Socio-Legal Studies, Fellow of Wolfson Conor Quigley, LLB, Fellow in European Community Law and Jurisprudence, Lady Margaret Hall. Dr Reza Banakar, B.Sc., PhD, Research Fellow, Center for Socio-Legal Studies. Return to top.A very wide range of courses is on offer, in all areas of the subject, including computer science, pure and applied mathematics, and probability and statistics. The following courses may well be of interest: Linear Algebra; Statistics; Differential Equations and Discrete Mathematics; Numerical Analysis; Abstract Algebra; Differentiability and Convergence; Geometry and Mechanics; Topology; and Probability. A great variety of more advanced courses is also available. Dr Luke Ong, MA, PhD, University Lecturer in Computation, Fellow of Merton College Dr Eirini Flouri, Research Fellow, Dept of Social Policy and Social Work, Deputy Director of the Centre for Research into Parenting and Children Dr David Gavaghan, University Lecturer in Computer Science and Fellow, New College. Dr Wilson Sutherland, Emeritus Fellow, New College. Dr Lionel Wollenberg, MA, DPhil, Lecturer in Mathematics, Lady Margaret Hall, Brasenose College Professor William F. McColl, MA, PhD, Professor of Computing Science, Fellow of Wadham College Dr Ioannis Vlachonikolis, MA, DPhil, Lecturer in Statistics, University College Return to top.Although most overseas students would choose to study a modern language in its nation of origin, almost any modern language can be studied at Oxford. Associate Students often "keep up" with their foreign languages while in Oxford and new languages may be learned (not for academic credit) at the introductory level through the Oxford Language Center and with personal tutors. Dr Carol Rodier, DPhil, Lecturer in French, Keble College, Magdalen College Dr Andrea Capovilla, DPhil, Lecturer in German, St Anne's College Dr Galin Tihanov, MA, DPhil, Junior Research Fellow, Merton College Irina Duddell, Instructor in Russian, Oxford University Language Centre Mrs Christine Stewart-Jones, former French Lectrice to the Oxford University Foreign Service Programme. Return to top.A wide number of courses in Music are offered in Oxford, including compositional techniques, the history of music, psychology and music etc. Dr David Skinner, Lecturer in Music, Magdalen College. Dr Michael Burden, Fellow in Music and Dean, New College. Dr Jonathan Williams, Tutor, Faculty of Music. Dr Margaret Bent, MA, PhD, FBA, Fellow of All Souls College Dr Roger Allen, Lecturer in Music, St Peter's College. Return to top.Oxford has long been a major center for the study of Egypt (both Ancient & Modern) India (including Sanskrit and ancient and modern history & literature) Jewish Studies, Islamic civilization, the society, culture and literature of East Asia, (China, Japan, etc.) the Ottoman Empire and modern Turkey and other non-European cultures. Professor Richard Gombrich, MA, DPhil, Fellow of Balliol College and Professor of Sanskrit. Professor A.R. Sheikholeslami, MA, Fellow of Wadham College and Professor of Persian Studies Dr E. L. Rogan, MA, PhD., Fellow of St Antony's College Dr D. Hopwood, MA, DPhil, Fellow of St. Antony's College and Reader in Middle Eastern Studies. Professor Arthur Stockwin, MA, PhD, Nissan Professor of Modern Japanese Studies, Fellow of St Antony's College Return to top.Oxford has a large and distinguished philosophy faculty, and tuition can normally be arranged in a wide variety of subjects. The following are recommended. Ancient (Pre-Socratic, Plato, Aristotle, Hellenistic and Roman, in the original or in translation); Medieval Philosophy; Renaissance Thought; Descartes and the Rationalists; the British Empiricists; Kant; Hegel; Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Philosophy; Existentialism; Modern British Philosophy; Wittgenstein. Dr Pamela Sue Anderson, Fellow, Regent's Park College Dr Paolo Crivelli, Tutor in Classical Philosophy, New College. Dr. John Kenyon, MA, PhD, DPhil., Tutor in Philosophy, St. Peter's College Dr. Luciano Floridi, MA, PhD., Research Fellow, Wolfson College, Lecturer in Philosophy, Jesus College Dr Kathy Behrendt, Lecturer in Philosophy, New College. Professor John Ackrill, MA, FBA, Chair Emeritus of the History of Philosophy, Fellow of Brasenose College. Return to top.Metaphysics, Epistemology; Philosophical Logic; Philosophy of Science; Philosophy of Mind; Philosophy of Mathematics; Philosophy of Language. Dr David W. Mackie, MA, DPhil, Tutor in