The Oxford Classics Thread

For all questions and discussion about every aspect of Oxford courses.

Announcements Posted on
Enter our travel-writing competition for the chance to win a Nikon 1 J3 camera 21-05-2013
A note of caution regarding personal information 10-05-2013
IMPORTANT: You must wait until midnight (morning exams)/4.30AM (afternoon exams) to discuss Edexcel exams and until 1pm/6pm the following day for STEP and IB exams. Please read before posting, including for rules for practical and oral exams. 28-04-2013
Sign in to Reply
  1. Jopipa1's Avatar
    • Junior Member
    • Location: Croatia
    • Posts: 59
    Re: Classics at Oxford
    (Original post by EdmundB)
    That's Cambridge. All Classics courses at Oxford are four years, or someone has been telling me some pretty big lies about my course.
    yep, that's true I'm applying for Classics I and it's a four year course
  2. Planar's Avatar
    • Vengeful, Imperial Overlord of The Student Room
    • Location: NI
    • Posts: 3,858
    Re: Classics at Oxford
    (Original post by EdmundB)
    That's Cambridge. All Classics courses at Oxford are four years, or someone has been telling me some pretty big lies about my course.
    Yes, I discovered my mistake this morning. Apologies.
  3. big-bang-theory's Avatar
    • PS Helper
    • Peer Of The TSR Realm
    • Location: Earth
    • Posts: 1,964
    Re: Classics at Oxford
    LMH have given me an interview . We shall see how this goes. Tuesday 7th- Thursday 9th of December.
  4. Sappho's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Location: Εὐρώπη
    • Posts: 2,629
    Re: Classics at Oxford
    (Original post by big-bang-theory)
    LMH have given me an interview . We shall see how this goes. Tuesday 7th- Thursday 9th of December.
    Wow, congrats from me
    Good luck!
  5. Sempiternitas's Avatar
    • Adored and Respected Member
    • Location: Byzantium
    • Posts: 577
    Re: Classics at Oxford
    (Original post by big-bang-theory)
    LMH have given me an interview . We shall see how this goes. Tuesday 7th- Thursday 9th of December.
    Congratulations! But shouldn't the interview be until 10th December?
  6. big-bang-theory's Avatar
    • PS Helper
    • Peer Of The TSR Realm
    • Location: Earth
    • Posts: 1,964
    Re: Classics at Oxford
    (Original post by Sempiternitas)
    Congratulations! But shouldn't the interview be until 10th December?
    Definitely required till the 9th, possibly required till the 10th. But my letter says different colleges vary in procedure.
  7. Sempiternitas's Avatar
    • Adored and Respected Member
    • Location: Byzantium
    • Posts: 577
    Re: Classics at Oxford
    (Original post by big-bang-theory)
    Definitely required till the 9th, possibly required till the 10th. But my letter says different colleges vary in procedure.
    I'm staying until the eleventh. (Just because I can!) Can't wait to get to Oxford.
  8. big-bang-theory's Avatar
    • PS Helper
    • Peer Of The TSR Realm
    • Location: Earth
    • Posts: 1,964
    Re: Classics at Oxford
    (Original post by Sempiternitas)
    I'm staying until the eleventh. (Just because I can!) Can't wait to get to Oxford.
    Oxford is a gorgeous place, I exploit any and all opportunities to stay in it for as long as humanly possible. Hell I had a day trip to Oxford and met some friends up there just to hand my essays in :P.
  9. EdmundB's Avatar
    • Exalted Member
    • Location: Wiltshire/Oxford
    • Posts: 376
    Re: Classics at Oxford
    (Original post by Sempiternitas)
    I'm staying until the eleventh. (Just because I can!) Can't wait to get to Oxford.

