During their final undergraduate year, when they have examinations, most people choose to live in College again. One of the most notable features of Somerville is its Library, which has well over 100,000 books and unlike many Oxford college libraries, caters for graduate students as well as undergraduates. The Library is also warm, comfortable to work in, and available for use at all times. The College has a well equipped Computer Room, offering excellent facilities for all members of Somerville. As an undergraduate your academic life will be centred on tutorials, lectures and, if you are a scientist, practical classes.
Tutorials have the great advantage that they are a very personal way of learning.
You prepare an essay or other work beforehand and then discuss it with your tutor, sometimes on your own, sometimes with one other student there. You will be taught by several tutors as you cover distinct areas of your subject. Some of these tutors will be in Somerville, while others will be in different colleges and departments. But you will also have one particular College tutor who arranges your tutorials and who supervises your progress generally. Somerville has College tutors in most subjects, but even if there is no tutor in the particular subject you want to read, the College would usually ask a tutor in a related subject to take responsibility for your work.