Coordinates: 51.7611° N 1.2534° W Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...

University of Oxford
Latin: Universitas Oxoniensis
Motto	Dominus Illuminatio Mea "The Lord is my Light"
Established	Unknown, teaching existed since 1096[1]
Type	Public
Endowment	£3.6 billion (inc. colleges)[2]
Chancellor	The Rt Hon. Baron Patten of Barnes
Vice-Chancellor	Dr John Hood
Students	18,431 (2006)
Undergraduates	11,185 (2006)
Postgraduates	6,768 (2006)
Location	Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
Colours	Oxford (dark) blue[3]
Affiliations	IARU Russell Group Coimbra Group Europaeum EUA LERU 'Golden Triangle'
Website	www.ox.ac.uk

The University of Oxford (informally "Oxford University"), located in the city of Oxford, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world.^[4] It is also regarded as one of the world's leading academic institutions. (The name is usually abbreviated as Oxon. in post-nominals, from the Latin "Oxoniensis".) Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... For other uses, see Latin (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Motto (disambiguation). ... The date of establishment or date of founding of an institution is the date on which that institution chooses to claim as its starting point. ... Events Bernhard becomes Bishop of Brandenburg First documented teaching at the University of Oxford Beginning of the Peoples Crusade, the German Crusade, and the First Crusade Vital I Michele is Doge of Venice Peter I, King of Aragon, conquers Huesca Phayao, now a province of Thailand, is founded as... This does not cite its references or sources. ... A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution, with the stipulation that it be invested, and the principal remain intact. ... A Chancellor is the head of a university. ... Christopher Francis Patten, Baron Patten of Barnes, CH, PC (born 12 May 1944 in Bath, Somerset) is a prominent British Conservative politician and a Patron of the Tory Reform Group. ... A Vice-Chancellor (commonly called the VC) of a university in the United Kingdom, other Commonwealth countries, and some universities in Hong Kong, is the de facto head of the university. ... Dr John Hood has been the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford since 5 October 2004. ... Alternate uses: Student (disambiguation) Etymologically derived through Middle English from the Latin second-type conjugation verb stŭdērĕ, which means to study, a student is one who studies. ... In some educational systems, undergraduate education is post-secondary education up to the level of a Bachelors degree. ... Degree ceremony at Cambridge. ... This article is about the city of Oxford in England. ... Oxfordshire (abbreviated Oxon, from the Latinised form Oxonia) is a county in the South East of England, bordering on Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... School colors are the colors chosen by a school to represent it on uniforms and other items of identification. ... The International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU) was launched in January 2006 as a leading co-operative network of 10 international research-intensive universities. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Coimbra Group (CG) is a network of European universities that gathers 38 universities, some of which are among the oldest and most prestigious in Europe. ... The Europaeum is a loose organisation of ten leading European universities. ... The European University Association (EUA) is the main voice of the higher education community in Europe. ... According to its mission statement, the League of European Research Universities (LERU) is a group of European research-intensive universities committed to the values of high quality teaching within an environment of internationally competitive research. ... The Golden Triangle is a group of leading research UK universities. ... A website (alternatively, Web site or web site) is a collection of Web pages, images, videos or other digital assets that is hosted on one or several Web server(s), usually accessible via the Internet, cell phone or a LAN. A Web page is a document, typically written in HTML... Image File history File links Oxford_University. ... This article is about the city of Oxford in England. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Map of medieval European universities This is a list of the oldest extant universities in the world. ... Definitions of the Anglosphere vary: Countries in which English is the first language of a large fraction of the population are shown in blue. ... Post-nominal letters also called Post-nominal initials or Post-nominal titles are letters placed after the name of an individual to indicate that that individual holds a position, educational degree, accreditation, office, or honour. ...

The university traces its roots back to at least the end of the 11th century, although the exact date of foundation remains unclear. After a dispute between students and townsfolk broke out in 1209, some of the academics at Oxford fled north-east to the town of Cambridge, where the University of Cambridge was founded. The two universities have since had a long history of competition with each other (see Oxbridge rivalry). As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ... This article is about the city in England. ... The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University), located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and has a reputation as one of the worlds most prestigious universities. ... The University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge, collectively known as Oxbridge, are the two oldest and most famous universities in Britain. ...

The University of Oxford is a member of the Russell Group of research-led British universities, the Coimbra Group (a network of leading European universities), the League of European Research Universities, and is also a core member of the Europaeum. Academically, Oxford is consistently ranked in the world's top ten universities.^[5][6] For more than a century, it has served as the home of the Rhodes Scholarship, which brings highly accomplished students from a number of countries to study at Oxford as postgraduates. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Most United Kingdom universities can be classified into 5 main categories, Ancient universities - universities founded before the 19th century Red Brick universities - universities founded in the 19th and early 20th centuries. ... The Coimbra Group (CG) is a network of European universities that gathers 38 universities, some of which are among the oldest and most prestigious in Europe. ... According to its mission statement, the League of European Research Universities (LERU) is a group of European research-intensive universities committed to the values of high quality teaching within an environment of internationally competitive research. ... The Europaeum is a loose organisation of ten leading European universities. ... // One of the well known rankings, THES - QS publishes an annual report about world rankings. ... Rhodes House in Oxford, designed by Sir Herbert Baker. ...

