[welleducatedmoron]

I was wondering how common it is for people to apply for joint honours schools (in this case classics and english) and to be given an offer for single honours? Are the applications statistics for joint honours schools skewed in this way? At the moment I'm torn between the two, if I reapply, and yet I don't want to spread myself too thinly particularly as the Oxford website says only a handful of people get offers for joint schools every year...

[hobnob]

Nobody knows, really (except the respective faculties, presumably). It isn't published anywhere - possibly because the numbers vary a lot between years.

[welleducatedmoron]

(Original post by hobnob)
Nobody knows, really (except the respective faculties, presumably). It isn't published anywhere - possibly because the numbers vary a lot between years.

But it happens?

[Derek_the_Sheep]

(Original post by welleducatedmoron)
But it happens?

Yes, it does.

[riotgrrl]

It does happen- you have to be accepted by both faculties seperately so if one accepts you and the other doesn't, you may well get an offer for single honours.
I do single honours Classics and judging from my friend who does joint with English, it sounds like a tough (she has to do her mods next term, whereas I don't do mine until this time next year) but incredibly interesting course and they really make the effort to link between the two rather than you just having two halves of a degree that don't really fit together. Would you be course I or II for Classics?

[Naomi12345]

(Original post by riotgrrl)
So, I have an offer to do Classics II (that is Latin, without having done Latin at school before) and I'm not really sure if I want to take it up or not. I've not done Latin before at all except for ten days at summer school and while I loved that, it's not a guarantee that I'm going to love doing it intensively day in day out for four years and the Classics mods are ridiculous- ten three hour exams in a week or something like that. Whilst at other universities, like UCL, if I find out that actually I'm not very good at languages, I can do loads of other modules like literature in translation (which I know I love) and history whereas at Oxford, the course is so rigid I'm just going to have to muscle on and cope with it. And it's not like I can drop out if everything goes wrong because of the higher fees for next year.

Obviously I applied to Oxford for a reason and I love the city and the tutorial system and things like that. I'm just freaking out a bit at how little room for manouvre there is within the course and actually, how little evidence there is that I can actually cope with the course. I love the look of the course at UCL but I can't help thinking if I turned Oxford down, it would be because of fear rather than simply because I don't like it. I guess I'm just looking for reassurance!

I have an offer to study Classics and English at oxford this year (course II) and have been scanning threads to try and get advice etc...I noticed this one from you last year worrying about the workload, and whether having no experience in the language would be an issue and I was just wondering how this turned out for you - whether you accepted your place and if you are having problems/enjoying it? I only ask because I am having similar worries and don't really know of anyone doing this course! Sorry if this is completely out of the blue you may not even remember posting it! Thank you!

[riotgrrl]

(Original post by Naomi12345)
I have an offer to study Classics and English at oxford this year (course II) and have been scanning threads to try and get advice etc...I noticed this one from you last year worrying about the workload, and whether having no experience in the language would be an issue and I was just wondering how this turned out for you - whether you accepted your place and if you are having problems/enjoying it? I only ask because I am having similar worries and don't really know of anyone doing this course! Sorry if this is completely out of the blue you may not even remember posting it! Thank you!

Hi there
I did end up choosing Oxford and I'm there now! It was a pretty close call and I'm still not ENTIRELY sure that it was the right decision for me, but I've had some amazing times here and met some great people so I don't really regret it. I've found the work pretty tough, especially in first term. The language learning is intense and you're expected to cram a lot into your brain into a very short period of time. I also made the mistake of working full time in a shop over the Christmas holidays, when you're actually expected to continue working on your Latin daily. I ended up getting 40% in my collection, which isn't great. This term has definitely been better and I think I'm starting to get more of a handle on things.
I have a friend doing Classics and English II and her course is slightly different to mine- she does Classics prelims next term, whereas I do Classics mods this time next year- so while she has the stress of exams sooner than I do, she has slightly less language prescribed.
Feel free to ask me anything you want to know.

[Fooldimis]

(Original post by riotgrrl)
So, I have an offer to do Classics II (that is Latin, without having done Latin at school before) and I'm not really sure if I want to take it up or not. I've not done Latin before at all except for ten days at summer school and while I loved that, it's not a guarantee that I'm going to love doing it intensively day in day out for four years and the Classics mods are ridiculous- ten three hour exams in a week or something like that. Whilst at other universities, like UCL, if I find out that actually I'm not very good at languages, I can do loads of other modules like literature in translation (which I know I love) and history whereas at Oxford, the course is so rigid I'm just going to have to muscle on and cope with it. And it's not like I can drop out if everything goes wrong because of the higher fees for next year.

Obviously I applied to Oxford for a reason and I love the city and the tutorial system and things like that. I'm just freaking out a bit at how little room for manouvre there is within the course and actually, how little evidence there is that I can actually cope with the course. I love the look of the course at UCL but I can't help thinking if I turned Oxford down, it would be because of fear rather than simply because I don't like it. I guess I'm just looking for reassurance!

If you don't like it, isn't it possible to change course, but stay at Oxford? Do something thats similar.

[riotgrrl]

(Original post by Fooldimis)
If you don't like it, isn't it possible to change course, but stay at Oxford? Do something thats similar.

