Oxford’s Faculty of History a majestic building stands before you. Its story is woven into the very fabric of Oxford itself. For centuries Oxford has been a centre for the study of history. The Faculty’s roots stretch back much further than its current building. Medieval and modern history have been taught at Oxford longer than almost anywhere else. A Regius Professor of Modern History was appointed way back in 1724. Undergraduate examinations began in 1850.
The Faculty of History boasts over ninety permanent academic staff. Fifteen are professors or readers. Many staff members hold joint appointments. They teach at the Faculty and their respective colleges. The Faculty also employs college lecturers. Junior Research Fellows work there too. Departmental lecturers support postgraduate students. Research assistants work on funded projects. Its wider membership includes colleagues from other faculties and departments. The University of Oxford is a global hub for history studies. The Faculty attracts nearly twelve hundred undergraduates and almost five hundred graduate students from all over the world.
The Faculty’s current location is the former City of Oxford High School for Boys on George Street. It moved there in 2007. The departmental library had a different journey. It moved from the former Indian Institute on Catte Street to the Bodleian Library’s Radcliffe Camera in 2012. The Faculty is self-governing. It is led by a rotating group of academics. The Chair of the Faculty Board heads the Faculty. This position is a three-year term. The Faculty is home to numerous professorships. These professorships are often linked to specific colleges. Research within the Faculty of History is vast and diverse. Research groups cover a wide range of historical periods and geographical areas. They include the Britain and Europe Group the Centre for Early Modern British and Irish History and the Oxford Centre for Medieval History. The Faculty supports many research projects across countless themes. The scope encompasses everything from Gender and Warfare to the History of Science and Medicine.
The Faculty’s influence stretches far beyond its walls. Many notable academics have shaped the Faculty’s reputation. It has also educated countless influential alumni. These alumni include prime ministers such as Clement Attlee and Harold Wilson. Famous writers such as Graham Greene and Evelyn Waugh are also alumni. The Faculty of History at Oxford is more than just a place of learning. It is a living testament to the enduring power of history and the ongoing quest for knowledge. The Faculty of History. A place where the past comes alive. A place where history continues to be made. A place you will not forget.