History

Coat of arms of the University of Oxford

The town of Oxford was already an important centre of learning by the end of the 12th century. Teachers from mainland Europe and other scholars settled there, and lectures are known to have been delivered by as early as 1096. The expulsion of foreigners from the University of Paris in 1167 caused many English scholars to return from France and settle in Oxford. The historian Gerald of Wales lectured to the scholars in 1188, and the first foreign scholar, Emo of Friesland arrived in 1190. The head of the University was named a chancellor from 1201, and the masters were recognised as a universitas or corporation in 1231. The students associated together, on the basis of geographical origins, into two “nations,” representing the North (including the Scots) and the South (including the Irish and the Welsh). In later centuries, geographical origins continued to influence many students' affiliations when membership of a college or hall became customary in Oxford. Members of many religious orders, including Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites, and Augustinians, settled in Oxford in the mid-13th century, gained influence, and maintained houses for students. At about the same time, private benefactors established colleges to serve as self-contained scholarly communities. Among the earliest were John de Balliol, father of the future King of Scots; Balliol College bears his name. Another founder, Walter de Merton, a chancellor of England and afterwards Bishop of Rochester, devised a series of regulations for college life; Merton College thereby became the model for such establishments at Oxford as well as at the University of Cambridge. Thereafter, an increasing number of students forsook living in halls and religious houses in favour of living at colleges. This image depicts a seal, an emblem, a coat of arms or a crest. ... This image depicts a seal, an emblem, a coat of arms or a crest. ... Modern version of the arms of the University of Oxford. ... Continental Europe, also referred to as mainland Europe or simply the Continent, is the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands and, at times, peninsulas. ... The Sorbonne, Paris, in a 17th century engraving The historic University of Paris (French: ) first appeared in the second half of the 12th century, but was in 1970 reorganised as 13 autonomous universities (University of Paris I–XIII). ... Giraldus Cambrensis (c. ... Emo of Friesland was a Frisian scholar, and the first foreign student to study at Oxford University. ... For other uses, see Chancellor (disambiguation). ... The University of Oxford comprises 39 Colleges and 7 religious Permanent Private Halls (PPHs), which are autonomous self-governing corporations within the university. ... A Permanent Private Hall at the University of Oxford is an educational institution affiliated to the University — not as a full College, but able to award Oxford University degrees. ... A Taoist monk playing an instrument. ... The Order of Friars Minor and other Franciscan movements are disciples of Saint Francis of Assisi. ... The Order of Our Lady of Mt. ... Detail of St. ... (12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ... John de Balliol (d. ... King John, his crown and sceptre symbolically broken as depicted in the 1562 Forman Armorial, produced for Mary, Queen of Scots. ... and of the Balliol College College name Balliol College Named after John de Balliol Established 1263 Sister college St Johns College, Cambridge Master Andrew Graham JCR President Helen Lochead Undergraduates 403 MCR President Chelsea Payne Graduates 228 Location of Balliol College within central Oxford , Homepage Boatclub Balliol College (pronounced... Walter de Merton (c. ... The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor and prior to the Union the Chancellor of England and the Lord Chancellor of Scotland, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom, and its predecessor states. ... The Bishop of Rochester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Rochester in the Province of Canterbury. ... and of the Merton College College name The House of Scholars of Merton Named after Walter de Merton Established 1264 Sister college Peterhouse, Cambridge Warden Prof. ... The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University), located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and has a reputation as one of the worlds most prestigious universities. ...

The new learning of the Renaissance greatly influenced Oxford from the late 15th century onward. Among university scholars of the period were William Grocyn, who contributed to the revival of the Greek language, and John Colet, the noted biblical scholar. With the Reformation and the breaking of ties with the Roman Catholic Church, the method of teaching at the university was transformed from the medieval Scholastic method to Renaissance education, although institutions associated with the university suffered loss of land and revenues. In 1636, Chancellor William Laud, archbishop of Canterbury, codified the university statutes; these to a large extent remained the university's governing regulations until the mid-19th century. Laud was also responsible for the granting of a charter securing privileges for the university press, and he made significant contributions to the Bodleian Library, the main library of the university. This article is about the European Renaissance of the 14th-17th centuries. ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... William Grocyn (1446?-1519) was an English scholar, a friend of Erasmus. ... Greek ( IPA: or simply IPA: — Hellenic) has a documented history of 3,500 years, the longest of any single language in the Indo-European language family. ... John Colet John Colet, (January 1467 – September 10, 1519), was an English churchman and educational pioneer. ... Biblical Theology is a discipline within Christian theology which studies the Bible from the perspective of understanding the progressive history of God revealing himself to Man following the Fall and throughout the Old Testament and New Testament. ... Reformation redirects here. ... Catholic Church redirects here. ... Scholasticism comes from the Latin word scholasticus, which means that [which] belongs to the school, and is the school of philosophy taught by the academics (or schoolmen) of medieval universities circa 1100–1500. ... A Chancellor is the head of a university. ... Archbishop William Laud (October 7, 1573 – January 10, 1645) was Archbishop of Canterbury and a fervent supporter of King Charles I of England, whom he encouraged to believe in divine right. ... The Archbishop of Canterbury is the spiritual leader and senior clergyman of the Church of England, recognized by convention as the head of the worldwide Anglican Communion. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Oxford University Press (OUP) is a highly-respected publishing house and a department of the University of Oxford in England. ... Entrance to the Library, with the coats-of-arms of several Oxford colleges The Bodleian Library, the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in England is second in size only to the British Library. ...

