Prefatory Note Why a Twelve Day Orientation in Oxford is Essential The Tutorial System Choice of Tutorial Subject Choice of Tutors The Academic Placement Process The Core Lecture Course in British Culture and Society Administrative Procedures The Responsibilities of the Student The Academic Adviser Libraries Grades and evaluations Records of Academic Work Why Thirteen Weeks of Residence are Important to One-Term Students Further Contact with Oxford Prefatory Note As you know, every college is different and the procedures outlined here may differ slightly from those of other colleges. Any significant difference will be pointed out to you by your adviser. The Basic System: Oxford University is a confederation of 45 "societies" which admit their own students. The University matriculates students to supplicate for degrees, administers the final examination, and then awards degrees (to a passing student). You cannot be a junior member of the University without first being a junior member of a society. We have been invited by several of the 45 societies to recommend qualified students to them for consideration; these students would study for one year or less as "junior year abroad" students, Associate Members or Visiting Students. (Graduate work is possible also). The One-Year Student: Traditionally, there has been some resistance to admitting students to study for only one year. Starting in 1980, a few of the societies began to admit a very few one year students. As we note in our prospectus, a few leading U.S. colleges (Harvard, Columbia, etc.) have slowly made special arrangements with a few Oxford colleges to consider a few of their students for one year periods of study. The Information Officer of the University, Ms Ann Lonsdale, published an authoritative letter on this subject. In the newsletter of the National Association for Foreign Student Affairs, Ms Lonsdale notes that "Universities...in the U.S. have Junior Year Abroad agreements with the colleges of Oxford University rather than with the University itself." This is the method under which students recommended by us are accepted as "Visiting Students" or "Associate Members" of a number of Oxford University societies. "While at Oxford I studied "Ethics of War", tutored by Reverend Professor Oliver O'Donovan, Regius Professor of Moral Theology and Canon of Christ Church, and "Terrorism: The Problem of Sub-State Violence", tutored by Dr. David Carlton. There are no classes, in the traditional sense. I found the tutorial method the most intense learning experience I had ever encountered. Tutorials are often supplemented by seminars and lectures which, though ungraded and voluntary, prove extremely instructive and beneficial. There are no limits on the number which can be taken, though the particular professors involved may place some constraints upon who he/she will permit to participate. I took seminars on "Strategic Studies", with Professor Adam Roberts, and "Changing Roles of Global Institutions", with Professor Robert O'Neil and Professor Roberts. The former was a small group of approximately eight doctoral students; the latter was a larger assembly of students, faculty and goverment/business leaders from London I also studied in the Oxford Foreign Service Programme, a graduate course for 30 leading diplomats world-wide, under the supervision of Ambassador Sir John Johnson. The Washington International Studies Council, directed by Professor Robert Schuettinger, is a "middle-man" between American colleges and Oxford colleges. WISC arranges housing, placement in colleges and, if necessary, placement with tutors. Importantly, WISC arranges special opportunities keyed to the particular academic interests of the students involved. In my case, this included meeting with senior Ministry of Defense and Admiralty officials. Several of my colleagues were Law School students; WISC arranged a meeting with a Queen's Counsel (senior lawyer) and tours of Queens' Bench facilities. For all students, WISC arranged tours of Stonehenge, Parliament and Ireland, as well as a Shakespearean theater in London." In my view, WISC did a tremendous job and is of significant benefit to the students involved. Commander HH, USN, Georgetown University (graduate school). This student is also a Harvard graduate, MPA. He is now (2006) a Rear Admiral and commands the U.S. Naval Base at Guatanamo Bay in Cuba. A number of one year students return to their Oxford colleges to pursue a degree; as "alumni" they are often welcomed back (several every year.) You may wish to consider this option. An important point to bear in mind is that the British educational system is somewhat different from the American system. The last two years of a British high school (called the Sixth Form) are equivalent to the first two years of a U.S. college. The first year at Oxford therefore, is on the approximate level of the Junior year of a distinguished American College. This means that all Oxford courses are on the junior, senior, and first year graduate level in U.S. terms; they all would be called "Upper Division " courses by a U.S. college. The Oxford BA (which becomes an MA eventually) is roughly equal to an MA at a leading U.S. college. For this reason it is normally not possible for an American underqraduate to matriculate for an Oxford degree; except in a rare case, an Oxford college would normally admit only an American with a Bachelor's degee to degree status.