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BRASENOSE COLLEGE u OXFORD
brasenosec o l l e g e u o x f o r d
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FELLOWS AND LECTURERS
Biochemistry: Prof Susan Lea*; Dr Steve Johnson;
Prof Nicholas Proudfoot*
Biological Sciences: Dr Owen Lewis*; Dr Robert Belshaw
Chemistry: Dr Jeremy Robertson*; Dr Mark Wilson*;
Dr Stephen Bell
Classics: Dr Llewelyn Morgan*
Economics: Mr Anthony Courakis*; Dr Rui Esteves*;
Ms Silvia Palano
Engineering: Prof Ron Daniel*; Dr Harvey Burd*;
Prof Guy Houlsby, FRAE*
English: Dr Sos Eltis*; Dr Simon Palfrey*;
Dr Faith Binckes; Dr Maria Cesario; Dr Hugh Gazzard
Fine Art: Prof Maria Chevska*
French: Prof Richard Cooper*; Dr Carole Bourne-Taylor*
Geography: Dr Giles Wiggs*; Dr Alisdair Rogers
German: Dr David Groiser*
History, Ancient: Dr Edward Bispham*;
Prof Alan Bowman, FBA*
History, Medieval: Dr Lesley Abrams
History, Modern: Dr Martin Ingram*; Dr Abigail Green*;
Dr Rowena Archer*
Italian: Dr Francesca Southernden
Law: Mr William Swadling*; Dr Anne Davies*;
Dr Thomas Krebs*; Prof Stefan Vogenauer*
Management: Dr Christopher McKenna*; Dr Eric Thun*
Mathematics: Prof Richard Haydon*; Dr Eamonn Gaffney*
Medicine: Dr Richard Boyd, FMedSci*; Prof William James*;
Prof Paul Klennerman*; Dr Paul Dennis*; Dr Jeremy Taylor;
Prof Philip Goulder*
Music: Dr Susan Wollenberg
Philosophy: Dr Dave Leal*; Dr Thomas Johansen*;
Dr Christopher Timpson*
Physics: Prof Jonathan Jones*; Dr Laura Herz*;
Dr Anthony Harker; Mr Anthony Middleton
Politics: Prof Vernon Bogdanor, FBA*;
Mr Tom Lubbock
Portuguese: Dr Claudia Pazos-Alonso
Psychology: Dr David Popplewell*
Russian: Dr Michael Nicholson
Spanish: Dr Dominic Moran
Chaplain: The Revd Graeme Richardson*
Womens Adviser: Dr Anne Edwards*
* Fellow of the College
BRASENOSE COLLEGE
Principal: Professor Roger Cashmore, CMG, FRS, MA, DPhil
Senior Tutor and Tutor for Admissions: Dr Andrew Stockley*
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Brasenose lies in the very centre of Oxford, facing one of the most beautiful squares in the world and within a
few minutes walk of all the principal libraries
and laboratories of the University. The College
is equally fortunate in its traditions, which
make it a friendly and informal community.
Academic LifeThe Colleges primary aim is intellectual excellence, and its organization, both academic and social, is designed to produce an environment in which this excellence can flourish. Although the pattern of study naturally differs from subject to subject, the foundation of Oxford teaching is the tutorial system. Tutorials are given to pupils either individually or in small groups. The number of tutorials varies from subject to subject, but is expected to be not less than one per week. Tutorials normally last approximately one hour. The tutor sets an essay topic or problems to solve, and suggests books to read and lectures to attend. There is also practical work in the laboratories for scientists, while in most arts subjects there are regular college classes and seminars. At Brasenose, the majority of tutorials are with Fellows or else with College lecturers, many of whom are Fellows of other colleges. Tutorials demand hard work from both pupil and tutor, but they provide opportunities for
undergraduates to follow their own interests and develop their own ideas in a way impossible in a system based largely on classes and lectures. At the end of each term, undergraduates discuss the terms work with their Tutors and, once a year, with the Principal, Senior Tutor and the subject Tutors. At the beginning of every term, there are College examinations to monitor progress. On the results of these and of the University Examinations, Scholarships, Exhibitions, and College Prizes are awarded. There are also prizes for essays on topics set annually. Grants to support well thought out plans for travel overseas are available.
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Academic FacilitiesThe College has an excellent library to which members have access 24 hours a day. It has around 40,000 books available for loan, many reference itemsand a further collection of about 14,000 older books. In addition to the main library, which meets the day-to-day needs of all subjects, there is the Hulme Library for historians and the Stallybrass Memorial Library for those reading law. For specialized works and journals one can, of course, use the Bodleian, and Faculty or Departmental libraries.
The College also has a computer room for the use of undergraduates. There is also wireless access throughout most of the College.
The College makes grants to allow students working for examinations to stay in residence outside term, and grants are also available to help with the preparation of dissertations, with the cost of materials used by fine artists for their course and final degree show, and to help medics with the cost of electives.
WelfareThe College is a community, and Brasenose takes very seriously its responsibility to offer not only academic guidance but also to provide pastoral help for its members.
Brasenose has a reputation in the university as a happy and friendly college. Student life can on occasion be stressful, and we are determined to do everything we can to help resolve problems before they become serious. Tutors get to know their students much better than is possible in most universities and are ready to offer help with any difficulties their own students face. In addition, a number of the Fellows are appointed as undergraduate advisers, and undergraduates are free to consult them confidentially over any problem, academic or otherwise. There is also a Chaplain, an Adviser to Women Students, College doctors and a nurse, all of whom have access to more specialized help when necessary. Equally, the JCR has its own womens and welfare officers. There is also a hardship fund to help those who are under particular financial pressure, to which applications can be made in confidence.
Food and RoomsLiving in college is an important part of the experience of undergraduate life in Oxford. Brasenose students value it not only for its convenience and because it provides a social base, but also because of its relatively cheap cost (subsidised by conferences held in university vacations).
College accommodation consists of a mixture of bed-sitting rooms and individual sets, comprising a bedroom and study/living room, some with en suite facilities. All rooms have Internet connections. The rents of college rooms vary according to the size of room and the facilities available; the JCR runs a room ballot for second, third and fourth years that ensures that rooms are allocated fairly.