Philosophy, Corpus Christi College Dr Matthew Soteriou, Fellow and Tutor in Philosophy, Magdalen College. Dr Stephen Mulhall, Fellow in Philosophy, New College. Jonathan Glover, MA, Fellow in Philosophy, New College Bernard Rundle, MA, Senior Fellow in Philosophy, Trinity College Michael Inwood, MA, Senior Fellow in Philosophy, Trinity College Return to top.Ethics; Ethics of War; History of Ethics; Practical Ethics; Medical Ethics; Business Ethics. Dr David Cook, MA, PhD, Tutorial Fellow, Green College Professor Julian Savulescu, Uehiro Professor of Practical Ethics and Fellow, St Cross College. Dr Timothy Mawson, M.Phil, D. Phil, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, Keble College Revd. Prof. Oliver O'Donovan, MA, D. Phil., Regius Chair of Moral and Pastoral Theology, Christ Church Return to top.Personal identity and the Self; Philosophy of Biology; Philosophy of Psychology. Dr. Alison Denham, DPhil, Lecturer in Philosophy, St. John's College. Dr Paul Weindling, MA, MSc, PhD, Fellow of Merton College Return to top.Theory of Law, Rights, Responsibility, Civil Liberties. Dr. Stephen Smith, MA, DPhil, Tutor in Law, St. Anne's College. Dr Richard Tur, MA, PhD, Tutor in Law, Oriel College. Sir David Yardley, DPhil., Fellow Emeritus in Law, St. Edmund Hall Return to top.There is a wide range of options available, in both the history of political thought and the examination of more recent theories, as well as analytical and comparative studies. Dr Elizabeth J. Frazer, MA, DPhil, Fellow and Tutor in Politics, New College, University Lecturer in Politics, Faculty of Social Sciences Return to top.Courses are available in all areas of the subject. The list includes: Electromagnetism; Waves and Optics; Atomic Physics; Quantum Physics; Astronomy; Special Relativity and Mechanics. Advanced study is also possible in other subjects including Nuclear Physics, Biophysics, Particle Physics, Astrophysics, General Relativity and Condensed Matter Physics. Dr David Crosby, Lecturer in Physics, New College. Dr. Gregory Watson, DPhil, Research Fellow, St. Catherine's College Dr. Amanda Cooper-Sarkar, MA, DPhil, Tutor in Physics, St. Hilda's College Dr Richard Szabo, DPhil, Lecturer, Department of Theoretical Physics. Dr J. P. Garrahan, PhD, Research Associate, Department of Theoretical Physics Professor Alexei M Tsvelik, MA, PhD, Professor of Physics, Tutor in Physics, Fellow of Brasenose College Dr Geoff Smith, Lecturer in Physics, Magdalen College. Return to top.The following courses are recommended in particular. British Politics and Government since 1880 British politics; domestic political issues (including the effects of socio-economic developments and foreign policy); political ideology; the evolution and constitution of the British political system (including the operation of the electoral system, political parties, government, and Parliament). Godfrey Le May, MA, Emeritus Fellow and former Dean, Worcester College Professor Peter Madgwick, MA, Professor of Government, Oxford Brookes University and Sometime Lecturer, Worcester College Dr Michael Hurst, MA, D.Litt., Emeritus Fellow of History and Politics, St John's College, and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, FRGS, FRAS. Return to top.Classical Political Thought up to 1800 A range of texts may be chosen for critical analysis, including Plato, The Republic and other writings; Aristotle, Politics and Ethics Machiavelli, The Discourses, The Prince; Hobbes, Leviathan; Locke, Second Treatise of Civil Government and other writings; Montiesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws; Rousseau, The Social Contract, Discourse on the Origin of Inequality; works by Hume and Bentham, The Federalist Papers; Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France, etc. Mr Chris Brooke, Fellow and Tutor in Politics, Magdalen College. Mark Almond, MA, Lecturer in Modern History, Oriel College Return to top.Foundations of Modern Social and Political Thought An examination of some of the important texts relating to modern social and political theory. The following may be examined: John Stuart Mill, On Liberty; Hegel, The Philosophy of Right and other works, Tocqueville, Democracy in America and other works; Marx; writings on Fascism, Nazism, Communism, Liberalism, Socialism, Democracy, etc. Professor Alan Ryan, FBA, Warden of New College. Mark Almond, MA, Lecturer in Modern History, Oriel College Dr. John Kenyon, MA, PhD, DPhil, Tutor in