Oxford 2015/16 Postgraduate Applicants

Hope this helps!

Hi everyone

havent posted for a while, but the deadlines are coming up and I'm a bit worried -- I won't be able to pick up transcripts (and therefore, submit my application) until the 12th, and my deadline is the 23rd (MPhil in Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature). Is this leaving it really late? They say you should apply in late December so that they can deal with any issues with your application, how common is this?
Also, I'm a bit confused about the bit where you have to select your degree -- it only has a UK option of a BA, but my degree is BA (Hons) (from Nottingham, btw). My boyfriend suggested this was because all UK degrees are BA (Hons) but I'm unsure. What did everyone else put?
Aaaah help!

You should probably include that in the topic of discussion then. No need to be rude.


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Sorry for the delayed reply! How are you feeling about the whole application?

I'm at St Edmund Hall currently. And I'm applying for the 20th Century Masters but also am sorely tempted by the 19th-century one.

A query I'm confused about - are we eligible for any government funding for the Masters degree? i.e. for tuition? Or not?

Hello guys! I was from the previous thread with Hilary;

Depends on the strength of your application. Mine was conditional on receiving a 2:1 flat. The weaker your application as a whole (references, word samples [which should ideally come from your dissertation], personal statement, undergrad institution) I believe, the higher your conditional offer.

Some courses require a 70 in order to qualify for the MSc to DPhil progression (anthropology for example).

If so, than this means its not as competitive as other courses where more than 200 applicants are there for just 20 places right?

Someone else applying for Education! Originally I was considering applying for Learning and Technology, but because I want to go into research, I've decided to go for the MSc Education (Research Training) course instead. I haven't submitted my application yet, just finalising my written work, but should be ready to send it off before the New Year!

Do you mind me asking about the structure of your interview? What sort of things did they ask?

Regarding choosing colleges preferences, I was wondering how encouragable it is to pick a college with a 'relevant' member of staff in your department? For example my interests revolve around the British Empire, in particular regard to India. As far as I can tell the University elects your supervisor, but is this usually/or ideally from your college?

Or is your supervisor likely to be from a completely different college, meaning there is no need to pick your college based on the research expertise of your department present?

Secondly, and slightly more generally, are there many colleges (postgrad-only aside) where taught graduate students can live in college, or exceptionally close? After sifting through some of the information on the Oxford graduate site couldn't make all that much sense of it and couldn't identify any college which has first year taught graduates living 'in' akin to the undergrad experience?

Thirdly and finally, is there much socialising between the Oxford undergrad and postgrad communities within college?

In mine she asked whether I've learned this and that, and asked that I list theories I have learned from my bachelor's degree. She also asked about my dissertation in details, and what journals I follow. This is after an email asking me to tell her my research idea, what I think 'applied linguistics' is, and what I'm applying for the course in this particular university.

I know many of my coursemates got it harsher. One was asked to use one word to describe applied linguistics, another one 'so your degree didn't prepare for this course at all, why do you think you're prepared'.

Thanks, this is really helpful. From the impression I'd gotten online, I was thinking that I wouldn't need to be focusing too much on discussing theory understanding but more on preliminary research ideas, so it's good to know that I'm going to need to go over some old stuff in preparation :P

I'm not sure why I'm putting myself through this application process again, it was bad enough interviewing at Oxford for undergrad!

Do you mind me asking if you know anyone on the Research Methodology strand, and if you know how they're getting on?

I probably do since it's the same department, but I don't know anyone whom I actually know is reading that.

Every interviewer will do different things so just prepare everything I suppose. They will also be looking for different things so your interview might be very different. Did you do your undergrad at Oxford though? I don't think you'll have an interview if you did. You'll either get an offer straight or get rejected.

The other thing is don't assume your place in the pool of applications. You may be the best in the bunch, but at the same time other people may be a lot more experienced than you are. Among my coursemates, there's one already with a PhD, many of them already with a master's degree somewhere (one from Cambridge), and they all seem to have pretty decent work experience (eg one has been teaching at Oxford, one was a lecturer at Hull, one has been working for the OUP, one has been reviewing books, etc).

Lastly, some stats for you: in 2014-15, 27 applicants applied for the 10 places your course had, among them 10 received an offer with 6 eventually enrolling into it; in 2013-14, 26 applied for the 10 places with 17 offered and 9 enrolled. The course is the second most 'competitive' one in terms of applications to places among the MSc courses offered in the department, behind only ALSLA.

Yes, I did my undergrad in Experimental Psychology at Oxford, and I'm now working with SEN children in an Oxford primary school. Though I'm not really sure why I wouldn't be interviewed - do you mind me asking why you think that would be the case? I would much rather have the chance to present myself in person than leave it down entirely to the online application!

I also thought the course wasn't particularly competitive in comparison to some of the other strands :/ Not that that was the reason I was applying for Research Training of course. Regardless, thanks very much for those statistics!

(For the record, I certainly do not assume at all that I'm in a better position for having done my undergrad here. I am applying with a 2:1, not a first, and I know my work experience is not going to match that of a lot of the candidates, so I was already not particularly confident! I figure I should give it a go anyway )

Someone else applying for Education! Originally I was considering applying for Learning and Technology, but because I want to go into research, I've decided to go for the MSc Education (Research Training) course instead. I haven't submitted my application yet, just finalising my written work, but should be ready to send it off before the New Year!

Do you mind me asking about the structure of your interview? What sort of things did they ask?

Hello, Am sorry for the delayed response..Am on holiday currently with very limited access to Internet.

Am glad to hear from someone applying for Education masters. Even my plan was to apply for Research Methodology, as I intend to pursue my career in Research. But I am from Technology background..Hence after discussing with the department professors and seniors, I decided that Learning and Technology would be much more appropriate for me. But just to be on the safer side I have applied for Research Methodology as well..Haven't heard back from them yet....

As for the interview, it was a very relaxed process. It was more of a discussion on what you have done in the past....And what are your future ambitions, what would you like to do after the degree etc.... There is no need for any prior preparations, as you are basically discussing what you have written in your SOP... If you need any more information, then PM me.... I will be back from vacation in a week....Will reply as soon as I can

All the best with your application... If everything goes well, then hope to see you at the department!

Good to hear from you! Nice to hear you had a relatively relaxed interview! Hilary was making me worry that it'd be like the undergrad grilling all over again :P

I did try and contact the department about a month ago, but was told I couldn't be put through to anyone, which I suppose makes sense because they're obviously going to be really busy.

And I think applying for both makes sense in your case. Although the tech stuff is really interesting, I think I have a better research background, and it's probably more appropriate for my future career goals, so I'll stick with the one application!

What I was told was that it all depends on which area you want to research in.... If your research has got anything to do with technology in education or the latest trends in online learning etc, then it is better to have a masters in L&T, as it will give you better chance of funding later....

So before you get into your interview, one thing should be clear....what you want to research? If you have atleast a tentative answer to that, then in my opinion you should be fine ..And of-course having done your undergrad in Oxford, am sure thats a point in your favour

That's really helpful advice. Although I might end up researching something with tech elements, I don't think it'd necessarily be the main focus of the research (not at least, in the research ideas I've mentioned in my SOP) so I think Research Training is the way to go

Great going... I think thats the focus and confidence they are looking for ultimately... I have no doubt that you will be successful in your application