oxford bachelor thesis

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• Graduate school
• Information for postgraduate research students
• Submitting your thesis

This section contains essential information and guidance for the preparation and submission of your thesis.

Preparation and Submission of your Thesis

IMPORTANT - When preparing your thesis please ensure that you have taken into account any copyright or sensitive content issues, and dealt with them appropriately. 

COVID-19  Additional academic support – Supporting Students to Submission

Additional academic support is available for postgraduate research students impacted by the pandemic. If your research has been disrupted by COVID-19, it will now be possible to have this taken into account in viva examinations.

Tips on planning your thesis

At an early stage you should:

• Prepare a detailed work plan for your research in consultation with your supervisor.
• Build some flexibility into your plan. It is difficult to give general advice about the allocation of time on theory‑oriented projects, because the nature of these is so variable. In the case of experiment‑based research projects, you should normally allow up to six months to write a DPhil thesis, or three to four months for a corresponding MSc by Research thesis.
• Consider attending available skills training courses, for example  Thesis and Report Writing .

It is not advisable to leave all the writing to the end, for several reasons:

• You will need practice at writing over a period of time in order to develop a good style.
• There will inevitably be hold‑ups in experimental work and it is better to use that time to work on part of your thesis, rather than to waste it. If you do some writing earlier the final completion of your thesis will not seem such a daunting task.
• Approaching your submission date will become more stressful than necessary.

About your thesis

The best way to find out what is required for a successful thesis in your subject area is to look at some written in recent years. You should obviously look particularly closely at theses written by previous members of your own research group, which are available in the University library.

The formal requirements for obtaining your degree are set out in detail in the ‘ Examination Regulations ’. The standard required for success in the DPhil examination is defined as follows: that the student present a significant and substantial piece of research, of a kind which might reasonably be expected of a capable and diligent student after three or at most four years of full‑time study in the case of a full-time student, or eight years in the case of a part-time student. For the MSc by Research the standard required is that the candidate should have made a worthwhile contribution to knowledge or understanding of the relevant field of learning after a minimum of one year or two years of full-time study.

Thesis structure - Integrated Thesis

Subject to approval, students registered on research programmes (DPhil, MSc (Res) and CDTs) in the following departments may submit an integrated thesis rather than a conventional thesis: Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Engineering Science and Statistics. Where a student is admitted to an interdisciplinary doctoral training programme (CDT/DTP), the regulations for the department that the student is hosted in will therefore determine whether an integrated thesis may be applied for.

An integrated thesis may either be a hybrid of conventional chapters and high-quality scientific papers, or be fully paper-based. Regardless of the format, the content of the thesis should reflect the amount, originality and level of work expected for a conventional thesis. It should not be assumed that the act of publication (in whatever form) means the work is of suitable academic quality and content for inclusion in a thesis, and students should discuss all papers in detail with their supervisor before including. It would be anticipated that the candidate would be a lead contributor, rather than a minor author, on at least some of the papers in order to consider this format. There is no minimum, or maximum, number of papers a candidate is expected/allowed to include as part of such a thesis and it will remain a matter for the examiners to conclude whether the contributions are equivalent to that which would be expected of a standard DPhil.

Any papers utilised must concern a common subject, constitute a continuous theme and conform to the following guidelines:

 (i) If a candidate for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy wishes to be examined through an integrated thesis (in the departments listed above), they should apply for permission to be examined in this way when they apply for confirmation of status, as detailed in the relevant departmental handbook. A candidate for the Degree of Master of Science by Research should normally apply to the DGS for permission to be examined in this way six months before submitting their papers for examination. To revert to being examined by a conventional thesis rather than an integrated thesis, the candidate must inform their department of the change as detailed in the relevant departmental handbook.

(ii) Work can be included regardless of its acceptance status for publication but candidates may be questioned on the publication status of their work by the examiners.

(iii) Any submitted/published papers should relate directly to the candidate’s approved field of study, and should have been written whilst holding the status of PRS or a student for the MSc (by Research), or DPhil.

(iv) The collection of papers must include a separate introduction, a full literature review, discussion and a conclusion, so that the integrated thesis can be read as a single, coherent document.

(v) The candidate must ensure all matters of copyright are addressed before a paper’s inclusion. A pre-print version of any published papers should be included as standard.

(vi) Joint/multi-authored papers are common in science based subjects and thus acceptable if the candidate can both defend the paper in full and provide a written statement of authorship, agreed by all authors, that certifies the extent of the candidate’s own contribution. A standard template is available for this purpose.

• Download the Statement of Authorship template as a Word document
• View the Statement of Authorship template as a webpage  

The length and scope of theses, including word limits for each subject area in the Division are set out in Departmental guidelines.

In all departments, if some part of the thesis is not solely your work or has been carried out in collaboration with one or more persons, you should also submit a clear statement of the extent of your contribution.

• Download the guidance for submitting an Integrated Thesis as a Word document
• View the guidance for submitting an Integrated Thesis as a webpage

Thesis page and word limits

Several departments place a word limit or page limit on theses. Details can be found in the  Examination Regulations  or  GSO.20a Notes of Guidance for Research Examinations .

Permission to exceed the page and word limits

Should you need to exceed your word/page limit you must seek approval from the Director of Graduate Studies in your department. You and your supervisor must submit a letter/email requesting approval, giving reasons why it is necessary to exceed the limit. This must be sent to the MPLS Graduate Office ( [email protected] ).

Proof-reading

It is your responsibility to ensure your thesis has been adequately proof-read before it is submitted.  Your supervisor may alert you if they feel further proof-reading is needed, but it is not their job to do the proof-reading for you.  You should proof-read your own work, as this is an essential skill in the academic writing process. However, for longer pieces of work it is considered acceptable for students to seek the help of a third party for proof-reading. Such third parties can be professional proof-readers, fellow students, friends or family members (students should bear in mind the terms of any agreements with an outside body or sponsor governing supply of confidential material or the disclosure of research results described in the thesis).   Proof-reading assistance may also be provided as a reasonable adjustment for disability.    Your thesis may be rejected by the examiners if it has not been adequately proof-read.  

See the University’s Policy on the Use of Third Party Proof-readers . The MPLS Division offers training in proof-reading as part of its Scientific Writing training programmes.

Examiners and Submission Dates

You are strongly advised to apply for the appointment of examiners at least four to six weeks before you submit your thesis.

Appointing examiners for your thesis

Approval of the proposed names of examiners rests with the Director of Graduate Studies. Two examiners are normally appointed. It is usual for one of the examiners to be a senior member of Oxford University (the ‘internal examiner’) and the other to be from another research organisation (the ‘external examiner’). The divisional board will not normally appoint as examiners individuals previously closely associated with the candidate or their work, representatives of any organisation sponsoring the candidate’s research, or former colleagues of a candidate. Your supervisor will make suggestions regarding the names of possible examiners. Before doing so, your supervisor must consult with you, in order to find out if you have any special views on the appointment of particular examiners. Your supervisor is also allowed to consult informally with the potential examiners before making formal suggestions. Such informal consultation is usually desirable, and is intended to determine whether the people concerned are willing in principle to act, and if so, whether they could carry out the examination within a reasonable period of time. (For example, there may be constraints if you have to return to your home country, or take up employment on a specific date).

See information on examiner conflicts of interest , under section 7.3.3 Examiners.

What forms do I need to complete?

You will need to complete the online  GSO.3 form. Supervisors complete the section indicating names of the proposed examiners, and they should provide alternatives in case the preferred examiners decline to act.

Timing for appointment of examiners

You are advised to submit your appointment of examiners form in advance of submitting your thesis to avoid delays with your examination process. Ideally you should apply for the appointment of examiners at least 4-6 weeks before you expect to submit your thesis for examination.

There are currently no University regulations requiring examination to take place within a certain time limit after thesis submission. However, your examiners would normally be expected to hold your viva within 3 months. If you need to have your examination sooner than this, you may apply for an early viva , by completing the 'Application for a time specific examination' section on the appointment of examiners form, this section must be endorsed by your supervisor and DGS in addition to their approval in the main body of the form. The request must be made at the time of completing and submitting the appointment of examiners form, it cannot be done after this.

Please bear in mind that the examination date requested must not be earlier than one calendar month after the date on which the thesis has been received by the Research Degrees Team or after the date on which the examiners have formally agreed to act, whichever is the latest. The actual date of the examination will depend primarily on the availability of both examiners. In the Long Vacation, a longer time is normally required. It is therefore essential that you leave sufficient time for your forms to be formally approved, and for your examiners to be formally invited.  If sufficient time has not be given this could impact on your early examination request .

If, for any reason, examiners wish to hold a viva within four weeks of receiving their copy of the thesis, permission must be sought from the Director of Graduate Studies. The internal examiner will need to give details of the proposed arrangement and the reasons for the request. Under no circumstances will a viva be permitted to take place within 14 days of receipt of the thesis by the examiners.

Special considerations

Your supervisor is permitted to indicate to the Director of Graduate Studies if there are any special factors which should be taken into account in the conduct of your examination. For example, a scientific paper may have been produced by another researcher which affects the content of your thesis, but which was published too late for you to take into account. The Director of Graduate Studies will also need to be told of any special circumstances you may require or need to inform your examiners of which may affect your performance in an oral examination, or if any part of your work must be regarded as confidential. The Director of Graduate Studies will then forward (via the Graduate Office), any appropriate information that they think should be provided to the examiners. The Graduate Office will also seek approval from the Proctors Office if required.

Change of thesis title

If during your studies you want to change the title or subject of your thesis, you must obtain the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies using the online form GSO.6 . If you are requesting the change at the time of submitting your thesis, you may do this on the application for appointment of examiners form. A change of title is quite straightforward; it is common for students to begin with a very general title, and then to replace it with a more specific one shortly before submitting their thesis. Providing your supervisor certifies that the new title lies within the original topic, approval will be automatic. A change of the subject of your research requires more detailed consideration, because there may be doubt as to whether you can complete the new project within the original time‑scale.

