University of Oxford facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
University of Oxford

Coat of arms
Latin: Latin: Dominus illuminatio mea
Other name	The Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Oxford
Motto	Latin: Dominus illuminatio mea
Motto in English	The Lord is my light
Type	Public research university Ancient university
Established	c. 1096; 929 years ago (1096)
Endowment	£8.066 billion (2023; including colleges)
Budget	£2.924 billion (2022/23)
Chancellor	The Lord Patten of Barnes
Vice-Chancellor	Irene Tracey
Academic staff	6,945 (2022)
Students	26,945 (2023)
Undergraduates	12,580
Postgraduates	13,445
Other students	430
Location	Oxford , England 51°45′18″N 01°15′18″W / 51.75500°N 1.25500°W / 51.75500; -1.25500
Campus	University town
Colours	Oxford Blue
Affiliations	ACU EUA Europaeum IARU LERU Russell Group SES Universities UK

The University of Oxford is a very old and famous university in Oxford, England. It's known as a "collegiate research university." This means it's made up of many smaller, independent colleges that work together. People started teaching here as early as 1096. This makes Oxford the oldest university in the English-speaking world. It's also the second-oldest university in the world that has been open continuously.

Oxford grew quickly after 1167. This was when King Henry II stopped English students from going to the University of Paris. Later, some students and teachers from Oxford moved to Cambridge in 1209. They started the University of Cambridge there. Oxford and Cambridge are often called Oxbridge because they are both very old and similar.

The university has 43 colleges and halls. Each college runs itself, choosing its own students and having its own activities. All students at Oxford belong to a college. Oxford doesn't have one main campus. Instead, its buildings and facilities are spread out across the city. Students learn through lectures, small group classes called tutorials, seminars, and lab work.

Oxford also has the Ashmolean Museum, which is the world's oldest university museum. It's also home to Oxford University Press, the biggest university publisher in the world. Oxford has one of the largest library systems in the UK. Many famous people have studied at Oxford. This includes 31 prime ministers of the United Kingdom and many other world leaders. As of October 2022, 73 Nobel Prize winners have been connected to Oxford.

Discovering Oxford's Past

How Oxford Began

No one knows exactly when the University of Oxford started. Some historians in the 1300s thought Alfred the Great founded it in the 900s, but this isn't true. We know that teaching was happening in Oxford by 1096. A scholar named Theobald of Étampes gave lectures there in the early 1100s.

The university grew a lot after 1167. This was when English students came back from the University of Paris. The first known foreign student, Emo of Friesland, arrived in 1190. By 1201, the university had a leader called a chancellor. In 1231, the teachers were officially recognized as a "universitas," or a group. King Henry III gave the university a special royal charter in 1248.

After some fights between students and local people in 1209, some teachers left Oxford. They went to Cambridge and later started the University of Cambridge. Students at Oxford used to group themselves by where they came from. There were "northerners" (from north of the River Trent and Scotland) and "southerners" (from south of the Trent, Ireland, and Wales).

Around the same time, many religious groups like Dominicans and Franciscans came to Oxford. They set up houses for students. Also, wealthy people started building colleges. These colleges were like self-contained communities for scholars. Some of the first were University College (endowed in 1249) and Balliol College. Merton College became a model for how colleges should be run. More and more students started living in colleges instead of other houses.

In the 1330s, some unhappy Oxford scholars tried to start a new university in Stamford. But Oxford and Cambridge asked King Edward III to stop them. For many years after that, no new universities were allowed in England. This meant Oxford and Cambridge were the only two, which was unusual for large European countries.

Oxford in the Renaissance

The new ideas of the Renaissance changed Oxford a lot from the late 1400s. Scholars like William Grocyn helped bring back the study of Greek. John Colet was a famous Bible scholar.

When England broke away from the Roman Catholic Church (the English Reformation), some Oxford scholars who disagreed went to Europe. Teaching methods at Oxford changed from old medieval ways to Renaissance education. However, the university lost some land and money during this time. Later, during the Age of Enlightenment, Oxford's reputation for learning went down. Fewer students enrolled, and teaching was sometimes neglected.

In 1636, William Laud, who was the university's leader and also the Archbishop of Canterbury, wrote down the university's rules. These rules were used until the mid-1800s. Laud also helped the Oxford University Press get special rights. He also gave a lot to the Bodleian Library, the main university library. For a long time, until 1866, you had to be a member of the Church of England to get a Bachelor of Arts degree. Other religious groups were only allowed to get a Master of Arts degree in 1871.

