Nichola Clark (’12)
Nichola at Keeble College, Oxford
When I applied to study abroad at Oxford University, I really had no idea what I was getting myself into. In fact, I was initially slightly concerned, because they don’t have a ‘Public Policy and Law’ undergraduate program— Oxford sticks to very broad categories of study: History, English, Geography, Physics, Music, etc.
However, my time at Oxford has been phenomenal, not just socially and academically, but also specifically for continuing my studies in Public Policy. The Oxford education system is very focused on individual study. It is composed of three eight-week terms, with two classes each term. One meets once a week for an hour and the other meets once every two weeks for an hour. You all want to come to Oxford now, don’t you? But before you get too jealous of the structural freedom, I should probably tell you that I have to write an eight page paper for every class, which means in every eight-week term, you will write a total of twelve eight-page papers (that’s 96 pages in ONE term). Not only that, but that hour of class is a one-on-one discussion with your “tutor” (“professor” in the US system) who is a leading scholar in your subject.
The idea of one-on-one discussion sounds intimidating, but it is usually a very enjoyable intellectual experience. And because classes are so focused on the individual, you can usually tailor your class so that it is focused on specific subjects that are interesting to you. So, although they don’t have a public policy major, I’m able to take tutorials that specifically focus on environmental policy, my emphasis within the major. I think that it’s an incredibly valuable experience to study your interests from the perspective of another nation. For example, my tutor and I talk about the philosophy of environmental policy and look specifically at examples in England; this challenges my ideas of environmental policy and often offers an alternative approach to US policy.
In addition, studying at Oxford in and of itself offers students so many opportunities. The university attracts speakers from all fields- from presidents and ambassadors to fashion designers and movie stars. The beautiful campus in itself has a rich history. When you study in the library, you’re studying where so many academic greats have also studied, from John Donne and Dr. Suess to current British Prime Minister David Cameron. In terms of extra-curricular activities, Oxford has a group for anything you could hope to do, including American Democrats or American Republicans abroad groups.
The academic terms fly by and there are six week breaks between the terms. So, for anyone interested in doing a little European adventuring, Oxford provides you a fantastic opportunity to do so—both geographically and temporally.
Studying at Oxford is a challenge, but it is also an extraordinary academic, cultural, and personal experience; it’s an adventure that I highly recommend.