Everything You Need to Know About the University of Oxford
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Everything you need to know about the
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford located in the UKcity ofOxford, is the oldest surviving
university in the English-speaking world and is regarded as one of the world's leading
academic institutions. Although the exact date of foundation remains unclear, there is
evidence of teaching there as far back as the 11th century. The University grew
rapidly from 1167 when Henry II banned English students from attending the
University of Paris.
After disputes between students and Oxford townsfolk in 1209, some academics fled
north-east to Cambridge, where they established what became the University of
Cambridge. The two "ancient universities" have many common features and are
nowadays known as Oxbridge.
Most undergraduate teaching at Oxford is organised around weekly essay-based
tutorials at self-governing colleges and halls, supported by lectures and laboratory
classes organised by University faculties and departments. League tables consistently
list Oxford as one of the UK's best universities, and Oxford is currently ranked in the
world's top 10. The University is a member of the Russell Group of research-led
British universities, the Coimbra Group, the League of European Research
Universities, International Alliance of Research Universities and is also a core
member of the Europaeum. 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.
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History
The University of Oxford does not have a clear date of
foundation. Teaching at Oxford existed in some form in
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
known foreign scholar, Emo of Friesland, arrived in 1190. The head of the University
was named as chancellorfrom 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 orhallbecame
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 I de Balliol, father of the future King of Scots; Balliol
Collegebears his name. Another founder, Walter de Merton, a chancellorof 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.
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,
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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.
In 1605 Oxford was still a walled city,
but several colleges had been built
outside the city walls. (North is at the
bottom on this map.)
The university was a centre of the
Royalist Party during the English Civil
War (16421649), 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.
The mid nineteenth century saw the aftermath of the
Oxford Movement (1833-1845) led amongst others by
the future Cardinal Newman. The influence of the
reformed German university reached Oxford via key
scholars such as Jowett and Max Muller.
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 7 October
1920. Twentieth century Privy Council decisions (such as the abolition of compulsory
daily worship, dissociation of the Regius professorship of Hebrew from clerical
status, diversion of theological bequests to colleges to other purposes) loosened the
link with traditional belief and practice. Although the University's emphasis
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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.
The mid twentieth century saw many distinguished continental scholars displaced byNazism and Communism who were to find academic fulfilment in Oxford.
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.
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. Departments provide facilities for teaching
and research, determine the syllabi and guidelines for the teaching of students,
perform research, and deliver lectures and seminars. Colleges arrange the tutorial
teaching for their undergraduates. The members of an academic department are spread
around many colleges; though certain colleges do have subject alignments (e.g.
Nuffield College as a centre for the social sciences), these are exceptions, 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).
Central governance
The university's formal head is the Chancellor (currently Lord Patten of Barnes),
though as with most British universities, the Chancellor is a titular figure, rather thansomeone involved with the day-to-day running of the university. The Chancellor is
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elected by the members of Convocation, a body comprising all graduates of the
university, and holds office until death.
The Vice-Chancellor, currently Andrew Hamilton, 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
Universitys 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.
Two universityproctors, who are elected annually on a rotating basis from two of the
colleges, are the internal ombudsmen who make sure that the university and its
members adhere to its statutes. This role incorporates student welfare and discipline,
as well as oversight of the university's proceedings. 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.
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Colleges
There are 38 colleges of the University of Oxford and 6 Permanent Private Halls, each
with its own internal structure and activities. All resident students, and most academicstaff, must be members both of a college or hall, and of the university. The heads of
Oxford colleges are known by various titles, according to the college, including
warden, provost, principal, president, rector, master or dean. 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.
Teaching and degrees
Undergraduate teaching is centred upon the tutorial, where 1-4 students spend an hour
with an academic discussing their weeks 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.
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 (after two terms for those studying Law, Theology, Philosophy and
Theology, Experimental Psychology or Psychology, Philosophy and Physiology 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
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candidates receive first-, upper or lower second-, or third-class honours based on their
performance in Finals. An upper second is the most usual result, and a first is
generally prerequisite for graduate study. A 'double first' reflects first class results in
both Honour Mods. and Finals. Research degrees at the master's and doctoral level are
conferred in all subjects studied at graduate level at the university. First degree
graduates are eligible, after seven years from matriculation and without additional
study, to apply for an upgrade of their bachelors level degree to a Masters level
degree.