There's not really any other course I'm interested in here. Besides, I am actually interested in Classics, it's just the day to day reality of learning Latin that gets me down. The lectures and tutorials are interesting and I'm looking forward to starting my philosophy and special subject over the next couple of terms.

[Naomi12345]

(Original post by riotgrrl)
Hi there
I did end up choosing Oxford and I'm there now! It was a pretty close call and I'm still not ENTIRELY sure that it was the right decision for me, but I've had some amazing times here and met some great people so I don't really regret it. I've found the work pretty tough, especially in first term. The language learning is intense and you're expected to cram a lot into your brain into a very short period of time. I also made the mistake of working full time in a shop over the Christmas holidays, when you're actually expected to continue working on your Latin daily. I ended up getting 40% in my collection, which isn't great. This term has definitely been better and I think I'm starting to get more of a handle on things.
I have a friend doing Classics and English II and her course is slightly different to mine- she does Classics prelims next term, whereas I do Classics mods this time next year- so while she has the stress of exams sooner than I do, she has slightly less language prescribed.
Feel free to ask me anything you want to know.

Thanks thats really helpful it seems to be what most people say - it's impossibly hard to begin with but after a while they settle into it! Out of interest which college are you? Also is there any way I could get in contact with your friend - email or something - it would be good to ask some questions directly relevant to my course! Thank you!

[riotgrrl]

(Original post by Naomi12345)
Thanks thats really helpful it seems to be what most people say - it's impossibly hard to begin with but after a while they settle into it! Out of interest which college are you? Also is there any way I could get in contact with your friend - email or something - it would be good to ask some questions directly relevant to my course! Thank you!

I should see her in Latin tommorrow (we have daily lessons) so I'll ask if I can pass on her email

[sosotalk]

(Original post by riotgrrl)
I should see her in Latin tommorrow (we have daily lessons) so I'll ask if I can pass on her email

Hey,

I'm quite curious about what a Classics IIA weekly timetable looks like. Any chance you could inform me??

Cheers ^_^

[riotgrrl]

(Original post by sosotalk)
Hey,

I'm quite curious about what a Classics IIA weekly timetable looks like. Any chance you could inform me??

Cheers ^_^

Last term my timetabled hours were something like-

Monday 9-10 Latin lesson
11-12 Texts and contexts lecture
4:30-5:30 Latin lesson

Tuesday 10-11 Latin lesson
11-12 Texts and contexts lecture
12-1 Philology lecture

Wednesday 10-11 Tutorial
12-1 Reading class

Thursday 10-11 Latin lesson
11-12 Aeneid lecture
12-1 Philology lecture

Friday 9-10 Latin lesson

My Latin teacher sets me work everyday for the next day and obviously there's reading to do and essays and commentaries for tutorials so I'd usually do those in the afternoon.

[sosotalk]

Thank you

[josephst]

Hey I am (hopefully) going to do Classics and English II with Latin this year and was just wondering how much English you do in the first year? Is it just intensive Latin learning or do you get to do the English side of the course?

[marysheryl]

(Original post by welleducatedmoron)
I was wondering how common it is for people to apply for joint honours schools (in this case classics and english) and to be given an offer for single honours? Are the applications statistics for joint honours schools skewed in this way? At the moment I'm torn between the two, if I reapply, and yet I don't want to spread myself too thinly particularly as the Oxford website says only a handful of people get offers for joint schools every year...

Did you go to study Classics and English at Oxford in the end? My son is considering it and I was wondering if it is as hard as I have heard it is?

[welleducatedmoron]

(Original post by marysheryl)
Did you go to study Classics and English at Oxford in the end? My son is considering it and I was wondering if it is as hard as I have heard it is?

I reapplied but just for Classics - and I have received a place. A few things to consider - C and E is 3 years, E 3, C 4. So I have the option of changing to Classics and English from Classics after Mods (I probably won't), but it would still be 4 years overall. I wouldn't be put off applying for C & E by the admissions statistics; I know if one faculty likes you and the other doesn't like you enough, you can get a single honours offer (and that won't be recorded as a C & E offer, but it would be recorded as a C & E application). However, to get an offer for C & E both faculties must like you as much as they would have to if you'd just applied to the separate faculties - bear in mind you take both the CAT and the ELAT...

I went for just Classics in the end, as I looked properly at the courses, and didn't particularly like the English course (I have pretty particular interests, and there's quite a broad expanse of mostly compulsory modules in your first year).

[marysheryl]

(Original post by welleducatedmoron)
I reapplied but just for Classics - and I have received a place. A few things to consider - C and E is 3 years, E 3, C 4. So I have the option of changing to Classics and English from Classics after Mods (I probably won't), but it would still be 4 years overall. I wouldn't be put off applying for C & E by the admissions statistics; I know if one faculty likes you and the other doesn't like you enough, you can get a single honours offer (and that won't be recorded as a C & E offer, but it would be recorded as a C & E application). However, to get an offer for C & E both faculties must like you as much as they would have to if you'd just applied to the separate faculties - bear in mind you take both the CAT and the ELAT...

I went for just Classics in the end, as I looked properly at the courses, and didn't particularly like the English course (I have pretty particular interests, and there's quite a broad expanse of mostly compulsory modules in your first year).

That is really helpful, thank you. Good luck.