Graduate Prospectus
Oriel has about 160 graduate students. They form an internationally and academically diverse community: they come from countries from the five continents, and they pursue degrees in all four academic divisions of the university.
Oriel provides a supportive environment for its graduate students. The Tutor for Graduates, who is a Fellow of the college, has responsibility for the academic affairs of graduate students. Graduate students are also allocated a College Advisor (in addition to their University Supervisor), who is a Fellow or Tutor of the college in their broad subject field. On the financial side, the College has a Hardship Fund, from which several awards are made to graduate students each term, and a Travel Grant fund, whose purpose is to support students travelling to conferences or other academic activities. Every year the college awards some scholarships to graduate students.
Oriel has a very distinguished academic fellowship. These fellows are actively engaged in research and in many cases they are leaders in their fields, and they are all involved in graduate teaching and guidance. There are many opportunities to interact both socially and academically with the fellows. Different subjects organise talks, lectures, seminars, and other events attended by graduate students. There is the Joint Academic Forum (JAF), which meets once a term, to listen to talks by fellows, graduates and undergraduates on a certain designated topic; since the intended audience consists of college members in general, irrespective of their academic discipline, the talks are meant to be accessible to non-specialists. The MCR (Middle Common Room), the college’s body of graduate students, organises an annual conference, where, apart from one or two keynote speakers, the speakers are graduate students of the college. The college has several social functions to which graduate students are invited, and the MCR organises several social events to which fellows of the college are invited.
The College is keen to provide teaching opportunities for graduates, and has its own graduate teaching scheme. Furthermore, every year several Graduate Teaching Assistants are appointed.
The MCR has its own comfortable and spacious rooms. Overlooking historic Oriel Square, these are considered to be among the finest common rooms in Oxford. One of the rooms has a large colour television and video, DVD player, stereo, piano, a well stocked bar, provisions for snacks, tea and coffee, and cooking facilities. The other room contains space for study. The MCR subscribes to a wide variety of daily newspapers and weekly magazines selected by its members. During any afternoon or evening one can find students from several countries engaged in lively discussion in the MCR. It is open twenty-four hours a day. Graduate students are encouraged to play an active part in the social and sporting life of the College. As a self-governing body, the MCR provides a forum where graduates can debate and formulate positions on issues concerning the College and the University. The Committee of graduates elected each year supervises the operation and programmes of the MCR, but the administrative structure is informal and individual members are strongly encouraged to put forward their own ideas and to help organise MCR activities.
The MCR committee organises a wide range of cultural events, including trips to the theatre in Stratford or London, film previews, and joint events with other colleges. The MCR has a joint guest night each term, to which fellows of the college are invited. Oriel sponsors a considerable variety of its own societies, clubs and teams in addition to those in the University. These include the Oriel Drama Society, which regularly puts on a summer production in College, the Oriel Chapel Choir, which achieves a fine standard of performance, the Pantin Society, which is for those interested in modern history, the Philosophy Society, and the Raleigh Society, which is specially concerned with English literature. The College’s Rhodes Society is open to graduates, undergraduates and fellows, and attracts distinguished speakers from both inside and outside the University to discuss contemporary political and cultural issues.
Please see our Graduate Accommodation FAQs