    (Original post by big-bang-theory)
    Oxford is a gorgeous place, I exploit any and all opportunities to stay in it for as long as humanly possible. Hell I had a day trip to Oxford and met some friends up there just to hand my essays in :P.
    Bring warm clothes! It's been freezing this past week and college rooms aren't always the warmest...
  10. Jopipa1's Avatar
    • Junior Member
    • Location: Croatia
    • Posts: 59
    Re: Classics at Oxford
    Does anyone know how much they take in account the translation test for Classics I ?
  11. Sappho's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Location: Εὐρώπη
    • Posts: 2,629
    Re: Classics at Oxford
    (Original post by Jopipa1)
    Does anyone know how much they take in account the translation test for Classics I ?
    Not really, but on the Open Day the tutors said it was rather to see what level you are in the language so they know that they put you in the right course I/II if you're offered a place. Seems a bit odd, though, as it's called an admissions test and they do it now and not when you actually arrive to start your degree.
    Maybe it's a mixture of both. I think it's definitely not the most important part.
  12. EdmundB's Avatar
    • Exalted Member
    • Location: Wiltshire/Oxford
    • Posts: 376
    Re: Classics at Oxford
    (Original post by Jopipa1)
    Does anyone know how much they take in account the translation test for Classics I ?

    (Original post by Sappho)
    Not really, but on the Open Day the tutors said it was rather to see what level you are in the language so they know that they put you in the right course I/II if you're offered a place. Seems a bit odd, though, as it's called an admissions test and they do it now and not when you actually arrive to start your degree.
    Maybe it's a mixture of both. I think it's definitely not the most important part.
    To an extent it depends on your circumstances and at which college you are interviewed. If you are applying for IA, for example, and have been at a very good school for Classics and you come 80th you would have to perform phenomenally at the interview, but if you'd been self-taught that would be taken into consideration. Ultimately they are not so worried about the vocabulary (although I would strongly recommend you learn as much as you can beyond the AS vocab lists before the tests) but more about how you are thinking - if you are mistranslating the subject as the object and giving the wrong tense of the verb then that will not look so good.

    It is not however just a language level for classes when you arrive - it is one method of discrimination so they know who are the strongest classicists, especially as Mods is so language-based and you spend a lot of time building up your translation abilities and knowledge of grammar. It would be a mistake merely to see it as something to be stored away for later perusal. They actively consider it along with written work, interview and predicted grades as part of your application, and at some colleges it is probably equally important with the interview, or just below it.
  13. Jopipa1's Avatar
    • Junior Member
    • Location: Croatia
    • Posts: 59
    Re: Classics at Oxford
    (Original post by EdmundB)
    To an extent it depends on your circumstances and at which college you are interviewed. If you are applying for IA, for example, and have been at a very good school for Classics and you come 80th you would have to perform phenomenally at the interview, but if you'd been self-taught that would be taken into consideration. Ultimately they are not so worried about the vocabulary (although I would strongly recommend you learn as much as you can beyond the AS vocab lists before the tests) but more about how you are thinking - if you are mistranslating the subject as the object and giving the wrong tense of the verb then that will not look so good.

    It is not however just a language level for classes when you arrive - it is one method of discrimination so they know who are the strongest classicists, especially as Mods is so language-based and you spend a lot of time building up your translation abilities and knowledge of grammar. It would be a mistake merely to see it as something to be stored away for later perusal. They actively consider it along with written work, interview and predicted grades as part of your application, and at some colleges it is probably equally important with the interview, or just below it.
    Yeah, I pretty much thought so. I'm not so much worried about grammatical errors in my translation because I know my grammar, I'm more worried about the vocab because we don't translate without a dictionary in Croatia I've got my Croatian vocab list that I've translated into Englush, do you maybe know where I cuold get an Latin-English and/or Greek-English A-level vobulary (if there is such a thing ) ?
  14. Sappho's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Location: Εὐρώπη
    • Posts: 2,629
    Re: Classics at Oxford
    (Original post by Jopipa1)
    Yeah, I pretty much thought so. I'm not so much worried about grammatical errors in my translation because I know my grammar, I'm more worried about the vocab because we don't translate without a dictionary in Croatia I've got my Croatian vocab list that I've translated into Englush, do you maybe know where I cuold get an Latin-English and/or Greek-English A-level vobulary (if there is such a thing ) ?
    I saw this some time ago, I hope it's helpful for you: http://www.ocr.org.uk/download/sm/oc...1_voc_list.pdf