If following your examination your examiners recommend that your thesis title be changed, you will need to complete a change of thesis title form to ensure that your record is updated accordingly.

From MT19 y ou must submit your digital examiners’ copy of your thesis online, via the Research Thesis Digital Submission (RTDS) portal, no later than the last day of the vacation immediately following the term in which your application for the appointment of examiners was made.   If you fail to submit by this date your application will be cancelled and you will have to reapply for appointment of examiners when you are ready to submit. Y our thesis should not be submitted until your application for confirmation of status has been approved (this applies to DPhil students only) . For MSc by Research students you should ensure that your transfer of status has been completed .

If you are funded on a research council studentship, you will have a recommended end-date before which your thesis must be submitted. If you do not know this date, please consult your supervisor.

Please note that you must not submit copies of your thesis directly to your examiners as this could result in your examinations being declared void and you could be referred to the University Proctors.

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Finding UK theses

The Bodleian Libraries hold copies of some UK theses. These are listed on SOLO  and may be ordered for delivery to a reading room. 

These theses are not all catalogued in a uniform way. Adding the word 'thesis' as a keyword in SOLO may help, but this is unlikely to find all theses, and may find published works based upon theses as well as unpublished theses.

Card catalogue  

Some early theses accepted for higher degrees and published before 1973 are held in the Bodleian Libraries but are not yet catalogued on SOLO. These holdings can be found in the Foreign Dissertations Catalogue card index.

To request access to material in the catalogue, speak to library staff at the Main Enquiry Desk in the Lower Reading Room of the Old Bodleian Library, or contact us via  [email protected]  or phone (01865 277162). 

Other finding aids

Proquest dissertations & theses.

You can use ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global  to locate theses accepted for higher degrees at universities in the UK and Ireland since 1716. The service also provides abstracts of these theses.

Library Hub Discover

You can use Library Hub Discover to search the online catalogues of some of the UK’s largest university research libraries to see if a thesis is held by another UK library.

EThOS is the UK’s national thesis service, managed by the British Library. It aims to provide a national aggregated record of all doctoral theses awarded by UK higher education institutions, with free access to the full text of many theses. It has around 500,000 records for theses awarded by over 120 institutions.

UTREES - University Theses in Russian, Soviet, and East European Studies 1907–

UTREES is a bibliographical database of research in the British Isles. The database has been continuously extended from the printed volume, most recently with 202 recent theses added in 2021. The database lists details of over 6,000 doctoral and selected masters’ theses from British and Irish universities. It covers research relating to Eastern and Central Europe, Russia and the area of the former USSR, including Central Asia, the Caucasus and Siberia.

Individual universities

You can also go to individual UK universities' sites for their online theses repositories.

You can purchase copies of Cambridge University theses through the Cambridge University Library's online order form . There is a standard charge of £75 (plus VAT and postage). White Rose ETheses Online is an online repository of doctoral theses from the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield and York. It is part of a national and international network of open access online databases which promote access to research outputs. Many theses have been digitised by the British Library as part of the EThOS. However, there have been instances where theses are available via WhiteRose eTheses Online before they reach EThOS.  

Ordering UK theses

Many theses from other UK universities are available from the British Library's EThOS service.  Unfortunately, this service is currently unavailable due to a cyber attack on the British Library.  

You can also request theses from other UK universities as an inter-library request .

Please note that it may not be possible to obtain some theses due to restrictions on lending placed by the author of the thesis or the institution at which it is held.

Faculty of Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics

University of oxford, search form.

Clarendon Institute © David Allen

• Undergraduate Thesis in Linguistics
• Undergraduate Studies

Coordinator: Director of Undergraduate Studies

Description: The Linguistic Thesis allows a candidate to undertake a research project using the analytic tools acquired in the core areas of Linguistics. The thesis need not be on original data collected by the students themselves, but should contain points of theoretical interest/reflection. The chosen topic may overlap with any subject on which the candidate offers a paper, but candidates should avoid repetition of material. The analysis of the data may focus on an aspect or combination of aspects of linguistic structure or usage. For help in choosing a topic, formulating a research question, and collecting and analysing data, see the Guidance for Linguistic Research document, available in the FHS Linguistics Overview area of Canvas.

For this option, students receive 6-8 hours of supervision, which may include meetings during the second year for project planning, background tutorials in the project area, email contact with the supervisor, and discussion of a first draft of the thesis. Students must keep in contact with their supervisors and keep them updated on their progress, as well as making their supervisors aware of any problems or concerns that they may have.

The method of examination is a thesis of between 10,000 and 12,000 words, to be submitted by noon on Friday of the week before Trinity Full Term of the examination. For further details and a complete list of the exam regulations, consult the Thesis section in the Linguistics in all Honour Schools including Linguistics under the Examination Regulations.

Timetable: It is vital to begin planning the project as soon as possible in the second year, including arranging for ethical approval, if required (see the Timetable below). This involves discussing the proposed topic with your college tutor, with the project supervisor, and with the course co-ordinator. Once a topic has been provisionally agreed on, it must be approved by the Faculty of Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics.

To apply for thesis topic approval, you must submit, through your college, to the Director of Undergraduate Studies of the Faculty of Linguistics, Philology, and Phonetics:

• a completed Thesis Topic Approval form ( available here ), including a signed statement from the project supervisor and a signed statement from a college tutor;
• a brief description of the project (about 50 words);
• a statement regarding ethical approval.

The official deadline for submitting the topic for approval is Wednesday of 2nd Week of Michaelmas Term of the year of examination; however, students are strongly encouraged to submit their proposals for approval by the beginning of Trinity Term of their second year .

Ethical approval: If the research involves human subjects, ethical approval must be secured before the research can begin (please refer to the Before you start for CUREC to see whether ethical approval is needed). Approval is granted via the ethical review and approval from the Social Sciences and Humanities Interdivisional Research Ethics Committee (SSH IDREC) webpage, which has information on ethics approval and links to the CUREC 1A ethics approval form . Full ethical approval is not normally needed for research with adults who are competent to consent to decide whether or not to participate. Research with under-18s, such as school children, will generally require a full CUREC/2 application . The course coordinator can assist with this process. It should be noted that an application for approval of such a project will take some time to draw up and be considered by CUREC, and it may be necessary to make subsequent revisions to the research plan. You should allow at least six weeks for approval. For more information, see the  Social Sciences and Humanities Interdivisional Research Ethics Committee (SSH IDREC) webpage and the Guidance for Linguistic Research document, or contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

Format and submission: The completed thesis should be uploaded to Inspera by noon on Friday of the week before Trinity Full Term of the year of the examination. One copy must be uploaded to Inspera and a copy must be retained by the candidate. Candidates shall present a one-page summary of the arguments at the beginning of their thesis. Theses shall be in the range 10,000-12,000 words (exclusive of the footnotes, the bibliography, any appendices, and summary). No person or body shall have authority to permit the limit of 12,000 words to be exceeded, except that, in the case of a commentary on a text, and at the discretion of the Chair of the Examiners, any substantial quoting of that text need not be included in the word limit. The examiners will not take account of such parts of an essay as are beyond these limits. There must be a select bibliography, listing all primary and secondary sources cited in the thesis, and full details must be given of all citations at the end of the thesis. All theses must be typed in double-spacing on A4 paper. One copy must be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform, Inspera, and a copy must be retained by the candidate. For more information, consult the Exam Regulations .

•   Sample cover page ( DOC )
•   Sample declaration ( DOC )

Suggested timetable at a glance:

You can also refer to the Descriptors for the Thesis in Linguistics to see the criteria against which your thesis will be evaluated.

Updated March 2023

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Dissertations

• Dissertation Topics Titles 2020-21
• Dissertation Topics Titles 2021-22
• Dissertation Topics Titles 2022-23
• Dissertation Topics Titles 2023-24

Introduction to Dissertation 

OMMS and Part C students are required to undertake a dissertation worth two units as part of their degree programme. This can be either a mathematics dissertation or a statistics dissertation. 

The dissertation will entail investigating a topic in an area of the Mathematical Sciences under the guidance of a dissertation supervisor. This will culminate in a written dissertation with a word limit of 7,500 words, which usually equates to 25-35 pages. It is expected that students embarking on a dissertation will be working on it over Christmas vacation, Hilary Term and Easter vacation for submission in early Trinity Term.

Students completing a dissertation may request a book for consultation if it is held only by the Whitehead Library (and not held in the RSL, their College library or as an e-book) by emailing the Librarian at @email .

The book will be sent to the RSL where it can be consulted for reference, not borrowing.   Please see further information  here . 

Timetable for Dissertations

Choosing a topic.

Following the Dissertation Information Session, a list of potential dissertation topics will be published below. Each topic will be accompanied by a short abstract outlining the project with details on necessary pre-requisite knowledge and the maximum number of students who will be able to take each topic. You will be asked to complete an online form, ranking 5 of the topics. Please note that Maths Part C students are only permitted to chose a maximum of three statistics topics. You will be notified of which project you have been allocated by the end of week 5.

Oral Presentation

Each student is required to give an oral presentation to their supervisors and at least one other person with some knowledge of the field of the dissertation. These will usually take place in the final two weeks of Hilary Term. The presentation does not count towards the final assessment of the project, however, it will give you an opportunity to practice your presentation skills which will prove useful in your later careers.

Useful Links and Sources of Information

• Nov 2022 Dissertations Information Session
• Dissertation_Guidenotes_2023-24.pdf
• Past project archive
• Mathematical Institute's LaTeX help
• University guidance on research and library skills
• University guidance on referencing
• oral_presentation_guidelines_2023-24.pdf
• Guidance for Supervisors 2023-24_1.pdf

The First Notices to Candidates (including information on dissertations) can be found here .

Further Honours School

All History finalists and some joint-schools students write a 12,000-word thesis on a topic of their own devising. Many undergraduates find this to be the most satisfying work they do in their History degree.

