Frequently Asked Questions


How are Oxbridge majors different from traditional majors in similar subjects?
The primary difference is the tutorial method of study.  In addition, the Oxbridge curriculum promotes study in greater depth.  Whereas students in a classroom English or History major might take survey courses, using an anthology or textbook as their source of readings, Oxbridge students read selected topics from primary sources.  The tutorial, with its emphasis on classics works and cutting edge scholarship, leads naturally to detailed consideration of a single topic rather than coverage of many.


How are comprehensive examinations different from finals?
In the British educational tradition on which the Oxbridge Honors program is based, students are assessed entirely on their performance on examinations at the end of the course of study.  American education is based on continuous assessment through assignments, papers, and final examinations over the content of individual courses.  William Jewell’s Oxbridge system is a compromise between the two.  Students receive half their credit, and half the grade, for their work in the Oxbridge tutorials immediately upon completion of the tutorial, based on their work during the semester of study.  The other half is granted upon satisfactory completion of the comprehensive examinations  Several tutorials, as well, as independent reading projects, prepare students for each comprehensive paper.  The comprehensives are an opportunity for students to integrate their learning and demonstrate their mastery of a field of knowledge, rather than recite back what they have learned a single semester of study.

Will I take regular classes as an Oxbridge major?
Yes.  You enroll in classes with other William Jewell Students for your core curriculum and elective courses.  While most of your work in Oxbridge will be done in tutorials, you will enroll in the Oxbridge Introductory Course with all new Oxbridge students your first semester.  Certain majors also require fundamental courses outside of tutorials.

Can I design my own major or tutorials?
No.  The Oxbridge majors are shaped by the comprehensive examinations; the tutorials are designed by faculty who are experts in the field.  However, students have some flexibility in emphasis and tutorials, especially during their year of study in England (this does not apply to molecular biology students).

Do I have to choose a major right away?
No.  Under the open year policy, first-year students are accepted into the Program as Oxbridge open students for an exploratory and trial year; students who enter the Program at the beginning of the sophomore year are open students for the fall semester and become majors for the spring semester.  Toward the end of the open year, or for sophomore-entry students, toward the end of the fall semester, students will apply for admission to one of the Oxbridge majors.  To be eligible to apply to a major, typically a student will have done well in a tutorial offered by that major.  

Is Oxbridge the only way to study in England?
No.  Honors programs in Cambridge and Oxford, as well as many other study abroad opportunities, are open to all William Jewell students.  Visit the Office of International Studies for further information.

Will I be able to participate in other typical college activities?

Yes.  While it is true that an Oxbridge major requires greater intensity and focus than a regular major, Oxbridge students find time to participate in college clubs and organizations as well as take courses to complete requirements for double-majors.