RECOMMENDED TUTORIAL COURSES (General Background)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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].

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.

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.

SOCIOLOGY (See geography and sociology and PPE)

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.