The College accepts two students each year to study the Human Sciences course, a course which offers an opportunity to study humans as both biological and social organisms. The interdisciplinary nature of the course is unique among Oxford courses and arose from a belief, shared by academics from several faculties, that the interaction of humans and their environment could not properly be studied from a narrow specialist viewpoint.

During the three-year course the Human Scientist will study a variety of disciplines, from Social Anthropology to Human Genetics, taught by specialists in these fields, but will also have an opportunity to take optional courses dictated by a more personal interest.

Tuition is based upon lectures, many of them given in the Pauling Centre for Human Sciences, and tutorials given in College. Because of the wide range of topics covered students at all colleges receive tuition from tutors outside College as well as from their own Tutor. The relatively small number of Human Scientists in each college and in the University as a whole, and the social as well as academic focus of the Pauling Centre combine to produce a strong sense of identity, providing support and friendship among those following this challenging course.

Please note that written work is no longer required as part of the application for Human Sciences.

There will be no written test at interview, but candidates will be expected to discuss some data or short piece of text presented to them during the interview. There will be at least two interviews with two different people, one at Mansfield and one at another college.

We are happy to meet with potential applicants to discuss the course, and a booklet describing the course in detail is available from:

The Administrator
The Pauling Centre for Human Sciences
58 Banbury Road
Oxford
OX2 6QS

Useful Links

• Institute of Human Sciences
• University Course Detail