A map of Oxford, 1605.

The university was a centre of the Royalist Party during the English Civil War (1642–1649), while the town favoured the opposing Parliamentarian cause. Soldier-statesman Oliver Cromwell, chancellor of the university from 1650 to 1657, was responsible for preventing both Oxford and Cambridge from being closed down by the Puritans, who viewed university education as dangerous to religious beliefs. From the mid-18th century onward, however, the University of Oxford took little part in political conflicts. Image File history File links John Speeds map of Oxford, 1605. ... Image File history File links John Speeds map of Oxford, 1605. ... °°°°°°°°°°°→→→→→→→→→→→→§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§§ Prince Rupert, an archetypical cavalier For other uses, see Cavalier (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see English Civil War (disambiguation). ... The Roundheads was the nickname given to the supporters of Parliament during the English Civil War. ... For other uses, see Oliver Cromwell (disambiguation). ...

Administrative reforms during the 19th century included the replacement of oral examinations with written entrance tests, greater tolerance for religious dissent, and the establishment of four colleges for women. Women have been eligible to be full members of the university and have been entitled to take degrees since 1920. Although Oxford's emphasis traditionally had been on classical knowledge, its curriculum expanded in the course of the 19th century and now attaches equal importance to scientific and medical studies. English Dissenters were dissenters from England who opposed State interference in religious matters and founded their own communities over the 16th to 18th century period. ... A magnet levitating above a high-temperature superconductor demonstrates the Meissner effect. ... For the chemical substances known as medicines, see medication. ...

The list of distinguished scholars at the University of Oxford is long and includes many who have made major contributions to British politics, the sciences, medicine, and literature. More than forty Nobel laureates and more than fifty world leaders have been affiliated with the University of Oxford. Since its foundation in 1823, the Oxford Union, a private club devoted to formal debating and other social activities, has numbered among its members many of Britain's most noted political leaders. The Politics of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland takes place in the framework of a constitutional monarchy in which the Monarch is head of state and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government. ... The Oxford Union Society, commonly referred to simply as the Oxford Union, is a private debating society in the city of Oxford, England, whose membership is drawn primarily but not exclusively from the University of Oxford. ...

Organisation

As a collegiate university, Oxford's structure can be confusing to those unfamiliar with it. The university is essentially a federation: it comprises over forty self-governing colleges and halls, along with a central administration headed by the Vice-Chancellor. The academic departments are located centrally within this structure; they are not affiliated to any particular college. The departments perform research, provide facilities for teaching and research, organise lectures and seminars, and determine the syllabi and guidelines for the teaching of students. Colleges then organise the tutorial teaching for their undergraduates. The members of an academic department are spread around many colleges; though certain colleges do have subject strengths (e.g. Nuffield College as a centre for the social sciences), they are the exception, and most colleges will have a broad mix of academics and students from a diverse range of subjects. Facilities such as libraries are provided on all these levels: by the central university (the Bodleian), by the departments (individual departmental libraries, such as the English Faculty Library), and by colleges (all of which maintain a multi-discipline library for the use of their members). In the United Kingdom, a collegiate university is a university whose functions are divided between the central departments of the university and a number of colleges. ... A map displaying todays federations. ... The University of Oxford comprises 39 Colleges and 7 religious Permanent Private Halls (PPHs), which are autonomous self-governing corporations within the university. ... A Permanent Private Hall at the University of Oxford is an educational institution affiliated to the University — not as a full College, but able to award Oxford University degrees. ... The following people have been Vice-Chancellors of the University of Oxford: 2004 – Dr John Hood 1997 – Sir Colin Lucas 1993 – Sir Peter North 1989 – Professor Sir Richard Southwood 1985 – Lord Neill of Bladen 1981 – Geoffrey Warnock 1977 – Sir Rex Richards 1973 – Sir John Habakkuk 1969 – Lord Bullock of Leafield... and of the Nuffield College College name Nuffield College Named after Lord Nuffield Established 1937 Sister college None Warden Stephen Nickell Undergraduates None Graduates 74 Location of Nuffield College within central Oxford , Homepage Nuffield College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. ... Entrance to the Library, with the coats_of_arms of several Oxford colleges Oxford University Libraries Service (OULS) comprises over 30 of the University of Oxfords central and faculty libraries: from the world famous Bodleian Library, established 400 years ago, to the modern digital library ventures. ...

The Sheldonian Theatre, built by Sir Christopher Wren between 1664-1668, hosts the University's Congregation, as well as concerts and degree ceremonies

Download high resolution version (575x640, 78 KB)Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford. ... Download high resolution version (575x640, 78 KB)Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford. ... Sheldonian Theatre. ... Christopher Wren. ... A congregation is the assembly of senior members of a university, especially in the United Kingdom. ...