Academic year
The academic year is divided into
three terms, determined by
Regulations. Michaelmas Term
lasts from October to December;
Hilary Term from January to
March; and Trinity Term from April to June.
Within these terms, Council determines for each year eight-week periods called FullTerms, during which undergraduate teaching takes place. These terms are shorter than
those of many other British universities. Undergraduates are also expected to prepare
heavily in the three holidays (known as the Christmas, Easter and Long Vacations).
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. Undergraduates must be in residence from Thursday of 0th
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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 UCASapplication system, in common with all British universities, but (along with applicants
for Cambridge) must observe an earlier deadline. 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.
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.
Undergraduate and graduate students may name preferred colleges in their
applications. For undergraduate students, an increasing number of departments
practice college reallocation to ensure that the ratio between potential students and
subject places available at all colleges are as uniform as possible. Students who
named colleges which are over-subscribed are reallocated to under-subscribed
colleges for their subjects. For the Department of Physics, college reallocation is done
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on a random basis after a shortlist of candidates is drawn up and before candidates are
invited for interviews at the university. As a result of this, the college eventually
offering a candidate a place to read a subject may not be the one he/she originally
applied to.
For graduate student admissions, many colleges express a preference for candidates
who will be undertaking research in an area of interest of one of its fellows. St Hugh's
College, for example, states that it accepts graduate students in most subjects,
principally those in the fields of interest of the Fellows of the college. Perhaps as a
consequence of this, it is not uncommon for a graduate student to be a member of
his/her supervisor's college, although this is not an official university requirement. For
graduate students, admission is first handled by the relevant department, and then by a
college.
Access
Despite the University's claims that
its admissions policies avoid bias
against candidates of certain
socioeconomic or educational
backgrounds, the fairness of
Oxford admissions have continued
to attract considerable public
controversy through episodes such as the Laura Spence Affair in 2000. Oxbridge
entrance remains a central focus for many private and selective-state schools, and the
lack of a more representative social mix at the university remains a point of national
controversy. In 2007, the University refined its admissions procedure to take into
account the academic performance of applicants' schools. A study showed that "[a]
student in a state school is as likely to go on to a leading university as a student from
the independent sector who gets two grades lower at A-level".
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 comefrom 'elite' grammar and selective schools, rather than comprehensives. About half of
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applications come from the state sector, 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. Most colleges also run their own access
schemes and initiatives.
Mature and part-time students are supported by the Oxford University Department for
Continuing Education.
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 generousbursary scheme
offered by any British university. 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. 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.
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, available only to candidates who fitted specific conditions such as
coming from specific schools, exist now only in name.
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From the inception of the Church of England until 1866 membership of the church
was a requirement to receive the BA degree from Oxford, and "dissenters" were only
permitted to receive the MA in 1871. Knowledge ofAncient Greekwas required until
1920, and Latin until 1960. Women were admitted to degrees in 1920.
Collections
The Radcliffe Camera, built 1737-1749, holds books
from the Bodleian Library's English, History, and
Theology collections.
Libraries
All Saints Church, now Lincoln College's library, on
the High Street.
Oxford's central research library is the Bodleian,
founded by SirThomas Bodley in 1598 and opened in
1602. With over 8 million volumes housed on
117 miles (188 km) 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. 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, and to remodel the New Bodleian building to better showcase the
librarys various treasures (which include a Shakespeare First Folio and a Gutenberg
Bible) as well as temporary exhibitions. Several other libraries, such as the Bodleian
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Law Library, Indian Institute Library, Radcliffe Science Library and the Oriental
Institute Library, also fall within the Bodleians remit.
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, mostacademic departments maintain their own library, as do all colleges. The Universitys
entire collection is catalogued by the Oxford Libraries Information System, though
with such a huge collection, this is an ongoing task. Oxford University Library
Services, the head of which is Bodleys Librarian, is the governing administrative
body responsible for libraries in Oxford. The Bodleian is currently engaged in a mass-
digitisation project with Google.