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Brasenose accommodates all undergraduates wanting college accommodation. First years are housed together on the main site, second year students normally live in the Frewin complex (a five minute walk from the main site and also in the centre of Oxford), and there is accommodation for later year students on both sites. The college is able to accommodate students with physical disabilities in specially equipped rooms.
Breakfast and lunch are served in Hall, and are informal self-service meals. There are informal and formal dinners in the evening and a popular Sunday brunch. For those who prefer to cater for themselves there are shared kitchens in the Frewin Annexe, which is a five minute walk from the main buildings; there are also some microwaves for the use of those who live in the historic college.
Cultural and Sporting LifeThere is a flourishing College music society which arranges concerts, both by the students and by visiting professional musicians. There is a music practice room with a piano. The Chapel also acts as
a centre for the musical life of the college. A College drama club puts
on plays in the College and the City. In recent years, a highly successful summer arts festival has been organized, at which a wide range of music, and of drama old and new, is performed on the New Quad lawn and in
the Chapel. Exhibitions of art, generally the work of members of the college, are staged from time to time at the Frewin Annexe. The College contributes to a Culture
Fund from which grants are made to support a wide range of activities.
Brasenose has always played a part in the sporting life of the University and possesses good games facilities. There is a large playing field off the Abingdon Road, within a five minute cycle ride, with football, rugby, and cricket pitches, tennis courts, and a well-equipped boat-house on the river nearby. All of these are in active use. There is every opportunity for members of the College to participate in sports whatever their level of competence. The less energetic can punt or play croquet on the New Quad lawn.
Junior Common Room All undergraduates are automatically members of the Junior Common Room, which is run by the students. Its officers represent them on a number of College committees concerned with the detail of student life, such as meals and rooms.
The JCR plays a vital part in welcoming candidates for interviews each December, and at the start of the academic year runs events for freshers and a college parent scheme, through which each prospective student is put in touch with two undergraduates already at Brasenose who are ready to offer them advice and to welcome them when they arrive. The Brasenose JCR has been particularly active in welfare work within the
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College, and JCR members participate in Access and Target Schools schemes designed to bring students to Brasenose from as wide a range of backgrounds and schools as possible. All in all, the JCR makes a major contribution to ensuring that Brasenose remains a happy and well run community.
The JCR is also active in organizing social events, including dances, parties, and a College Ball. It has the use of a Common Room in term which provides a place where undergraduates can relax together, read newspapers or watch television. There is also a lively and popular College Bar.
The JCR has its own website: http://jcr.bnc.ox.ac.uk
The ChapelThe main service of the week is College Prayers, held on Sundays at 6.00pm. Members of all denominations are welcome in Chapel. There is a large and enthusiastic choir, and regular instrumental and vocal concerts are held in the Chapel. Visits are made to parishes with Brasenose connections, and a wide range of visitors preach in the Chapel on Sundays. On Tuesday at 6.00pm there is a Communion service, with hymns and a short address by a junior member. Morning and Evening Prayer are said regularly in the Chapel, and Catholic Mass is said in College once a term. There is also an active Christian Union.
The Chaplains pastoral responsibility is for all members of the College community. With the Chapel Committee, and assisted by the Bible Clerk and the Organ Scholar, he is responsible for a range of activities, including Chapel services, talks and social events.
Admission of UndergraduatesAdmissions is based solely upon academic merit, and our aim is to attract and recruit from those who we think will benefit most from the unique opportunities offered by the very rigorous academic life of the University.
Brasenose admits around one hundred undergraduates every year. Our applicants come from every kind of school, from the UK, Continental Europe, and beyond. Nobody should be deterred from applying by the myth that Oxford is socially elitist, or by claims that Brasenose is biased in favour of (or against) either independent or state schools. We fully realize that there will be wide differences of educational background among those seeking admission, and every effort is made by the Tutors in selecting their undergraduates to recognize potential as well as present achievement.
The College has an active programme of visits to schools as part of its policy of making itself known to the widest possible circle of schools and
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further education institutions. Undergraduates are actively involved in this programme and through the Universitys Access and Target School schemes.
If you are still at school, there are two routes into the College: pre and post A level. With both routes you may be asked to submit recent written work and/or to sit a test before being invited for interview. The interview may, in some subjects, be coupled with a short written test. The purpose of the interview is to supplement the information provided by your UCAS form, written work and test results, and to help with the difficult task of choosing between excellent people. In interviews, Tutors are looking for signs of intellectual commitment, the ability to see more than one side of a problem and the capacity to assess and develop arguments. We try to keep the interviews as relaxed and informal as possible.
Some of our undergraduates stay up to welcome the candidates and to look after them during their stay.
On the results of the submitted written work, interviews, test results and, of course our knowledge
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of your school record and your UCAS reference, we decide whether to offer a place. The standard conditional offer College makes to all successful pre A level candidates is AAA. We do not, however, significantly over offer places and we expect most of those to whom we make offers to come into residence. Post A level candidates are given an unconditional offer. Whatever sort of candidate you are, you should read the University Prospectus or admissions web pages for more information about the admissions procedures.
The College welcomes applications from candidates who are taking equivalent examinations, such as the International Baccalaureate, as well as from mature candidates. Advice for mature candidates is available on the Universitys admissions website.
Although the view of Tutors may vary, the College has no objection in principle to a gap year. In many cases, a year between school and university can be very useful. However, if you do not inform us of your wish to postpone entry until after your interview, it is unlikely that your request will be approved since by then you will probably have excluded someone else from the year in which you no longer wish to come into residence.
Applicants should note that the College does not admit undergraduates to read: Archaeology and Anthropology; Biomedical Sciences; Computer Science; Earth Sciences; Engineering, Economics and Management; History and English; History of Art; Human Sciences; Materials Science; Materials, Economics and Management; Mathematics and Computer Science; Oriental Studies; Philosophy and Theology; Theology; and Theology and Oriental Studies.
Open DaysWe hold Open Days during the school summer term to which you would be very welcome to come; you should view our website (www.bnc.ox.ac.uk) for more information. You will have an opportunity to see the College, to talk to some of the present students about undergraduate life, and to discuss with the Tutors the entrance procedures, courses, and examinations. It is possible to organize visits by groups on other occasions; application should be made to the Schools and Publications Officer.