The thesis offers you the opportunity to engage in primary research on a subject of your own devising, and to work out arguments which are entirely your own, not a synthesis of the conclusions of others. It enables you to work as a historical scholar in your own right and to taste the kind of academic work undertaken professionally by your tutors. For those who continue as graduate historians, the thesis will represent a first opportunity to test their abilities as creative and independent researchers, able to define and explore a historical problem on a large scale. For others a successfully accomplished thesis is a clear indication to employers and the outside world that they possess a capacity for organization, selfdiscipline and the ability to structure a substantial and complex piece of research on their own initiative. Some undergraduate theses are so good that they are ready to be published as they stand. But almost all theses give their authors considerable personal satisfaction, and will be looked back on with pride long after the authors have left Oxford and the study of History behind.

Teaching: The Faculty provides an initial lecture on framing a topic in Hilary Term of the second year, and the Thesis Fair early in Trinity Term to help suggest sources from a wide range of fields. At total of five hours of advice from college tutors and a specialist supervisor are permitted across the second and third years.

BPhil in Philosophy

• Entry requirements
• Funding and Costs

College preference

• How to Apply

About the course

The Bachelor of Philosophy (BPhil) in Philosophy is a two-year, full-time taught graduate degree, which is an intellectually demanding course requiring a background in philosophy, usually from undergraduate study.

The BPhil in Philosophy requires a great degree of independence of thought from students, both academically as well as organisationally: students have to put together their own programme of classes, supervisions and topics for assessment. It is regarded both as training for doctoral study and a basis for teaching a range of philosophical subjects. This course is not available in part-time mode of study and is not offered via distance learning.

The main purpose of the BPhil is to provide future doctoral students with:

• a basis of knowledge and understanding of a number of philosophy subjects that they can develop into areas of teaching competence;
• the skills to conduct independent research in philosophy in their chosen area; and
• the ability to produce written work that displays sustained argument, independent thought and lucid structure and presentation.

Tuition on the BPhil is through a combination of classes, one-to-one supervisions and independent research.

The Pro-Seminar introduces incoming BPhil students to graduate study by covering important papers in various areas of philosophy.

You will also be required to attend graduate classes during the first four terms of study. Graduate classes are normally provided across a range of areas covered by the BPhil syllabus. You may also attend any other classes, seminars and lectures in the Faculty of Philosophy which are of interest to you and any classes, seminars and lectures in other faculties that are open to you.

The course has no fieldwork, industrial placement or year abroad element, but students may decide to attend conferences, workshops or research training elsewhere.

If you are interested in ancient philosophy or the philosophy of physics you may wish to study the specific pathways for these subjects in the BPhil in Philosophy. These are not separate courses, but a way of maximising the study of these topics within the existing BPhil structure. A student on these tracks would study primarily ancient philosophy or the philosophy of physics/science during the first four terms and go on to write a 30,000-word thesis on an ancient philosophy or philosophy of physics/science topic in the final two terms.

Supervision

During the first four terms of study you should receive sixteen hours of one-to-one supervision. Prior to each supervision, you will agree a topic in consultation with your supervisor and write an essay that will be discussed with your supervisor in the supervision. In the last two terms of study, you will research and write a 30,000-word thesis, under the guidance of a supervisor with relevant subject expertise. 

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Faculty of Philosophy, and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. However, incoming students’ supervision preferences are accommodated where possible. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Faculty of Philosophy.

BPhil examination is by submission of a thesis and six assessed essays across a range of philosophical subjects. The thesis will be on a topic of your choice, approved by the Graduate Studies Committee.

Graduate destinations

BPhil in Philosophy graduates often progress to doctoral programmes, either at the University of Oxford or elsewhere. At the time of publication, BPhil students who progress to the DPhil in Philosophy programme at the University of Oxford have the advantage of skipping the first year of the DPhil as a Probationary Research Student and being allowed, though not obliged, to incorporate the contents of their entire 30,000-word BPhil thesis into their 75,000-word DPhil thesis. Such students also have only another six terms (instead of the usual nine terms) of fee liability  for their DPhil. BPhil students must apply for a place on the DPhil in exactly the same way as non-BPhil applicants, and they are evaluated through the same application process.

Many BPhil graduates, however, have pursued non-philosophical academic careers, or careers outside academia, including banking, information technology, law, management consultancy, teaching and public service. The graduate destinations of BPhil students is available on the BPhil alumni webpages .

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made in circumstances of a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

It may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information, please see our page on changes to courses  and the  provisions of the student contract  regarding changes to courses.

Entry requirements for entry in 2024-25

Proven and potential academic excellence.

The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying. 

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

• a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in philosophy or a closely related discipline.

However, entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a first-class degree or the equivalent.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.6 out of 4.0. However, most successful applicants have a GPA of 3.7. 

If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

You are not required to have any publications but these may be an advantage as admission to the course is very competitive.

Further guidance

Students who achieve a distinction in their BPhil are eligible for progression to the DPhil in Philosophy , subject to a complete application being made and provided that the Philosophy Graduate Studies Committee is satisfied that their proposed thesis topic and outline indicate that they can be adequately supervised by members of the Faculty of Philosophy. Students who pass the BPhil without a distinction may apply and be admitted to the DPhil at the Committee’s discretion.

All applications are assessed by the Faculty of Philosophy's Graduate Studies Committee at the same time, after the application deadline has passed, and offers are made on a strictly comparative basis. Applications come from all over the world and intake on the BPhil reflects this.

The BPhil is not suitable as a conversion course for students changing to philosophy from another subject.

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's  higher level . If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.

*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) † Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)

Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides  further information about the English language test requirement .

Declaring extenuating circumstances

If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.

You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Supporting documents

You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Performance at interview

Interviews are not normally held as part of the admissions process.

How your application is assessed

Your application will be assessed purely on your proven and potential academic excellence and other entry requirements described under that heading.

References  and  supporting documents  submitted as part of your application, and your performance at interview (if interviews are held) will be considered as part of the assessment process. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed.

An overview of the shortlisting and selection process is provided below. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide  more information about how applications are assessed . 

Shortlisting and selection

Students are considered for shortlisting and selected for admission without regard to age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, sexual orientation, as well as other relevant circumstances including parental or caring responsibilities or social background. However, please note the following:

• socio-economic information may be taken into account in the selection of applicants and award of scholarships for courses that are part of  the University’s pilot selection procedure  and for  scholarships aimed at under-represented groups ;
• country of ordinary residence may be taken into account in the awarding of certain scholarships; and
• protected characteristics may be taken into account during shortlisting for interview or the award of scholarships where the University has approved a positive action case under the Equality Act 2010.

Processing your data for shortlisting and selection

Information about  processing special category data for the purposes of positive action  and  using your data to assess your eligibility for funding , can be found in our Postgraduate Applicant Privacy Policy.

Admissions panels and assessors

All recommendations to admit a student involve the judgement of at least two members of the academic staff with relevant experience and expertise, and must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies or Admissions Committee (or equivalent within the department).

Admissions panels or committees will always include at least one member of academic staff who has undertaken appropriate training.

Other factors governing whether places can be offered

The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:

• the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the  About  section of this page;
• the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
• minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.

Offer conditions for successful applications

If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide more information about offers and conditions . 

In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:

Financial Declaration

If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a  Financial Declaration  in order to meet your financial condition of admission.

Disclosure of criminal convictions

In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any  relevant, unspent criminal convictions  before you can take up a place at Oxford.

Oxford is one of the world’s great centres for philosophy, and is widely recognised to be amongst the best. In the most recent Philosophical Gourmet Report (2021-22) , Oxford University’s Faculty of Philosophy was once again ranked top in the list of Philosophy Faculties in the United Kingdom and still ranked second in the overall ranking of philosophy faculties in the English Speaking World. More than 150 professional philosophers work in the University and its colleges, between them covering a vast range of subjects within philosophy, and many are international leaders in their fields. 

Many philosophy subjects at Oxford are ranked highly in the most recent  Philosophical Gourmet Report’s breakdown of programmes by speciality (2021-22) : philosophy of language, metaphysics, epistemology, philosophical logic, normative ethics, metaethics and moral psychology, applied ethics, political philosophy, philosophy of law, philosophy of art, philosophy of physics, decision & rational choice, & game theory, ancient philosophy, 18th century early modern philosophy and 20th century continental philosophy.

The Philosophy Centre in the Radcliffe Humanities building on Woodstock Road acts as a focal point for the Faculty of Philosophy’s activities and contains, as well as lecturing and teaching space, a graduate study room and a graduate common room. A wireless network runs throughout the Philosophy Centre.

The centre also contains the Philosophy Library, with over 25,000 volumes, a collection of approximately 80 periodicals, online access to many philosophical databases, and librarians trained in the specific bibliographic needs of philosophers. Many college libraries also have extensive holdings in philosophy.

Each term many graduate classes and research seminars are organised by faculty members in which graduate students are full and important participants.

Graduates are encouraged to organise their own seminars and reading groups, and they also run two societies: one invites distinguished speakers from the UK and around the world, while another gives graduates the opportunity to present papers to a graduate audience.

Each year there is an Oxford Graduate Philosophy Conference, in which most graduate philosophy students participate in some way.

Over 150 Oxford academics are employed by or associated with the Faculty of Philosophy, making it one of the largest philosophy departments worldwide. 

The Faculty of Philosophy is widely recognised to be amongst the best philosophy departments in the world, ranked first in the UK and second in the English-speaking world by the most recent  Philosophical Gourmet Report  (2021-22). 

The faculty offers a wide range of graduate classes, seminars and supervisions, providing you with high-quality tuition in philosophy. This includes its flagship course, the  BPhil in Philosophy , which we believe provides the perfect graduate level training for further studies to doctoral level and is usually studied as the first two years of a four- to five-year doctoral program.

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The University expects to be able to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across the collegiate University in 2024-25. You will be automatically considered for the majority of Oxford scholarships , if you fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit your graduate application by the relevant December or January deadline. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential. 

For further details about searching for funding as a graduate student visit our dedicated Funding pages, which contain information about how to apply for Oxford scholarships requiring an additional application, details of external funding, loan schemes and other funding sources.