Philosophy, St. Peter's College An examination of the system of government in Britain, including its administration and structure, political parties, parliament, ministries and departments, legislative procedure, the judiciary, local government, foreign policy, etc. Dr Alan O'Day, Research Associate, Rothermere American Institute, and Fellow, Greyfriars Dr Christopher Lake, MPhil, DPhil, Tutor in Politics, Magdalen College Return to top.Increasingly the media is being viewed as a "Fourth Estate"; it is difficult to understand modern politics without knowing how the media interacts with government and politics. Dr Steven Casey, MPhil, DPhil, Junior Research Fellow, Trinity College Return to top.Modern systems of government, their administration, constitution, legislative and judicial procedures, parties, etc. Detailed study may be made of individual countries, or a comparative approach may be taken. Return to top.Numerous courses are available in this subject, and the following topics in particular may be pursued in detail: The Cold War; the relations of Eastern and Western Europe; the European Union; Pacific Rim nations (e.g., China, Japan, Russia, USA); the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe; regional and global conflict, area studies, the intelligence services, defense studies, etc. Sir John Johnson, MA, former Fellow of Keble, former director of the Oxford (graduate) Foreign Service Programme, former British Ambassador, Fellow of Kellogg College. Sir Roger Bannister, former Master of Pembroke College broke the four-minute mile in 1954. He regularly lectures on sports and international relations in various I.R. classes. Robert Schuettinger, MA, BPhil, Sometime Visiting Research Fellow in International Relations, Mansfield College, Oxford; Associate Fellow, Davenport College, Yale. He lectures in I.R. Godfrey Le May, MA, Emeritus Fellow and former Dean, Worcester College Dr Alex Pravda, MA, DPhil, Fellow in International Relations, St. Antony's College Michael Herman, MA, former Research Associate, Nuffield College, author of a History of the British Intelligence Service, former Staff Director of the Joint Intelligence Committee. Dr Ali Parchami, Lecturer in Politics, Exeter College. Return to top.The European Union, its origins, evolution, current affairs and future development; Britain and the EU; European Parliament, policy and legislation; monetary unity and the European Monetary Union (the single currency); Common Agricultural Policy; trade and international relations (e.g., with the US, Eastern Europe, Japan). Dr Andreas Busch, Reader in European Politics and Official Fellow in Politics, Hertford College. Anand Menon, MA, MPhil, Fellow by Special Election in European Studies, St. Antony's College Return to top.Changes in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union since 1945; the Warsaw Pact; the Cold War; post-war Communism; relations with countries in the West; modern developments; the weakening and collapse of the Eastern Bloc. Mark Almond, MA, Lecturer in Modern History, Oriel College Dr Alex Pravda, MA DPhil, Fellow in International Relations, St. Antony's College Return to top.The following courses are particularly recommended. Please note that Associate Members are not able to use the Psychology Library of laboratories. Evidence from comparative studies; psychological development in humans; the environmental and hereditary, physiological and biological, influences which bear upon development in homo sapiens. Professor Peter Bryant, MA, PhD, FRS, Watts Professor of Psychology and Fellow of Wolfson College Dr Celia Green, BLitt, MA, DPhil, Director of Research, Institute of Psychophysical Research Return to top.Classification of disorders: traits, symptoms and states; diagnostic reliability and validity; psychiatric nosologies; Definitions of abnormality: social, statistical and biological approaches; the medical model; psychological abnormality as disease and deviance. Mechanisms of disorder. Clinical description of disorder. Treatment of disorders. Origins of disorder. Professor Gordon Claridge, MA PhD, Emeritus Professor and Fellow, Magdalen College Return to top.Social behaviour, its biological and social framework. Topics for study may include a comparative analysis of social behaviour patterns in animals and humans; emotional and cultural influences; communication (verbal and non-verbal); relationships; cognition; and analytical method. Dr Margaret