University of Oxford, Worcester College Partnership

CHART Your Course
Visit CHART, our easy-to-use tool to review tutorials recently taken by IFSA students.

Because of the individualized nature of the tutorial system, colleges at Oxford do not have an online class catalog. However, Worcester College has a helpful website with advice on choosing tutorials and a list of possible subjects.

The following is a list of recent tutorial subjects offered, with those denoted by an asterisk especially encouraged:

• Ancient History
• Classics*
• Economics
• English
• French
• Geography
• German
• History
• Mathematics
• Philosophy
• Physics
• Politics*
• Theology and Religion

Students take one primary (major) and one secondary (minor) tutorial every term. Students are not permitted to receive extra credit by taking two primary tutorials in one term. Students will be awarded 8 U.S. semester credit hours for each primary tutorial and 4 U.S. semester credit hours for each secondary tutorial. No credit will be awarded for additional work undertaken even if the University of Oxford approves it.

Students will earn:

• 16 U.S. semester credit hours for the Fall Term (September Seminar plus Michaelmas Term)
• 24 U.S. semester credit hours for the Spring Term (Hilary Term and Trinity Term)
• 36 U.S. semester credit hours for the Academic Year (Michaelmas Term, Hillary Term, and Trinity Term)
• 40 U.S. semester credit hours for the Early Start Academic Year (September Seminar, Michaelmas Term, Hillary Term, and Trinity Term)

Science and math students may be required to attend University lectures or to take one or more short tutorials. Regardless of the number of tutorials or lectures required, science students will earn the same number of credits as other students.

Tutorial System
The hallmark of the University of Oxford academics is the tutorial system. The tutorial is typically a one-hour meeting between one or two students and the tutor. Tutorials usually meet once a week or every other week, and at the center of the tutorial is an essay on a topic the tutor previously assigned. The tutor will lead a discussion about the essay topic in an effort to provide new insights. At the end of the tutorial, the tutor will assign a new topic and may offer recommended reading. Tutorials are individually arranged, taking into account the subject to be studied and the tutor’s area of expertise. They are similar to independent study classes, but Oxford students bear even more responsibility for conducting independent research and maintaining good academic progress. The University of Oxford organizes weekly lectures on myriad academic subjects, and all students at the University, regardless of college, are welcome to attend. Lectures are not usually mandatory except for some science subjects, but tutors often recommend them as good supplements to tutorials and research.

September Seminar
IFSA students studying at Worcester College for the Fall Term arrive in early September for a September Seminar in humanities. This month-long program helps students better understand the Oxford system in advance of the Michaelmas Term.

Academic year students can also apply for the September Seminar (Early Start) in humanities and earn an additional 4 U.S. semester credit hours.

The September Humanities Seminar will be interdisciplinary within the humanities and include Oxford faculty from classics, English literature, and modern languages. Students will attend a performance by the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-on-Avon, as well as excursions to review primary source materials at various Oxford locations. Assessment will include a final research essay related to the topics taught in the seminar.

Lab & Field Trip Fees
Please review syllabi and course materials when registering for direct-enroll classes. Certain classes may have a one-off lab or field trip fee disclosed in the syllabus or during the first meeting of the class. These fees are not included in your IFSA program fee. You will be responsible for these fees, whether they are billed and paid by IFSA or billed to you.

Your tutorial topics should be limited to no more than two subjects, and those subjects should be related. For instance, the tutors reviewing your application will look more favorably at a tutorial request form that has choices limited to Politics and History Departments. They would not be as impressed with a tutorial request form that also lists choices in the Earth Sciences or Mathematics Departments.

Tutorials in the Chemistry, History of Art, and Linguistics Departments are not currently available to study abroad students.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Application Deadline
The application deadline is Dec. 15 of the preceding year for Fall Term, Academic Year, and Spring Term for all University of Oxford programs.

Eligibility

• You must be at least 18 years of age. Students under 18 may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
• You must be currently attending or recently graduated from a U.S. or Canadian community college, technical college, two-year college, four-year college, or four-year university.
• Admission to Oxford colleges is highly competitive. Students typically study abroad at Oxford their junior year, having completed two (2) full-time years of study at their home institution before the start of the Oxford term. Oxford colleges may consider an applicant with just one (1) full-time year of completed study, but those students will be competing with students who have completed greater study in their specific subject area. A student with less than two years of completed study may be limited to first- and second-year classes.
• Eligibility requirements can vary among host institutions. Please ask your IFSA Enrollment Counselor for specific information.

Application Acceptance
This program gives preference to students applying for the Academic Year over students applying for just the Fall Term or the Spring Term. Because even exceptionally qualified candidates may not gain admission, it is recommended you open a backup application to a non-Oxford IFSA program. Spaces at St. Edmunds are limited. You should review the resources provided by your IFSA Enrollment Counselor and arrange an advising call to ensure you pursue the Oxford program that best fits your goals and intended tutorial areas of study.

Recommendation Letters
Your application to this program will require two (2) academic letters of recommendation on home institution letterhead.

TRANSCRIPT
Upon completion of your program, IFSA will send an official Butler University transcript to your home university with your coursework converted to the U.S. semester credit hour system. You will also have access to an unofficial transcript in your IFSA Student Portal. The transcript reflects classes taken, credits attempted, and grades earned during your term abroad. This service is included in your study abroad program at no additional cost. See our Transcripts page for more information.