Please ensure that you visit individual college websites for details of any college-specific funding opportunities using the links provided on our college pages or below:

Please note that not all the colleges listed above may accept students on this course. For details of those which do, please refer to the College preference section of this page.

Further information about funding opportunities  for this course can be found on the faculty's website.

Annual fees for entry in 2024-25

Further details about fee status eligibility can be found on the fee status webpage.

Information about course fees

Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges .

Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.

Where can I find further information about fees?

The Fees and Funding  section of this website provides further information about course fees , including information about fee status and eligibility  and your length of fee liability .

Additional information

The Philosophy Graduate Studies Committee has a research and travel fund for graduate students to which students may apply for assistance with, for example, the costs of attending conferences or workshops. BPhil and MSt students may only apply for funding if they are presenting a paper. Probationary Research Students and DPhil students are entitled to apply for funding to attend a workshop, conference, etc, whether or not they are presenting a paper.

There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees and living costs. However, as part of your course requirements, you may need to choose a dissertation, a project or a thesis topic. Please note that, depending on your choice of topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Living costs

In addition to your course fees, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.

For the 2024-25 academic year, the range of likely living costs for full-time study is between c. £1,345 and £1,955 for each month spent in Oxford. Full information, including a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs, is available on our living costs page. The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. When planning your finances for any future years of study in Oxford beyond 2024-25, it is suggested that you allow for potential increases in living expenses of around 5% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. UK inflationary increases will be kept under review and this page updated.

Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs). 

If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief  introduction to the college system at Oxford  and our  advice about expressing a college preference . For some courses, the department may have provided some additional advice below to help you decide.

The following colleges accept students on the BPhil in Philosophy:

• Balliol College
• Blackfriars
• Brasenose College
• Campion Hall
• Christ Church
• Corpus Christi College
• Exeter College
• Harris Manchester College
• Hertford College
• Jesus College
• Keble College
• Lady Margaret Hall
• Linacre College
• Lincoln College
• Magdalen College
• Mansfield College
• Merton College
• New College
• Oriel College
• Pembroke College
• The Queen's College
• Regent's Park College
• Reuben College
• St Anne's College
• St Catherine's College
• St Cross College
• St Edmund Hall
• St Hilda's College
• St Hugh's College
• St John's College
• St Peter's College
• Somerville College
• Trinity College
• University College
• Wadham College
• Wolfson College
• Worcester College
• Wycliffe Hall

Before you apply

Our  guide to getting started  provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

If it's important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under a December or January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance . Check the deadlines on this page and the  information about deadlines and when to apply  in our Application Guide.

Application fee waivers

An application fee of £75 is payable per course application. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:

• applicants from low-income countries;
• refugees and displaced persons; 
• UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and 
• applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.

You are encouraged to  check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver  before you apply.

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

You do not need to make contact with the department before you apply but you are encouraged to visit the relevant departmental webpages to read any further information about your chosen course.

Completing your application

You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents .

For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application .

If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.

Referees Three overall, academic preferred

Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.

Academic references are usually required. However, if you have been out of education for a long time, or if you have substantial relevant working experience, then a maximum of one professional reference may replace an academic reference, provided that it speaks to your ability to undertake philosophy studies at graduate level.

Your references should support success in current or previous studies and a likelihood of success in the BPhil in Philosophy. In particular, references should provide evidence of outstanding academic achievement, intellectual ability and strong motivation for the intended graduate course.

Official transcript(s)

Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.

More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.

Statement of purpose/personal statement: A maximum of 500 words

You should submit a statement in English explaining your motivation for applying for the course, in which you may wish to consider the following questions:

• why are you applying to this particular programme of study?
• what relevant academic and/or research experience do you have?
• which areas of study within the subject interest you?
• why would you be an excellent candidate for this course?
• how does this course fit in with your future career plans?

This will be assessed for evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study.

Your statement should focus on philosophy, rather than personal, extra-curricular achievements and interests.

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

Written work: Either one essay of between 4,000 and 5,000 words or two essays of between 2,000 and 2,500 words each

Your written work(s) should be academic essays or other writing samples on philosophical topics. All essays should be recent and not of a primarily expository nature.

Written work should be typed, written in English and clearly marked with your name and the date of composition. The word count does not need to include the end bibliography. Footnotes and in-text referencing are included. 

This will be assessed for:

• clarity and accuracy of thought and writing
• intellectual independence
• willingness and ability to reach conclusions by reasoned argument rather than assertion
• a critical and attentive reading of any texts discussed
• understanding of philosophical ideas and theories
• if required by the topic of the work, appropriate technical skills.

Instructions for submitting one long piece of work instead of two short pieces

To submit one longer piece of work in your application instead of two shorter pieces, you should upload this document in the first 'Written work' slot on the 'Supporting Documents' tab of the Application Form. In the second 'Written work' slot, you should upload a PDF document with the following statement:

' I have included one long essay in lieu of two short essays. I have checked the course page to confirm this is permitted for this course. '

Start or continue your application

You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please  refer to the requirements above  and  consult our Application Guide for advice . You'll find the answers to most common queries in our FAQs.

Application Guide   Apply

ADMISSION STATUS

Closed to applications for entry in 2024-25

Register to be notified via email when the next application cycle opens (for entry in 2025-26)

12:00 midday UK time on:

Friday 5 January 2024 Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships Final application deadline for entry in 2024-25

*Three-year average (applications for entry in 2021-22 to 2023-24)

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered by the Faculty of Philosophy

• Course page and FAQs on the faculty's website
• Funding information from the faculty
• Academic and research staff
• Faculty research
• Humanities Division
• Residence requirements for full-time courses
• Postgraduate applicant privacy policy

Course-related enquiries

Advice about contacting the department can be found in the How to apply section of this page

✉ [email protected] ☎ +44 (0)1865 276930

Application-process enquiries

See the application guide

Other courses to consider

You may also wish to consider applying to other courses that are similar or related to this course:

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Particle theory

Research group

Research theme

• Fields, strings, and quantum dynamics
• Fundamental particles and interactions
• Particle astrophysics & cosmology

Sub department

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Related research groups

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Theses written by recent former students of the group, listed by main supervisor

Joseph Conlon Searches for Axion-Like Particles with X-ray astronomy Nicholas Jennings (2018) Astrophysical signatures of axion and axion-like particles Francesca Day (2017) Cosmology & Astrophysics of Dark Radiation Andrew Powell (2016) Phenomenology of Dark Radiation & String Compactifications Stephen Angus (2014)

Andre Lukas Aspects of string model-building and heterotic/F-theory duality Callum Brodie (2019) Calabi-Yau Manifolds, Discrete Symmetries & String Theory Challenger Mishra (2017) Heterotic string compactification & quiver gauge theory on toric geometry Chuang Sun (2016) Heterotic Compactification on Spaces of General 6-Structures Eirik Eik Svanes (2014) (with Prof Xenia de la Ossa Maths) Elementary Particle Physics from String Theory Compactifications, Michael Klaput (2014) Heterotic string models on smooth Calabi-Yau threefolds Andrei Constantin (2013)

John March Russell Radiation from Black Holes George Johnson (2020) Aspects of massive spin-2 effective field theories James Bonifacio (2017) (with Prof Pedro Ferreira Astro) Multimetric theories of gravity James Scargill (2016)  (with Prof Pedro Ferreira Astro) Searching for New Particles at the Large Hadron Collider: Theory and Methods for Extradimensional Supersymmetry James Scoville (2015)  (with Prof Alan Barr PP) New Phenomenology from Asymmetric Dark Matter Robert Lasenby (2015) Supersymmetry and Electroweak Fine Tuning Edward Hardy (2014) Aspects of Asymmetric Dark Matter James Unwin (2013) (with Prof Philip Candelas   Maths) The String Axiverse and Cosmology David Marsh (2012)

Gavin Salam Precision fits for the LHC and beyond Emma Slade (2020) (with Juan Rojo, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam) Precision Physics at the Large Hadron Collider Frederic Dreyer (2016) (with Matteo Cacciari, LPTHE, Paris Diderot University) Theoretical & experimental study of electroweak corrections for inclusive production of jets and development of methods for detecting extreme topologies Nicolas Meric (2013)  (with Philippe Schwemling, LPNHE, Paris Diderot University)

Subir Sarkar

On the impact of new, light states in some astrophysical and laboratory systems Giacomo Marocco (2022) (with John Wheater ) Investigating new physics with high power lasers  Konstantin Beyer (2021) (with Gianluca Gregori , ALP)

Inhomogeneities in Cosmology David Kraljic (2016) From the LHC to IceCube Jim Talbert (2016) (with Dr Guido Bell) The Standard Model to the Planck scale Kyle Allison (2015) (with Prof Graham Ross) Phenomenology of Asymmetric Dark Matter Felix Kahlhoefer (2014)

Andrei Starinets Holographic Approaches to Strongly-Interacting Systems Nikola Gushterov (2018)  (with  Dr Andrew O'Bannon Southampton) Applications of the gauge/gravity duality Jonas Probst (2017) Gauge/Gravity Duality & Non-Equilibrium Dynamics of Strongly Coupled Quantum Systems Philip Kleinert (2017) Hidden structures in scattering amplitudes & correlation functions in supersymmetric Yang-Mills theories Jakub Sikorowski (2015) (with Prof Luis Fernando Alday Maths) Hydrodynamics: from effective field theory to holography Saso Grozdanov (2014) Holographic quantum liquids Nikolaos Kaplis (2013) Excitations in holographic quantum liquids Richard Davison (2012)

John Wheater

On the impact of new, light states in some astrophysical and laboratory systems Giacomo Marocco (2022) (with Subir Sarkar )

Topics in quantum gravity and quantum field theory Dennis Praveen Xavier (2022) Spin systems and boundary conditions on random planar graphs Aravinth Kulanthaivelu (2020) Naturalness in beyond the standard model physics Isabel Garcia Garcia (2017) Random Matrices, Boundaries and Branes Benjamin Niedner (2015) Spectral dimension in graph models of causal quantum gravity Georgios Giasemidis (2013)

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Civil and Offshore Engineering Research Group

Civil Engineering Theses

Civil Engineering

Mainly soils.