Yee, BSc, DPhil, Lecturer, Nuffield College Dr Paul Azzopardi, MA, PhD, Lecturer in Psychology, University College Dr Ann Dowker, University Research Lecturer, Department of Experimental Psychology. Dr Mark Buckley, Royal Society University Research Fellow and Senior Research Fellow in Science, St John's College. Dr Maryanne Martin, MA, DPhil, Lecturer in Psychology, St Edmund Hall Dr Anna Nobre, MA, PhD, University Lecturer in Experimental Psychology, Fellow of New College Return to top.The Development of Doctrine in the Early Church to AD 461 A study of doctrinal development in the Christian Church, and its historical framework, using primary sources (in translation). The History and Theology of the Reformation from AD 1500-1564 The Reformation, its history, ideals and development in Europe, including an examination of the major reformist leaders (Calvin, Luther and Zwingli); the Reformation in England; the Counter-Reformation. Other religions such as Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism may also be studied. There is a Center for Hebrew Studies and a Center for Islamic Studies. Theology as taught in Oxford is an interdisciplinary study combining history, philosophy, literature and sometimes archaeology, for this reason it is studied by students from both religious and unreligious backgrounds. Rev Dr Richard Finn, Vice-Regent, Blackfriars. Rev Dr Harriet Harris, Chaplain and Tutor in Theology, Wadham College. Professor Diarmaid Macculloch, DD, Professor of the History of the Church, and Fellow, St Cross College. Rev Dr Timothy Bradshaw, Senior Tutor and Tutor in Christian Doctrine, Regent's Park College. Rev Canon Vincent Strudwick, Emeritus Fellow, Kellogg College. Rev Dr John Platt, MTh, MA, DPhil, Senior Research Fellow, Pembroke College Dr Pamela Sue Anderson, Fellow, Regent's Park College Carol Smith, BA, MA, Lecturer in Old Testament, Regent's Park College Rev Professor Peter Hinchcliffe, MA, DD, PhD, Regius Chair of Ecclesiastical History, Fellow of Christ Church College Dr. Susan Gillingham, MA, DPhil, Tutor in Theology, Worcester College Rev Dr Roger Charles, MA, DPhil, Tutor in Theology, Campion Hall Rev Dr Philip Kennedy, Fellow, Mansfield College. Dr Mark Edwards, Tutor in Theology and Fellow, Christ Church. Return to top.Among general courses in women's studies are the following: Gender and Women in the Middle Ages; Women and Gender in England and France 1500-1800; Feminist Theory; Feminist Theology; Philosophy and Feminism. Specialized literature courses may also be available, such as Feminist Approaches to Shakespeare, and New American Women's Fiction. Dr Muireann O'Cinneide, Lecturer in English, St. Peter's College Jeri Johnson, MPhil, Fellow in English, Exeter College Dr Elizabeth J. Frazer, MA, DPhil, Fellow and Tutor in Politics, New College, University Lecturer in Politics, Faculty of Social Sciences Dr Cathie Lloyd, PhD, Director, Center for Cross Cultural Research on Women Dr Pamela Sue Anderson, Fellow, Regent's Park College Rev Dr Philip Kennedy, Fellow, Mansfield College. Return to top.GENERAL BACKGROUND: TUTORIAL COURSES ANTHROPOLOGY AND ARCHAEOLOGY These subjects are traditionally studied together by undergraduates in Oxford and therefore research and teaching in the two departments is closely linked. The School of Anthropology is a major research center, incorporating the Institute for Social and Cultural Anthropology and the Institute of Biological Anthropology. Research and teaching in archaeology is concentrated at the Institute for Archaeology. The core subjects studied are Introduction to World Archaeology; Introduction to Anthropological Theory; Evolution, the Environment and Culture; Case Studies in Archaeological Method. Subsequently, students take further core subjects in which the relationship between the two subjects is closely stressed, focusing on the interplay between social, environmental, cultural and biological aspects of human societies as they evolve. These topics include: Human Evolution and Ecology; Social Analysis and Interpretation; Cultural Representations, Beliefs and Practices; and Urbanization and Change in Complex Societies. Optional courses are also available, which may include regional studies in both archaeology and anthropology, thematic topics such as gender or urban anthropology, or advanced topics in archaeological science. Return to top.BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES The Biological Sciences course at Oxford covers