Athena Oxford 2022

The Oxford Experience

A summer in Oxford is the perfect opportunity to pursue your passions and focus your academic interests with like-minded students from around the world. Experience renowned tutorial teaching first-hand, surround yourself with history and tradition as well as enjoy the energy of modern-day Oxford in one of the world’s most celebrated educational settings.  Oxford is a magical place marked by achievement that dates back almost a millennium. Our students live just like Oxford undergraduates, take inspirational courses from accomplished faculty, enjoy a wide variety of extracurricular activities and enjoy the independence to explore the city for an authentic taste of Oxford life.

Our expert Oxford tutors ensure the program is the closest you can get to the authentic Oxford University experience. By living in a historic college, you get an inside look at Oxford and experience everything first hand.  Explore the historic streets of Oxford, take fascinating day trips to uncover England’s rich culture, and enjoy free time with your fellow students. Our packed program of activities is designed to give you a student experience far beyond the limits of tourism. From Shakespeare performances to historic castles in the beautiful English countryside as well as London- Europe’s most vibrant capital, you will experience the very best that England has to offer. The program ends with a formal dinner and graduation ceremony – the perfect way to celebrate all you have accomplished with your new friends.

Brasenose College

Your summer home is Brasenose College (BNC), one of the 39 colleges that make up Oxford University. BNC boasts perhaps the most privileged location in all of Oxford next to Radcliff Square and the High Street and all the bustle of central Oxford, its restaurants, cafes, shops and museums. It’s also just 5 minutes from the river Thames where you can picnic or punt. Founded in 1509, Brasenose boasts former Prime Minister David Cameron, former Prime Minister of Australia, Malcolm Turnbull, Michael Palin of Monty Python fame and William Golding, author of Lord of the Flies – amongst its alums.

Housing

You will have a single room – the same rooms used by Oxford undergraduates. Rooms are divided into stairwells and are single-gender and are assigned based on age and geographic diversity. BNC “Scouts” will tidy your bedroom every other day and supply/replace linens and towels once a fortnight. Wi-Fi is available throughout the college, common spaces and the college grounds.

Your Resident Advisor (RA) will live on your hall to create a community, provide support, plan activities and help you get the most out of your stay in Oxford. Athena Senior Staff also live in residence and are available to help address student concerns and emergencies, day or night.

Security

A team of porters staff the lodge at the gated entrance to BNC 24-hours a day to monitor the entrance, sign in visitors, assist with lost keys, answer questions, and provide first-aid response. The college buildings have secured entrances that require an electronic key pass for access and a physical key for individual bedroom entry.

Facilities

You’ll have full access to BNC’s magnificent grounds, gardens and fields. Brasenose has some of the most significant and important architecture in Oxford including its 16th century chapel and sundial in the Old Quad. BNC also has common rooms and lounges with couches, TV’s, a foosball table, pool table, and a jukebox, as well as a computer lab for assignments and keeping in touch with friends and family. The Athena Oxford program office is located on site and serves as the hub of student activity.

Dining

Breakfast and dinner are served in BNC’s traditional oak-paneled dining room. The dining hall serves a wide variety of meal options to suit most dietary preferences and requirements. Lunch is not provided in college to encourage you to explore Oxford’s many nearby restaurants, sandwich shops, and coffeehouses or pick up a take-away meal and enjoy a picnic by the river.

Students take a Major and a Minor and focus their studies in one subject area for the summer. Proposed tracks are offered in: Pre-Med, Psychology and Business. All courses stress active, experiential learning and use the city of Oxford and its many resources as a classroom. Courses are supplemented by guest speakers, field trips and visits. Students can also learn about applying to British universities and attend our seminar series delivered by renowned experts.

We believe learning should be engaging and inspiring fee from the stress of the academic school year. Our courses, field trips and guest lectures provide ‘only in Oxford’ experiences. Whenever possible, course content is enhanced by the plentiful resources Oxford has to offer. Visit a ground- breaking research lab in your Pre-Medicine class or visit a start-up business for Business and Entrepreneurship.

Courses are modeled on the Oxford tutorial format, with an emphasis on small, seminar-style discussion, for a true Oxford experience. Morning, major courses meet each week day and afternoon minors meet three afternoons a week. Courses are taught by an accomplished and passionate faculty, including Oxford University professors and practicing professionals. Classroom discussions are lively and homework is limited to ensure that students are able to make the most of their time in Oxford

Academic Tracks

Our courses are designed to pair into recommended tracks for a deep and comprehensive exploration of your chosen area of interest.

The Oxford Seminar Series has provided an opportunity for students to explore and discuss a stimulating range of issues and ideas, and for our senior faculty members to showcase their research. The series takes place once a week throughout the program. The following are examples of past lectures, and possible topics for 2021:

• A History of Oxford and Britain in 25 Objects
• Philosophy: Why Bother?
• Oxford at The Forefront of Medicine: Astra-Zeneca & COVID-19

Program Staff

Our summer staff members are at the heart of all that we do. Supported by our New York headquarters, our program directors and resident advisors create an exciting and balanced residential, academic and extracurricular experience each summer.

Senior Staff

At Athena, we are particularly proud of our exceptional program directors. We believe that strong, nurturing and experienced leadership sets the tone for a successful program. The senior staff at Oxford is composed of a Director, a Residence Life Director and Activities Director. John Rolfe, has led the Oxford Experience program for over 25 years. He is an Oxford professor and art historian and resides in the city year-round.

RESIDENT ADVISORS (RAs)

RAs are an essential part of the Oxford experience and are hired solely to support and act as role models to our students. RAs are college upperclassmen or recent graduates with experience in residential life, many of whom who have themselves studied at Oxford University. They live on each stairwell, with one RA for every ten students. RAs are always available to organize activities, provide tours around Oxford, answer questions and make sure our students get the most out of their summer.

The safety, security, and overall well-being of our students is our utmost priority. We implement the following measures to ensure our students are well cared for and safe at all times. Please contact us for more information or with any questions.

• 1 to 8 student to residential staff ratio
• 24-hour security with a team of porters on staff at Brasenose College
• Electronic key pass required for entry into residence hall buildings
• Designated zone in which students can travel within Oxford
• Buddy system to ensure students never travel alone
• 11pm daily curfew
• Zero tolerance for drug or alcohol use