Oxford Advanced Studies Program

• Director's Introduction
• Course Overview
• Staff
• Academic Courses
• Credit & Higher Education
• Subjects Available
• Workshops
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• Academic Semester
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ACADEMIC STAFF

The success of the academic program hinges upon the skills of the course tutors and their approach to the material and to their students.
Our course tutors are experienced and high calibre British university graduates, many from Oxford or Cambridge. Most have taught on the summer course for a number of years and are experts in their chosen fields.
They are familiar with the needs of international students and with high school academic curricula, communicating ideas skilfully and with understanding of students' needs. They are a dedicated team, whose strength lies in their communicative skills and inspiring student-centred approach.

RALPH DENNISON
The course was founded by its present Director, Ralph Dennison. Ralph originally joined the course as Director of Studies in 1985, in its second year and he oversaw a major overhaul of the course in 1988, when it became part of Oxford Tutorial College. He studied for his Bachelor's Degree in English Literature at Sussex University, and after a spell of teaching both abroad and in the UK, took a Postgraduate Certifi cate of Education at the University of Swansea, which he passed with distinction.
After working in secondary education in Gloucester, he moved to Oxford, where he worked firstly as a tutor, then as a Director of Studies in independent education, before founding Oxford Tutorial College. An educator throughout his career, Ralph takes pride in the development of student potential and in the positive feedback the summer course receives.

FIONA POCOCK
Overall supervision is in the hands of the Principal of Oxford Tutorial College, Fiona Pocock. Fiona oversees the day-to-day activity, including all matters of student well-being, during the course. She majored in French Language and Literature at the University of Leeds before completing her Postgraduate Certificate in Education at the University of Durham. She then taught French and Latin at a sixth-form college before moving to Oxford, teaching at an independent school, then as a lecturer at Oxford Brookes University. After completing her Masters Degree in Management and Applied Linguistics in London, she managed a team of IT lecturers in the commercial sector, working with a number of blue-chip companies. Fiona joined Oxford Tutorial College as Principal in 2002, wishing to return to working with young people, whom she finds absorbing, rejuvenating and hugely rewarding.

CHRIS MATHIESON
As Director of Studies, Chris is in charge of the academic provision on the course. He works closely with the college tutors to ensure a high quality of delivery. After studying Politics, Philosophy & Economics (PPE) at St John's College, Oxford, he trained to be a lawyer, but then chose teaching as his profession. Chris has taught Law on a range of academic, vocational and professional programmes from foundation level to MBA in the UK post-16 sector.
He joined Oxford Tutorial College in January 2003 and has successfully overseen the student-centred teaching approach which is the hallmark of our work. He enjoys being in the intimate environment of a small college in the heart of such a unique university city.

ALICE WISHART
The residential team is led by the Senior Dean, Alice Wishart. Alice studied Classics at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, and has been part of the supervisory team with the Oxford Advanced Studies Program since her first summer vacation. Over the years she has gained extensive pastoral care experience and taken on additional roles and responsibilities. After graduating she decided that her vocation was to teach; she now works in an independent school in Oxford and at Oxford Tutorial College as an ‘A' level tutor in Latin, Ancient Greek and Classical Civilisation. Alice was appointed Senior Dean in 2007. She is very much looking forward to rejoining her experienced residential team for another summer course.