This summer the Humanities Division welcomed 16 undergraduate interns onto 7 different Uniq+ research projects hosted by academic staff in the faculties of English, History, Classics, Philosophy and Medieval & Modern Languages.
The University’s UNIQ+ graduate access programme offers students from under-represented and disadvantaged backgrounds an opportunity to experience postgraduate research at Oxford through paid internships. The programme is just one of the initiatives aimed at encouraging applications to graduate study and increasing the number of promising postgraduate students from these groups at Oxford. Longer term, it is hoped that this will increase the diversity of academia and professions where a PhD is valued.
Undergraduates on the Humanities programmes looked into subjects ranging from the application of digital methods to early modern parliamentary culture through to philosophical approaches to responsible artificial intelligence. Participants undertook an introductory training week in humanities research methods, including sessions at the Bodleian Library, before pursuing independent research under the guidance of their academic supervisor and completing a final project and presentation.
Dr Benjamin Thompson, Associate Head (Education) in the Humanities Division, said: ‘The Uniq+ internship programme is an important initiative that supports the Division’s ambition to increase the participation of under-represented groups in humanities graduate study. Interns gain insight into the rich resources and collections available at Oxford and a flavour of the experience of undertaking postgraduate research, equipping them with skills and knowledge that will put them in a strong position when applying for graduate courses in the future.'
Nusaybah, a UNIQ+ intern in Humanities, said: 'The work was very rewarding, I really enjoyed it and it felt like my work was actually contributing to something bigger.'
UNIQ+ interns were paid a stipend of £2,500 for six weeks and accommodated free-of-charge by one of ten Oxford colleges participating in the scheme. As part of the programme they also receive mentoring and advice, as well as support for applying to postgraduate study. You can read more about the scheme here: https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2022-09-22-graduate-access-programme-students-...
