Tutorial
At Oxford, a tutorial is the University's central form of undergraduate teaching: a meeting of one, two or three students with a tutor, usually to discuss an essay or set of problems they have just written. Tutorials are arranged by the colleges and sit alongside the lectures and classes run by University departments.
In practice
A typical week in a humanities subject means reading, writing an essay and defending it in an hour-long tutorial; in sciences it means problem sheets worked through with the tutor. Students may have one or two tutorials a week, and the tutor's written reports feed into the end-of-term review. The format rewards arguing a position under questioning, which is why it is often described as Oxford's defining feature. Cambridge has the same system under the name "supervision".
Why it matters to newcomers
The habit of the tutorial shows up in working life: Oxford graduates are used to sending a draft in advance and expecting it to be challenged line by line. In the city, "I've got a tute" is a standard reason for leaving early, and essay crises the night before are part of student folklore.
Related
- Collections - the college exams that test tutorial work
- Finals - the examinations the tutorials prepare for
- Michaelmas, Hilary and Trinity - the weekly rhythm of tutorials