Introduction
I’m AJ, a second-year Classics student (studying course 1A, meaning I had both Latin and Ancient Greek A-Levels before arriving) from London. I’m also a disabled student, which presents its own unique challenges to studying at Oxford, but with the support of tutors, friends, and staff, I don’t think it’s held me back at all.
College experience
The course is initially quite prescriptive: you’ll have weekly language classes at the faculty and your tutorials for the first year and a bit are focussed on giving you a good grounding in the Classical world. On my course, you study both the Iliad and the Aeneid in the original language, so there is certainly a lot to get your teeth into. You do also get some flexibility in options, picking a philosophy subject and your special subject (where the options range from Ancient History to Archaeology to Historical Linguistics). I really like this because it gives you a chance to explore your interests and try things out before you pick your specialties for finals. I enjoy my tutorials a lot: I have found them to be quite relaxed and the conversation is led by the students, allowing you to make the most of your learning. I do an essay each week as well, which gives the opportunity to delve into things that I find most interesting about the topic.
Advice for applicants
The course is initially quite prescriptive: you’ll have weekly language classes at the faculty and your tutorials for the first year and a bit are focussed on giving you a good grounding in the Classical world. On my course, you study both the Iliad and the Aeneid in the original language, so there is certainly a lot to get your teeth into. You do also get some flexibility in options, picking a philosophy subject and your special subject (where the options range from Ancient History to Archaeology to Historical Linguistics). I really like this because it gives you a chance to explore your interests and try things out before you pick your specialties for finals. I enjoy my tutorials a lot: I have found them to be quite relaxed and the conversation is led by the students, allowing you to make the most of your learning. I do an essay each week as well, which gives the opportunity to delve into things that I find most interesting about the topic.