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Enquiries about school visits and Open Days should be directed to the Schools and Publications Officer: Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01865 277535 Enquiries about entrance requirements and applications should be directed to the Admissions Officer: Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01865 277510 Postal Address: College Office Brasenose College Oxford OX1 4AJ
The dates of the Open Days are given on the College website and in the University Prospectus, copies of which may be obtained from:
Email: [email protected] www.ox.ac.uk/admissions Telephone: (01865) 288000 Fax: (01865) 280125
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Courses
Biochemistry ......................................................11
Biological Sciences .............................................12
Chemistry ...........................................................13
Classics ..............................................................14
Economics and Management .............................15
Engineering Science ...........................................15
English ...............................................................16
Experimental Psychology and PP .......................17
Fine Art ..............................................................17
Geography .........................................................18
History................................................................18
Law ....................................................................19
Mathematics ......................................................20
Medicine ............................................................21
Modern Languages ............................................22
Music .................................................................22
Philosophy, Politics and Economics ....................23
Physics ...............................................................23
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AdmissionsWe admit around four biochemists each year. For A level candidates, the tutors regard Chemistry as essential, Mathematics or Physics as desirable, and Biology as useful.
The courseBiochemistry is a four-year course at Oxford. In the first year, students study five preliminary subjects: Organic Chemistry; Physical Biochemistry; Biological Chemistry; Molecular & Cellular Biology; and Mathematics. The second and third years then cover the full spectrum of biochemical subjects. The fourth year is split between (i) a one-term research project in which students work in a research group on a specific project, and (ii) special options which allow students to select particular areas of the course that interest them.
BiOChEmiStRy
CareersBiochemistry is a subject for which there are excellent career opportunities. The emergence of the new biotechnology industries in the USA, and now in the UK, provides a significant number of jobs for graduates in Biochemistry. Of the students who have read Biochemistry over the last five years, about 50% have carried on in academic research, 30% have gone into biotechnology-related industries, and 20% have gone into scientific publication and related areas. A number also go into the legal professions or become Patent Agents.
During these four years, College tutorials complement the separate lecture course run by the Biochemistry Department. In the first year, students may well have two tutorials a week, covering most aspects of the preliminary subjects. In the second and third years, tutorials again cover most major parts of the University lecture course. In those subjects in which the College tutors have no particular expertise, undergraduates are sent out to experts in other colleges. The tutor in Biochemistry at Brasenose is Professor Susan Lea. Professor Nicholas Proudfoot is also a Fellow of the College. His field is eukaryotic molecular biology, and his research interests lie in the control of gene expression. There are a number of other fellows at Brasenose who work in related subjects and who do some tutorial teaching: Dr Richard Boyd works on membrane physiology; and Professor William James works on aspects of molecular virology.
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BiOLOGiCAL SCiENCES
AdmissionsWe normally accept four candidates onto the Biological Sciences course every year.
The CourseThe Biological Sciences degree course capitalises on Oxfords major research expertise in animal and plant sciences and is structured to allow a variety of choice whilst providing detailed treatment of key topics. From October 2009, the Biological Sciences course has a substantially updated content and structure. The first year covers all the main areas of biology - the origin of life and the diversity of living organisms, from cells and molecules through populations and ecosystems. Students are thus in a position to make informed choices about which areas they wish to concentrate on in their second and third years. In Trinity term of their first year, all students attend a week-long field course at Orielton in west Wales. The first year also introduces students to the essential skills of data handling and computing.
In the second year, Biological Sciences students can select the subjects they focus on from six main themes: Animal Behaviour, Adaptations to the Environment, Cell and Developmental Biology, Plants and People, Ecology and Disease. Additionally, all students study the core subjects of Evolution and Systematics and Quantitative Methods. In the final year, students specialise further, acquiring an in-depth understanding of the latest research findings in the subjects that interest them most, typically selecting six specialist topics from a diverse range of 20 or more options spanning the breadth of biology. As for the first year, students in the second and third years learn through
a combination of lectures, practicals and tutorials. Depending on the options they select, students may also attend one or more field courses in the UK or overseas.
All biology students are further exposed to the cutting edge of biology in their final year by undertaking an independent research project. Students experience biological research first-hand, developing and carrying out their project work under the supervision of a member of academic staff in the field or in the laboratory. Recent Brasenose undergraduates have studied the effects of rainforest disturbance on an endangered frog species in Belize; competition between mink and otters in the Upper Thames catchment; and anti-microbial and anti-predation mechanisms in bacterial pathogens of mushrooms. In addition to acquiring the practical skills of the modern biologist, the final year project also helps to develop skills that are more widely transferable, including project management and data analysis.
Tutorial ProvisionThe College Tutor in Biological Sciences is Dr Owen Lewis, who is associated with the Department of Zoology. Dr Lewis studies ecology and conservation biology, and carries out much of his field work in the tropical rainforests. Depending on their interests and topic choices, Brasenose students have tutorials with Dr Lewis and experts from other colleges, ensuring that they receive the very best teaching for their particular interests. Brasenose admits up to four candidates a year in Biological Sciences, and Brasenose students have established a strong reputation within the Biology programme. Brasenose students are drawn
from both pre- and post-A-Level candidates without preference, and International and European Baccalaureates are also welcome. A strong academic record in Biology, supported by Maths, Chemistry, Physics, Geography or Statistics is preferred, though other subject combinations will be considered.
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AdmissionsWe normally accept six undergraduates into each year of the course.
The courseThe structure of the course is currently being updated, but Brasenose chemists (in common with students at other colleges) will study four separate subjects during their first year: Organic Chemistry; Inorganic Chemistry; Physical Chemistry; and Mathematics. In the second year, students concentrate on the three main branches of chemistry, and may undertake a short research project in one of the laboratories or study a supplementary subject chosen from a diverse range. In the third year, studies focus on two of the three chemistry branches. Final examinations (Part I) are taken in two parts,
ChEmiStRy
one at the end of the second year, one at the end of the third year. The whole of the fourth year (Part II) is spent undertaking a research project supervised by one of the academic staff and writing a short thesis to summarise the results. For most students, this year is the highlight of the course; working as part of a research group on a new problem is both academically and socially very rewarding.