• Reinforced Soil
• In-situ Testing
• Sedimentation and Consolidation of Soft Clays
• Unsaturated and Gassy Soils
• Flow of Granular Materials
• Environmental Applications

Mainly Structures

• Structural Dynamics
• Structural glass
• Deployable Structures

Soils and Structures

• Offshore Foundations and Structures
• Tunnelling and Trenchless Technology
• Finite Element Analysis
• Distinct Element Modelling
• Computational Hydraulics
• Wind Engineering

Tidal Power

Alphabetical list.

Note 1: some theses may be listed under more than one heading Note 2: the degree that in other Universities is usually called "Ph.D." is in Oxford called "D.Phil."

REINFORCED SOIL

Unpaved roads.

• Love, J.P. (1985) D.Phil. "Model Testing of Geogrids in Unpaved Roads" Download from the ORA website
• Burd, H.J. (1986) D.Phil. "A Large Displacement Finite Element Analysis of a Reinforced Unpaved Road" Download from the ORA website
• Fannin, R.J. (1986) D.Phil. "Geogrid Reinforcement of Granular Layers on Soft Clay - a Study at Model and Full Scale" Download from the ORA website
• Brocklehurst, C.J. (1993) D.Phil. "Finite Element Studies of Reinforced and Unreinforced Two-Layer Soil Systems" Download from the ORA website

Other reinforced soil applications

• Dyer, M.R. (1985) D.Phil. "Observation of the Stress Distribution in Crushed Glass with Applications to Soil Reinforcement" Download from the ORA website
• Palmeira, E.M. (1987) D.Phil. "The Study of Soil Reinforcement Interaction by Means of Large Scale Laboratory Tests" Download from the ORA website
• Pedley, M.J. (1990) D.Phil. "The Performance of Soil Reinforcement in Bending and Shear" Download from the ORA website
• Tei, K. (1993) D.Phil. "A Study of Soil Nailing in Sand" Download from the ORA website

OFFSHORE FOUNDATIONS AND STRUCTURES

• Gue, S.S. (1984) D.Phil. "Ground Heave Around Driven Piles in Clay" Download from the ORA website
• Evans, K.M. (1987) D.Phil. "A Model Study of the End Bearing Capacity of Piles in Layered Calcareous Soils" Download from the ORA website
• Coop, M.R. (1987) D.Phil. "Axial Capacity of Driven Piles in Clay" Download from the ORA website
• Chaudhry, A.R. (1994) D.Phil. "Static Pile-Soil-Pile Interaction in Offshore Pile Groups" Download from the ORA website
• Dash, S.R. (2010) D.Phil. "Lateral Pile-Soil Interaction in Liquefiable Soils" abstract | thesis (7.34MB, pdf)
• Beuckelaers, W.J.A.P (2017) D.Phil. "Numerical Modelling of Laterally Loaded Piles for Offshore Wind Turbines" Download from the ORA website

Shallow foundations, jack-up units

• de Santa Maria, P.E.L. (1988) D.Phil. "Behaviour of Footings for Offshore Structures under Combined Loads" Download from the ORA website
• Bell, R.W. (1991) M.Sc. "The Analysis of Offshore Foundations Subjected to Combined Loading" Download from the ORA website
• Martin, C.M. (1994) D.Phil. "Physical and Numerical Modelling of Offshore Foundations Under Combined Loads" Download from the ORA website
• Thompson, R.S.G. (1996) D.Phil. "Development of Non-Linear Numerical Models Appropriate for the Analysis of Jack-up Units" Download from the ORA website
• Ngo Tran, C.L. (1996) D.Phil. "The Analysis of Offshore Foundations Subjected to Combined Loading" Download from the ORA website
• Mangal, J.K. (1999) D.Phil. "Partially Drained Loading of Shallow Foundations on Sand" Download from the ORA website
• Cassidy, M.J. (1999) D.Phil. "Non-Linear Analysis of Jack-up Structures Subjected to Random Waves" Download from the ORA website
• Byrne, B.W. (2000) D.Phil. "Investigations of Suction Caissons in Dense Sand" Download from the ORA website
• Nguyen-Sy, L. (2005) D.Phil. "The Theoretical Modelling of Circular Shallow Foundation for Offshore Wind Turbines" Download from the ORA website
• Villalobos Jara, F.A. (2006) D.Phil. "Model Testing of Foundations for Offshore Wind Turbines" Download from the ORA website
• Hazell, E. (2008) D.Phil. "Numerical and Experimental Studies of Shallow Cone Penetration in Clay" Download from the ORA website
• Cotter, O. (2009) D.Phil. "The Installation of Suction Cassion Foundations for Offshore Renewable Energy Structures" abstract | thesis (18.8Mb, pdf)
• Sandford, R. (2012) D.Phil. "Lateral buckling of High-Pressure/High Temperature On-Bottom Pipelines" abstract | thesis (27.7mb, pdf)

IN-SITU TESTING

• May, R.E. (1987) D.Phil. "A Study of the Piezocone Penetrometer in Normally Consolidated Clay" Download from the ORA website
• Teh, C.I. (1987) D.Phil. "An Analytical Study of the Cone Penetration Test" Download from the ORA website
• Nyirenda, Z.M. (1990) D.Phil. "Piezocone Studies in Lightly Overconsolidated Soil" Download from the ORA website
• Schnaid, F. (1990) D.Phil. "A Study of the Cone- pressuremeter Test in Sand" Download from the ORA website
• Yu, H.S. (1990) D.Phil. "Cavity Expansion Theory and its Application to the Analysis of Pressuremeters" Download from the ORA website
• Nutt, N.R.F. (1993) D.Phil. "Development of the Cone Pressuremeter" Download from the ORA website
• Smith, M.G. (1993) D.Phil. "A Laboratory Study of the Marchetti Dilatometer" Download from the ORA website
• Yao, M. (1996) M.Sc. "A Study of the Effect of Length to Diameter Ratio on the Results of Pressuremeter Tests" Download from the ORA website

UNSATURATED AND GASSY SOILS

• Nageswaran, S . (1983) D.Phil. "Effects of Gas Bubbles on the Sea-Bed Behaviour" Download from the ORA website
• Wheeler, S.J. (1986) D.Phil. "Stress-Strain Behaviour of Soils Containing Gas Bubbles" Download from the ORA website
• Gardner, T.N. (1988) D.Phil. "The Acoustic Properties of Gassy Soil" Download from the ORA website
• Thomas, S.D. (1988) D.Phil. "The Consolidation Behaviour of Gassy Soil" Download from the ORA website
• Sharma, R.S. (1998) D.Phil. "Mechanical Behaviour of Unsaturated Highly Expansive Clays" Download from the ORA website

SEDIMENTATION AND CONSOLIDATION OF SOFT CLAYS

• Lee, K. (1979) D.Phil. "An Analytical and Experimental Study of Large Strain Consolidation" Download from the ORA website
• Been, K. (1980) D.Phil. "Stress-Strain Behaviour of a Cohesive Soil Deposited Under Water" Download from the ORA website
• Elder, D. McG. (1985) D.Phil. "Stress-Strain and Strength Behaviour of Very Soft Soil Sediment" Download from the ORA website
• Bowden, R.K. (1988) D.Phil. "Compression Behaviour and Shear Strength Characteristics of a Natural Silty Clay Sedimented in the Laboratory" Download from the ORA website
• Lee, M. (2000) M.Sc. "An Experimental and Analytical Study of Electrokinetic Consolidation" Download from the ORA website
• Bartholomeeusen, G. (2003) D.Phil. "Compound Shock Waves and Creep Behaviour in Sediment Beds" Download from the ORA website
• Lintern, D.G. (2003) D.Phil. "Influences of Flocculation on Bed Properties for Fine-Grained Cohesive Sediment" Download from the ORA website

TUNNELLING AND TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY

Pipejacking and pipebursting.

• Ripley, K.J. (1989) D.Phil. "The Performance of Jacked Pipes" Download from the ORA website
• Swee, J.L.K. (1991) D.Phil. "Pipebursting: Model Tests" abstract  
• Norris, P. (1992) D.Phil. "The Behaviour of Jacked Concrete Pipes During Site Installation" Download from the ORA website
• Zhou, J.-Q. (1998) D.Phil. "Numerical Analysis and Laboratory Test of Concrete Jacking Pipes" Download from the ORA website
• Marshall, M.A. (1998) D. Phil. "Pipe-Jacked Tunnelling: Jacking Loads and Ground Movements" Download from the ORA website
• Psomas, S (2001) M.Sc. "Properties of Foam/Sand Mixtures for Tunnelling Applications" Download from the ORA website
• Pena Duarte , M (2007) D.Phil. "Foam as a Soil Conditioner in Tunnelling: Physical and Mechanical Properties of Conditioned Sands" Download from the ORA website
• Schupp, J. (2009) D.Phil. "Upheaval buckling and flotation of buried offshore pipelines" abstract | thesis (251mb, pdf)
• Li, Y. (2015) M.Sc. "Lateral Buckling of On-bottom Pipelines in Sand" Download from the ORA website

Tunnelling (general)

• Chow, L. (1994) M.Sc. "The Prediction of Surface Settlements Due to Tunnelling in Soft Ground" Download from the ORA website
• Kim, S.-H. (1996) D.Phil. "Model Testing and Analysis of Interactions between Tunnels in Clay" Download from the ORA website
• Liu Gang (1997) D.Phil. "Numerical Modelling of Damage to Masonry Buildings Due to Tunnelling" Download from the ORA website
• Augarde, C.E. (1997) D.Phil. "Numerical Modelling of Tunnelling Processes for Assessment of Damage to Buildings" Download from the ORA website
• Bloodworth, A.G. (2002) D.Phil. "Three-Dimensional Analysis of Tunnelling Effects on Structures to Develop Design Methods" Download from the ORA website
• Pickhaver, J.A. (2006) D.Phil. "Numerical Modelling of Building Response to Tunnelling" Download from the ORA website

