What does the undergraduate gain from attending a 'research-intensive' university?

In my undergrad experience, it meant getting a glimpse into the minds and then-unpublished research of some of the world leaders in various academic circles. This came about in various ways and was no doubt helped by the fact that my degree had a whole option category (of which you had to do a minimum of one paper but could do up to three, which was what I did) devoted to specialist, sometimes quite niche, topics that focus on our lecturers' research and give them an opportunity to test out, discuss and build upon their ideas before they wrote/published/spoke at conferences.

Some of the stuff I had personal experience of:

- Lectures on extremely niche topics that other Music departments don't seem to do, on then-unpublished research/books. Some of them were compulsory things that I certainly wouldn't have gone to had I not had to, but I'm glad that I did have to. They were very interesting, enlightening and in some cases, highly entertaining It really broadened my horizons, created new musical interests and informed my own academic interests despite being ostensibly polar opposites (you wouldn't necessarily think that music from 600AD would have any bearing on 21st century pop music phenomenons )

- Contributing directly to someone else's research (in a subject I didn't even study) and being closely involved in the process. One of the English fellows at my college is a dramaturge as well with her own informal theatre group, and "[her] research into medieval and Tudor drama is informed by [her] staging of it". She directed two play cycles in my third year and I acted in the first and stage managed/co-produced the second. I also helped out with a journal article she wrote about both cycles and got mentioned I feel incredibly priviliged to have had this experience - especially to have had an insight into this tutor's extraordinary mind - and it was no doubt the best thing I did whilst at Oxford and my greatest achievement

- Dissertation supervision and very close, caring and personal mentorship from a world-leading academic. I had no idea quite how famous he is when I approached him as a supervisor, since he's the most gentle, unassuming man and often looks quite scruffy I didn't initially see how he could supervise my dissertation and wasn't entirely sure why he was being recommended to me. Due to his intensive research and having read and written forewords for so many books and prize-winning journal articles, he saw my potential and realised my research interests despite me telling him only fragments of my ideas and in the most incomprehensible, haphazard manner His sharp mind meant he could cut through all the crap very quickly The moment he realised what I could do and what I wanted to say, he began steering me in the direction I actually wanted to go in. He did this very subtly and gently and never told me what to do: only suggested and guided. It was only when I was halfway through writing my dissertation (not that I remember much about that at all) that I realised what an incredible academic journey I'd taken and how all his teaching had fallen into place and enabled me to see my own potential and worth and to write about what I really wanted to write about, rather than trying to fit into some kind of academic box.

He was incredibly supportive about my postgrad applications and introduced me to his US equivalent (I was so starstruck ) as one of his students at a seminar at the Open University. He hadn't realised I was coming and upon learning I'd come on the X5 coach (notoriously awful), he insisted on driving me back to Oxford and dropping me home. One of the OU students there was amazed that someone so influential was going around introducing an undergrad student to famous academics: she had assumed I was doing a PhD
I've no idea what my postgrad references said but they were detailed and lengthy (from what I've heard). When my Goldsmiths one went missing, I phoned him to ask about it. He was abroad with no laptop and no Internet and was in the midst of writing his latest book, but insisted that he would find an Internet café and go about sorting my application out

He was so sweet when I was ill and when I was at my very worst, he happened to be hosting an important UK society conference in Oxford, which some huge names attended. Despite being so busy, terribly sleep-deprived and having far more important things to worry about, he went out of his way to make it possible for me to attend and work at the conference. He was always very concerned for me: that I felt safe and happy and that I was not just working, but going to talks and learning

- Informing academics' research by shedding 21st century light on their academic interests. My dissertation supervisor was very interested in my ideas and highly amused by my dissertation (ABBA fans ) but had never seen Mamma Mia! So I promptly insisted on a swap: I'd do the reading if he watched the film. He loved the film and became very excited by it and asked if I wanted to do my whole dissertation on the film (I declined) I'm also pretty sure the aforementioned English tutor gained new insight into her research interests through dealing with me pastorally and in the context of those plays

So yeah, there can be quite a lot to be gained if you're proactive and lucky. That's not to say I didn't have my fair share of bad lecturers, appalling and inexperienced tutors. Certainly some people at Oxford see teaching as a chore or secondary and it shows. There are very dedicated tutors though who take their teaching extremely seriously and benefit from it. What I've written is incredibly long but I hope it comes across that research-intensive unis can provide extremely good and wonderful tutors as well as bad ones

Oxford is different


Regards,

nulli tertius MA (Oxon)

I know you're MA (Oxon) Or are you writing that for everyone else's benefit?

The latter.

Obviously there are people on TSR who consider God created Oxford on the Second Day. I wanted to make clear that in this case Oxford exceptionalism was grounded on some experience.

I've no idea what my postgrad references said but they were detailed and lengthy (from what I've heard). When my Goldsmiths one went missing, I phoned him to ask about it. He was abroad with no laptop and no Internet and was in the midst of writing his latest book, but insisted that he would find an Internet café and go about sorting my application out

Aww... I take it that wouldn't happen at other universities.

It could happen at any uni theoretically: just needs a nice tutor. Due to the lack of supervisions and tutorials at most other unis, I think that makes for a slightly different dynamic between tutor/DoS-student at Oxbridge, which might help.

It was incredibly sweet of him though. I'm def his groupie for life. He also sent me to an institution and supervisors he knew would look after me pastorally as well as academically, for which I also love him

But it's always "these kind of stories" I hear at Oxbridge, predominantly at Oxford. I presume there is a higher pastoral care at these institutions compared to other places.

But it's always "these kind of stories" I hear at Oxbridge, predominantly at Oxford. I presume there is a higher pastoral care at these institutions compared to other places.



That's really nice.

What's a groupie?

And if you're an undergraduate studying an Arts subject, I imagine you gain even less.

I guess the benefits aren't quite so significant if you're studying English or History though.