Teaching structureThe tutors strive hard to ensure that students (who are seen in groups of two or three) understand each topic and, being active research chemists, can give an insight into new developments in chemistry as they happen. The tutorials themselves give students the chance to receive expert
guidance in areas of the subject they find difficult and to discover more about a subject than may be included in chemistry textbooks and lectures.
CareersEmployers recognise the breadth of the Oxford course, and the value of the Part II year in particular; as a result, BNC chemistry graduates are sought-after for entry into research (either for doctorates or within the chemical industry) or for professional positions within finance, management, and law. More recently, opportunities have arisen within the hightechnology industry and IT professions. For information about Chemistry in general, visit the Departmental website at www.chem.ox.ac.uk. Details of tutors research are also available here.
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AdmissionsWe usually admit about eight candidates each year to read Classics, Classics and English, Classics and Modern Languages, Classics and Oriental Studies, and Classical Archaeology and Ancient History. Of those about six will normally be in straight Classics.
The courseThere are two variants of the Classics course, which both last four years.
Classics I: For those with A levels or equivalent in both Latin and Greek, the first part of this course consists mainly of the study of Latin and Greek literature (Mods IA); those with A level Latin but not Greek study a modified version of this course whilst at the same time learning Greek intensively (Mods IB); while those with A level Greek but not Latin take a corresponding course with Latin as the language learned intensively (Mods IC).
Classics II: Those who have neither Greek nor Latin A level are also welcome to apply for Classics. They follow an intensive course in either Greek or Latin, along with study of its literature (Mods IIA and IIB).
In all variants of Classics I and II, the first five terms lead to a first examination, Honour Moderations (Mods); besides Classical Literature, candidates also choose further options in Philosophy and one out of Ancient History, Classical Archaeology and Philology. After Mods, classicists choose eight subjects from a wide range of options in Philosophy, Ancient History, Greek and Latin literature, Classical Archaeology, or Philology. Mods II students can also learn a second classical language at this stage.
Classical Archaeology and Ancient History: This is a three-year degree for those who wish to study how written and physical records of the Graeco-Roman world can be used together to investigate the past; knowledge and study of the ancient languages is optional, and no specific A level combinations are required or advantageous for admission. Mods are taken
CLASSiCS
after a year, and focus on the complementary study of archaeology and history in core periods; for Finals there are wide possibilities for combining archaeological and historial topics ranging from Minoan Crete to later Byzantium.
The bulk of learning is through individual or paired tutorials (usually two hours a week), and small college and faculty classes are also arranged. The university, which boasts the largest Classics faculty in the word, provides a wide range of lecture courses, open to students from all colleges.
A detailed description of what is involved in studying Classics is available at: www.classics.ox.ac.uk. Up-to-date details of all courses are available in the University of Oxford Undergraduate Prospectus, which is available online at www.admissions. ox.ac.uk/prospectus.
most Ancient History options (Greek and Roman). His research interests lie in the history and archaeology of Italy, where he ran an excavation project for a decade. He has written articles on Roman law, colonization, and inscriptions; he is author of From Asculum to Actium: The Municipalization of Italy from the Social War to Augustus and is the editor of Roman Europe among other books.
CareersThose who have read Classics at Brasenose have always gone into a wide variety of jobs, including: teaching (both at schools and at universities); the Home Civil Service and the Foreign Office; advertising, industry and the City; the Church; the BBC; the Law; journalism, computing, the Arts and business. A Classics degree is extremely highly regarded outside Oxford by a very wide variety of prospective employers.
The Classics and English CourseBrasenose also welcomes candidates for the joint course of Classics and English. If candidates are studying Latin and/or Greek to A level this is normally a three-year course (Course I). But candidates who havent had that opportunity can take a four-year course beginning with an intensive introduction to Latin and Greek (Course II). Either version offers a superbly integrated (and truly joint) course, which alongside English literature of the Renaissance and beyond and Graeco-Roman authors such as Herodotus, Euripides, Virgil, Catullus, and Juvenal also explores the rich connections between ancient and modern literature. Students can pursue whatever aspect of English or classical literature appeals to them, but we feel that the highlights of the course are the three Link Papers studied in the third year (or fourth in Course II). In these, through topics such as Epic, Tragedy, Comedy, Pastoral, and Satire, the twists and turns of literary genres can be traced from Homer to Milton and Walcott, or from Theocritus to Arnold and Heaney.
There are three Tutors. Dr Morgan looks after Classical Mods and the literature options in Finals. He has published widely on Latin literature and culture and the classical tradition, and he is a regular contributor to the Times Literary Supplement and occasionally also to BBC Radio 4. He is the author of Musa Pedestris: Metre and Meaning in Roman Verse. Dr Morgan also teaches the classical component of the joint courses Classics and English, and Classics and Modern Languages. Dr Johansen teaches Ancient Philosophy, and has special interests in Plato, Aristotle, and ancient and modern Philosophy of Mind. His published work includes Aristotle on the Sense-Organs and Platos Natural Philosophy. Dr Bispham teaches
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AdmissionsThe college admits six candidates each year for this three-year degree. Mathematics at A level or equivalent is a desirable qualification for admission.
The courseEconomics and Management provides undergraduates with an opportunity to combine theoretical and applied Economics with a range of Management disciplines, from accounting and finance to marketing and strategic management.
Economics and Management offers a wide range of options. This allows you to choose anywhere in the range, from six subjects in Economics and two in Management, to two
subjects in Economics and six in Management. The degree course thus caters for those seeking to specialize in Management or in Economics or to mix the two.
The first year lays the foundations for more advanced work to be done in the second and third years, involving three papers: one each in Economics, Management, and Mathematics. It allows you to fill gaps arising from the subjects you covered in your final years at school and to decide the areas in which to specialize later. There is a Preliminary Examination at the end of the first year.
In the second and third years you take two compulsory Economics papers, Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, and two compulsory Management papers,
chosen from a range of six available options. That leaves four further papers to be chosen from either Economics and/or Management.
It is possible to offer a short thesis based on independent research in place of one of the above options.