the full extent of plant and animal biology. As well as the large departments of Plant Sciences and Zoology, the University has a Botanical Garden (the oldest in Europe) and Arboretum. There are also departments of Biochemistry, Genetics and the Oxford Forestry Institute, which is particularly concerned with environmental resources in tropical countries. The core subjects in Biological Sciences are Living Organisms and their Environment, Cell Biology and Biological Chemistry. In addition, students may select a number of more specialised options from a wide range of courses. These include Evolution, Animal Behaviour, Cell Biology, Genetics and Ecology, in addition to more detailed courses on various aspects of the plant and animal kingdoms. Biochemistry may also be studied as a subject in its own right. This involves the study of subjects such as Molecular Cell Biology, Biophysics and Genetics, together with more specialised courses in subjects including Immunology, Human Diseases, Proteins and Glycobiology. Return to top.CHEMISTRY Chemistry is the study of the properties of matter. It is a subject of fundamental importance to the whole of scientific enquiry, in particular biology and medicine. Oxford has the largest chemistry department in the U.K., with a truly international reputation. In 1993, department members numbered 11 Fellows of the Royal Society. An enormous amount of research is conducted in the three main laboratories, devoted to Physical, Organic and Inorganic Chemistry. Students take courses in each of the principal areas of the subject, Inorganic, Organic, Physical and Biological Chemistry. Opportunities for study and research are also available in a wide variety of specialised areas. Examples of these are molecular spectroscopy, organometallic chemistry, kinetics of molecular reactions, and other advanced topics in organic and inorganic chemistry. Return to top.ENGLISH Courses drawn from the Moderations curriculum (first year) include English Literature from 1832 to the present day, Old English, a special study of two Victorian or modern poets, classical literature, and elements of either critical or linguistic or phonetic theory. Courses drawn from the Finals curriculum (advanced) include a special course on English Language, Shakespeare, any of four periods covering the literature from 1110 to 1832; to these are added a major poet, or poets (chosen from one of six periods). There remain over twenty subject options; and these include the major prose writers of a particular period; Old English Literature; American Literature; Women's Writing; particular aspects of Classical, Old Norse, or other European literatures; linguistic theory; the history and theory of criticism; and a study of either the English Novel, English Drama, or Satire. Return to top.GEOGRAPHY (INCLUDING SOME SOCIOLOGY) Oxford is a major, active center for geographical research and teaching in Britain. It is the oldest autonomous department in the country and one of the largest. Core subjects are: the Geographical Environment; Geographical Methods; and Regional Analysis. In Geographical Environment, the emphasis is upon the mutual relationship of man and the environment. There is a stress, for example, on biogeography, the ecosystem, and resource exploitation. Under the heading Geographical Methods, students study the theories and concepts current in Geography, together with methods of spatial analysis. Region and Regional Analysis is concerned with the application of the regional idea to planning and administration and is studied with particular reference to the British Isles and France. It is also possible to specialize in those branches of the subject in which a student is especially interested. The range of subjects includes Landforms, Quaternary Environments, Biogeography, Arid and Semi-Historical Geography (England between 1650 and 1800), the Geography of Economic Development, Rural Geography, Surveying, and Regional Geography. Some of these courses would be offered as "sociology" in the U.S. Return to top.HISTORY Modern History is one of the most popular courses at Oxford. Together, the undergraduate and graduate schools comprise one of the most important and famous centers of historical studies in the world. It is possible to choose from a wide syllabus which includes English History from its beginnings to 1964 (divided into three periods; divisions at 1330 and 1685); nine Foreign History periods ranging from 285 to 