During the English Civil War (1642–1649), Oxford supported the King. The town, however, supported the Parliament.

Wadham College, started in 1610, was where Sir Christopher Wren studied. Wren was part of a group of scientists in Oxford in the 1650s. This group, called the Oxford Philosophical Club, included famous scientists like Robert Boyle and Robert Hooke. They met regularly and later helped start the Royal Society.

Modern Changes at Oxford

Student Life and Learning

Before the 1800s, what students learned at Oxford was very limited. Many people who became doctors, lawyers, or business owners didn't go to university. A historian named Sir Spencer Walpole said that Oxford's education wasn't helpful for many jobs, except for becoming a minister.

However, he also said that students learned a lot from each other. Being around "a thousand or twelve hundred of the best young men in England" helped them learn loyalty, independence, and self-control. Even if they didn't learn much from books, they learned about people and respect.

In 1840, most students (65%) were sons of professionals, and 34% were sons of Anglican ministers. After graduating, 87% became professionals, with 59% becoming Anglican clergy. By 1870, 59% were sons of professionals, and 25% were sons of Anglican ministers. After graduating, 87% became professionals, with 42% becoming Anglican clergy.

Organized sports became very popular at Oxford and Cambridge in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This came from the sports culture at famous schools like Eton.

For a long time, all students had to study classical languages (like Greek and Latin) in their first year. Science students found this difficult. They wanted a separate science degree that didn't require Greek. Other European universities had already done this. In 1886, a "natural science preliminary" was finally accepted as part of the first-year exams.

Before World War I (1914), Oxford had about 3,000 undergraduate students. During the war, many students and teachers joined the army. By 1918, most teachers were in uniform, and only 12% of students remained. The university's records show that 14,792 members served, and 2,716 (18.36%) were killed. Some university buildings were used as hospitals and training camps.

Important Reforms

In the mid-1800s, two government groups looked at Oxford and Cambridge. They suggested many changes. They wanted the university to focus more on research and have more professors. They also wanted to make it easier for poorer students to attend. They suggested adding more subjects and making scholarships open to all British students. They also said that teachers shouldn't have to become priests. Students were also allowed to live in the city to save money.

New ways of getting degrees for different subjects started in 1802. By 1872, subjects like "Natural Sciences," "Law," and "Modern History" had their own special degrees. "Theology" also became a degree.

The mid-1800s also saw the Oxford Movement, a religious movement. During this time, written entrance exams replaced oral ones. The university also became more accepting of different religions. Four colleges for women were also started. Over time, the university became less connected to traditional religious beliefs. While Oxford used to focus on classical knowledge, it started to include science and medicine in its courses during the 1800s.

In the early 1900s, Oxford started giving out doctorates for research. The first PhD in mathematics was given in 1921. Many famous scholars have come from Oxford, making big contributions to politics, science, medicine, and literature. As of October 2022, 73 Nobel Prize winners and over 50 world leaders have been part of Oxford.

Women at Oxford

In 1875, Oxford allowed women to take exams similar to undergraduate exams. In 1878, a group called the Association for the Education of Women (AEW) was formed. They wanted to create a college for women in Oxford. This led to the founding of Lady Margaret Hall in 1878 and Somerville College in 1879. These colleges opened their doors to the first 21 women students in 1879. Other women's colleges like St Hugh's (1886) and St Hilda's (1893) followed.

All these women's colleges later started accepting both male and female students. This began with Lady Margaret Hall and St Anne's in 1979. The last one to become coeducational was St Hilda's in 2008.

On October 7, 1920, women were finally allowed to become full members of the university. They could also receive degrees. However, in 1927, the university set a limit. The number of female students could only be a quarter of the number of male students. This rule was not removed until 1957. It wasn't until 1959 that the women's colleges were given full university status.

In 1974, five previously all-male colleges started admitting women. Most men's colleges accepted women by 1979. Oriel was the last men's college to admit women in 1985. By 1988, 40% of undergraduate students at Oxford were female. In 2016, this number was 47%.

In 2017, Oxford made some changes to exams to help female students. For example, history students could choose to take a take-home exam for some courses. Math and computer science tests were also made 15 minutes longer.

The detective novel Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers is set in a fictional all-female Oxford college. Sayers herself was one of the first women to get a degree from Oxford.

Oxford's Buildings and Green Spaces

University Map

Map of the University of Oxford
Key - University Department - University Facility - University Office - College (illustrative) - Permanent Private Hall

Main University Locations

Oxford is a "city university." This means it doesn't have one main campus. Instead, its colleges, departments, and other buildings are spread throughout the city center. The Science Area is where most science departments are located. This area is the closest thing to a campus.

