1 THE[70] (2013/14, world) 2 Complete[71]

f 0th week.
Reputation[edit]
Rankings
ARWU[68]
(2013, national)    2
ARWU[68]
(2013, world)    10
QS[69]
(2013/14, national)    4
QS[69]
(2013/14, world)    5
THE[70]
(2013/14, national)    1
THE[70]
(2013/14, world)    2
Complete[71]
(2014, national)    2
The Guardian[72]
(2014, national)    2
Times/Sunday Times[73]
(2014, national)    2
According to the 2012 Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings – based on a survey of 17,554 academics over 149 countries – Oxford belongs to the elite group of six universities touted as the globally recognised 'super-brands'.[74]
Oxford has held the first position in the Times Good University Guide for eleven consecutive years.[75] The University is in second position in the most recent publications of the The Guardian's rankings (2012),[76] Sunday Times University Guide (2012)[77] and third in the The Complete University Guide (2013).[78]
In the 2012 Academic Ranking of World Universities, Oxford was ranked 10th in the world and second in Europe.[79] In the 2012–13 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, Oxford was placed second in the world and first in Europe.[80] In the 2012 QS World University Rankings, Oxford was placed fifth in the world and third in the UK.[81] With the exception of 2010, it has been consistently in the top five since the QS rankings began in 2004. The University of Oxford ranked 10th in the world and 2nd in Europe in Best World Universities 2012 compiled by Human Resources & Labor Review (HRLR) using Measurements of World's Top 300 Universities Graduates' Performance.[82]
Undergraduate admissions[edit]

Age[edit]

irst-class results in both Honour Moderations and Finals. As a matter of tradition, bachelor's degree graduates are eligible, after seven years from matriculation (formal induction of students into the university) and without additional study, to purchase for a nominal fee an

cal, and life sciences, and some social sciences). Students usually have one or two tutorials a week, and can be taught by academics at any other college—not just their own—as expertise and personnel require. These tutorials are complemented by lectures, classes and seminars, which are organised on a departmental basis. Graduate students undertaking taught degrees are usually instructed through classes and seminars, though there is more focus upon individual research.
The university itself is responsible for conducting examinations and conferring degrees. The passing of two sets of examinations is a prerequisite for a first degree. The first set of examinations, called either Honour Moderations ("Mods" and "Honour Mods") or Preliminary Examinations ("Prelims"), are usually held at the end of the first year (after two terms for those studying Law; Theology; Philosophy and Theology; Experimental Psychology; or Psychology, Philosophy and Physiology or after five terms in the case of Classics). The second set of examinations, the Final Honour School ("Finals"), is held at the end of the undergraduate course (for humanities and most social sciences) or at the end of each successive year of the course after the first (most mathematical, physical and life sciences, and some social sciences). Successful candidates receive first-, upper or lower second-, or third-class honours, or simply a "pass" without honours, based on their performance in Finals. An upper second is the most usual result, and a first is often prerequisite for graduate study. A "double first" reflects first-class results in both Honour Moderations and Finals.
As a matter of tradition, bachelor's degree graduates are eligible, after seven years from matriculation (formal induction of students into the university) and without additional study, to purchase for a nominal fee an upgrade of their bachelor's degree to an "MA" or Master of Arts. All MAs were members of Convocation; and, until 1913, all resident members of Convocation were members of Congregation.[63] MAs, as members of Convocation, elected the Chancellor and Professor of Poetry, but recently Convocation has been widened to consist of all graduates.[64][65]
Research degrees at the master's and doctoral level are conferred in all subjects studied at graduate level at the university.
Academic year[edit]


Tom Quad, Christ Church in the snow.
The academic year is divided into three terms.[66] Michaelmas Term lasts from October to December; Hilary Term from January to March; and Trinity Term from April to June. Within each of these terms, Council determines an eight-week period called Full Term, during which undergraduate teaching takes place. These teaching terms are shorter than those of many other British universities,[67] and the total duration of Full Terms amounts to less than half the year. However, undergraduates are also expected to do some academic work during the three holidays (known as the Christmas, Easter, and Long Vacations).
Internally at least, the weeks in the term are often referred to by the time elapsed since the start of each Full Term: thus the first week of any Full Term is called "1st week" and the last is "8th week". The numbering of the weeks continues up to the end of the term, and begins again with negative numbering from the beginning of the succeeding term, through "minus first week" and "noughth week", which precede "1st week". These weeks begin on a Sunday. Undergraduates must be in residence from Thursday o

hrist Church. The hall is an important feature of the typical Oxford college, providing a place to both dine and socialise. In 2011/12, the Univ

Wycliffe Hall Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg Wycliffe Hall
The PPHs and colleges join together as the Conference of Colleges, which represents the common concerns of the several colleges of the University, and to discuss policy and to deal with the central University administration.[54][55] The Conference of Colleges was established as a recommendation of the Franks Commission in 1965.[56]
Teaching members of the colleges (i.e., fellows and tutors) are collectively and familiarly known as "dons", although the term is rarely used by the University itself. In addition to residential and dining facilities, the colleges provide social, cultural, and recreational activities for their members. Colleges have responsibility for admitting undergraduates and organising their tuition; for graduates, this responsibility falls upon the departments. There is no common title for the heads of colleges; the names used include warden, provost, principal, president, rector, master and dean.
Finances[edit]


The dining hall at Christ Church. The hall is an important feature of the typical Oxford college, providing a place to both dine and socialise.
In 2011/12, the University had an income of £1,016m; key sources were research grants (£409m), teaching funding (£204m), and academic fees (£173m).[57] The colleges had a total income of £361m,[58] of which £47m was flow-through from the University.[57]
While the University has the larger annual income and operating budget, the colleges have a larger aggregate endowment: over £2.9bn compared to the University's £850m.[59] The Central University's endowment, along with some of the colleges', is managed by the University's wholly owned endowment management office, Oxford University Endowment Management, formed in 2007.[60]
The University launched a fundraising campaign in May 2008, called Oxford Thinking – The Campaign for the University of Oxford.[61] This is looking to support three areas: academic posts and programmes, student support, and buildings and infrastructure[62] and having passed its original target of £1.25 billion in March 2012, the target has now been raised to £3 billion.[57]
Academic profile[edit]

Teaching and degrees[edit]
Main articles: Degrees of the University of Oxford and List of professorships at the University of Oxford


Members of the University Congregation pass through Radcliffe square after Encaenia.
Undergraduate teaching is centred on the tutorial, where 1–4 students spend an hour with an academic discussing their week’s work, usually an essay (humanities, most social sciences, some mathematical, physical, and life sciences) or problem sheet (most mathematical, physi