1964; Social and Political or Social and Economic Thought; a Special Subject based on a study of primary sources and selected from a long list; a Further Subject, also based on a study of primary sources but the themes being broader than those of the Special Subjects. English History has traditionally held an important place at Oxford. But within the framework of English History all kinds of new interests have sprung up - social, cultural, economic; and these, far from causing the study of politics and institutions to be abandoned, have in many ways given a clearer understanding of them. English History, however, is part of European and World History and cannot be treated in isolation. Moreover, many students who have come to specialize in very modern periods, and perhaps in European or American or African history, or in the History of Science, have found the taste of earlier centuries a stimulating experience. In the more specialized areas the range of options open to undergraduates is constantly expanding. Recently, for instance, it has become possible to take Further Subjects in Japanese or in South-East Asian History, or in Anglo-Saxon Archaeology. The study of Special and Further Subjects is based on the primary sources, but undergraduates are also encouraged to read these as well as the writings of other historians for their broader courses. The belief is that students at university level- whether they seek in History a general education or a professional training - can learn most if they get close to the evidence and use their judgement on it. Much primary source material is available in print in Oxford libraries. Oxford is fortunate to have in the Bodleian Library, (both for its manuscripts and its printed books) one of the great libraries of the world. Return to top.HUMAN SCIENCES Human Sciences provides a challenging alternative to the traditional courses offered to undergraduates at Oxford. It adopts a multidisciplinary approach by drawing on many aspects of the biological and social sciences. By doing so it aims to equip the Human Scientist with a new set of approaches to the scientific study of human beings. In addition to encouraging the study of the interrelationship between man and his environment, an important feature of the course is the consideration of the many controversial issues of today, which have both a biological and social dimension. A Human Scientist educated in aspects of both kinds of disciplines should be well qualified to address such issues. Any four introductory courses may be chosen: Organisms and their Environment; Genetics and Evolution; Sociology and Social Anthropology; and Population, Geography, Ethnology. Advanced courses include; Animal Behaviour; Human Genetics and Human Evolution; Human Ecology; Demography and Population; General Social Anthropology; Social Theory; Developmental Psychology or Social Behaviour; Social and Urban Geography; Modern Social Institutions; Social Anthropology; Quantitative Methods; and Language. (Thus you will note that Human Sciences share certain courses with other Oxford Honour Schools.) Students selecting courses exclusively from among the Human Sciences options will encounter many heterogeneous and even conflicting viewpoints, but should find this one of its most stimulating features. Return to top.LAW The faculty of Law in Oxford is one of the most prestigious law departments in the world, with many scholars of truly international renown. The Faculty organises a great many lectures and seminars, open to all students, and each college has a specialist Law Library. Law students study introductory courses in English Criminal Law, British Constitution, Roman Law, Jurisprudence (Philosophy of Law), Contract Law, Tort and Land Law. In addition to these core subjects, a variety of advanced courses are available in all branches of the subject. These include: Comparative Law, European Community Law, International Law, Trusts, Commercial Law, Company Law, Administrative Law and Labour Law. Roman Law may also be studied in greater depth, as may relevant philosophical courses such as Ethics and Philosophy of Mind. Associate members who are undergraduates have found in the past that recommendations from leading legal scholars in Oxford are of interest to admissions offices of US Law Schools. Students already enrolled for a graduate law degree have also had credits approved by their home law school for legal studies accomplished in Oxford. Please