FLOW OF GRANULAR MATERIALS

• Saperstein, L.W. (1967) D.Phil. "The Dynamics of Granular Solids" Download from the ORA website
• Wilson, J. (1970) D.Phil. "Forces Exerted on Solid Bodies Moving Through Cohesionless Soils" abstract

ENVIRONMENTAL APPLICATIONS

• Harbottle, M.J. (2003) D.Phil. "The Use of Electrokinetics to Enhance the Degradation of Organic Contaminants in Soils" Download from the ORA website
• O'Mahoney, M.M. (1990) D.Phil. "Recycling of Materials in Civil Engineering" Download from the ORA website
• Nguyen, G.D. (2005) D.Phil. "A Thermodynamic Approach to Constitutive Modelling of Concrete using Damage Mechanics and Plasticity Theory" Download from the ORA website

STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS

• Falati, S. (1999) D.Phil. "The contribution of non-structural components to the overall dynamic behaviour of concrete floor slabs" Download from the ORA website
• Williams, D.M. (2000) D.Phil. "Numerical Modelling of Real Time Sub-Structure testing" Download from the ORA website
• Neild, S.A. (2001) D.Phil. "Using Non-Linear Vibration Techniques to Detect Damage in Concrete Bridges" Download from the ORA website
• Clément, D.E. (2002) D.Phil. "Seismic Analysis of Knee Elements for Steel Frames" Download from the ORA website
• Grey, M. (2006) M.Sc "Finite Element Seismic Analysis of Guyed Masts" Download from the ORA website
• Bonnet, P.A. (2006) D.Phil "The Development of Multi-Axis Real-Time Substructure Testing" Download from the ORA website
• Sim, J.H.H. (2006) D.Phil. "Human-Structure Interaction in Cantilever Grandstands" Download from the ORA website
• Ehland, A. (2009) D.Phil. "Vibrations of precast and partially prestressed floor systems under moving loads" abstract | thesis (15.59Mb, pdf)
• Ojaghi, M. (Makhzan Ojaghi, S. M.) (2010) D.Phil. "The Development of Real-Time Distributed Hybrid Testing for Earthquake Engineering" abstract
• Nhleko, S. (2011) D.Phil. "Human-induced Lateral Excitation of Assembly Structures" Download from the ORA website
• Whittle, J. (2011) D.Phil. "Strategic Placement of Viscous Dampers for Seismic Structural Design" Download from the ORA website
• Claff, D.E. (2015) D.Phil. "Pedestrian-Induced Lateral Excitation of Footbridges" Download from the ORA website
• Del Gobbo, G.M. (2017) D.Phil. "Placement of Fluid Viscous Dampers to Reduce Total-Building Seismic Damage" Download from the ORA website
• Basagiannis, C.A. (2018) D.Phil. "Seismic Design and Evaluation of Moment Resisting Frames using Elastmeric Dampers" Download from the ORA website

STRUCTURAL GLASS

• Crompton, P.R. (1999) M.Sc. "Assessment of Design Procedures for Structural Glass Beams" Download from the ORA website
• Porter, M.I. (2001) D.Phil. "Aspects of Structural Design with Glass" Download from the ORA website

DEPLOYABLE STRUCTURES

• Lengyel, A. (2002) D.Phil. "Analogy between Equilibrium of Structures and Compatibility of Mechanisms" Download from the ORA website
• Chen, Y. (2003) D.Phil. "Design of Structural Mechanisms" Download from the ORA website
• Kuribayashi, K. (2004) D.Phil. "A Novel Foldable Stent Graft" Download from the ORA website
• Melin, N. (2004) D.Phil. "Application of Bennett Mechanisms to Long-Span Shelters" Download from the ORA website
• Ma, J. (2011) D.Phil. "Thin-Walled Tubes with Pre-folded Origami Patterns as Energy Absorption Devices" abstract | thesis (3.08mb, pdf)
• Gattas, J.M. (2013) D.Phil. "Quasi-Static Impact of Foldcore Sandwich Panels" Download from the ORA website
• Li, Y. (2016) D.Phil. "Thin-Walled Structures for Energy Absorption" Download from the ORA website
• Cao, Y. (2017) M.Sc. "Rigid origami of thick panels and deployable membranes" Download from the ORA Website
• Zhang, B. (2017) D.Phil. "Bistable and Mutli-stable Thin-Walled Structures" Download from the ORA website
• Xia, Y. (2017) D.Phil. "Novel Self-Expanding Stent Retractors for Neuroendoscopy" Download from the ORA website

FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

A number of other theses make use of Finite Element Analysis, but the following concentrate principally on this area of work.

• Liu, G. (1997) D.Phil. "Numerical Modelling of Damage to Masonry Buildings Due to Tunnelling" Download from the ORA website
• Bloodworth, A.G. (2002) D.Phil. "Three Dimensional Analysis of Tunnelling Effects on Structures to Develop Design Methods" Download from the ORA website
• Likitlersuang, S. (2003) D.Phil. "A Hyperplasticity Model For Clay Behaviour: An Application To Bangkok Clay" Download from the ORA website
• Dong, Y. (2014) D.Phil. "Advanced Finite Element Analysis of Deep Excavation Case Histories" Download from the ORA website
• Dunne, H.P. (2017) D.Phil. "Finite Element Limit Analysis of Offshore Foundations on Clay" Download from the ORA website
• Yiu, W.N. (2018) D.Phil. "Finite Element Analysis of Short-Term and Long-Term Building Response to Tunnelling" Download from the ORA website

DISTINCT ELEMENT MODELLING

• Boon, C.W. (2013) D.Phil. "Distinct Element Modelling of Jointed Rock Masses: Algorithms and their Verification" Download from the ORA website
• Modenese, C. (2013) D.Phil "Numerical Study of the Mechanical Properties of Lunar Soil by the Discrete Element Method" Download from the ORA website
• Zhao, T. (2014) D.Phil "Investigation of Landslide-Induced Debris Flows by the DEM and CFD" Abstract | Thesis (6.65Mb, pdf)

COMPUTATIONAL HYDRAULICS

• Kaar, E.T. (1991) D.Phil. "Curvilinear Systems Modelling of Pollutant Transport in Shallow Waters" abstract
• Akponasa, G.A. (1992) D.Phil. "Solution of the Contravariant Shallow Water Equations Using Boundary-Fitted Coordinate Systems" abstract
• Greaves, D.M. (1995) D.Phil. "Numerical modelling of laminar separated flows and inviscid steep waves using adaptive hierarchical meshes" abstract
• Saalehi, A. (1996) D.Phil. "Quadtree-based finite element modelling of laminar separated flow past a cylinder" abstract
• Cruz Leon, S. (1997) D.Phil. "Numerical Solution of the Shallow Water Equations on Quadtree Grids" abstract
• Chern, M.-J. (1999) D.Phil. "3-D pseudospectral model of free surface and viscous flows"
• Park, K.-Y. (1999) D.Phil. "Quadtree grid numerical model of nearshore wave-current interaction"
• Turnbull, M. (1999) D.Phil. "The numerical modelling of steep waves interacting with structures" Download from the ORA website
• Ohl, C. (2000) D.Phil. "Free surface disturbances and non-linear run-up around offshore structures" Download from the ORA website

WIND ENGINEERING

• Gumley, S.J. (1981) D.Phil. "Tubing Systems for the Measurement of Fluctuating Pressures" abstract
• Green, D.W. R. (1983) D.Phil. "A Wind Tunnel Study of Flow Over Hills" abstract
• Rutledge, K.W. (1984) D.Phil. "Wind Tunnel Modelling of Buoyant Plumes" Download from the ORA website
• Letchford, C.W. (1987) D.Phil. "Pneumatic Averaging and its Application in Wind Engineering" abstract
• Tasker, M.N. (1987) D.Phil. "The Effect of Heat Transfer on the Dispersion of Cold Dense Gases" abstract
• Parkinson, H.G. (1987) D.Phil. "Measurements of Wind Flow Over Models of a Hill" abstract
• Minson, A.J. (1993) D.Phil. "Use of Laser Doppler Anemometer Measurements near Model Buildings to Determine Wind Loading on Building Attachments" abstract
• Marwood, R. (1996) D.Phil. "An Investigation of Conical Roof-Edge Vortices" Download from the ORA website
• Marshall, B. J. (1999) D.Phil. "Wind Flow Structures and Wind Forces in Forests" Download from the ORA website
• Nelmes, S.J. (1999) D.Phil. "Design of Shetlerbelts" abstract
• Draper, S. (2011) D.Phil. Tidal Stream Energy Extraction in Caostal Basins" abstract | Thesis (8.38mb, pdf)
• McAdam, R. (2011) D.Phil. "Studies into the Technical Feasibility of the Transverse Horizontal Axis Water Turbine" Download from the ORA website
• Consul, C.A. (2011) D.Phil. "Hydrodynamcis Analysis of a Tidal Cross-Flow Turbine" Download from the ORA website
• Ferrer, E. (2012) D.Phil. "A high order Discontinuous Galerkin - Fourier incompressible 3D Navier-Stokes solver with rotating sliding meshes for simulating cross-flow turbines" Download from the ORA website
• Belloni, C. (2013) D.Phil. "Hydrodynamics of Ducted and Open-Centre Tidal Turbines" abstract | thesis (1.5Mb, pdf)
• Serhadlioglu, S. (2014) D.Phil. "Tidal Stream Resource Assessment of Anglesey Skerries and the Bristol Channel" Download from the ORA website
• Fleming, C.F. (2014) D.Phil. "Tidal Turbine Performance in the Offshore Environment" Download from the ORA website
• Vogel, C.R. (2014) D.Phil. "Theoretical Limits to Tidal Stream Energy Extraction" abstract | thesis (4.88Mb, pdf)
• Schluntz, J. (2014) D.Phil. "Tidal Tubine Array Modelling" Download from the ORA website
• Hunter, W. (2015) D.Phil. "Actuator Disk Methods for Tidal Turbine Arrays" abstract | thesis (5.8mb, pdf)
• Cooke, S. (2016) D.Phil "Enhanced array design for tidal power generation" Download from the ORA website
• Gao, C. (2017) M.Sc. "Analysis of storm surge and tidal resonance in the Bristol channel" abstract | thesis (4.65Mb, pdf)
• Muchala, S. (2017) D.Phil. "Impact of Tidal Turbine Support Structures on Realizable Turbine Farm Power" Download from the ORA website
• Wimshurst, A . (2018) D.Phil. "Tip Flow Corrections for Horizontal Axis Wind and Tidal Turbine Rotors" Download from the ORA website

Theses from other Universities

The following theses from other Universities are also available:

• Houlsby, G.T. (1981) Ph.D., Cambridge University "A study of plasticity theories and their applicability to soil" Thesis (Cambridge Univeristy repository)
• Williams, M.S. (1988) Ph.D., Bristol University "The cutting of unbonded prestressing tendons during demolition"

Obtaining copies of theses

Copies of most theses are available as pdf files for downloading.