    edit: And this is the Latin one: http://www.ocr.org.uk/download/sm/oc...1_voc_list.pdf
    Last edited by Sappho; 28-11-2010 at 15:23.
  15. Jopipa1's Avatar
    • Junior Member
    • Location: Croatia
    • Posts: 59
    Re: Classics at Oxford
    (Original post by Sappho)
    I saw this some time ago, I hope it's helpful for you: http://www.ocr.org.uk/download/sm/oc...1_voc_list.pdf



    edit: And this is the Latin one: http://www.ocr.org.uk/download/sm/oc...1_voc_list.pdf
    Thanks!!! I'll take all the help I can get
  16. TurnerE's Avatar
    • Full Member
    • Location: Los Angeles, CA
    • Posts: 136
    Re: Classics at Oxford
    I'm so glad I've found this thread! I'm really excited about studying classics, even though I've never done it before (right now it's only a hobby ), but also a little nervous because I'm applying for Course II and know nearly nothing about Latin... Do you think I'll have a Language interview if I get called for interviews =, or will they just not bother since I've never studied it before?
  17. Sappho's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Location: Εὐρώπη
    • Posts: 2,629
    Re: Classics at Oxford
    (Original post by TurnerE)
    I'm so glad I've found this thread! I'm really excited about studying classics, even though I've never done it before (right now it's only a hobby ), but also a little nervous because I'm applying for Course II and know nearly nothing about Latin... Do you think I'll have a Language interview if I get called for interviews =, or will they just not bother since I've never studied it before?
    In my letter it said that Classics I and II candidates will have the same kinds of interviews. But that might be just for my college (Merton).
  18. big-bang-theory's Avatar
    • PS Helper
    • Peer Of The TSR Realm
    • Location: Earth
    • Posts: 1,964
    Re: Classics at Oxford
    (Original post by TurnerE)
    I'm so glad I've found this thread! I'm really excited about studying classics, even though I've never done it before (right now it's only a hobby ), but also a little nervous because I'm applying for Course II and know nearly nothing about Latin... Do you think I'll have a Language interview if I get called for interviews =, or will they just not bother since I've never studied it before?
    All course II candidates get a language specific interview I think. They need to check you'll be competent to handle the language. Don't worry I'll be in the same boat as you though I'm going for Greek rather than Latin .
  19. TurnerE's Avatar
    • Full Member
    • Location: Los Angeles, CA
    • Posts: 136
    Re: Classics at Oxford
    (Original post by Sappho)
    In my letter it said that Classics I and II candidates will have the same kinds of interviews. But that might be just for my college (Merton).
    Oh, okay, not sure how to prepare for it, then....


    (Original post by big-bang-theory)
    All course II candidates get a language specific interview I think. They need to check you'll be competent to handle the language. Don't worry I'll be in the same boat as you though I'm going for Greek rather than Latin .
    Glad to hear there's someone else in the same boat as me Which college are you applying to? What made you apply for Greek instead of Latin?
  20. big-bang-theory's Avatar
    • PS Helper
    • Peer Of The TSR Realm
    • Location: Earth
    • Posts: 1,964
    Re: Classics at Oxford
    (Original post by TurnerE)
    Glad to hear there's someone else in the same boat as me Which college are you applying to? What made you apply for Greek instead of Latin?
    Lady Margaret Hall. I'm more interested in Greek History and Literature. Furthermore Greek was still an intellectual language (especially in the East) throughout the Roman empire. It seemed the logical choice. If all goes according to plan I should be A level standard linguistically by the time I start anyway. The goal is translate the Bacchae by the end of the year.
Sign in to Reply
Share this discussion:  
Useful resources

Groups associated with this forum:

View associated groups
Article updates
Moderators

We have a brilliant team of more than 60 volunteers looking after discussions on The Student Room, helping to make it a fun, safe and useful place to hang out.

Reputation gems:
The Reputation gems seen here indicate how well reputed the user is, red gem indicate negative reputation and green indicates a good rep.
Post rating score:
These scores show if a post has been positively or negatively rated by our members.