CareersThe course is appropriate for those seeking careers in business, finance or the city, or for those planning to do graduate work in either Economics or Management Studies. Experience from Economics and Management graduates is that employers welcome the knowledge and practical orientation of those who have taken the course.
ECONOmiCS AND mANAGEmENt
AdmissionsThe College usually admits six candidates each year to read Engineering Science.
The courseThe Engineering degree course is of four
years duration. The first year consists of the study of Mathematics, Materials and Solid Mechanics, Energy and the Environment, and Electronics and Information Engineering. The Preliminary Examination is taken at the end of the first year. In their second year, Engineering Science undergraduates continue with the study of the central themes of engineering (i.e. Mathematics; Electronics and Information Engineering; Structures, Materials and Dynamics; and Energy Systems). In addition, there are opportunities to take optional courses in topics with a practical bias, such as Computer-Aided Design, Surveying or Energy and Environment. The final two years of the course are taken up with the study of further specialized topics and a substantial amount
of practical work. The final examination is taken in three parts: Part A at the end of the second year, Part B at the end of the third year and Part C at the end of the fourth year.
The central focus of undergraduate academic life in College is the tutorial. Undergraduates receive two tutorials a week during the first two years of the course. During the latter stages of the course undergraduates attend classes organised by the Engineering Department.
The College has two Official Fellows in Engineering: Professor Daniel has research interests in human-computer interaction for Virtual Reality, while Dr Burd is a civil engineer interested in the applications of computer methods in design. Professor Houlsby holds the chair of Civil Engineering and is a Professorial Fellow of the College.
Women in EngineeringThe University Engineering Department actively encourages applications from women to read for engineering degrees; the
percentage of women reading for engineering degrees at Oxford is significantly higher than the national average for engineering degree courses. The Brasenose Tutors support this trend and particularly welcome applications from women who wish to read for a degree in Engineering Science.
Overseas ApplicantsBrasenose welcomes applicants from overseas. Please be aware that some countrys schools qualifications may need to be supported by further study. Please see the University admissions Web site [http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate_courses/international_students/internationals_qualifications] for further information. If you are not resident in an EU county and your country is not visited by Oxford members of staff to carry out entrance interviews you may be asked for a telephone interview. You will need to be able to receive any such interview at your college or school to ensure that we can verify your identity.
ENGiNEERiNG SCiENCE
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AdmissionsThe college currently admits seven people to read English each year, and up to four or five to read English and Modern Languages, and/or Classics and English.
The CourseBrasenose has a vital and exciting English community. The two Tutorial Fellows (Sos Eltis and Simon Palfrey) are known for their expertise in drama old and new, but they and the college lecturers have teaching strengths right across the spectrum of literature in English. We sponsor a yearly Arts festival run by students, including plays and poetry readings, and enjoy active links with the Oxford University Dramatic Society and Playhouse and Globe theatres.
The teaching of our undergraduates is split equally between one-hour tutorials (one or two students, in discussion initiated by student essays) and two-hour classes (where the whole group of seven or so get together to explore a particular writer, genre, theory, poem, passage or historical movement). In both tutorials and classes, the accent is upon testing and exchanging ideas. The study of English at Brasenose is an inter-active, intensely engaged process. It is not about being told what to think. It is, very simply, about reading widely and diversely, and exploring and developing ideas. Here at Brasenose we believe in the excitement and pleasure or intellectual and literary discovery. We consequently encourage our students to take full advantage of the unique range of choice offered by the Oxford English syllabus, and to follow their own particular interest or passions.
There are two public examinations: (i) Honour Moderations (Mods) at the end of the first year; and (ii) Finals, at the end of the third year. Mods consists of an Introduction
to Literary Studies, Old or Middle English literature, Victorian and Modern literature to present day, and a choice of options. Finals (Course I) has eight papers comprising Shakespeare, the four period papers covering 1100-1830, the English language, and two long essay options (6000 words) which give students a huge range of options, including film, critical theory, American, postcolonial, nineteenth/twentieth century, and contemporary literatures. There is also a special course (Course II) in English Language and Early Literature, which is mainly philological. About 5% of the candidates take this course each year.
CareersThe English course at Oxford is a pathway to any number of rewarding careers, including but by no means limited to the traditional professions of teaching, writing, publishing, journalism, and advertising. Some students of course go on to do postgraduate work, either as MSt students (which involves further course work) or as MLitt or DPhil students (which involves independent research). An English degree can also be the gateway to all sorts of less obvious paths. Recent English undergraduates from Brasenose now work as lawyers, actors, television producers, bankers, accountants, civil servants, management consultants, speech writers, script writers, - and no doubt much else besides!
The English and Modern Language CourseBrasenose warmly welcomes applications for this course, which allows students considerable freedom in tailoring their studies to meet their interests. The first year examinations consist of four papers in the Modern Language and two papers chosen from the English Mods course (see above for
details). For finals each candidate sits four papers in Modern Languages and a choice of four papers from the English Literature Course. There is also an opportunity to write a link paper, bringing together the two sides of the course.
The Classics and English CourseBrasenose also welcomes candidates for the joint course of Classics and English. If candidates are studying Latin and/or Greek to A level this is normally a three-year course (Course I). But candidates who havent had that opportunity can take a four-year course beginning with an intensive introduction to Latin and Greek (Course II). Either version offers a superbly integrated (and truly joint) course, which alongside English literature of the Renaissance and beyond and Graeco-Roman authors such as Herodotus, Sophocles, Virgil, Ovid, and Juvenal also explores the rich connections between ancient and modern literature. Students can pursue whatever aspect of English or classical literature appeals to them, but we feel that the highlights of the course are the three Link Papers studied in the third year (or fourth in Course II). In these, through topics such as Epic, Tragedy, Comedy, Pastoral, and Satire, the twists and turns of literary genres can be traced from Homer to Milton and Walcott, or from Theocritus to Arnold and Heaney.
ENGLiSh
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AdmissionsWe admit one person each year to read for the Bachelor of Fine Art Degree at the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art. Selection there is based firstly on the portfolio submitted, then on interviews at the School and in the College. Details of the course and of the admissions procedure are given in the prospectus, which can be obtained from the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, 74 High Street, Oxford, OX1 4BG or by visiting their website. The mode of entry will normally be post A-level for those who have taken a foundation course and who have already had experience of full-time practical Fine Art. With only 20 places available each year in total, it is unusual to give a deferred entry. The School does, however, take some exceptional students straight from school.
