History
History is one of the largest subjects at Oriel, with 9 or 10 undergraduate students admitted each year. Undergraduate students can select options from the whole Oxford history curriculum, ranging from the end of the Roman Empire and the rise of Islam to modern America and China. All varieties of History are pursued to excellence in Oxford: the faculty is one of the largest and best in the world. As students of the past we become specialists in some areas whilst retaining an interest in the connections and differences between individuals and societies across time and space.
Outline of the undergraduate course, with compulsory and optional elements.
The Oxford History course consists of four ‘outline’ papers in British and general (European and global) history; two are taken in the first year, two in the second year. These must cover a wide chronological range. This core is supplemented by three source-based specialist papers, one studied in each year. In addition all students study historiography and comparative history. In the first year Oriel students study how History has been influenced by anthropology, archaeology, art history, economics, gender theory, and sociology. In the second year we have fortnightly seminars on historiography (the history of History) and comparative history, covering issues such as the history of emotions, the interplay between humans and nature, and even the character of knowledge itself. The highlight of the undergraduate course is probably the thesis, which is an independent research project undertaken in the third year. Recent topics have included the morale of First World War officers, the reputation of Jesse James, and sexual behaviour in the thirteenth century. Anything is possible!
The college library has one of the largest History collections in Oxford, and the student-run history society organizes visiting speakers, day trips and social events. As an alternative to the single-subject History course, you might like to consider one of the joint courses. Oriel offers History and Politics, History and Modern Languages, History and Economics, and Ancient and Modern History.
Tutorial Fellows:
The college has two tutorial fellows History, Ian Forrest (medieval history) and Julia Mannherz (modern European history), in addition to the Regius Professor of History, Lyndal Roper (early modern history) who is primarily responsible for graduates.
College Tutors:
Simon Skinner (modern British history), who is a fellow of Balliol, also teaches for us, and Maya Corry (early modern history) is a Graduate Teaching Assistant. In addition to this core tutorial team, we send our students to expert tutors in other colleges, to make sure that the whole, vast, Oxford History curriculum is available.
Admissions:
Short-listing by History Aptitude Test and GCSE results (contextualized by school performance data). Admission by written work, interviews, and AAA at A-level or equivalent. There are no required subjects, and we consider applicants who do not have A-level History.
Places:
Usually 9 including History and Economics, Ancient and Modern History, History and Politics