Famous university buildings include the Radcliffe Camera, a beautiful library building. The Sheldonian Theatre is used for concerts, lectures, and university ceremonies. The Examination Schools are where many exams and some lectures happen. Before the Sheldonian was built, the University Church of St Mary the Virgin was used for university events.

In 2012–2013, the university built some student flats called Castle Mill. These buildings were controversial because they blocked views of the city's historic spires.

Parks and Gardens

The University Parks are a large 70-acre (28 ha) park in the northeast of the city. It's open to the public during the day. Many colleges also have their own green spaces that are open to the public, like Christ Church Meadow.

The Botanic Garden on High Street is the oldest botanical garden in the UK. It has over 8,000 different kinds of plants. It's one of the most diverse plant collections in the world. The Harcourt Arboretum is a 130-acre (53 ha) site south of the city with woodlands and meadows. The 1,000-acre (400 ha) Wytham Woods are owned by the university. They are used for research on animals and climate change.

How Oxford is Organized

Colleges arrange the small-group teaching (tutorials) for their undergraduate students. Teachers from academic departments are spread across many colleges. While some colleges might focus on certain subjects, most have a wide mix of teachers and students from different fields. Libraries are available at different levels: the main university library (the Bodleian), departmental libraries, and each college's own library.

Running the University

The official head of the university is the Chancellor. Currently, this is Lord Patten of Barnes. However, like most British universities, the Chancellor is mostly a ceremonial figure. They don't manage the university day-to-day. The Chancellor is chosen by all graduates of the university and holds the position for life.

The Vice-Chancellor, currently Irene Tracey, is the actual head of the university. There are also five pro-vice-chancellors who handle specific areas like education, research, and finances.

Two university proctors are chosen each year from different colleges. They act as internal ombudsmen. They make sure the university and its members follow the rules. This includes student discipline and complaints. The university's professors are called Statutory Professors. They are very important in running the university's graduate programs.

The University of Oxford is called a "public university" because it gets some money from the government. But it's also "private" because it runs itself completely. In theory, it could choose to be fully private by not taking government money.

The Colleges of Oxford

To be a student or most academic staff at Oxford, you must also be a member of a college or hall. There are 39 colleges of the University of Oxford and four permanent private halls (PPHs). Each one manages its own members and activities. Most colleges offer a wide range of subjects.

The colleges are:

The permanent private halls (PPHs) were started by different Christian groups. Unlike colleges, PPHs are partly governed by their religious group. The four current PPHs are:

• Blackfriars Hall
• Campion Hall
• Regent's Park College
• Wycliffe Hall

Teachers in the colleges are often called "dons." Colleges provide places to live, eat, and do social activities. They are also in charge of admitting undergraduate students and organizing their teaching. For graduate students, the university departments handle admissions.

How Oxford is Funded

In 2017–18, the university had an income of £2.237 billion. A lot of this came from research grants and student fees. The colleges also had a total income of £492.9 million.

While the university has a large yearly income, the colleges together have more money saved up. This is called an endowment. The university's endowment and some college endowments are managed by a special office.

Oxford was one of the first UK universities to raise money through public campaigns. Its current campaign, "Oxford Thinking," aims to support academic programs, students, and buildings. By July 2018, it had raised £2.8 billion.

Questions About Funding

The university has sometimes been questioned about where its donations come from. For example, in 2017, people pointed out old donations from people involved in the slave trade or imperialism. More recently, there have been questions about donations from fossil fuel companies. The university says it considers legal, ethical, and reputation issues when accepting money.

Learning and Degrees

Getting into Oxford

Undergraduate admission statistics

	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
Applications	23,211	23,819	24,338	23,414	23,020
Offer Rate (%)	16.0	15.3	14.6	16.8	16.9
Enrolments	3,219	3,271	3,298	3,695	3,280
Yield (%)	86.5	89.7	92.8	94.0	84.3
Applicant/Enrolled Ratio	7.21	7.28	7.38	6.34	7.02
Average Entry Tariff	N/A	N/A	205	201	200

HESA Student Body Composition (2022)

Domicile and Ethnicity	Total
British White	50%	50
British Ethnic Minorities	16%	16
International EU	9%	9
International Non-EU	25%	25
Undergraduate Widening Participation Indicators
Female	54%	54
Private Schools	31%	31
Low Participation Areas	6%	6

If you want to study at Oxford, you apply through a system called UCAS. But for Oxford (and Cambridge), you have to apply earlier, by October 15. To make sure students don't apply to both, you can't apply to both Oxford and Cambridge in the same year. The only exceptions are for certain music scholarships or if you're applying for a second degree.

