The Tutorial System

The essence of the Oxford educational system is the one-on-one tutorial (sometimes students studying the same subject are "paired"). American students usually do better academic work in Oxford than they did before because of the highly individual education provided by a personal tutor.

Students
Margaret Clerisi (D. Phil, Oxon.) tutors a student in English Literature
Students normally study a primary subject for nine tutorials and a secondary for five to complete the equivalent of a US semester (14 semester credits). Because of the wide range of experts available in the Oxford faculty (rated by the United Nations as one of the ten best faculties in the world) students may study almost any advanced, upper-division, academic subject. (Survey courses, such as "Western Civilization", are not offered as tutorial courses in Oxford.) Students should submit their tutorial plans in advance (many submit course descriptions from their home college catalogue). A list of recommended courses is available on request. Please call or email OSAP, or see this website.

A core lecture course in British culture and society is offered in the Fall and Winter terms for one recommended US semester credit. Leading scholars in Oxford lecture periodically to all OSAP students. The five educational tours are an integral part of this course, organized by OSAP at the suggestion of several US study abroad advisers. A 12-day orientation is provided by OSAP including an induction organized by each Oxford College.

students

A new book entitled The Oxford Tutorial: 'Thanks, You Taught Me How To Think' has just been edited by the Bursar of New College, David Palfreyman. It is available for personal use only on www.new.ox.ac.uk/oxcheps. Students may wish to download chapters of interest to them.

While in residence in Oxford, students will be academically supervised by a senior member of the Oxford University faculty. All their tutors will be fully qualified scholars who have taught degree candidates in Oxford. As we have noted above, students should make certain in advance that their home academic departments will accept tutorial reports from their Oxford tutors as the basis for awarding credit toward their home college degree. It is always up to the home college to decide how much, if any, credit it wishes to award for work done away from the home college. As we have stressed above, students are degree candidates in their home colleges, not in any institution in Oxford. Students may join a few of the 300 clubs and teams, including the Oxford Union Society, at cost.

OSAP shares facilities with another overseas program to lower costs for all students.