email us for more information about our new one-term Law Program co-sponsored by the University of San Diego Law School. Return to top.MATHEMATICS This course is only open to Math majors. The initial part of the course is devoted to a core syllabus in basic pure mathematics with an introduction to applications. Having completed this foundation material, students select their own curriculum by choosing from a wide range of options in pure mathematics and the physical and non-physical applications. The first-year course covers basic work in Algebra, Analysis, Mechanics, Potential Theory and Probability. There is a choice of more advanced options under the following headings: Logic, Transfinite Set Theory, Algebraic Structures, Galois Theory, Geometry, Advanced Calculus, Orthogonal Expansions in Hilbert Space, Elements of Functional Analysis, Applied Analysis, Partial Differential Equations, Oscillations and Wave Motion, Mechanics, Hydronamics, Electromagnetism, Probability, Statistics, Random Processes, Numerical Algebra and Optimisation, Numerical Analysis, Computation. In addition to the lectures arranged by the Faculty the student is provided with personal tuition. Some college teaching is conducted in classes, but each student normally has at least one tutorial period each week in which to discuss the work in detail with the college tutor. Return to top.MODERN LANGUAGES FRENCH, GERMAN, MODERN GREEK, ITALIAN, PORTUGUESE, RUSSIAN, SPANISH The Modern Language Faculty at Oxford is one of the largest in Britain. The languages which can be studied at Oxford (for a degree) are French, German, Modern Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian (and various other Slavonic languages, but these only at postgraduate level), and Celtic (normally only taken at postgraduate level). The work for the Preliminary course falls into two categories: (a) particular linguistic work i.e. prose composition and unseens; (b) a study of some important works and/or topics in the literature of the language studied. The texts in this syllabus range widely over various periods. Students will also be able to study Linguistics (Introduction to Phonetics, Elements of Linguistics and Grammar). Oral proficiency in the language or languages studied is an essential part of the course. The course is a wide and exacting one, but it provides both a practical linguistic training and as full an introduction as possible to intensive and fascinating fields of European literature and thought of all periods. In addition to the practical use of the languages in speech and writing, students are encouraged to think about language as a subject of study; therefore the course includes the possibility of studying both historical and descriptive linguistics. The emphasis is primarily on the study of language and literature, but great importance is attached to the acquisition by students of as full a knowledge as possible of the history and thought, as well as the literature, of the countries whose languages they are studying; and plenty of provision is made in the syllabus for modern linguists whose interest incline more towards history and ideas than towards literature. [Naturally, full-year or two-term students will be encouraged to spend their vacation periods in that country which is the home of the language they are studying]. Return to top.PHILOSOPHY, POLITICS AND ECONOMICS (PPE) Students may take either broad or more specialized courses within Philosophy, Politics and Economics. Previous courses in Mathematics or History can provide a good foundation for certain options, but are not essential. Within PPE itself, broad courses are designed to lay the foundation for more advanced work. At the Preliminary level, Philosophy is divided into three sections: General Philosophy; Moral Philosophy; and Logic. Politics deals with historical, theoretical and institutional aspects of the Governments of Britain, the United States, Russia and France from 1900. Economics consists of introductory theory or macro- and micro-economics. At the more advanced (Final Honour School) level, courses include a number of basic subjects of study - the "core" of the discipline - and a wide range of more specialized, optional subjects. The core subjects are
The list of more specialized optional subjects is very wide indeed and includes (among other subjects): PHILOSOPHY
POLITICS AND SOCIOLOGY
ECONOMICS
