A summer course in Oxford, by LMH Summer Programmes
Jane Austen created some of the most fondly loved characters in literature, with generations of readers fascinated by her juxtaposition of romance and reality in Regency England. Why do Austen’s novels continue to resonate so deeply across the centuries? Join this course to immerse yourself in this captivating world where love, class, and identity intersect, explore the key themes and stylistic techniques employed, and discover how Austen’s work continues to influence literature and popular culture today.
This course focuses on the novels of Jane Austen, four published in her lifetime (Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma), two published posthumously (Persuasion, Northanger Abbey), and one unfinished (Sanditon). You will examine key themes in Austen’s novels, such as the roles of family and femininity, of class, manners, status and authority, and you will learn about Austen’s pioneering and distinctive narrative techniques, including her use of free indirect discourse, epistolary narration, and natural dialogue. You will consider the literary context in which Austen was writing, and as well as discussing the varied reception of Austen’s work, from the ‘fandom’ of Janeitism to the critical reassessment of her works through feminist or postcolonial frameworks, and the cultural phenomenon of Austen adaptations in theatre, film, and ‘fan-fiction’, from traditional interpretations to modern re-imaginings such as Bride and Prejudice and Bridget Jones’s Diary.
This course provides a thorough introduction to the life, works, and influence of Jane Austen, and is perfect for students seeking to develop their skills of literary analysis and their knowledge of this seminal author.
You will stay in College accommodation onsite at Lady Margaret Hall, in bedrooms normally occupied by our undergraduate students during term time.
You will eat breakfast each day in the Dining Hall, and lunch and dinner will also be provided in College on each of your teaching days. On the final evening of the course there is a Graduation Formal Hall, when students dress up in their finest outfits for a special banquet served in the Dining Hall.
LMH Summer Programmes are designed and delivered by experienced academics from Lady Margaret Hall and across the University of Oxford, and are taught using the Oxford teaching model, which emphasises personalised small-group learning.
In a series of thought-provoking lectures and lively seminar discussions you will learn about cutting-edge research, expand your core knowledge, and explore new ideas and concepts among peers with diverse international perspectives and academic backgrounds.
Tutorials, the conclusion of each week’s study, are an intellectual thrill. They are a unique opportunity for focused and personalised attention from an expert academic and a space for enthusiastic debate of important ideas. Alongside no more than two to three other students, you will present and discuss your work, accept constructive criticism, and engage with the ideas of your fellow students. These rigorous academic discussions help develop and facilitate learning in a way that cannot be done with lectures alone.
On a three-week LMH Summer Programme students produce one piece of assessed work every week, which is submitted to the tutor and then discussed in a tutorial. At the end of each week you will receive a percentage grade for your submitted work. Each week’s work counts for a third of your final percentage grade, so your final grade is an average of the mark received for each piece of work. Students who stay for six or nine weeks will receive a separate grade for each 3-week course.
Lady Margaret Hall will provide a transcript of your assessed work, and can send this directly to your home institution if required. LMH Summer Programmes are designed to be eligible for academic credit, and we will communicate with your home institution to facilitate this as needed. As a guide, we recommend the award of 15 CATS / 7.5 ECTS / 4 US Credits for each 3-week course.
Would you like to join a pub quiz, visit a medieval castle, or go punting on the river? Our team of Residential Advisors are here to help you get to know other students, explore the city, and have an authentic experience of life as a student at an Oxford college.