AdmissionsWe usually admit two or three candidates each year.
The courseYou can read Psychology on its own (as Experimental Psychology) or with Philosophy. In either case you choose from the same list of Psychology papers and attend the same lectures and tutorials in a given topic.
In the first two terms all students take introductory courses in three subjects chosen from: Psychology; Statistics; Philosophy; and Neurophysiology. Lectures and weekly college tutorials are provided on each topic. The preliminary examination is taken at the end of the second term.
ExpERimENtAL pSyChOLOGy AND pSyChOLOGy AND phiLOSOphy
FiNE ARt
The courseThe BFA Course is studio-based and involves three years of practical study in Drawing and Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture, Film, mixed-Media or any combination of these. Students are required to pass the Preliminary Examination in practice and Art History, which requires two essays and a written paper, and Human Anatomy, where there is one afternoons drawing a week through the three terms and a drawing examination.
In the second and third year, students work under tutorial guidance towards the final exhibition, for which they submit in Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture or mixed media, or any two of these. The course is small and flexible and encourages interaction between all areas. The Art History component of the Final Examination is normally an
extended essay on a topic related to the students studio work and one written paper.
Professor Chevska is the Head of Painting at the Ruskin School. All teaching is given at the Ruskin School. Students have their own tutors there who see them and discuss their work on a regular basis. Visiting artists and specialists in all the areas contribute an important part of the teaching and there is a weekly special lecture series given by scholars and practising artists.
CareersCareers of those with Fine Art degrees are varied, but as a creative subject it gives graduates a real sense of their potential as artists and of the importance of art to them as a career. Several each year manage to continue their practical work, a third taking postgraduate places. Others go into teaching, art history, curating and other art-related areas.
After Prelims, for the next three terms Experimental Psychology students study the following core topics in Experimental Psychology: Cognitive Neuroscience; Behavioural Neuroscience; Perception; Memory and Information Processing; Language and Cognition; Developmental Psychology; Social Psychology; Personality, Individual Differences and Psychological Disorders; Statistics and Experimental Design. These are followed by second year examinations, which count towards the final degree mark. EP students then spend the final three terms taking advanced topics in EP, including a research project and the option of writing a library dissertation. Psychology and Philosophy students will combine Psychology topics with subjects in Philosophy.
Students take a final examination during their last term and all students must complete a course of laboratory-based practical work.
The chief research interest of the tutor, Dr Popplewell, is in the applications of Information Technology in Neuroscience.
CareersMany people study Psychology simply because they are interested in how the brain works, and do not expect to follow a career in Psychology. However, there are a range of careers for which this degree is the ideal start, such as Educational Psychology and Clinical Psychology. There are also industrial openings in human factors (optimising the design of the interface between people and machines, e.g. making user-friendly human-computer interfaces), and in personnel management.
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GEOGRAphy
AdmissionsBrasenose normally admits four candidates each year to read the undergraduate Geography course.
The courseThe first year course is self-contained and leads to the University (Preliminary) examination at the end of the year. All students study Earth Systems Processes, Human Geography, Geographical Controversies and Geographical Techniques. First year students are introduced to the key elements of geographical skills through lecture and class room teaching in Earth Observation, Quantitative Methods and Qualitative Techniques, developed further through field exercises in the Oxford region.
hiStORy
AdmissionsWe admit around 10 candidates each year to read the undergraduate courses in History and the Joint Schools of Ancient and Modern History, History and Politics, History and Modern Languages, and History and Economics. We do not at present admit candidates to read History and English.
The courseThe first part of the History course, leading to the Preliminary Examination at the end of the first year, comprises four papers, chosen in each case from a wide range: British History; a thematic General History course; a source-based Optional Subject; and Historiography (including a choice of papers based on foreign texts). The second part, called the Final Honour School, comprises a research-based dissertation; Disciplines of History (including historiography, comparative history, and source criticism);
In the second and third years of the course, leading to the Final University Examination, students take the Geographical Research course and choose two foundational courses from Space, Place and Society, Earth System Dynamics and Environmental Geography. Then students choose three optional courses from, for example, African Societies, Biogeography, Climate Variability and Change, Dryland Environments, Forensic Geography, Geographies of Finance, Geography of Post-Communist Russia and East Central Europe, Heritage, Conservation and Management, Political Geography of European Integration, Quaternary Period, Spaces of Politics, and Transport. All students will attend a week long overseas field course in the second year
linked to their foundational choices, and advanced techniques workshops in preparation for their 12,000 word dissertation.
Brasenose geographers benefit from its proximity to the School of Geography, which includes laboratory and computing facilities, and relevant libraries containing geography material. Brasenose students run their own geographical society with termly events that are the centre of a lively academic and social life.
CareersBrasenose geographers have gone into a wide variety of careers including MSc and DPhil research, environmental consultancy, journalism, law, technology and international banking.
and four other subjects chosen from a wide range: British History, General History, a source-based Further Subject, and a Special Subject examined by means of an extended essay and a documents paper. During their three years at Oxford, students must choose at least one medieval, one early modern, and one modern paper from the list of British and General History courses. Teaching is by University lectures or classes and by tutorials, in or out of college depending on the choice of subjects, plus some college classes.
The various joint schools combine elements of the History course with papers in Ancient History, Economics, Modern Languages, or Politics, as the case may be.
There are four tutors in History. Dr Ingram teaches early modern history and has a particular interest in the social history of Tudor and Stuart England. Dr Green, whose teaching lies in the modern period, is a specialist in nineteenth-century European
political and cultural history. Early medieval history is taught by Dr Abrams, who specializes in Anglo-Saxon England and Viking-Age Europe. Dr Rowena Archer teaches the period 1000-1500 and researches the English aristocracy in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, with a particular emphasis on the role of women.
Further details about Modern History at Brasenose are available from Dr Green and Dr Ingram.