PHYSICS Physics is the study of the Universe, of how and why it works, both on a large and small scale. Oxford has the largest university physics department in the U.K., with a broad and highly prestigious research program. Many new developments in the subject are studied in the department, and are incorporated into the undergraduate curriculum as rapidly as possible. In addition to studying in mathematics, physics students undertake courses in all of the principal subjects in modern physics, including electromagnetism, optics, quantum mechanics, relativity, atomic physics and thermodynamics. More advanced topics are also available for study, including electronics, astrophysics and theoretical physics. Return to top.PSYCHOLOGY Teaching and research in the Department of Experimental Psychology are based on psychology as an experimental science, and cover the whole range of research in psychology - human experimental psychology, animal and physiological psychology, social and developmental psychology, behaviour disorders, psycho-linguistics, and individual differences. In most of these areas teaching is strengthened by the existence in the Department of groups of research workers who have made notable contributions to these subjects. In addition to the teaching staff there are about 115 persons engaged primarily in research in the Department of Experimental Psychology during any year. These are at present concentrated in the fields of human cognitive processes, brain mechanisms and animal behaviour, developmental psychology, and social psychology. The department is housed in a new building occupied jointly with Zoology. Its facilities for teaching and research in psychology are among the best in the world. Students should gain not only a broad understanding of the field of psychology but also a more detailed grasp of certain selected areas at the "frontiers" of the subject. The Introduction to Psychology course concerns itself with the basic topics in learning and memory, perception, social psychology, developmental psychology, and comparative psychology, illustrated by classical experiments and paradigms. Further courses may be
selected from the following subjects: Perception, Learning and Memory,
Cognition, Animal Behaviour, Social Behaviour, Developmental Psychology,
Behavioral Disorders, Language and Communication, Human Skills,
Individual Differences, Emotion and Motivation, Measurement, Decision
and Control, and Linguistics. Return to top. SOCIOLOGY (See geography and sociology and PPE) Return to top.THEOLOGY At Oxford, Theology is concerned with the background, origins and development of Christianity, and with how it is to be understood and interpreted today. The course is not only of intrinsic interest, but offers training in a wide range of intellectual skills - logical, linguistical, historical, literary, and critical in the broadest sense - which are of practical value in their own right. For this reason Theology attracts students from a wide range of intellectual and religious or non-religious backgrounds. The preliminary course initiates candidates into a critical approach to biblical and doctrinal studies. Advanced courses fall broadly into three parts. Attention focuses first on the Bible. The literature, history, and ideas of Israel and of Judaism are studied in their own right, as well as for their significance as the background to the story of Jesus. As the subject is so large, choice is provided. The Old and New Testaments are not studied in isolation but against the background of the social, political and cultural influences of the day, so far as these can be discovered from the Bible itself and from other sources. The next part is concerned with the development of Christianity in the following options: the early period (when the key doctrinal formulations were hammered out); the Reformation; the nineteenth century; Christian thinking today. The latter involves the study not only of contemporary theology but also of the methods appropriate for doing theology in the modern world; such issues as the nature and function of religious language are considered. In addition to the core courses there is a large range of options, including the philosophy of religion, the study of another world religion, the psychology and sociology of religion, various periods of church history both ancient and modern, Eastern and Western; Christian ethics and spirituality, biblical background studies and archaeology, liturgies, textual criticism; and biblical Hebrew. Return to top. |
