Opportunity Oxford - Recruitment of Tutors in the Humanities

Logo for Opportunity Oxford

We are currently recruiting Humanities Tutors to teach on Opportunity Oxford, the University's major new widening participation programme.  We expect successful candidates to be postdoctoral researchers, college lecturers, or DPhil students with experience of teaching Oxford undergraduates. Tutors will need to be available from July to September inclusive.  A generous rate of pay is available.

What is Opportunity Oxford?

Opportunity Oxford is the University's major new scheme to increase the number of undergraduate places offered to talented students from under-represented backgrounds.  This year, the first in which the scheme has operated, more than 100 Opportunity Oxford students have been made offers to study at the University.

Students made an offer under the scheme take part in a supportive bridging programme in the run-up to their first term at Oxford.  Four bridging programmes are available, one in each of Humanities, Social Sciences, Medical Sciences, and Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences. These programmes are designed to explore and develop high-level academic skills that will help students with their future studies. They also gives an insight into what life as an Oxford student will be like, so that when participants begin their degree they can feel confident that they know exactly what is expected of them and what to expect from Oxford.  The bridging programmes have a distance learning component and a residential component, with the latter scheduled to take place in September.  More information about Opportunity Oxford is available here.

The Humanities Bridging Programme

Some 25 students will participate in this year's Humanities bridging programme.  They have all been offered a place to read either History and its joint schools or Classics and its joint schools.  The main aim of the Humanities bridging programme is to help participating students develop a tool-kit for researching and writing weekly tutorial essays.  It is less concerned with imparting specific knowledge on any particular subject, and more concerned with the skills and techniques which make for effective analytical writing.  That being so, Tutors therefore need not necessarily be Classicists or Historians, although their main field of research/teaching is expected to be within the Humanities.

The distance learning component of the course will run for six weeks from 1 July.  The residential component of the programme will run 5 Sept - 19 Sept, social distancing advice permitting.

Who will make a good Tutor?

We expect to recruit Tutors who have some experience of teaching undergraduates in Oxford, and successful applicants are likely to be postdoctoral researchers, college lecturers, or D.Phil. students who have confirmed their status.   We are particularly keen to recruit Tutors who are willing to think beyond their own academic interests to explore with students the nuts and bolts of research and writing.  It is important that Tutors are sympathetic to the challenges which undergraduates from disadvantaged backgrounds may have faced.  We believe that Tutors will get a great deal out of this opportunity to think explicitly about their approach to teaching, and about the techniques which can unlock a student's potential.   

Terms and Payment

Tutors will be expected to be available for approximately eight hours of remote teaching spread across July and August, and approximately 20 hours of in-person teaching (social distancing advice permitting) during the residential course in September.  As with all Oxford teaching, additional preparation time will be required, and where appropriate Tutors may be asked to undertake relevant training.  A fee of £1400 will be paid.  Tutors who have not yet obtained their doctorate will need to obtain the written support of their supervisor before their appointment is confirmed.

How to Apply

Please send a letter of application (no more than 500 words) which sets out your interest in the programme, your relevant experience, and your approach to teaching undergraduates, to the Programme Manager (rasheeda.azam@admin.ox.ac.uk) by 5pm on Wednesday 27 May.  If you have any questions, you are welcome to contact the Opportunity Oxford Coordinator (andrew.bell@univ.ox.ac.uk).