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. It holds
significant collections of art and archaeology, including
works by Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Turner,
and Picasso, as well as treasures such as the Scorpion
Macehead, the Parian Marble and the Alfred Jewel. It also contains "The Messiah", a
pristine Stradivarius violin, regarded by some as one of the finest examples in
existence. The Ashmolean is scheduled to complete a 49m redevelopment in 2009,
doubling the display space as well as providing new facilities.
The Museum of Natural History holds the Universitys anatomical and natural history
specimens. It is housed in a large neo-Gothic building on Parks Road, in the
Universitys Science Area. Among its collection are the skeletons of a Tyrannosaurus
rexand triceratops, and the most complete remains of a dodo found anywhere in the
world. It also hosts the SimonyiProfessorship of the Public Understanding of Science,
currently held by Marcus du Sautoy.
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Adjoining the Museum of Natural History is the Pitt Rivers Museum, founded in
1884, which displays the Universitys 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.
The Museum of the History of Science is housed on Broad St in the worlds oldest-
surviving purpose-built museum building. 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 worlds higher plant families. Christ Church Picture Gallery holds a
collection of over 200 old masterpaintings.
Reputation
In the subject tables of the Times Good University Guide 2008, Oxford is ranked as
the top university in the UK with Cambridge as the second. Oxford is ranked first in
Politics, Physiological Sciences, English, Fine Art, Business Studies, Materials
technology, Middle Eastern and African Studies, Music, Philosophy, and also
Education and Linguistics which it shares first with Cambridge. Oxford comes second
after Cambridge in a further seventeen subjects. 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.
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, English, Law,
Materials and Mineral Engineering, Modern Languages, Music, Politics, Psychology,
and Sociology. Oxford came second to Cambridge in Geography, Archaeology,Classics, History, History of Art, Mathematics, Philosophy, Theology and Religious
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Studies. Oxford came second in General Engineering, and third in Fine Art, General
Engineering and Physics; fourth place in Chemistry and Medicine; first place in
Computer Science and IT.
According to the 2008 THES - QS World University Rankings Oxford is rated 4th inthe world, behind Harvard,Yale and Cambridge, making it the 2nd best university in
Europe. In the 2009 rankings, however, Oxford had slipped to joint 5th place with
Imperial College London, while University College London took 4th place.
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.
Notable alumni and academics
There are many famous Oxonians (as alumni of the University are known):
Twenty-five British prime ministers have attended Oxford (including William
Gladstone, Herbert Asquith, Clement Attlee, Harold Macmillan, Harold Wilson,Margaret Thatcherand Tony Blair).
At least thirty other international leaders have been educated at Oxford. This number
includes Harald V of Norway, Abdullah II of Jordan, three Prime Ministers of
Australia (John Gorton, Malcolm Fraser and Bob Hawke), two Prime Ministers of
India (Manmohan Singh and Indira Gandhi), four Prime Ministers of Pakistan
(Liaquat Ali Khan, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, and Benazir
Bhutto), S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka, Norman Washington Manley of
Jamaica, Eric Williams (Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago), Abhisit Vejjajiva
(Prime Minister of Thailand) and Bill Clinton (the first President of the United States
to have attended Oxford; he attended as a Rhodes Scholar). The Burmese democracy
activist and Nobel laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi, was a student of St. Hugh's College.
Including Aung San Suu Kyi, forty-seven Nobel prize-winners have studied or taught
at Oxford.
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Oxford has also produced at least twelve saints, and eighty-six Archbishops of
Canterbury, including the current incumbent, Rowan Williams, (who studied at
Wadham College and was later a Canon Professor at Christ Church). Another
religious figure was Shoghi Effendi, one of the appointed leaders of the Baha'i faith.
Some fifty Olympic medal-winners have academic connections with the university,
including Sir Matthew Pinsent, quadruple gold-medallist rower. T. E. Lawrence was a
student at Jesus College, while other illustrious students include the explorer, courtier,
and man of letters, Sir Walter Raleigh, (who attended Oriel College but left without
taking a degree) to the Australian media oligarch, Rupert Murdoch. The founder of
Methodism, John Wesley, studied at Christ Church and was elected a fellow of
Lincoln College.