Oxford has one of the lowest offer rates among top UK universities. Most students apply to a specific college. For undergraduate students, colleges work together to make sure the best students get a place somewhere in the university. About 60% of applicants are chosen for the next stage. If too many students choose one college, some might be moved to another college that needs more students for that subject.

Colleges then invite chosen students for interviews. These usually happen in December, and students are given food and a place to stay. In 2020, interviews moved online and will stay online until at least 2027. Offers are sent out in early January. About one in four successful students gets an offer from a college they didn't originally apply to.

Oxford has faced some criticism for accepting many students from private schools. In 2016, 59% of offers to UK students went to students from state schools. However, about 93% of all UK students attend state schools. The number of students from state schools has been increasing. Oxford spends over £6 million each year to encourage students from less represented backgrounds to apply.

In 2018, a report showed that eight Oxford colleges had accepted fewer than three Black applicants in three years. Some people called this "social apartheid." However, by 2020, Oxford had increased its number of Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) students to record levels.

How Teaching Works

Undergraduate teaching at Oxford is mainly through "tutorials." In a tutorial, 1 to 4 students spend an hour with a teacher. They discuss their work from the week, which is usually an essay or a problem sheet. The university itself is in charge of giving exams and degrees.

Undergraduate teaching happens during three eight-week terms: Michaelmas, Hilary, and Trinity. These terms are shorter than at most other British universities. But students are also expected to do academic work during the three holidays between terms.

Scholarships and Support

There are many ways for students at Oxford to get financial help. The Oxford Opportunity Bursaries give money to British undergraduate students based on their financial need. Individual colleges also offer their own help. For graduate students, there are many scholarships, like the famous Rhodes Scholarships and the newer Weidenfeld Scholarships. Oxford also offers the Clarendon Scholarship for graduate students from any country.

Students who do well in early exams can get scholarships from their colleges. These are usually small amounts of money today. Students who get these scholarships can wear a special, longer academic gown.

Oxford's Libraries

Oxford has the largest university library system in the UK. The Bodleian group of libraries has over 11 million books. This makes it the second-largest library in the UK, after the British Library. The Bodleian is a "legal deposit" library. This means it gets a free copy of every book published in the UK. Its collection grows by over three miles (five kilometers) of shelving every year.

The main research library, The Bodleian, includes the original Bodleian Library, the Radcliffe Camera, the Clarendon Building, and the Weston Library. A tunnel connects these buildings under Broad Street.

The Bodleian Libraries group was formed in 2000. It now includes 28 libraries. They all share a computer system called SOLO (Search Oxford Libraries Online). This system lets you search for books in all the member libraries.

A new book storage facility opened in 2010. The New Bodleian building was also renovated and reopened as the Weston Library in 2015. This renovation helps show off the library's treasures, like a Shakespeare First Folio and a Gutenberg Bible.

In 2004, the Bodleian started a project with Google to digitize many of its books.

University Museums

Oxford has several museums and galleries that are free to visit. The Ashmolean Museum, founded in 1683, is the oldest museum in the UK. It has important collections of art and archaeology. This includes art by Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. It also has famous items like the Alfred Jewel.

The University Museum of Natural History has collections of animals, insects, and rocks. It's in a large Gothic-style building in the university's Science Area. You can see skeletons of a Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops there. It also has the most complete remains of a dodo found anywhere.

Next to the Natural History Museum is the Pitt Rivers Museum. It was founded in 1884 and shows the university's archaeological and anthropological collections. It has over 500,000 items.

The Museum of the History of Science is in the world's oldest building made specifically for a museum. It has 15,000 items from ancient times to the 1900s. These items show almost every part of the history of science. The Bate Collection of Musical Instruments has many instruments from Western classical music. The Christ Church Picture Gallery has a large collection of old paintings and drawings.

Publishing at Oxford

The Oxford University Press is the world's second-oldest university publisher. It's also the largest by the number of books it publishes. It publishes over 6,000 new books each year. These include many reference books and academic works. Famous examples are the Oxford English Dictionary and the Oxford World's Classics.

Oxford's Reputation

Rankings

National rankings
Complete (2021)	2
Guardian (2021)	1
Times / Sunday Times (2021)	3
Global rankings
ARWU (2020)	6
QS (2021)	3
THE (2021)	1

Because it's so old and has such a high academic status, Oxford is seen as one of Britain's most important universities. It's often grouped with the University of Cambridge as the top two universities in the UK.

