Oxford Tutorial System
Oxford University is a confederation of 45 societies or colleges. An associate student from APU is not matriculating in the Oxford society in pursuit of a degree. Rather, the student is enrolled at APU while studying at Oxford and will enjoy many college privileges, including full use of the college library, use of the college dining hall, and membership in sports teams, clubs, etc.
At Oxford, teaching is conducted primarily through the tutorial system, which offers unrivaled opportunities to study concentrated topics. The tutorial consists of a one-hour meeting between the tutor and one or two students. During this time, a piece of written work (an essay) is read and commented upon, with discussion frequently branching out beyond the original topic. At the end of the tutorial, the tutor assigns the mandatory topic of study for the forthcoming week and suggests readings.
The student studies one primary and one secondary subject, which consists of eight and four or five tutorials respectively, at roughly one-to-two-week intervals during the term. The student must engage in extensive independent reading and research, using the resources available, under the broad guidance of the tutor. During some sessions, the student may leave a tutorial with only a reading list and the title of the next essay. This methodology sharpens the learning skills of critical evaluation of material and organization of ideas in ways not fostered in the typical American university. The student is taught by the same specialists, in the same manner, and held to the same standards as matriculated Oxford degree students.
Tutorial Courses
With an approximate faculty/student ratio of 1:4, Oxford University offers specialists in several academic subjects. The wide range of courses available at Oxford are taught by highly qualified field leaders. Associate students are not candidates for Oxford degrees, but are awarded credits by Azusa Pacific University. Therefore, the curriculum taken in Oxford must have prior approval by the student's APU academic advisor, department chair, dean, and the director of study abroad. Since all education at Oxford is highly individualized (the exact courses are worked out jointly by the Oxford academic advisor, the student, and the tutor), there is no Oxford course catalog in the American sense. However, this also means that there are many options open to the student enrolled in this study abroad program.
The following list is not exhaustive or complete, but rather serves as a rough guide to what is available to the student. These subjects may be subdivided and studied in great depth.