The long list of writers associated with Oxford includes John Fowles, Theodor Geisel,
Evelyn Waugh, Lewis Carroll, Aldous Huxley, Oscar Wilde, C. S. Lewis, J. R. R.
Tolkien, Graham Greene, Phillip Pullman, Vikram Seth and Plum Sykes, the poets
Percy Bysshe Shelley, John Donne, A. E. Housman, W. H. Auden, and Philip Larkin,
and sevenpoets laureate (Thomas Warton, Henry James Pye, Robert Southey, Robert
Bridges,Cecil Day-Lewis, Sir John Betjeman, and Andrew Motion).
Some contemporary scientists include Stephen Hawking, Richard Dawkins, Nobel
prize-winnerAnthony James Leggett, and Tim Berners-Lee, co-inventor of the World
Wide Web.
Actors Hugh Grant, Kate Beckinsale, Dudley Moore, Michael Palin, and Terry Jones
were undergraduates at the University, as were Oscar-winner Florian Henckel von
Donnersmarck and film-maker Ken Loach. Sportspeople who have attended the
university include Imran Khan.
More complete information on famous senior and junior members of the University
can be found in the individual college articles (an individual may be associated with
two or more colleges, as an undergraduate, postgraduate, and/or member of staff).
Clubs and societies
Further information: Clubs and societies of the University of Oxford and Oxford
student sports clubs
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sainthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archbishop_of_Canterburyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archbishop_of_Canterburyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowan_Williamshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wadham_Collegehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_Church,_Oxfordhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoghi_Effendihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baha'i_faithhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Pinsenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._E._Lawrencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_College,_Oxfordhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Raleighhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriel_Collegehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rupert_Murdochhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methodismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wesleyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_College,_Oxfordhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fowleshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodor_Geiselhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evelyn_Waughhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Carrollhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldous_Huxleyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Wildehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._S._Lewishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkienhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkienhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_Greenehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillip_Pullmanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikram_Sethhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum_Sykeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percy_Bysshe_Shelleyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Donnehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._E._Housmanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._H._Audenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Larkinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poet_Laureatehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Wartonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_James_Pyehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Southeyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bridgeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bridgeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_Day-Lewishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Betjemanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Motionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Hawkinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Dawkinshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_James_Leggetthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Berners-Leehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Wide_Webhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Wide_Webhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Granthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Beckinsalehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dudley_Moorehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Palinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Joneshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Awardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florian_Henckel_von_Donnersmarckhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florian_Henckel_von_Donnersmarckhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Loachhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imran_Khan_(Pakistani_cricketer)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colleges_of_the_University_of_Oxfordhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Clubs_and_societies_of_the_University_of_Oxfordhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Oxford_student_sports_clubshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Oxford_student_sports_clubshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sainthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archbishop_of_Canterburyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archbishop_of_Canterburyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowan_Williamshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wadham_Collegehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_Church,_Oxfordhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoghi_Effendihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baha'i_faithhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Pinsenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._E._Lawrencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_College,_Oxfordhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Raleighhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriel_Collegehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rupert_Murdochhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methodismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wesleyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_College,_Oxfordhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fowleshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodor_Geiselhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evelyn_Waughhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Carrollhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldous_Huxleyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Wildehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._S._Lewishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkienhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkienhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_Greenehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillip_Pullmanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikram_Sethhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum_Sykeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percy_Bysshe_Shelleyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Donnehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._E._Housmanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._H._Audenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Larkinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poet_Laureatehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Wartonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_James_Pyehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Southeyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bridgeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bridgeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_Day-Lewishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Betjemanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Motionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Hawkinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Dawkinshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_James_Leggetthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Berners-Leehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Wide_Webhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Wide_Webhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Granthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Beckinsalehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dudley_Moorehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Palinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Joneshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Awardhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florian_Henckel_von_Donnersmarckhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florian_Henckel_von_Donnersmarckhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Loachhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imran_Khan_(Pakistani_cricketer)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colleges_of_the_University_of_Oxfordhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Clubs_and_societies_of_the_University_of_Oxfordhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Oxford_student_sports_clubshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Oxford_student_sports_clubs 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Oxford Union Society (debating society)
