Glossary

The University’s museum of art and archaeology, founded by Elias Ashmole in 1683. It is the oldest museum in the UK.

Associate Members of the College are academics from institutions both within Oxford and further afield who are collaborating with Nuffield Academics on specific research projects.

The charges made to a member of a college (student or Fellow) for accommodation, meals, etc.

The Blue is the highest sporting achievement at Oxford and Cambridge, and is awarded only to members of certain sports clubs who have competed in the annual Varsity Match.

(abbrev. Bodleian card) University card, received by all members of the university on arrival and used to access the Bodleian Libraries and to borrow books from Nuffield College Library.

The collective name for the University's integrated library service, formerly known as Oxford University Library Services (OULS).

Also known as ‘the Bod’. The largest of the University’s many libraries. It is named after Sir Thomas Bodley.

The college officer with overall responsibility for domestic aspects of college life, including accommodation, security, catering and housekeeping, external lettings and sometimes sports facilities and administrative non-academic staff.

The office which deals with the domestic aspects of college life, such as accommodation, security, catering and housekeeping. 

The College’s kitchens and the location of breakfast, lunch, coffee and afternoon tea.

The corner of St Aldates, High Street, Queen Street and Cornmarket, marked by Carfax Tower.

Elected by Convocation, the Chancellor is the ceremonial head of the University. The current Chancellor is Lord Patten of Barnes.

A tributary of the Thames and a student newspaper.

A lesson attended by approximately six students (though may be expanded to eight to 15 to meet high demand) and of 60 to 90 minutes duration; usually intercollegiate.

College exams taken at the start of each term on material covered in the previous term, or in special circumstances, such as Penal Collections which a student may have to take if tutors are concerned about poor performance.

The University of Oxford, comprising the academic divisions and departments, Academic Services and University Collections (ASUC) and University Administration and Services (UAS), together with the Oxford colleges and permanent private halls.

Arriving at Oxford at the beginning of the term/leaving at the end (cf sending down).

Standard meals – lunch, low table dinner, and high table dinner – which are taken in the Hall or Buttery and are not charged for most College members. (Please refer to your offer letter. Breakfast and drinks at High Table dinner are chargeable).

A formal assessment of a research student's progress towards the end of his or her research for a DPhil: normally to be undertaken not before the sixth term of research and not later than the ninth (for more information, see PRS). 

Congregation is the sovereign body of the University and consists of over 5,000 members, comprising the academic staff of the University; heads and other members of governing bodies of colleges; and senior research, computing, library and administrative staff.

As the legislative body of the University, changes to the University’s Statutes and Regulations are subject to the approval of Congregation. Council is bound by all resolutions passed by Congregation and all other acts and decisions taken by it. Major policy issues may be submitted to Congregation for consideration by it by Council or members of Congregation. Congregation also elects members to Council and other University bodies and approves the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor.

Convocation consists of all the former student members of the University who have been admitted to a degree (other than an honorary degree) of the University, and those who are members of Congregation or who have retired from being members of Congregation.

Its functions are to elect the Chancellor and the Professor of Poetry.

Council is the University’s principal executive and policy-making body and is responsible, under the statutes, for the advancement of the University's objectives, for its administration, and for the management of its finances and property.

Inter-collegiate sporting events.

The Fellow responsible for supervising the conduct and discipline of the Junior Members of the College. To be ‘deaned’ is to be sent to the Dean. (‘Dean’ is also the title given to the Head of House at Christ Church.)

Various days throughout the year on which students may graduate.

The supervision of a practical class.

The term derives from the now obsolete post titles of ‘University Demonstrator’ (now University Lecturer) and ‘Departmental Demonstrator’ (now Departmental Lecturer), and may be applied equally to those in charge of practical classes and to those who assist in practical class teaching in the laboratory.

Director of Graduate Studies.

Senior academic with responsibility for a particular course or area of academic endeavour.

There are four academic divisions – Humanities; Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences; Medical Sciences; and Social Sciences.

A professor, a lecturer or a Fellow.

Doctorate of Philosophy. The PhD is known as the DPhil in Oxford.

Wifi service for university members available across Oxford and at other universities globally. Sign in is via Oxford Single Sign On.

Inter-collegiate rowing races, held in Trinity Term.

A title held by retired professors and readers of the University who meet the conditions set out in University regulations. Colleges have their own rules for awarding the title.

Annual ceremony at the end of each academic year at which honorary degrees are conferred and the Creweian Oration is given by the Public Orator.

Economic and Social Research Council, one of the UK’s seven Research Councils.

The large grey book containing details of syllabuses for all courses, currently issued to all students as they start their course. Also known as The Grey Book and formerly called the Examination Decrees.

In colleges, the senior members of the college who, together with the college head, constitute the Governing Body of the college. Colleges may also have other categories of fellow, such as honorary or emeritus fellows, who are not members of the governing body. There are also research fellowships of various kinds in the University.

A traditional meal held in college. Depending on the college, formal attire and/or gowns may be worn, and guests from outside the college may be invited. At Nuffield, Formal Hall takes place on Tuesdays during term time.

A black-tie event traditionally held on the Friday in the 7th week of every Hilary term. 

The main undergraduate teaching period at Oxford. It lasts for eight weeks and runs from Sunday of First Week to Saturday of Eighth Week.

Graduate Admissions Office, part of the central University.

A method of grouping applications; setting a cut off date whereby all applicants can be considered as a group and ranked accordingly.

College event for old members, where alumni are invited by year group.

The official journal of the University, published weekly in term-time and at other intervals in the vacations, in which information on the University’s formal business, including changes to Statutes and Regulations and meetings of Congregation, must be published.

