Since 1925 the Museum of the History of Science in the Old Ashmolean Building has housed an outstanding collection of scientific instruments and a library of 13,000 volumes. The creation of the Chair of the History of Science and the Readership in the History of Medicine in the early 1970s gave added encouragement, and now Oxford has one of the largest communities of teachers and graduate students in the history of science, medicine, and technology in Britain. The senior members of staff in the discipline, who include the Professor of the History of Science, the Keeper, the Senior Assistant Keeper, and the Assistant Keeper of the Museum of the History of Science, and the Reader in the History of Medicine, are members of the Faculty of Modern History, and specialist lectures, classes, and supervision are all closely integrated in the wider work of the Faculty. Indeed, it is one of the strengths of the History of Science, Medicine and Technology at Oxford that the work of those holding appointments in the field is strongly supported by a number of historians in the colleges who have an active interest in the discipline. There are also close contacts with colleagues in other faculties, notably in Social Studies, the Sub-faculty of Philosophy, and Oriental Studies.
Supervision is available across a wide range of the history of science, medicine, and technology.
There are special strengths in the history of the early modern and modern European science, and in the history of industrial technology since the 19th century. The Unit is responsible for the course teaching in history of medicine, and its research expertise focuses on the history of infectious diseases and tropical medicine. General information on the University and procedure for application as well as Application Forms and an introductory booklet, Graduate Studies in Modern History, are available from the Graduate Admissions Office, University Offices, Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2JD, to which applications should be sent.