Central Governance

The university's formal head is the Chancellor (currently Lord Patten), though as with most British universities, the Chancellor is a titular figure, rather than someone involved with the day-to-day running of the university. Elected by the members of Convocation, a body comprising all graduates of the university, the Chancellor holds office until death. Chancellors of the University of Oxford include: 1224 Robert Grosseteste (Master of the School of Oxford since 1208) 1231 Ralph Cole (surname queried) 1231 Richard Batchden 1233 Ralph Cole 1238 Simon de Bovill 1239 John de Rygater 1240 Richard of Chichester 1240 Ralph de Heyham 1244 Simon de Bovill 1246... Lord Patten of Barnes The Right Honourable Christopher Francis Patten, Baron Patten of Barnes, CH, PC (born 12 May 1944) is a prominent British Conservative politician. ... A Convocation (Latin calling together, translating the Greek ecclesia) is a group of people formally assembled for a special purpose. ...

The Vice-Chancellor, currently Dr John Hood, is the de facto head of the University. Five Pro-Vice-Chancellors have specific responsibilities for Education; Research; Planning and Resources; Development and External Affairs; and Personnel and Equal Opportunities. The University Council is the executive policy-forming body, which consists of the Vice-Chancellor as well as heads of departments and other members elected by Congregation, in addition to observers from the Student Union. Congregation, the ‘parliament of the dons’, comprises over 3,700 members of the University’s academic and administrative staff, and has ultimate responsibility for legislative matters: it discusses and pronounces on policies proposed by the University Council. Oxford and Cambridge (which is similarly structured) are unique for this democratic form of governance. The following people have been Vice-Chancellors of the University of Oxford: 2004 – Dr John Hood 1997 – Sir Colin Lucas 1993 – Sir Peter North 1989 – Professor Sir Richard Southwood 1985 – Lord Neill of Bladen 1981 – Geoffrey Warnock 1977 – Sir Rex Richards 1973 – Sir John Habakkuk 1969 – Lord Bullock of Leafield... Dr John Hood has been the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford since 5 October 2004. ... A congregation is the assembly of senior members of a university, especially in the United Kingdom. ...

Two university proctors, who are elected annually on a rotating basis from two of the colleges, supervise undergraduate discipline. The collection of University Professors is called the Statutory Professors of the University of Oxford. They are particularly influential in the running of the graduate programmes within the University. Examples of Statutory Professors are the Chichele Professorships and the Drummond Professor of Political Economy. The various academic faculties, departments, and institutes are organised into four divisions, each with their own Head and elected board. They are the Humanities Division; the Social Sciences Division; the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division; and the Medical Sciences Division. For other uses, see Proctor (disambiguation). ... The Chichele Professorships are statutory professorships at the University of Oxford named in honour of Henry Chichele (also spelt Chicheley or Checheley, although the spelling of the academic position is consistently Chichele), an Archbishop of Canterbury and founder of All Souls College, Oxford, fellowship of that College accompanying the award...

Magdalen College on May Morning, 2007.

St Catherine's College, founded in 1962, is the youngest undergraduate college

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 563 pixelsFull resolution (5406 × 3804 pixel, file size: 4. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 563 pixelsFull resolution (5406 × 3804 pixel, file size: 4. ... College name Magdalen College Latin name Collegium Beatae Mariae Magdalenae Named after Mary Magdalene Established 1458 Sister college Magdalene College, Cambridge President Professor David Clary FRS JCR President Jessica Jones Undergraduates 395 MCR President Eloise Scotford Graduates 230 Location of Magdalen College within central Oxford , Homepage Boatclub Magdalen College (pronounced... May Morning is an annual event in Oxford on May Day (1 May). ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Full name St Catherines College Motto Nova et Vetera The New and the Old Named after Previous names St. ...

Colleges

Main article: Colleges of the University of Oxford

There are 39 colleges of the University of Oxford and seven Permanent Private Halls, each with its own internal structure and activities. All students, and most academic staff, are affiliated with a college. The heads of Oxford colleges are known by various titles, according to the college, including warden, provost, principal, president, rector or master. The colleges join together as the Conference of Colleges to discuss policy and to deal with the central University administration. Teaching members of the colleges (fellows and tutors) are collectively and familiarly known as dons (though the term is rarely used by members of the university itself). In addition to residential and dining facilities, the colleges provide social, cultural, and recreational activities for their members. Colleges have responsibility for admitting undergraduates and organising their tuition; for graduates, this responsibility falls upon the departments. The University of Oxford comprises 39 Colleges and 7 religious Permanent Private Halls (PPHs), which are autonomous self-governing corporations within the university. ... The University of Oxford comprises 39 Colleges and 7 religious Permanent Private Halls (PPHs), which are autonomous self-governing corporations within the university. ... A Permanent Private Hall at the University of Oxford is an educational institution affiliated to the University — not as a full College, but able to award Oxford University degrees. ...

Teaching and Degrees

Main article: Degrees of the University of Oxford

Undergraduate teaching is centred upon the tutorial, where 1-3 students spend an hour with an academic discussing their week’s work, usually an essay (arts) or problem sheet (sciences). Students usually have around two tutorials a week, and can be taught by academics at any other college - not just their own - as expertise and personnel requires. These tutorials are complemented by lectures, classes and seminars, which are organised on a departmental basis. Graduate students undertaking taught degrees are usually instructed through classes and seminars, though naturally there is more focus upon individual research. This article concerns the Degrees of Oxford University. ...

