Featured abroad experience: Oxford University

Upon arriving to Oxford, I was mentally prepared to tackle difficult academic meetings, lengthy professional lectures and rigorous class obligations. After reaching the mid-point of the first term, however, my expectations and outlook of the educational system have changed dramatically. In short, the differences between the American liberal arts system and the UK tutorial system of education remain vast, as British students concentrate on fewer subjects and learn in a much more independent fashion.

The American liberal arts education prides itself on well-rounded study and educational variety, while the UK tutorial system focuses on specialization of fewer subjects. In the States, we label our education on what we "major" in. Educational zealots may choose to build upon that label with a "double major" or perhaps the even more extreme "triple major." This Jeffersonian concept of liberal arts forces students to take a variety of courses outside of their specialty. In the UK tutorial system, this concept simply does not exist. Students entering a British university decide their subject of concentration before entering college. As a result, a British student reading history is a historian, one studying science is a scientist and one learning math is a mathematician.

At Richmond, we juggle several classes, mandatory meetings and regular homework. For us, having a Friday free of classes for a fine Thursday evening at Tiki Bob's or City Limit represents the pinnacle of our academic scheduling. In the British-style of education, regular meetings, class attendance and participation are completely moot and not factored in grading. In this respect, when I told my British friend that I actually took a class at Richmond where the number of times I raised my hand dictated a quarter of my final grade, she laughed in utter disbelief.

Although every subject has its own guidelines, the British system is a tutorial system where your only obligation rests in one weekly meeting with your designated tutor. Students mostly study one subject throughout their undergraduate career; they take fewer classes per term but study a greater breadth of material than their U.S. counterparts. With such a wide range of seemingly free time, shouldn't British students find themselves with more time to party, go out and enjoy collegiate life? Answer: absolutely not.

Despite having a three-year undergraduate degree, no mandatory lectures and much longer breaks between terms, British students that study in the tutorial system face much more educational pressure than their counterparts in the States. Before a tutorial, a British student will have read and analyzed most of the leading authors on that week's tutorial topic. Oftentimes at Oxford, the tutor is one of the leading authors of the subject you read and write on. Therefore, an inadequate or neglected understanding of material becomes instantly apparent in the tutorial.

Unlike a class in the United States, UK style tutorials are often one-on-one and designed to be rigorous, difficult, and even mind-numbing. The idea of hiding behind someone in a 9 a.m. class after a late night of drinking in Richmond is no longer a viable option in the UK, especially when your tutor will often make you read your essay out loud to them. Not only are students supposed to read avidly and write persuasively, they are to defend their arguments verbally against their tutors.

Another major difference in systems relates to academic planning. British students don't receive grades at the end of their papers or even at the end of each term. The feedback of midterm grades and meetings in the U.S. does not correlate in the UK. Rather, students sit down for comprehensive exams at the end of their third year of study. Because of the lack of known progress, British tutorial students have to consistently preform well at their assignments to feel any sense of security for their grades.

Furthermore, this idea of a course syllabus diverges exceedingly between the two education systems. Teachers at Richmond often provide a syllabus that outlines the work for the course. These pieces of paper lay out exactly what assignments are due, when they are due and how much they're worth in the overall grading scheme. In the UK, the papers students receive come weekly and lay out exactly what students should read, answer or analyze for that week only. For example, an English student may have prescribed "the novels of Ernest Hemingway" for his or her first week along with an essay of 3,000 words. Weekly reading lists of 20 plus books, though seemingly impossible to complete, are commonplace within Oxford's tutorial system.

As a student who has seen both ends of the spectrum, liberal arts and tutorial, I believe that each system has its advantages. For the curious student who is unsure of exactly what he or she wants to study, a liberal arts education is second to no other system. If you like Spanish, English and math, the American liberal arts system is the system for you. Conversely, if you're the type of student who knows exactly what he or she wants to study and you don't want to meddle with other subjects, the British style tutorial system is most advantageous for your educational pursuits.

I've been at Oxford for three weeks now. In that time, I have checked out out more than 70 books, handed in over 35 pages of essay writing and defended my arguments in five tutorials. For me, studying the subject that I love at such an intense level is enjoyable and exactly what I want. The independence of the British tutorial system is something I have come to greatly enjoy. Although the work is rigorous within this system, with such an "open schedule" the sky is the limit with what you do with your time. As I write this, I am en route to Amsterdam; I have a bag filled with books and a laptop -- all the tools necessary for success in next week's tutorial.