CareersThose who have read History here in recent years have entered a wide variety of careers in the professions. A number have gone on to postgraduate research and now hold positions in various British universities. We find, in common with colleagues in other universities, that employers value a degree in History very highly as a preparation for careers of every kind.
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AdmissionsIn recent years we have admitted around ten candidates a year to read for the undergraduate Law course. In general we are able to accept at least one candidate a year to read Law with Law Studies in Europe, subject to Faculty approval.
The courseLaw at Brasenose has a distinguished history, and the college continues to enjoy a particularly strong reputation for Law. The first two terms are spent studying the three subjects required for Law Moderations, the first university examination: Constitutional Law; Criminal Law; and Roman Law. The Fellows or lecturers of the College are able to provide tutorial teaching in these core subjects.
Thereafter, undergraduates work for the Final Honour School of Jurisprudence, taking nine papers. Most students take a common core of papers which will allow them to fulfil the legal professions requirements for qualification together with the papers required by the university. The teaching for most of these papers can be provided in college, as follows: Land Law and Trusts; Administrative Law; Contract and Tort; and Jurisprudence. In the third year, students take optional papers, usually taught by specialists outside college, although Dr Davies teaches Labour Law, Dr Krebs teaches Commercial Law, and Mr Swadling teaches Personal Property.
The College has its own well-stocked Law Library, the Stallybrass Memorial Library. Students also have access to a range of legal research databases provided by the University, and to the Bodleian Law Library.
LAw
practicing lawyers, especially through the College law society, the Ellesmere Society, and the University Law Society. A law degree is, of course, an excellent general education and is highly valued by employers in other fields too.
CareersMost law graduates become solicitors or barristers. Students considering these options often arrange work experience placements during their vacations. There are opportunities for undergraduates to meet
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mAthEmAtiCS
AdmissionsWe welcome applications for Mathematics, Mathematics and Philosophy, and Mathematics and Statistics, and admit a total of about seven students each year.
MathematicsAs a single subject, Mathematics may be pursued either as a three-year course, leading to the BA degree, or as a four-year course, leading to the MMath. At admission time, you do not need to specify which course you propose to take, and in fact this decision does not need to be made until the third year of undergraduate studies. It is important to realise that the three-year course is not a second best: the BA degree in Maths remains a highly regarded qualification. It is aimed at those students who require a sound analytic and numerate training with a view to future employment or research, not necessarily involving the most advanced mathematical techniques. The four-year course is intended for those who hope to pursue a career which will involve such techniques, as well as those who (like their tutors!) gain satisfaction from the study of advanced mathematics for its own sake.
Mathematics and PhilosophyThis joint course is sometimes described as tripartite, the third subject being Logic, a natural bridge between Mathematics and Philosophy. It is a three- or four-year course, with a structure similar to that of the four-year Mathematics course. The first year is devoted to compulsory papers in Pure Mathematics, Logic and Philosophy, after which an ever-widening range of options in all three areas of study becomes available.
Mathematics and StatisticsStatistics is one of the most important applications of mathematical techniques and many maths graduates use statistics in their subsequent careers. To cater to those students who may wish to concentrate on statistics during their time at university, Oxford offers this joint course. It shares the entire first year with Mathematics and transfers at the end of one year are easy; transfers from Mathematics to Mathematics and Statistics are usually straightforward for undergraduates who have successfully completed the second year of Mathematics. Thus, if you are not sure whether you wish to apply for Maths or Maths & Stats, it does not matter which one you put on the UCAS form.
The TutorsProfessor Haydons research interests are in functional analysis and general topology. Dr Gaffney works in the application of mathematical modelling techniques to a variety of biomedical and biological areas.
CareersMathematical undergraduates develop
to a high level their ability to think with precision and to analyse problems quickly and logically, dealing where necessary with the appropriate abstract concepts. These highly sought after and transferable skills are valued by a wide range of employers (in finance, accountancy, management consultancy, for example) and in most cases are more important than knowledge of any specific area of mathematics. Many graduates, however, do find their way into more obviously mathematical careers, in statistics, mathematical modelling or computing. Graduates in Mathematics and Philosophy are highly regarded by employers as they combine outstanding numeracy with an ability to express precise ideas in fluent English.
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mEDiCiNE
AdmissionsWe admit eight candidates to the Medical course each year. The admissions process for medicine is handled jointly with all Oxford Colleges, see www.medsci.ox.ac.uk/study/medicine/courses/preclin for details. Short-listed candidates who express a preference for Brasenose in their application will be interviewed here and at one other College.
The courseThe course structure is described in full at www.medsci.ox.ac.uk/study/medicine/courses/preclin. At Brasenose, the College teaching team (joint with Pembroke) is strong in most areas of the preclinical course, and so you will be taught by a college fellow once or twice a week throughout your first two years. In your third year, depending on your specialist interests, you will be taught by a wider range of Oxford scientists, in addition
students are joined by graduates of other preclinical schools, such as Cambridge. Our College teaching Team includes experienced clinical fellows, who support the hospital-based teaching provided by the Clinical School.
For those students graduating with a good degree in Medical Sciences, and who wish to enter research, there are opportunities to do advanced research degrees (MSc, DPhil), either here in Oxford or elsewhere. The Medical degree is also particularly useful for those wishing to work in the pharmaceutical, biomedical or paramedical fields.
to the Brasenose tutors. The college tutorials are an opportunity for you to explore the medical sciences in depth, and aim to develop your abilities to analyse data, offer constructive criticism and make persuasive, reasoned arguments verbally, in writing and through other media. The format of tutorials ranges from one-to-one discussions based on an extended writing assignment to small group, problem-based tutorials. The tutors take a continuing interest in your academic development, and aim to offer support, guidance and provocation, as required.
CareersMedical students need to apply during their pre-clinical course for a place in a clinical school. Roughly three quarters wish to stay in Oxford and at present most of those that do obtain a place at the John Radcliffe Hospital. Those who return to Brasenose as clinical
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AdmissionsOne or two candidates are admitted each year to read Music.
