International Education
Semester Program in Oxford, England

CMRS students enroll in four courses:
two tutorials, the Integral Course, and one seminar.

Oxford offers undergraduates a unique learning experience through the tutorial system, in which students meet regularly with their college tutor, either on a one-to-one basis or with one or two other students. To compliment the two tutorial-style courses, the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies (CMRS) offers an Integral Course and a selection of seminar courses.

Students have two tracks of themes from which to choose their tutorial subjects: traditional medieval and renaissance studies or modern studies. Students who choose to take courses that focus on study of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance in England will find offerings in such disciplines as archaeology, art history, studio art, history, languages, law, literature, philosophy, theology, and writing. For those students who choose to pursue modern studies, they will have additional offerings in the disciplines of anthropology, art history, sciences, economics, history, literature, music, philosophy, political science, psychology, religious studies, and sociology.

Please note the Modern Studies track is available to SMCM students as of Spring 2012.

A tutorial is an eight-week course taught by an Oxford tutor (professor). Every week a tutor meets with a student one-on-one for an hour. The student is expected to have read assigned material and to have prepared a 5-7 page paper on a specific topic. The student reads his or her paper to the tutor and then discusses questions or topics that the paper brings up. The eight weeks of tutorials are what Oxford students call "term." During term, CMRS students take two tutorials as well as their seminar, and most students find this time to be very busy. While a student's time is not often occupied with class -- actual class time is only about four hours a week - there is a lot of work to be done outside of class.

The Integral course is a series of two lectures a day for four weeks. The lectors are Oxford tutors who give hour-long talks on subjects in which they specialize. Each Wednesday, students enjoy a day-long field trip instead of a lecture, to such places as Bath, Glastonbury and Stratford.

Students write four essays during the course, with outside reading supplementing the information given in the lectures. The course ends with a three-hour, written exam. There are no other courses during the Integral, and students often use this time to explore Oxford, travel on the weekends, and get to know other students. The Autumn Integral is on Medieval History, and the Spring Integral is on Renaissance History. The Fall term begins with the Integral; the Spring term ends with the Integral.

A seminar is run the same way most St. Mary's classes are run, with 10-15 students preparing for a discussion class that takes place once a week. There are weekly readings, and often assignments and quizzes. Students complete a 15-20 page research paper on a topic that relates to the work done in the seminar.

Past students have reported that studying at CMRS offers a challenging course load, compared to what one might find in an average semester at St. Mary's College. Classes are reading-intensive, with many of your texts only to be found in the library; be prepared to spend a fair amount of time there everyday, as it is not permissible to check out any materials.

Students have commented that the overall academic culture is different at CMRS as well, where As or Bs are not casually handed out. Nonetheless, past participants have found that you get out exactly what you put in and most of your tutors leave the direction of your tutorial in your hands; the quality of your analysis and reflection is left up to you.

Academic Credit for Coursework Abroad

Credits earned abroad will count toward your degree at St. Mary's, often fulfilling Core Curriculum, major requirements, or elective credit. Each course is evaluated for its equivalency at St. Mary's.

To transfer credits to St. Mary's, SMCM students complete the Pre-Approval of Transfer Credit Form and return it to the Office of International Education. The IE Office will work with the Registrar and department chairs to determine equivalencies for individual courses taught abroad.  As stated in the catalog, the College may refuse to grant credit for study-abroad courses taken by the student that have not been pre-approved. 

For more information on courses that have currently been approved for transfer please click here.