The university itself is responsible for conducting examinations and conferring degrees. The passing of two sets of examinations is a prerequisite for a first degree. The first set of examinations, called either Honour Moderations (‘Mods’ and ‘Honour Mods’) or Preliminary Examinations (‘Prelims’), are usually held at the end of the first year (or after five terms in the case of Classics). The second set of examinations, the Final Honour School (‘Finals’), is held at the end of the undergraduate course. Successful candidates receive first-, upper or lower second-, or third-class honours based on their performance in Finals. Research degrees at the master's and doctoral level are conferred in all subjects studied at graduate level at the university.

Tom Quad, Christ Church in the snow.

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1819x1011, 789 KB) Tom Quad in the snow, including Tom Tower behind, at Christ Church, Oxford. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1819x1011, 789 KB) Tom Quad in the snow, including Tom Tower behind, at Christ Church, Oxford. ... Great Quadrangle, more popularly known as Tom Quad, is one of the quadrangles of Christ Church, Oxford. ... Christ Church is the name of various churches and cathedrals, usually Protestant, named after Jesus Christ himself. ...

Academic Year

The academic year is divided into three terms, determined by Regulations.^[7] Michaelmas Term lasts from October to December; Hilary Term from January to March; and Trinity Term from April to July. An academic term is a division of an academic year, the time during which a school, college or university holds classes. ... Michaelmas term is the first term of Oxford University, Cambridge University, LSE, University of Wales, Lampeter, Durham University, and formerly University of Newcastle upon Tynes academic year, and is the only term name shared by Oxford and Cambridge, Oxford and Lampeter and Oxford and Durham. ... Hilary term is the second academic term of Oxford Universitys academic year. ... Trinity Term is the name of the third and final term of Oxford Universitys academic year. ...

Within these terms, Council determines for each year eight-week periods called Full Terms, during which undergraduate teaching takes place. These terms are shorter than those of many other British universities.^[8] As with all British Universities undergraduates are also expected to prepare heavily in the three vacations (known as the Christmas, Easter and Long Vacations). This page is a candidate to be copied to Wiktionary. ... For other uses, see Christmas (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Christian festival. ...

Internally at least, the dates in the term are often referred to by a number in reference to the start of each full term, thus the first week of any full term is called "1st week" and the last is "8th week". The numbering of the weeks continues up to the end of the term, and begins again with negative numbering from the beginning of the succeeding term, through "minus first week" and "noughth week", which precedes "1st week". Weeks begin on a Sunday.

Finances

In 2005/06 the University had income of £609m, and the colleges £237m (of which £41m is a flow-through from the University). For the University, key sources were HEFCE (£166m) and research grants (£213m). For the colleges, the largest single source was endowments and interest (£82m) and residential charges (£47m). While the University has the larger operating budget, the colleges have a far larger aggregate endowment, at around £2.7bn compared to the University's £900m.^[9] The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) acts on behalf of the UK Government to distribute funding to Universities and Colleges of Higher and Further Education in England. ...

Admission

Procedure

The admission process for undergraduates is undertaken by the individual colleges, working with each other to ensure that the best students gain a place at the University regardless of whether they are accepted by their preferred college. Selection is based on achieved and predicted exam results; candidate-submitted written work; interviews, which are held between applicants and college tutors; and, in some subjects, written admission tests prior to interview. Personal statements and school references are also considered. Prospective students apply through the UCAS application system, in common with all British universities, but (along with applicants for Cambridge) must observe an earlier deadline. They must also complete an additional, Oxford-specific form. Because of the high volume of applications and the direct involvement of the faculty in admissions, students are not permitted to apply to both Oxford and Cambridge in the same year, with the exception of applicants for Organ Scholarships and those applying to read for a second undergraduate degree. UCAS logo as of 2006 UCAS (Universities & Colleges Admissions Service, pronounced YOU-kass, IPA: ) is a clearing house for applications to almost all full-time undergraduate degree programmes at British universities and colleges. ... The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University), located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and has a reputation as one of the worlds most prestigious universities. ... An organ scholar is a young man or woman who is employed as a part-time assistant organist in a cathedral or collegiate church. ...

The decentralised, college-based nature of the admissions procedure necessitates a number of mechanisms to ensure that the best students are offered admission to the University, regardless of whether the college they originally applied to can accommodate them. As such, colleges can 'pool' candidates to other colleges, whereby candidates can be interviewed at and/or offered admission to another college. Some applicants are also awarded an 'open offer', which does not carry an attachment to a particular college until A Level results day in August. The colleges have recently signed up to what they call a 'common framework' outlining the principles and procedures they observe. The A-level, short for Advanced Level, is a General Certificate of Education qualification, usually taken by students in the two years of further education (after GCSEs). ...

For graduate students, admission is first by the relevant department, and then by a college.

Oxford University Museum of Natural History

Oxford University Museum of Natural History. ... Oxford University Museum of Natural History. ... The Oxford University Museum of Natural History, sometimes known simply as the Oxford University Museum, is a museum displaying many of the University of Oxfords natural history specimens. ...