The courseThe first-year (Mods) course covers basic historical and analytical skills, keyboard work and techniques of composition (harmony and counterpoint) applied to selected periods and styles of music. These elements are taught in small-group college tutorials, together with University lectures and classes. There is also the choice of an optional element from among three, including solo performance and composition. This course leads to the
mUSiC
AdmissionsEvery year we admit up to eight candidates to read either the undergraduate course in two Modern Languages, one Modern Language which may be studied on its own, or one Modern Language with one or other of English, Classics, History and Philosophy (the Joint Schools). Brasenose also takes admissions for the Modern Languages and Linguistics course and for European and Middle Eastern Languages.
The courseAll students follow the same course in the first three terms up to the First Examination. After that there is considerable choice in literature papers and authors, between medieval, early modern and modern studies, and of options specializing in linguistic, philosophical, and historical subjects, as well as in film, art, and literary theory.
University lectures cover most central topics, and there are weekly tutorials,
mODERN LANGUAGES
Honour Moderations examination, taken after three terms of study.
The Schools course, leading to the final degree examinations, offers a wide variety of optional subjects, including solo performance and composition, from which a selection of four is made, usually towards the end of the second year in preparation for third-year work. General history and a choice among techniques of composition, critical and analytical skills, form a compulsory core of subjects to be studied in the second and third years. For some historical topics and for special options, the College arranges appropriate tuition where necessary by experts in those fields.
CareersApart from the performing world and teaching or administrative careers connected with music, the more general fields such as finance and industry often offer opportunities for music graduates. Employers tend to acknowledge the value of the music degree as a training in analytical and communicative processes which may be applied widely as well as specifically to music itself.
language classes and also occasional seminars organized in the College. The College is equipped with live satellite television in several languages, and has native speakers (lectors) in French and German, who assist in language teaching.
Undergraduates wishing to pursue an interest not covered in the College may be taught for certain papers by tutors in other colleges. Tutors based in other colleges organize the teaching of those we accept to read Italian, Spanish, Russian, Portuguese and Modern Greek.
The main interests of the Colleges own tutors lie, for Professor Cooper, in Renaissance French and Italian Literature, especially Rabelais, Renaissance Theatre, Occult Sciences, Collectors of Antiquities and Court Festivals; for Dr Groiser, in German writing since the Enlightenment, modern German thought, German-Jewish culture, and critical theory; and, for Dr Bourne-Taylor, in modern French and English literature.
European and Middle Eastern LanguagesThis new Joint School enables students to combine papers in one language from the Honour School of Modern Languages with papers in Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, or Turkish. You need have no previous knowledge of the Middle Eastern language, but you would normally have studied the European language to A-level standard. The Preliminary Examination takes place in the third term and consists of translation into and out of the European language and two language papers for the Middle Eastern language. Your oral proficiency will be tested in both the languages which you have studied.
CareersThose who have read Modern Languages and its associated schools have entered a large range of careers, including banking, management consultancy, education, interpreting, the Foreign Office, journalism, the law, accountancy and business.
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phySiCS
phiLOSOphy, pOLitiCS AND ECONOmiCS
AdmissionsWe admit around nine candidates each year to read Philosophy, Politics and Economics.
The courseYou study all three subjects in the first year. The PPE Preliminary examination is taken at the end of the first year. You can then choose to continue with all three branches or to drop one of them. Second year work mainly covers core papers in the branches chosen, followed in the third year by further subjects from a wide range of options permitting considerable specialization. PPE is a flexible course; it permits everything from an even blend of the three subjects, to a strong concentration (amounting to around two-thirds of the work for the final examination) on one of them. PPE at Brasenose has a reputation for challenging, exciting work, undertaken in a mixture of tutorials and class teaching.
AdmissionsWe usually admit six candidates each year to read Physics including up to two students reading Physics & Philosophy, although this demanding course is only suitable for committed candidates.
The courseOxford has both four-and three-year courses in Physics. In the fourth year, students choose two advanced physics subjects to study in depth, and undertake a project. The four-year course provides a training in Physics to the highest level possible in an undergraduate course and gives successful graduates an ideal qualification for entry into research or scientific employment throughout the world. The three-year course provides an excellent
intellectual training in physics and qualifies graduates for jobs in almost every area of endeavour, including many science-based careers.
It is straightforward to change from the four-year to the three-year course, as both courses have common first and second years, but a change from the three- to the four-year course at a later date may jeopardize funding from your local education authority. For this reason we normally only accept initial applications for the four-year course.
There are two Tutors in Physics. Professor Jonathan Jones is attempting to build small quantum computers, while Dr Laura Herz studies the optical and electronic properties of carbon-based semiconductors. In those particular subjects in which the College Tutors
have no special expertise, undergraduates are sent out to experts in other Colleges.
Students reading Physics & Philosophy are taught jointly with the Philosophy tutors (See PPE listings) amongst whom Dr Christopher Timpson specialises in the Philosophy of Physics, particularly the foundations of quantum mechanics.
CareersThose who have read Physics here over the past few years have entered a variety of careers at home and abroad, in physics and engineering, work in industry and commerce, or professional training, for example, in accountancy. We find that employers value a degree in physics very highly for a wide variety of careers.
Anyone reading PPE can expect to be taught by most of the tutors at some point during their degree.
Dr Johansens interests are in ancient philosophy. Dr Leal has a particular interest in ethics and philosophy of religion, but also teaches logic, early modern philosophy, epistemology, and philosophy of mind. Dr Timpson, a philosopher of science, particularly of physics, has interests in philosophy of mind and language and in the history of 20th Century Anglophone philosophy. Professor Bogdanors interests lie in comparative government, and particularly in the political institutions of democratic countries, and in the recent constitutional and political history of the United Kingdom. Mr Courakis interests are macroeconomics, monetary theory and policy, banking and financial markets, international economics and international
economic institutions, and history of economic thought. Dr Esteves is an economic historian.
CareersThose who have read PPE here have entered a wide variety of careers, from research to work in the Civil Service, teaching, the media, finance or industry. Employers value a degree in PPE very highly as a preparation for a very wide number of careers. Former Brasenose PPEists can be found in Parliament, the Bank of England, the Treasury, the Foreign Office, international organisations, banking and finance, industry, domestic and multinational business, consultancy, teaching and academia, and the media. There are ambassadors, barristers, film producers, schoolteachers, writers, and university professors on all five continents.
www.bnc.ox.ac.uk