You will need Adobe Reader to view the PDF files. If you don't already have Adobe Reader, you can download it from the Adobe website by clicking on the image below and following the instructions provided by Adobe.

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Fellowship recipients to continue their studies in the u.k..

Top row, from left, Paulina Pimentel-Mora, Tony Wang,Galia Newberger, Ellie Burke, and Giuliana Pavanelli Durón. Second row, Yosef Malka, Joshua Nguyen, Anjali Mangla, Sophie Kane, and Vijay Pathak.

Eight Yale seniors and two recent graduates have been awarded fellowships from various organizations for graduate study in the United Kingdom.

These are in addition to students, previously announced in Yale News, who have won Rhodes and Marshall scholarships.

The fellowship winners and their awards follow:

Ellie Burke , who is studying history at Yale, was awarded a Paul Mellon fellowship to pursue an M.Phil. degree in World History at the University of Cambridge. For her thesis project, Burke, who is originally from Kansas City, examined the impacts of the South African musical “Sarafina!” on anti-apartheid protest in the United States with advisor Professor Daniel Magaziner. At Cambridge, she will expand this project to more broadly examine the role of anti-apartheid theater in the United Kingdom. During her time at Yale, Burke produced multiple independent theater shows, sang in a cappella groups, and served in arts leadership roles including Outreach Coordinator for the executive board of the Yale Dramatic Association. She also worked as a barista in the Silliman student-run coffee shop, served as a First-Year Outdoor Orientation (FOOT) Leader, and is currently finishing her year as a First-Year Counselor in Silliman.

Giuliana Pavanelli Durón , who will graduate from Yale with a degree in Urban Studies and Architecture, was awarded a Paul Mellon Fellowship for graduate study at the University of Cambridge, where she will pursue an M.Phil. degree in Architecture and Urban Studies. As an Edward A. Bouchet Research Fellow, she has explored the history of landscape architecture in Mexico City, focusing on how the Mexican Revolution affected the design of urban parks and citizens’ relationship to land. In her thesis, she has explored the political and cultural dimensions of water infrastructure in Mexico City. She addresses how Indigenous histories and colonial legacies have been memorialized in hydrologic monuments within the city’s parks, specifically El Bosque de Chapultepec. She has also interned at the Housing and Health Equity Lab, analyzing the effects of pandemic-era moratoriums on housing-insecure individuals. As an Urban Fellow, Giuliana also works on data analysis for New Haven's Fair Rent and Housing Commission, advocating for tenant rights and healthy living conditions. Her research at Cambridge will focus on urban gardens in Mexico City, with an emphasis on how these community spaces serve as a source for alternative planning strategies based on grassroots practices. 

Sophie Kane , a Senegalese-American who has grown up across seven countries, is an American Studies major aspiring to a career at the intersection of law and social policy. On the Yale campus, she served as the first president of the Yale Votes student organization and led the Intercultural and Social Justice program at the AFAM House. In her senior thesis, she compares restorative and reparatory justice commissions in the United States and South Africa. As an undergraduate, she has worked on a presidential campaign, in Congress, and at two nonprofit policy advocacy organizations: Solitary Watch and the Legal Action Center. She has been a Women in Government and Arthur Liman Fellow and is a former student of the Brady-Johnson Program in Grand Strategy. This summer, she will work at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia before pursuing a Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree in comparative social policy at Oxford in the fall. At Oxford, she will investigate targeted universalism as a strategic tool to reinvent American welfare.

Yosef Malka , a history major whose academic interests lie in the history of political thought, modern Jewish history, and legal theory, was awarded a Paul Mellon Fellowship to pursue an M.Phil. degree in political thought and intellectual history at Cambridge University. Malka, who is from Rockville, Maryland, will examine 20th-century debates over minority rights, the nation-state, and liberalism while at Cambridge. During his time at Yale, Malka served as co-editor-in-chief of Shibboleth, Yale’s undergraduate journal of Jewish studies, worked as an editorial assistant for the Yale Law Journal, interned for the Office of the New York State attorney general, co-led a Sephardic singing group, and founded a student forum for the study of political theory.

Anjali Mangla , who is completing a double major in Neuroscience and Global Affairs, received a Rotary Global Grant Scholarship that will allow her to pursue a master’s degree in Global Health Policy at London School of Tropical Hygiene and Medicine and London School of Economics. Mangla is interested in global health policymaking, particularly in investigating sustainable financing mechanisms for global health care policy and community-based initiatives. She is currently leading the HAVEN Free Clinic’s pilot “Food as Medicine” program, and, as the clinic’s community relations and advocacy director, has started a variety of initiatives such as reproductive health workshops with Planned Parenthood, and advocacy with the HUSKY4Immigrants Coalition to expand access to public health coverage for all eligible Connecticut residents regardless of immigration status. She has also engaged with the New Haven community through Community Health Educators and volunteering at the hospital and with IRIS' family literacy program. During spring break, she traveled to Liberia to learn more about global health initiative funding for her capstone project on the need for more indirect cost funding for low- and middle-income countries. She hopes to pioneer sustainable global health financing policies with a focus on mitigating noncommunicable diseases in the future.

Galia Newberger  was awarded the King’s-Yale Fellowship to pursue an M.Phil. degree in politics and international studies at the University of Cambridge. She will study the rise of illiberalism in Central and Eastern Europe, particularly in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia. At Yale, she double majored in Humanities and Political Science, and her joint senior essay explored what Plato’s Republic can teach modern readers about preventing a backsliding of democracy. Newberger competes on Yale’s Model United Nations team, and previously served as communications director for the Yale College Democrats and as managing editor at the Yale Daily News Magazine. Outside of Yale, she has served as a legislative and communications intern for U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Illinois, as a political advocacy intern at the ACLU, and as an intern at the Federal Defenders of New York.

Joshua Nguyen , who graduated from Yale in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology , was awarded the Rotary Global Grant Scholarship to pursue an M.Sc. degree in Digital Health at the University of Oxford. During his time at Yale, Nguyen worked as a research assistant at the Yale School of Medicine, investigating the underlying genetic mechanisms of lymphedema, and was recognized as a Dean’s Research Fellow and STARS II Scholar. His interest in health care equity will guide his studies at Oxford, where he plans to delve into leveraging digital health innovations to serve marginalized populations. While at Yale he spearheaded patient care initiatives for uninsured individuals at the HAVEN Free Clinic and Yale New Haven Hospital, and serving as an ESL tutor for refugees and immigrants in the New Haven area. He was also a peer liaison for Yale’s Asian American Cultural Center, the president of Yale Outdoors, and a clarinetist and recorderist in various music ensembles. He aspires to a career dedicated to improving health equity, with a focus on supporting uninsured and low-income communities.

Vijay Pathak , a senior from Luxembourg and France who will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Ethics, Politics, and Economics, has been awarded the Rotary Global Grant to pursue studies in European Politics and international conflict prevention in the United Kingdom. His academic interests lie at the intersections of statecraft, international law, and the foreign and security policies of the EU and United States. He has pursued these interests at Yale as a scholar in the Brady-Johnson Program in Grand Strategy and also as a Fellow of the Peace, Dialogue, and Leadership Initiative. Pathak has worked as a research assistant at Yale Law School on the United Nations Legal Committee’s efforts to introduce legal frameworks on crimes against humanity, and is also a European Studies Undergraduate Fellow at the Yale MacMillan Center. He has completed coursework in international relations at Bocconi University in Milan, international law at the University of Oxford, and South Asian Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a recipient of the Yale SASC Light Fellowship.

Paulina Pimentel-Mora , who graduated from Yale in 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science, has been awarded the Sidney Hellman Ehrman Studentship pursue a M.Phil. degree in health, medicine, and society at King’s College, Cambridge. Her research will delve into the realm of reproductive autonomy within health care systems, employing a comparative approach to analyze reproductive policies and the diverse factors influencing women’s reproductive decisions. A first-generation community college transfer student at Yale, Pimental-Mora served as a transfer peer advisor, admissions officer blogger, and residential teaching assistant with Yale Pathways to Science and the Yale School of Art’s “The Way We See It” workshop. She was also a member of the Yale College Student Health Advisory Council and participated in the Political Science Undergraduate Advisory Committee, in addition to working at the Yale University Art Gallery. Outside of Yale, she was a 2022 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Future Public Health Scholar at the University of Michigan, where she was awarded the 2022-2023 CDC Williams-Hutchins Health Equity Award for her work as a COVID-19 case investigator.

Tony Wang , a double major in Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations and History of Art at Yale, has been awarded the 2024 Henry Fellowship to pursue postgraduate studies in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at Oxford University. His academic pursuits are deeply anchored in the ancient history and archaeology of the Silk Road, with a keen focus on the Buddhist and Persian material cultures that flourished within Central Asia's heartlands. An active member of the “Guardian of Bamiyan and Gandhara” initiative, Wang is committed to the preservation of cultural heritage and the advancement of local education in the historically rich regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan. He also served as a curator and educator at the Yale Art Gallery, the UNESCO-recognized Dunhuang Academy, the Iran National Museum, and the Tsinghua University Art Gallery. He served as a research assistant with Professor Valerie Hanson, in Yale’s Department of History, and as a junior researcher at the Institution of Global Art History at Shanghai International University.