Oxford is usually ranked among the top five universities in the world. This is according to rankings like the Times Higher Education World University Rankings and Forbes's World University Rankings. It was ranked number one in the Times Good University Guide for eleven years in a row. Its medical school has also been ranked first in the world for seven years.

The Times Higher Education also calls Oxford one of the world's "six super brands." Oxford is ranked fourth globally by US News. Its business school, Saïd Business School, was ranked 13th in the world.

In 2022, Oxford was ranked 13th in the world by the Nature Index. This index measures how much universities contribute to research papers. It's also ranked fifth best university worldwide for training CEOs. In the UK, it's ranked first for the quality of its graduates.

In the 2018 Complete University Guide, all 38 subjects offered by Oxford were in the top 10 nationally. This means Oxford was one of only two universities in the UK to have all its subjects in the top 10. Computer Science, Medicine, Philosophy, Politics, and Psychology were ranked first in the UK.

According to the QS World University Rankings by Subject, Oxford is also number one in the world for four humanities subjects: English Language and Literature, Modern Languages, Geography, and History. It's also ranked second globally for Anthropology, Archaeology, Law, Medicine, Politics & International Studies, and Psychology.

Student Life at Oxford

Traditions and Customs

Students at Oxford must wear special academic clothes, called academic dress, for exams, official ceremonies, and disciplinary hearings. In 2015, students voted against making it optional for exams.

"Trashing" is a tradition where students who finish their last exam are sprayed with alcohol, flour, and confetti. They wear their academic dress during this. Other traditions are different at each college. For example, some colleges have "formal hall" (a special dinner) often, while others do it rarely. "Balls" are big events held by colleges. The largest ones are called "commemoration balls" and usually require formal dress.

Clubs and Activities

The Oxford Union is an independent debating society. It holds weekly debates and invites famous speakers. There are also political groups like the Oxford University Conservative Association. Most academic subjects have their own student societies.

There are two weekly student newspapers: Cherwell and The Oxford Student. Other publications include the Isis magazine. The student radio station is Oxide Radio.

Sports are played between college teams in competitions called "cuppers." Rowing is very popular, with yearly intercollegiate races like Torpids and Summer Eights. There are also university-wide sports teams. A big focus is on the yearly "varsity" matches against Cambridge. The most famous is The Boat Race, which millions of people watch on TV. A "blue" award is given to students who play for the university team in certain sports.

Many music, drama, and art groups exist at both college and university levels. Examples include the Oxford University Dramatic Society. Most colleges have choirs. The Oxford Imps are a comedy group that performs weekly.

Some private clubs for students exist, like Vincent's Club for sportspeople. There are also invitation-only dining clubs, such as the Bullingdon Club.

Student Union and Common Rooms

The Oxford University Student Union (Oxford SU) represents students in university decisions. It also speaks for students on national education issues. Oxford SU is an association of over 21,000 students. It's also a group of the college common rooms and other student organizations.

College life is very important to many students. For them, their college's JCR (Junior Common Room, for undergraduates) or MCR (Middle Common Room, for graduates) is more important than Oxford SU. JCRs and MCRs have committees of elected students. These committees represent students to college leaders. They also organize events and have budgets to spend.

Famous People from Oxford

Many people who studied at Oxford, known as Oxonians, have become famous in many different fields. A total of 70 Nobel Prize winners have studied or taught at Oxford.

Leaders in Politics

Thirty-one British prime ministers have attended Oxford. This includes William Gladstone, Clement Attlee, Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair, David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak. Of all the prime ministers since World War II, only Gordon Brown went to a different university. Winston Churchill, James Callaghan, and John Major never went to university.

In 2010, over 100 Oxford alumni were elected to the House of Commons. This included the former leader of the opposition, Ed Miliband. Over 140 Oxonians are also in the House of Lords.

At least 30 other world leaders have studied at Oxford. This includes kings like Harald V of Norway and Abdullah II of Jordan. Five Prime Ministers of Australia and six Prime Ministers of Pakistan also went to Oxford. Two Prime Ministers of Canada and two Prime Ministers of India (including Indira Gandhi) also studied there. Bill Clinton was the first US President to attend Oxford. Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate from Myanmar, was a student. The youngest Nobel Prize winner, Malala Yousafzai, also got her degree from Oxford.

