Study Abroad in the UK
Study Abroad: Oxford, England
Oxford is, I would consider it an urban town. It’s super interesting to see how this urban landscape also combines with old cobblestone pathways.
Think churches. Think medieval architecture. Think beautiful golden limestone buildings. What was surprising was, Oxford was bigger than I thought would it be. There are so many nooks and crannies to it, and places to go and get lost.
For me, what was really important was that study abroad brought forth this change of pace, and place and face for a while. We lived in St. Michael’s Hall, which is kind of our own separate dormitory, all of the students in the Middlebury program studied and lived together.
The location was fantastic. Being in the center of the city, you had access to essentially everything.
We could take a bus to pretty much anywhere, and day to day I’d get to explore the city a bit. So I spent a lot of my time outside on mini adventures, and walking around, and eating out, and painting.
Kind of a multitude of things. The program, from my experience, attracted a certain set of students that were there to, first and foremost, work really hard and knew that they were getting into this rigorous atmosphere. You’re going to be writing every day, and I mean, honestly, it’s not really an exaggeration.
You are probably going to be writing every day, but it’s topics that theoretically you really love and pick for yourself, and want to explore and delve deep into and have conversations with your tutors about.
If you’re looking for maybe sometimes a challenging but also fulfilling experience that’s still connected to your academic journey, study abroad is a perfect way to help you broaden your own understanding of what you’re studying within the context of a global society.
If you can and if there’s a support system for you to kind of plan going abroad, then there’s no reason not to. It’s all great experience, studying abroad and exploring new places.
The Middlebury-CMRS Oxford Humanities Program (Middlebury-CMRS) offers a semester or year-long opportunity for undergraduates to study abroad in the beautiful and historical city of Oxford, England. Students are housed in Saint Michael’s Hall, right in the centre of the city, and they become associate members of Keble College (University of Oxford), a short walk away. Students have access to college facilities, as well as the Bodleian Library, one of the greatest library systems in the world [Please see note below.] Although this program has a special emphasis on the humanities — both due to its unique history and the specialist areas of the permanent staff —we welcome qualified applicants from all majors.
During their time in Oxford students will receive an outstanding education that is deeply rooted in the liberal arts tradition. Students can choose two options from a vast array of tutorial courses, with the possibility of special subjects being arranged upon request (please see the comprehensive course list here: https://www.middlebury.edu/schools-abroad/schools/united kingdom/academics/tutorials). Tutorials are the pedagogical method at the heart of teaching at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Students benefit from extensive feedback on their written work and the intellectual stimulation that is provided by weekly one-to-one meetings between professor and undergraduate. Many of the tutors who teach for Middlebury-CMRS are renowned experts in their relative fields.
The course load at Middlebury-CMRS includes a supervised research paper, a small seminar class, and two tutorials, completed over the fourteen weeks of the semester. The research paper hones the student’s abilities to carry out extended research. The seminar illuminates new readings through group discussions. The Oxford tutorial system ensures the closest possible cooperation between teachers and students. This unique combination is not found at any other study abroad program in the UK.
In addition to their intellectual development, students have the opportunity to attend a host of cultural events and trips to local and national sites of importance. They can get to know Oxford students through clubs and societies and many engage closely with the various activities on offer at Keble College. Reflecting on their time in Oxford, students often comment that this is intellectually rigorous programme, but one where the Middlebury-CMRS community and staff work hard to nurture a supportive environment where each student develops their academic potential to the fullest (see https://www.middlebury.edu/schools-abroad/schools/united-kingdom/profiles) . If you have an inquiring mind, a capacity for creative as well as analytical thought, and a general passion for culture, then this is the program for you!
Middlebury-CMRS students are Associate Members of Keble College, but are not enrolled at the University of Oxford, and neither Keble College nor the University of Oxford have any responsibility for academic, pastoral, accommodation or disciplinary matters relating to M-CMRS. Students will have the opportunity to meet Oxford students through activities including clubs and societies, but they do not take classes with other matriculated students
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