Heya! My name’s Iris, I’ve just finished my first year studying English Literature and Language here at Corpus.
When I was initially applying to universities, Oxford – especially for English – was not at the top of my list, particularly due to the chronological structure of the course that mandates a study of English from 650AD- present day. Old English was not something I particularly wanted to do… But the English course at Oxford is actually extremely rewarding regarding the breadth of knowledge you gain throughout the millennium or so you study. The course - through the chronological structure - has consistently offered new texts that I might otherwise had passed up on studying.
Oxford can be an intimidating institution, but Corpus is an extremely friendly and accessible college for people from all backgrounds. If you ever need extensions or further guidance your tutors are always there to help you. Ultimately, Corpus is a college focused on learning, and to that end is eager for students with a real passion in their subject, because of this focus Corpus is not a ruthlessly competitive atmosphere - instead the college proffers a truly wholesome environment that encourages different approaches to and interpretations of a variety of texts.
Our tutors here are very flexible and interested in your interests, typically in Hilary and Trinity (2nd and 3rd term in Oxford jargon) tutors may ask what you personally want to look at within the time scale of the papers. However, within the course you’ll not just be exploring fiction; you’ll be reading Freud, Foucault, Butler, alongside various linguistic studies and political/social theories. The course is truly expansive and the size allows everyone to find something they love within it – I promise you that.
The course is tailored by the college, and Corpus does so brilliantly; we have one of the best libraries in the university for English and with up to 20 books able to be taken out at a time any book lover can be satisfied. Corpus is truly such a friendly and encouraging college; I couldn’t have asked for a better first year socially or academically.
Please feel free to email me any questions regarding English, joint honour degrees, or any questions about Corpus!
Resources
Resources for Key Stage 5, applying to Oxford and finding out more about Corpus can be found here.