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Celebrating Success: Spotlight on Mary Baldwin University’s 2024 Graduates

MBU’s 2024 graduates comprise commissioning naval officers, Murphy Deming’s first class of Nurse Practitioners, and other laudable ambitions

As Mary Baldwin University prepares to bid farewell to its graduating class, we take a moment to celebrate the achievements and future plans of our remarkable students. Each story embodies the vibrant, diverse, and ambitious spirit that thrives at MBU. Here are just a few of the outstanding graduates stepping boldly into the future.

Olivia Gagne: A Mathematical Mind with Global Aspirations

From Nokesville, Olivia Gagne graduates with a bachelor of science in applied mathematics and a minor in computer science. A leader at heart, Gagne’s most memorable MBU experience was her role as a lead orientation leader during the 2023–24 academic year. Her senior thesis on “The Effects of Kernel Functions on Support Vector Machines for Handwritten Digit Recognition” not only earned her the Best Q-Award at MBU’s Capstone Festival but also underscored her academic prowess. This summer, Gagne will enhance her academic journey at St. Anne’s College, University of Oxford, proving her belief that she can thrive in any situation with confidence and support.

Gerardo Escalera Cardoso: A Future in Law Shaped by Advocacy and Inquiry

Gerardo Escalera Cardoso, hailing from Harrisonburg, graduates with a BA in political science and economics. His active engagement in Quest, an interfaith dialogue initiative, demonstrates his commitment to fostering community and understanding at Mary Baldwin University. Escalera’s academic pinnacle was his senior thesis, “When Logic Trumped Anger,” which not only earned him a presentation spot at the 2023 Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Research Conference but also publication in their journal. As he prepares to attend the University of Richmond Law School in Fall 2024, Escalera credits his MBU education with honing the critical reasoning, writing, and interpersonal skills essential for his future legal career. His advice to incoming students underscores the value of extracurricular involvement for enriching both academic and personal growth.

Katelin Whitcomb: A Chemist Commissioning into the Navy

Katelin Whitcomb, from Montrose, Colorado, graduates with a BS in chemistry, with minors in criminal justice and leadership. For Whitcomb, MBU’s annual Apple Day stands out as a cherished tradition. Notably, she has consistently earned the Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership’s “Top Gun” award for outstanding cadets. Whitcomb is set to commission into the Navy as the first VWIL nuclear submarine officer, a path made possible through MBU’s robust VWIL program and its partnership with Virginia Military Institute.

Jackeline Peraza: Business and Sustainability Advocate

Jackeline Peraza of Woodbridge, graduates with a bachelor of arts in business with an emphasis in sustainability. Her most memorable MBU experience was the 2024 Kwanzaa Celebration, which was marked by laughter, challenges, and unforgettable friendships. Peraza ‘s leadership was recognized with the Campus Leadership Award in 2022–23. After graduation, she plans to take a gap year to gain practical experience in the business world, building on her academic foundation and the professional development opportunities MBU has provided.

Quentin Hart: Champion of Innovation and Leadership

From Herndon, Quentin Hart is graduating from Mary Baldwin University with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and communications, and a minor in business. Notable for founding and leading MBU’s first men’s basketball team to a conference championship, Hart also excelled academically, being nominated for the annual Capstone Festival for his marketing campaign for a local nonprofit. Post-graduation, Hart will pursue an MBA at MBU and intern at the National Reconnaissance Office, ready to tackle future challenges with the leadership skills and professionalism developed at the university. Hart feels his experience exemplifies the profound personal and professional growth facilitated by MBU’s supportive and dynamic environment.

Trenise Turner: Bridging Military Service and Advanced Nursing Practice

Trenise “Nise” Turner, a standout graduate from Mary Baldwin University, is receiving her family nurse practitioner and doctorate of nursing practice degrees. Her journey at MBU is highlighted by her successful defense of her DNP project and her invaluable clinical experience at a military health facility serving U.S. service members, veterans, and their families. Turner’s dedication extends beyond academia into her role as a Navy Reservist, where she plans to leverage her advanced nursing skills to enhance her service. She advises new MBU students to maintain a fervent desire to learn, establish strong connections with professors, and embrace the learning process with enthusiasm.

Nina Copeland: A Scholar’s Journey from MBU to the University of Virginia

Nina Copeland, from Stuarts Draft, graduates from Mary Baldwin University with a degree in English and history and a minor in sociology, enhanced by an honors degree from the Baldwin Honors Scholars program. Her academic journey is marked by notable achievements including writing two theses and serving as honors scholars’ president and co-editor-in-chief of the Outrageous Fortune literary magazine. Copeland’s roles as a tutor, tour guide, and peer mentor have all contributed to her comprehensive development. She will continue her academic pursuits by studying for her master’s degree in English at the University of Virginia this fall. Copeland credits the unwavering support and mentorship of her MBU professors as pivotal in her personal and professional growth, advising new students to forge strong connections with their instructors.

Lauryn Faulkner-Sitton: Aspiring Veterinarian with a Passion for Large Animal Welfare

Lauryn Faulkner-Sitton, originally from Durant, Oklahoma and now residing in Staunton, Virginia, is graduating from Mary Baldwin University with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Biology. Lauryn’s memorable study abroad experience in Costa Rica, led by Dr. Paul Callo, deepened her passion for ornithology and ecological conservation, enhancing her understanding of diverse ecosystems and cultures. A highlight of her academic journey was winning Best Oral Presentation in Microbiology at the Association for Southern Biologists conference for her thesis on Cryptosporidium infection in Angus cattle. Lauryn’s ambition extends to attending Veterinary School to specialize in large animal care, including cows, elephants, and rhinos, driven by her desire to research and improve wildlife welfare. She credits MBU with fostering her love for learning and advises future students to engage fully with their education, utilize campus resources, and build relationships with their professors, who she finds exceptionally approachable and insightful.

Amanda McComas: From MBU to Community Care

Amanda McComas, hailing from Raphine, achieves a significant milestone as she graduates with her doctor of nursing practice (DNP), specializing as a family nurse practitioner. McComas’ journey at MBU is highlighted by deep connections with faculty and staff, which she describes as pivotal to her success. Her doctoral project, which placed second at the Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners event, marks a proud achievement as she was the first DNP student representing Murphy Deming at this level. Post-Commencement, McComas plans to serve her community as a nurse practitioner, leveraging the extensive hands-on experience gained through her studies at MBU.

This handful of students is a cross-section representing the drive, creativity, and success of the entire graduating Class of 2024. Each student’s graduation is an estimable accomplishment, only made possibly with resilience through adversity, perseverance against discouragement, and effort despite exhaustion. These are the lessons that each MBU grad will carry with them, not just for time, but for eternity.

Looking for more information about MBU’s 182nd Commencement? Visit the Commencement Preview article for information about the ceremony and what it entails.

Submitting your thesis to ORA: Requirements

• Eligible degrees
• Requirements
• What to deposit
• Pre-deposit checklist
• Hardcopy thesis submission
• How to deposit
• Open Access
• Pre-publication concerns
• Restricted access to your thesis
• Edited/dissemination copy of your thesis
• Oxford Research Theses and predatory publishers
• Funder/sponsor requirements
• Third party copyright
• Fair dealing
• RightsLink®
• Google Maps/Permissions
• Creative Commons
• Unable to get copyright permissions
• Separate appendix
• Plagiarism concerns
• Information for Supervisors
• Digital preservation
• Visibility of your thesis
• Persistent URLS

This page outlines when a thesis can be deposited to ORA, and the requirements which must be met in order for the deposit to be eligible.

When to deposit

Current students must have been granted  leave to supplicate  following examination of their thesis to be eligible for deposit.

Theses should be deposited in good time (a minimum of five working days) in advance of graduation so that they can be processed by the ORA team.

Alumni and Oxford staff/researchers can deposit their thesis to ORA at any time.

Conditions of deposit

The following conditions must be met in order to deposit your thesis:

• The degree for which your thesis was written is eligible for deposit (see:  eligible degrees )
• The deposited file should be the final examined version as it was passed by the examiners with all corrections included (see: what to deposit)
• Inclusion of the thesis in ORA must not infringe copyright or any other rights including those rights of material included in the thesis where copyright is held by a third party. This is the responsibility of the depositor to check (see:  copyright )
• The author must agree to the ORA deposit statement for theses
• A digital version of the thesis must be submitted by the depositor (ORA cannot offer a digitisation service at the present time)
• A thesis record, including the thesis abstract, will be created for your theses and made publicly available via ORA, unless specific dispensation has been granted (see: dispensation ) 

Additionally, for current students:

• Any embargoes on access beyond 3 years must be approved by the supervisor or another appropriate person in the department which granted leave to supplicate.

For alumni and Oxford researchers/staff who graduated before the COVID-19 pandemic:

• A print copy of the thesis must have been deposited in the Bodleian Library

ORA reserves the right to refuse any item if any of these conditions are not met, or in any other exceptional circumstances.

Hardcopy Thesis Submission

Conditions regarding the deposit of physical theses to the Bodleian Libraries as detailed within the requirements surrounding a degree at Oxford have been changing. For information on physical theses deposit please see the section ' hard copy theses ' and refer to the requirements of your degree.

Oxford Glossary

Supplicate : Ask for a degree to be conferred at a degree ceremony.  E.g. candidates who satisfactorily complete a DPhil are granted ‘Leave to supplicate’, meaning they have passed.

• Oxford Glossary of terms Weblink to Oxford Glossary
• University of Oxford glossaries PDF containing a glossary of Oxford terms, acronyms and obsolete Oxford usages.
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• Last Updated: Apr 10, 2024 5:00 PM
• URL: https://libguides.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/digitaltheses

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