LMH Summer Programmes

What are the causes of the vast differences in wealth between nations? Why have certain societies prospered whilst others still grapple with poverty? Will inequality between the developed and developing worlds be permanent? Addressing these questions and understanding today's global economy requires a historical perspective.

If these are questions you would like to explore, our Economic History course 'The Great Divergence, Convergence, and Beyond' may be perfect for you.

This course begins with an introduction to Economic History as an interdisciplinary subject, and to the methods and sources economic historians use. You will then explore some of the key events of the past 500 years, including the Transatlantic slave-trade, colonialism, and the Industrial Revolution, examining their links to the phenomenon known as the 'Great Divergence', when levels of wealth in the Western world separated from everywhere else. We will then consider the more recent phenomenon of 'Convergence', and investigate why certain countries, including Japan and China, managed to catch up with their European counterparts, whilst others fell further behind. In the final part of the course you will reflect on the limits of 'Convergence', and assess whether inequality has become an immovable feature of global development.

Throughout the course you will be introduced to frontline research and a variety of interdisciplinary approaches, with a particular focus on quantitative methods. This course would suit students in History, Economics, Political Science, or Sociology, and would be especially beneficial to students aspiring to undertake graduate study in History or Economics.

Visit our website to learn more about the course and find out how to apply.

The London Evening Standard has published its suggestions for the thirty best fantasy novels of all time. How many have you read?

What inspired the emergence and flourishing of fantasy literature in the 20th and 21st Centuries? Oxford - historic, beautiful, and timeless seat of learning - is closely associated with the genre. Towering figures of fantasy literature, J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, were both professors at the University of Oxford, and many more, like Diana Wynne Jones or Philip Pullman, were educated at Oxford. Our summer course 'Oxford and the Rise of Fantasy' offers a unique opportunity to examine the fantasy genre from its earliest origins to the present day, exploring at each stage the influence of Oxford and its writers.

Visit our website to learn more about 'Oxford and the Rise of Fantasy' and our other British Literature summer courses.

30 of the best fantasy novels of all time Not all those who wander are lost

The academic programme is the fundamental core of an LMH Summer Programme, but outside of your study time our 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.

The “RAs” run social events through the week, from tea-breaks during a study afternoon, to evenings out for mini golf or tenpin bowling. You will take part in fun activities that are typical of Oxford and British student life, such as punting on the River Cherwell or joining a pub quiz night. Friday nights may feature a karaoke party, or a live band leading a ceilidh.

You will also have the opportunity to take part in a fulfilling cultural programme. You may visit some of the University of Oxford’s world-renowned museums, such as the Ashmolean Museum or the History of Science Museum, or take a tour of the most historic parts of the Bodleian Library. You will take cultural excursions away from Oxford to explore other English cities, such as London, Bristol, and Bath.

Our exciting courses span the breadth of the academic spectrum from data science to psychology and from gender in literature to the politics of identity. You may wish to learn about the psychology of social connection or develop programming skills for machine learning, assess a feminist reading of Shakespeare or explore the geopolitical ramifications of climate change. Whichever course you choose, your LMH Summer Programme will offer you the opportunity to grow your knowledge base, to advance your skills in your chosen area of study, and to dig deep into topics of special interest.

Every course is taught using the tutorial system, the core teaching model of the University of Oxford, in which you engage in rigorous academic discussion with your tutor as part of a very small class of only two to four students. In these weekly classes you present and discuss your work, accept constructive criticism, and listen and engage with the work of your fellow students.

By joining an LMH Summer Programme and learning in this open and exhilarating intellectual environment you will not only gain new knowledge and deeper understanding, but also develop your critical reasoning skills and emerge empowered to articulate, debate, and defend your ideas.

. .

LMH Summer Programmes are provided by Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, a college in the University of Oxford.