Access

Despite the University's claims that its admissions policies avoid bias to candidates of certain socioeconomic or educational backgrounds,^[10] the fairness of Oxford admissions have continued to attract considerable public controversy through episodes such as the Laura Spence Affair in 2000.^[11] Although the University puts enormous efforts into attracting working-class students,^{[citation needed]} Oxbridge entrance remains a central focus for many private and selective-state schools, and the under-representation of comprehensive school pupils remains a point of controversy.^[12] In 2007, the University refined its admissions procedure to take into account the academic performance of applicants' schools.^[13] The Laura Spence Affair was a British political row in 2000, ignited after the failure of high-flying state school pupil Laura Spence to secure a place at the University of Oxford. ...

Students who apply from state schools and colleges have a comparable acceptance rate to those from independent schools (25% and 32% of applicants accepted respectively, 2006). However, most pupils who are accepted from state schools come from "elite" grammar and selective schools, rather than comprehensives.^[14] Only about half of applications come from the state sector,^[15] and the University of Oxford funds many initiatives to attract applicants from this sector, including the Oxford Access Scheme, Target Schools, and the FE Access Initiative.^[16] Most colleges also run their own access schemes and initiatives. State school is an expression used in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom to distinguish schools provided by the government from privately run schools. ... An independent school is a school which is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operation and is instead operated by tuition charges, gifts, and perhaps the investment yield of an endowment. ... A comprehensive school is a secondary school that does not select children on the basis of academic attainment or aptitude. ...

The Ashmolean is the oldest museum in Britain

The University is also open to overseas students (primarily from American universities) who may enrol in study abroad programmes during the summer months. Mature and part-time students are supported by the Oxford University Department for Continuing Education. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Ashmolean Museum main entrance. ... Studying abroad is the act of a student pursuing educational opportunities in a foreign country. ... Oxford University Department for Continuing Education (OUDCE) is a department within the University of Oxford that caters mainly for part-time and mature students. ...

Scholarships and Financial Support

There are many opportunities for students at Oxford to receive financial help during their studies. The Oxford Opportunity Bursaries, introduced in 2006, are university-wide means-based bursaries available to any British undergraduate. With a total possible grant of £10,235 over a 3-year degree, it is the most generous bursary scheme offered by any British university.^[17] In addition, individual colleges also offer bursaries and funds to help their students. For graduate study, there are many scholarships attached to the University, available to students from all sorts of backgrounds, from the famous Rhodes Scholarships to the new Weidenfeld Scholarships.^[18] In October 2007, it was announced that Oxford would be launching a fund-raising campaign with a goal in excess of £1 billion. Of the money raised, approximately one quarter is expected to go towards student financial support.^[19] Rhodes House in Oxford Rhodes Scholarships were created by Cecil John Rhodes. ...

Students successful in early examinations are rewarded by their colleges with scholarships and exhibitions, normally the result of a long-standing endowment, although when tuition fees were first abolished, the amounts of money available became purely nominal. Scholars, and exhibitioners in some colleges, are entitled to wear a more voluminous undergraduate gown; "commoners" (originally those who had to pay for their "commons", or food and lodging) being restricted to a short, sleeveless garment. The term "scholar" in relation to Oxbridge, therefore, had a specific meaning as well as the more general meaning of someone of outstanding academic ability. In previous times, there were "noblemen commoners" and "gentlemen commoners", but these ranks were abolished in the 19th century. "Closed" scholarships, which were accessible only to candidates who fitted specific conditions such as coming from specific schools, exist now only in name. This article is about scholarship (noun) and scholarship as a form of financial aid. ... At the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, an exhibition is a financial award or grant to an individual student, normally on grounds of merit. ...

Until 1866 one had to belong to the Church of England to receive the BA degree from Oxford, and "dissenters" were only permitted to receive the MA in 1871. Knowledge of Ancient Greek was required until 1920, and Latin until 1960. Women were admitted to degrees in 1920. The Church of England logo since 1998 The Church of England is the officially established Christian church[1] in England, and acts as the mother and senior branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion. ... A B.A. issued from the University of Tennessee. ... Note: This article contains special characters. ...

Collections

The Radcliffe Camera, built 1737-1749, holds books from the Bodleian Library's English and History collections

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 605 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (2068 × 2048 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 605 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (2068 × 2048 pixel, file size: 1. ... The Radcliffe Camera in Oxford, England, was built by James Gibbs between 1737 and 1749 to house the Radcliffe Science Library. ... Entrance to the Library, with the coats-of-arms of several Oxford colleges The Bodleian Library, the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in England is second in size only to the British Library. ...