It also includes other key information, including general notices, special lecture details, information on prizes and awards, appointments, and advertisements.

Gardens, Libraries and Museums.

The GLAM Group comprises the Bodleian Libraries, the University's museums (the Ashmolean, the Museum of the History of Science, the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, and the Pitt Rivers Museum) and the Botanic Garden and Harcourt Arboretum.

The body defined in the Statutes of each college that has responsibility for the governance of the college. Nuffield's Governing Body meets twice a term for ‘ordinary meetings’ or once a term for the Stated Meeting.

For more information on the Governing Body, how often it meets, and for minutes and papers minutes, please see the Governing Body pages.

Governing Body Fellows are the College's trustees under charity law. Governing Body Fellows take part in the governance of the College at the regular Governing Body ordinary and ‘Stated’ meetings.

For more information on the Governing Body, how often it meets, and for minutes and papers minutes, please see the Governing Body pages.

Someone who already holds a university degree. Strictly speaking, someone taking a course of study after graduation is a postgraduate, but in Oxford, the two terms are used interchangeably.

Classics

Graduate Studies Office, part of the central University.

The Head of a College, known variously as the Dean (Christ Church), the Master (Balliol, Pembroke, St Catherine’s, St Cross, St Peter’s and University College), the President (Corpus Christi, Kellogg, Magdalen, St John’s, Trinity and Wolfson); the Principal (Brasenose, Green Templeton, Harris Manchester, Hertford, Jesus, Lady Margaret Hall, Linacre, Mansfield, St Anne’s, St Edmund Hall, St Hilda’s, St Hugh’s and Somerville), the Provost (Oriel, Queen’s and Worcester), the Rector (Exeter and Lincoln), and the Warden (All Souls, Keble, Merton, New, Nuffield, St Antony’s and Wadham).

Higher Education Funding Council for England - the government body which allocates funding to Higher Education Institutions.

The table in a college dining hall, often on a dais, at which the Head of House and Fellows dine.

At Nuffield, High Table dinner takes place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday nights in term time.

The second of the academic year’s three terms, running from January to mid-March (c.f. Michaelmas, Trinity).

Nuffield College awards Honorary Fellowships to those who have achieved distinction in academia or public life. 

The part of the River Thames that runs through Oxford.

In addition to being the formal student organisation of the college, the Junior Common Room is the hub of undergraduate social activity; also a physical location in a college for student recreation. (In undergraduate colleges, the JCR is specifically for undergraduate students and the Middle Common Room or Graduate Common Room is for postgraduates.)

A Student Member of the University, undergraduate or postgraduate.

A college academic post for those who are starting out on a research or academic career. It is usually a three-year fixed-term appointment at postdoctoral level or equivalent.

Lecturers are those who have the responsibility to present lectures, to which all University students in that discipline may go. In Oxford, not all lecturers are Fellows of colleges.

The base of Nuffield College’s Porters, the Lodge acts as the reception, as well as our security and information centre. 

(abbrev. Long Vacation) The name widely used for the period between the end of the Trinity Term and the beginning of the Michaelmas Term each year.

Dinner on days when there isn’t Formal Hall. Low Table at Nuffield is self-service from the Buttery.

Matriculation confers membership of the University on those students who are enrolled at the University of Oxford and following a degree-level course.

The part of Nuffield College that backs onto George Street Mews, and could be used in reference to, for example, the pedestrian gates onto the Mews or the accommodation and offices at the back of College.

The first term of the academic year which begins in October and ends in December (c.f. Hilary, Trinity).

The week before the beginning of Full Term.

The former home of Lord Nuffield (William Richard Morris), the founder of Nuffield College, in the village of Nuffield, near Henley-on-Thames.

Upon his death, Lord Nuffield bequeathed the country house and its contents to the College, as a museum. It is now a National Trust property. 

Your ‘Nuffield Student Year’ is based on the degree you have been admitted to at the College and what course you studied before, and it has implications for your College entitlements e.g. accommodation or office space. These operate independently of the University’s own rules and regulations.

Oxford University Press

Oxford and Cambridge Universities.

Oxford University Student Union (formerly OUSU).

Because of short terms, Christmas celebrations at the University are often brought forward to the end of November: this is Oxmas.

Constituent parts of an examination.

A religious hall which has been licensed by the University to matriculate students for degrees. There are six Permanent Private Halls.

Oxford slang for 'pigeon hole': the system of postboxes for internal mail at the Lodge.

Nickname for the University Messenger Service, the free internal mail system.

A student who is studying having already completed (at least) one university degree. Often referred to as a Graduate or Graduate Student.

The study of Philosophy, Politics, and Economics.

There are five Pro-Vice-Chancellors with specific, functional responsibility for Development and External Affairs; Education; Personnel and Equal Opportunities; Planning and Resources; and Research.

The two Proctors (Senior and Junior) are elected each year by colleges in rotation to serve for one year. The statutes provide that they ‘shall generally ensure that the statutes, regulations, customs, and privileges of the University are observed.

They serve on the University’s main committees and where not members of committees may receive their papers and attend meetings but not vote. They have responsibilities under the statutes and regulations for aspects of student discipline, for ensuring the proper conduct of examinations and for dealing with complaints. They also carry out ceremonial duties, e.g. at degree ceremonies.

The Radcliffe Camera, the famous circular reading room of the Bodleian Library.

After High Table dinner, Second Dessert is available in the Fellows Dining Room (for attendees who have prebooked). Second Dessert includes cheese, fruits, and crackers with optional dessert wine.

There is no seating plan except for the Presider, who sits in the centre with their back to the window. Ideally, you should not seat next to those whom you sat next to at dinner.