Oxford University A.F.C. (association football club)
Oxford University Amateur Boxing Club
Oxford University Boat Club (rowing club participating in the Boat Race)
Oxford University Conservative Association
Oxford University Cricket Club - Cricket team whose matches are accorded
First Class Status. Participates in The University Match
Oxford University Dramatic Society
Oxford University Newman Society (Catholic speaker and debating society)
Oxford University RFC (rugby club participating in the Varsity Match)
Oxford University Scientific Society
Oxford University Student Union
Oxford University Liberal Democrats
Oxford University Labour Club
Oxford University Ski and Snowboard Club (Governing club of the Varsity
Trip)
Oxford University Wine Society
Stubbs Society
Bullingdon Club
Media
Cherwell(Student publication)
Isis (Student publication)
Journal of the Oxford University
History Society (academic journal)
Oxford University Press (world's largest university press)
Oxide Radio (Student radio station)
The Oxford Student(Student publication)
The Oxonian Review of Books (Graduate student publication)
The Triple Helix Oxford(Student publication)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_Union_Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_A.F.C.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_Amateur_Boxing_Clubhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_Boat_Clubhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boat_Racehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_Conservative_Associationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_Cricket_Clubhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_University_Match_(cricket)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_Dramatic_Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_Newman_Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_RFChttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Varsity_Matchhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_Scientific_Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_Student_Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_Liberal_Democratshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_Labour_Clubhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varsity_Triphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varsity_Triphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_Wine_Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stubbs_Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullingdon_Clubhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherwell_(newspaper)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isis_magazinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journal_of_the_Oxford_University_History_Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journal_of_the_Oxford_University_History_Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_Presshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxide_Radiohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campus_radiohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Oxford_Studenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Oxonian_Review_of_Bookshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Triple_Helixhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Triple_Helixhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_Union_Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_A.F.C.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_Amateur_Boxing_Clubhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_Boat_Clubhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boat_Racehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_Conservative_Associationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_Cricket_Clubhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_University_Match_(cricket)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_Dramatic_Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_Newman_Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_RFChttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Varsity_Matchhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_Scientific_Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_Student_Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_Liberal_Democratshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_Labour_Clubhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varsity_Triphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varsity_Triphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_Wine_Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stubbs_Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullingdon_Clubhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherwell_(newspaper)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isis_magazinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journal_of_the_Oxford_University_History_Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journal_of_the_Oxford_University_History_Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_University_Presshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxide_Radiohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campus_radiohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Oxford_Studenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Oxonian_Review_of_Bookshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Triple_Helix -
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Oxford in literature and other media
Oxford University is the setting for numerous works of fiction. Oxford was mentioned
in fiction as early as 1400 when Chaucerin hisCanterbury Talesreferred to a "Clerk
[student] of Oxenford": "For him was levere have at his beddes heed/ Twenty bookes,
clad in blak or reed,/ of Aristotle and his philosophie/ Than robes riche, or fithele, or
gay sautrie". As of 1989, 533 Oxford-based novels had been identified, and the
number continues to rise. Famous literary works range from Brideshead Revisited, by
Evelyn Waugh, to the trilogy His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, which features
an alternate-reality version of the University. Sir Humphrey Appleby, GCB, KBE,
MVO, MA (Oxon) attended the fictional Baillie College in Yes Minister, and The
Complete Yes Ministerbook's introduction, dated September 1919, was written from
the equally fictitious Hacker College, presumably named for Sir James (or Lady)
Hacker, Minister for Administrative Affairs in Yes Minister and Prime Minister in
Yes, Prime Minister, MP for Birmingham South-East. The mention of Oxford is also
in The Great Gatsby. The character the story revolves around, Jay Gatsby, has
supposedly attended Oxford for five months. Gatsby: "It was in nineteen-nineteen. I
only stayed five months. That's why I can't really call myself an Oxford man."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaucerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canterbury_Taleshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canterbury_Taleshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canterbury_Taleshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brideshead_Revisitedhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evelyn_Waughhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_Dark_Materialshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Pullmanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yes_Ministerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Gatsbyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Gatsbyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaucerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canterbury_Taleshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brideshead_Revisitedhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evelyn_Waughhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_Dark_Materialshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Pullmanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yes_Ministerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Gatsby