Libraries

Oxford’s central research library is the Bodleian, founded by Sir Thomas Bodley in 1598 and opened in 1602^[20]. With over 8 million volumes housed on 117 miles of shelving, it is the second-largest library in the UK, after the British Library. It is a legal deposit library, which means that it is entitled to request a free copy of every book published in the UK. As such, its collection is growing at a rate of over three miles (five kilometres) of shelving every year.^[21] Its main central site consists of the Radcliffe Camera, the Old Schools Quadrangle, the Clarendon Building, and the New Bodleian Building. A tunnel underneath Broad Street connects the buildings. There are plans to build a new book depository in Osney Mead,^[22] and to remodel the New Bodleian building^[23] to better showcase the library’s various treasures (which include a Shakespeare First Folio and a Gutenberg Bible) as well as temporary exhibitions. Several other libraries, such as the Radcliffe Science Library and the Oriental Institute Library, also fall within the Bodleian Group’s remit. Entrance to the Library, with the coats-of-arms of several Oxford colleges The Bodleian Library, the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in England is second in size only to the British Library. ... Thomas Bodley Sir Thomas Bodley (March 2, 1545 - January 28, 1613), was an English diplomat and scholar, founder of the Bodleian Library, Oxford. ... British Library main building, London The British Library (BL) is the national library of the United Kingdom. ... United States Library of Congress, Jefferson building A national library is a library specifically established by the government of a nation to serve as the preeminent repository of information for that country. ... “Miles” redirects here. ... “km” redirects here. ... The Radcliffe Camera in Oxford, England, was built by James Gibbs between 1737 and 1749 to house the Radcliffe Science Library. ... The Clarendon Building in Oxford, England, stands in the ceremonial center of the University of Oxford, near the Bodleian Library and the Sheldonian Theatre. ... Historical view of Broad Street looking east towards (left to right) the Clarendon Building, and the Sheldonian Theatre and the Old Ashmolean Building. ... The title page of the First Folio with the famous engraved portrait of Shakespeare by Martin Droeshout The First Folio is the name given by modern scholars to the first published collection of William Shakespeares plays; its actual title is Mr. ... A copy of the Gutenberg Bible owned by the U.S. Library of Congress The Gutenberg Bible (also known as the 42-line Bible or the Mazarin Bible) is a printed version of the Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible that was printed by Johannes Gutenberg, in Mainz, Germany in... The Radcliffe Science Library (RSL) is the main teaching and research science library at the University of Oxford, England. ... The Oriental Institute Building on Pusey Lane, Oxford. ...

As well as the Bodleian, there are a number of other specialised libraries in Oxford, such as the Sackler Library which holds classical collections. In addition, most academic departments maintain their own library, as do all colleges. The University’s entire collection is catalogued by the Oxford Libraries Information System, though with such a huge collection, this is an ongoing task.^[24] Oxford University Library Services, the head of which is Bodley’s Librarian, is the governing administrative body responsible for libraries in Oxford. The Bodleian is currently engaged in a mass-digitisation project with Google.^[25][26] The Sackler Library holds a large portion of the classical, art history, and archaeological works belonging to the University of Oxford. ... OLIS, the Oxford Libraries Information System, is an online union catalog of books held by the libraries of the University of Oxford, England. ... This article is about the corporation. ...

See also: Category:Libraries in Oxford

Pitt Rivers Museum interior

Download high resolution version (500x667, 79 KB)Pitt Rivers Museum. ... Download high resolution version (500x667, 79 KB)Pitt Rivers Museum. ... Pitt Rivers Museum interior The Pitt Rivers Museum is a museum displaying the archaeological and anthropological collections of the University of Oxford. ...

Museums

Oxford maintains a number of museums and galleries in addition to its libraries. The Ashmolean Museum, founded in 1683, is the oldest museum in the UK, and the oldest university museum in the world.^[27] It holds significant collections of art and archaeology, including works by Michelangelo, Leonardo, Turner, and Picasso, as well as treasures such as the Parian Marble and the Alfred Jewel. The Ashmolean is currently undertaking a £49m redevelopment^[28] which will double the display space as well as provide new facilities. Ashmolean Museum main entrance. ... For other uses, see Michelangelo (disambiguation). ... “Da Vinci” redirects here. ... Joseph Mallord William Turner (23 April 1775[1] – 19 December 1851) was an English Romantic landscape painter, watercolourist and printmaker, whose style can be said to have laid the foundation for Impressionism. ... “Picasso” redirects here. ... The Parian Marble or Parian Chronicle is a Greek chronological table, covering the years from 1581BC to 264BC. It is currently broken into two fragments: The larger fragment was brought to the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford in 1627, where it currently resides. ... The Alfred Jewel is a Saxon ornament of unknown purpose. ...

The Museum of Natural History holds the University’s anatomical and natural history specimens. It is housed in a large neo-Gothic building on Parks Road, in the University’s Science Area.^[29][30] Among its collection are the skeletons of a Tyrannosaurus rex and triceratops, and the most complete remains of a dodo found anywhere in the world. It also hosts the Simonyi Professorship of the Public Understanding of Science, currently held by Richard Dawkins. The Oxford University Museum of Natural History, sometimes known simply as the Oxford University Museum, is a museum displaying many of the University of Oxfords natural history specimens. ... The front of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History on Parks Road. ... The Science Area in Oxford, England is where most of the science departments at Oxford University are located. ... Binomial name Tyrannosaurus rex Osborn, 1905 Synonyms Manospondylus gigas Dynamosaurus imperiosus Dinotyrannus megagracilis Nanotyrannus lancensis? Tyrannosaurus (IPA pronunciation or ; from the Greek τυραννόσαυρος, meaning tyrant lizard) is a genus of tyrannosaurid theropod dinosaur. ... Species (type) Marsh, 1890 Triceratops (IPA: ) was a herbivorous genus of ceratopsid dinosaur that lived during the late Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous Period, around 68 to 65 million years ago (mya) in what is now North America. ... For other uses, see Dodo (disambiguation). ... Charles Simonyi (Hungarian: Simonyi Károly; born September 10, 1948, Budapest) is a computer software executive who, as head of Microsofts application software group, oversaw the creation of Microsofts flagship office applications. ... Clinton Richard Dawkins, FRS (born March 26, 1941) is a British ethologist, evolutionary biologist and popular science writer who holds the Charles Simonyi Chair for the Public Understanding of Science at the University of Oxford. ...