Sports and Adventures

Sir Roger Bannister, who studied at Oxford, was the first person to run a mile in under four minutes. About 150 Olympic medal winners have connections to Oxford. This includes Sir Matthew Pinsent, a rower with four gold medals. Oxford students have also done well in other sports, like Imran Khan (cricket) and Bill Bradley (basketball).

Three famous adventurers and explorers from Oxford are Walter Raleigh, T. E. Lawrence (whose life inspired the film Lawrence of Arabia), and Thomas Coryat. Coryat is known for introducing the table fork and umbrella to England. Gertrude Bell was an explorer and spy who helped create modern Iraq.

Famous Lawyers

Oxford has produced many important judges and lawyers around the world. In the UK, several justices of the Supreme Court studied at Oxford. Many Lord Chancellors and Lord Chief Justices also went to Oxford.

In the United States, two of the nine current Justices of the Supreme Court studied at Oxford: Elena Kagan and Neil Gorsuch. Many other judges and legal experts from around the world also have Oxford connections.

Science and Math Leaders

Four Oxford mathematicians have won Fields Medals, which is like the Nobel Prize for math. Andrew Wiles, who proved Fermat's Last Theorem, studied and teaches at Oxford. Marcus du Sautoy and Roger Penrose are also math professors there.

Stephen Wolfram, who created Mathematica, studied at Oxford. So did Tim Berners-Lee, who invented the World Wide Web. Oxford is connected to 11 Nobel Prize winners in Chemistry, six in Physics, and 16 in Medicine.

Scientists who did research at Oxford include chemist Dorothy Hodgkin, who won a Nobel Prize for figuring out the structure of important chemicals. Howard Florey shared a Nobel Prize for discovering penicillin. John B. Goodenough shared a Nobel Prize for developing lithium-ion batteries.

Robert Hooke, Edwin Hubble, and Stephen Hawking all studied at Oxford. Albert Einstein and Erwin Schrödinger also spent time doing research there. Economist Adam Smith and Amartya Sen also studied at Oxford.

Arts and Literature Figures

Many famous writers have been connected to Oxford. These include Lewis Carroll (who wrote Alice in Wonderland), C. S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia), J. R. R. Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings), and Oscar Wilde. Poets like Percy Bysshe Shelley and T. S. Eliot also studied there. Seven Poets Laureate (official poets of the UK) have come from Oxford.

Composers like Andrew Lloyd Webber have been involved with the university. Actors such as Rowan Atkinson, Kate Beckinsale, Hugh Grant, Michael Palin, and Emma Watson studied at Oxford. Filmmakers Ken Loach and Richard Curtis also went there.

Religious Leaders

Oxford has also produced at least 12 saints, 19 English cardinals, and 20 Archbishops of Canterbury. The founder of Methodism, John Wesley, studied at Oxford. Britain's first ordained woman minister, Constance Coltman, also studied there.

Philosophers from Oxford

Oxford's history of philosophy began in the Middle Ages. Thinkers like William of Ockham (known for "Occam's razor") taught there. Thomas Hobbes, Jeremy Bentham, and John Locke all got degrees from Oxford. Locke's time at Oxford greatly influenced his later work.

Important Oxford philosophers of the 1900s include Gilbert Ryle and Derek Parfit. Other modern philosophers who studied at Oxford include A. J. Ayer, Mary Midgley, and Peter Singer. John Searle, known for the "Chinese room" thought experiment, studied and taught at Oxford. Philippa Foot, who introduced the "trolley problem," also studied and taught there.

Oxford in Books and Movies

The University of Oxford is a popular setting for many stories. It was mentioned as early as 1400 in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. By 1900, there were so many novels about Oxford and Cambridge that it was a big literary trend. Over 500 novels set in Oxford have been identified.

Famous stories set at Oxford include Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh, which was made into a TV show. His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman features a different version of the university. This trilogy was made into a film and a BBC TV series. Other examples include:

• Zuleika Dobson (1911) by Max Beerbohm, a funny story about student life.
• Gaudy Night (1935) by Dorothy L. Sayers, a mystery novel.
• The Inspector Morse detective novels (1975–1999) by Colin Dexter. These were made into the TV series Inspector Morse and its spin-offs.
• The History Boys (2004) by Alan Bennett, a play about students applying to Oxford and Cambridge. It was also made into a film.
• Posh (2010), a play about a fictional version of the Bullingdon Club. It was made into the film The Riot Club.
• Saltburn (2023), a film about an Oxford student.

See Also

In Spanish: Universidad de Oxford para niños