Join us this summer!
@Oxford. Amherst. Stanford. Dublin.
Oxford is the oldest university in the English speaking world, founded in 1096. Its spires and towers soar above a beautiful, tree-lined medieval town filled with the distinguished and historic colleges that comprise one of the greatest universities in the world.
The unique atmosphere of ancient cathedrals, abbeys, a central castle and 38 constituent colleges is breathtaking to behold, making Oxford a magnet for tourists as well as students and scholars.
As our "little gem" enrollment at Oxford is limited to no more than 50 students and is open only to senior high school participants (ages 14 to 18). The single session is a two-week program. The program is staffed by seasoned GBSP personnel as well as faculty, guests, and staff drawn from Oxford University.
We will spend our mornings taking part in Shared Inquiry seminars and discussion. We take advantage of our location to create a curriculum that includes English literature and features visits from Oxford dons, authors, and other luminaries. Even our PAs have included Rhodes and Fulbright Scholars and PhD candidates.
GBSP will be hosted by Somerville College, a dynamic and relatively newer college founded in 1879. Students will reside at Somerville and most classes, electives and meals will be on campus. Our academic spaces include classrooms, lawns, and the new Margaret Thatcher Center, named for one of Somerville’s illustrious alumnae.
During our stay in Oxford, we will take daily afternoon excursions into the city to experience the best it has to offer, including visits to some of the other colleges - most notably New College and Christ Church, where Harry Potter was filmed - last year we found the entrance to the room of requirements.
We will explore some fantastic museums and visit the famous best bookstore, Blackwell's. We will also spend a day in Stratford-upon-Avon to see As You Like It performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company. We will also see King Henry VIII’s Hampton Court Palace, where we learn its history of intrigue and adventure as we tour the palace and navigate the most famous maze in the world.
GBSP will also take a few day trips to get the most out of our time in the UK that will include a tour the of the historic Roman Baths and a stop by Stonehenge. In addition, we listen to bone-chilling (and often hilarious) tales on the famed Oxford ghost tour and spend an afternoon punting on the Thames.
Air travel for students coming from the US should be booked separately but we recommend coordinating with us to join our counselors for and other participants on a chaperoned flight.
Great Books at Oxford works well as a standalone program or added onto our Literary Dublin program for a three-week adventure abroad.
For further information on Great Books at Oxford, visit our Oxford Frequently Asked Questions page, or please call 866-480-7323. International callers please ring +1-203-612-9470.