Autumn in the Walled Garden of the Botanic Garden

Adjoining the Museum of Natural History is the Pitt Rivers Museum, founded in 1884, which displays the University’s archaeological and anthropological collections, currently holding over 500,000 items. It recently built a new research annexe; its staff have been involved with the teaching of anthropology at Oxford since its foundation, when as part of his donation General Augustus Pitt Rivers stipulated that the University establish a lectureship in anthropology. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1523x999, 1242 KB) A photograph of Autumn foliage in Oxfords Botanic Garden. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1523x999, 1242 KB) A photograph of Autumn foliage in Oxfords Botanic Garden. ... The gardens under snow. ... Pitt Rivers Museum interior The Pitt Rivers Museum is a museum displaying the archaeological and anthropological collections of the University of Oxford. ... Augustus Henry Lane Fox Pitt Rivers (14th April, 1827– 4 May 1900) was an English army officer, ethnologist, and archaeologist. ...

The Museum of the History of Science is housed on Broad St in the world’s oldest-surviving purpose-built museum building.^[31] It contains 15,000 artifacts, from antiquity to the 20th century, representing almost all aspects of the history of science. In the Faculty of Music on St Aldate's is the Bate Collection of Musical Instruments, a collection mostly comprising of instruments from Western classical music, from the medieval period onwards. The Botanic Garden is the oldest botanic garden in the UK, and the third-oldest scientific garden in the world. It contains representatives from over 90% of the world’s higher plant families. Christ Church Picture Gallery holds a collection of over 200 old master paintings. The Old Ashmolean Building as it stands today The Museum of the History of Science, located in Broad Street, Oxford, is home to a collection of historic scientific instruments and is the worlds oldest surviving purpose-built museum building. ... Science is a body of empirical, theoretical, and practical knowledge about the natural world, produced by a global community of researchers making use of a body of techniques known as scientific methods, emphasizing the observation, experimentation and scientific explanation of real world phenomena. ... Tom Tower, Christ Chuch, on St Aldates, Oxford. ... The Bate Collection is a collection of musical instruments, mainly for Western classical music from medieval times onwards. ... The gardens under snow. ... Christ Church Picture Gallery is a picture gallery at Christ Church, Oxford, England. ... An Old Master (or old master) is one of the great European painters who lived 1500 through 1800, or a painting by one of these painters. ...

See also: Category:Museums in Oxford

Reputation

In the subject tables of the Times Good University Guide, Oxford's Physiological Sciences course is ranked first of 48 'Anatomy and Physiology' courses. Fine Art, Business Studies, Materials technology, Middle Eastern and African Studies, Music, Philosophy, and Politics, are also first and Education and Linguistics share first with Cambridge. Oxford comes second after Cambridge in a further seventeen subjects, and second after Durham in English. The University then takes three third-places and an equal-third, as well as a fourth, fifth, and equal-sixth place in one subject each.^[32] In economics, a business is a legally-recognized organizational entity existing within an economically free country designed to sell goods and/or services to consumers, usually in an effort to generate profit. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... An Africanist is a specialist in African affairs, cultures, or languages. ...

In the Guardian's subject tables for institutions in tariff-band 6 (universities whose prospective students are expected to score 400 or more tariff points) Oxford took first place for Anatomy and Physiology, Anthropology, Biosciences, Business and Management Studies, Earth and Marine Sciences, Economics, Law, Materials and Mineral Engineering, Modern Languages, Music, Politics, Psychology, and Sociology. Oxford came second to Cambridge in Archaeology, Classics, English, History, History of Art, Mathematics, Philosophy, Theology and Religious Studies. Oxford came second to Aberdeen in General Engineering, and third in Fine Art, General Engineering and Physics; fourth place in Chemistry and Medicine; sixth place in Computer Science and IT.^[33] For other uses, see Management (disambiguation). ... Thermohaline circulation Oceanography (from Ocean + Greek γράφειν = write), also called oceanology or marine science, is the branch of Earth Sciences that studies the Earths oceans and seas. ... A modern language is any human language that is used by societies in the world today. ... This article is an overview of the history of art worldwide. ... Religious studies is the designation commonly used in the English-speaking world for a multi-disciplinary, secular study of religion that dates to the late 19th century in Europe (and the influential early work of such scholars as Friedrich Max Müller, in England, and Cornelius P. Tiele, in the...

Oxford is one of four UK universities that belong to the Coimbra Group, one of four UK universities that belong to the League of European Research Universities, and one of three UK universities that belong to both. It is the only UK university to belong to the Europaeum group. The Coimbra Group (CG) is a network of European universities that gathers 38 universities, some of which are among the oldest and most prestigious in Europe. ... According to its mission statement, the League of European Research Universities (LERU) is a group of European research-intensive universities committed to the values of high quality teaching within an environment of internationally competitive research. ... The Europaeum is a loose organisation of ten leading European universities. ...

League Table Rankings

The THES - QS World University Rankings is an annual publication of university rankings around the world, published by The Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) and Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). ... // One of the well known rankings, THES - QS publishes an annual report about world rankings. ...