Welcome
We are excited to introduce this year’s offerings of Oxford Academia: at Oxford, the American University of Paris, and Yale University. Oxford Academia is offered by Putney Student Travel, the leader in educational summers for more than seven decades, and was developed in collaboration with Professor James Basker, a Barnard College/Columbia University professor, Oxford Rhodes Scholar, and President of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Professor Basker brings to Oxford Academia his 37 years of experience introducing high school students from around the world to the wonders of learning at Oxford, the epicenter of education and knowledge, and other esteemed colleges and universities. Collectively, Putney and Professor Basker have welcomed thousands of bright, motivated students from all over the world to learn alongside motivated peers.
What makes Oxford Academia programs different and special is the truly outstanding faculty and guest lecturers that Professor Basker and Putney have assembled. They are Rhodes, Marshall, Gates, and British Academy scholars, with teaching posts at Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, the Sorbonne, American University of Paris, and other top institutions. They have earned awards for excellence in the arts and sciences, in scholarship and in teaching, and they bring unparalleled expertise and passion for their subjects to the classroom.
Ultimately, though, the magic of Oxford Academia stems from the students themselves, their interests, and the energy they contribute. Some students come to Oxford Academia to pursue a subject they love, others to explore new possibilities; some to build a background for college, others to escape the pressures of GPA and class rank; and still others to indulge their curiosity for different cultures, and experience living and breathing the traditions of these storied universities.
Whether in Oxford, Paris, or Yale, students on our programs thrive in a community of academically ambitious and intellectually curious peers. We hope to see you at Oxford Academia this summer!
Why Choose Oxford Academia?
Oxford Academia sets itself apart with its academic resources, unparalleled access, and decades of experience in providing transformative summer programs for students. The full breadth of the student experience—from seminars and workshops to community activities and extracurriculars—provides students the opportunity to further themselves academically, connect with peers, and set themselves on a course for future success and exploration.
Decades of Experience
Our programs are a collaboration between Professor James Basker, an Oxford graduate with 30+ years of experience offering summer programs at Oxford and other institutions, and Putney Student Travel, a family-run organization with seven decades of experience developing innovative and educational summer programs.
Engaging Seminars
A wide range of seminar offerings enables students to pursue their academic interests—from business and medicine to the arts, and everything in between. Seminars are designed to encompass foundational and promising fields, and are curated to take advantage of all that each university and destination have to offer.
Distinguished Educators
Students gain inspiration from distinguished educators and academics, featured scholars, keynote lecturers, and meetings with industry experts and thought leaders, who bring to the program diverse backgrounds with high-level, real-world experiences and insights.
The Oxford Academia Experience
Oxford Academia programs invite intellectually ambitious high school students to learn from the finest teachers, scholars, and industry professionals at some of the world’s most esteemed universities. Choose an academic major and minor, pursue your subjects in the company of motivated peers, and engage with course material under the guidance of distinguished faculty, developing crucial skills to help you excel in future studies, gaining insight into potential academic or career paths, and fostering lifelong friendships along the way.
Program Structure
After breakfast, students dive into their major seminar, which begins in classrooms, labs, or meeting spaces, then often ventures out to local historical sites or museums, or includes visits from guest experts. After lunch taken independently in small peer groups, students head to their minor seminars or afternoon activities. Afternoons and evenings offer opportunities to explore the city, pursue their interests through elective workshops, and take part in exciting extracurricular activities.
After dinner, students and faculty from all seminars convene for evening activities, which may include hearing a special guest speaker, taking in a play or concert, or attending a Q&A session on the college admissions process.
Workshops & Guest Speakers
In addition to in-depth major and minor seminars, explore other interests and topics in elective lectures and workshops offered by instructors and visiting guests alike. Evening workshops and keynote speakers offer opportunities to speak with and learn from world-renowned educators, entrepreneurs, actors, and historians, with the opportunity for Q&A and discussion.
Featured Faculty
We are proud of the truly outstanding faculty members who join students each summer in Oxford, Paris, and Yale. They are Rhodes, Marshall, Gates, and British Academy scholars, with teaching posts at Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, the Sorbonne, American University of Paris, and other top institutions. They have earned awards for excellence in the arts and sciences, in scholarship and in teaching, and they bring unparalleled energy and passion for their subjects to the classroom. Meet a few of our featured faculty members below.
Alyssa Mohammed
University of Oxford, M.Sc., Comparative Social Policy (candidate)
University of the West Indies, University of Oxford, B.Sc. Sociology, PGDip Gender and Development
Fitzroy “Pablo” Wickham
University of Oxford, Ph.D., Clinical Neuroscience (in progress)
Wesleyan University, B.A., Neuroscience and Theater
Ziad Majed
Sciences Po Paris, Ph.D., Political Science
American University of Beirut, M.A., Arabic Literature
American University of Beirut, B.A., Economics
Alexander Yen
University of Oxford, MPhil, DPhil, International Relations (candidate)
University of Oxford, B.A., (Hons.)
History and Politics
Craig A. Masback
Yale Law School, J.D.
Princeton University, B.A., Public & International Affairs
Vanessa
Lincoln
University of California, Berkeley, M.A., Ph.D., Modern European History
University of Chicago, B.A., Modern European History, minor in French
Hector Peralta
Yale University, Ph.D., American Studies (in progress)
Brown University, B.A. Ethnic Studies; B.A. Education Studies
Mihaela Mitrovic
University of Cambridge, Ph.D. in Architecture and Neuroscience
University of Oxford, M.St., Film Aesthetics
University of Vienna, M.Sc., Cognitive Science
King’s College London, M.Sc., Neuroscience
University of Novi Sad, B.Arch., M.Arch., Architecture
OXFORD ACADEMIA AT
Session 1: July 5–July 18 | Session 2: July 19–August 1
Immerse yourself in the full Oxford experience this summer, living and learning at a constituent college of Oxford University, one of the world’s oldest and most esteemed institutions. Pursue your chosen major and minor subjects amid Oxford’s iconic architecture, historic halls, and storied streets. With the guidance and insights of faculty, scholars, and guest speakers, find your place in Oxford’s renowned academic tradition.
Oxford University
As one of the oldest universities in the world, Oxford remains the epicenter of scholarship and learning. Live and take courses in one of its most historic colleges, immersing yourself in British academic life, with full access to the college’s beautiful facilities. Find intellectual inspiration in the museums and lecture halls, on the cobbled streets, and in the picturesque countryside—an environment that has inspired some of the greatest minds in history.
History & Tradition
For centuries Oxford has drawn scholars and leaders from around the world, making it an ideal location for the curious, globally minded students of today, eager to expand their intellectual horizons and explore university life. This summer, marvel at the architecture of the Radcliffe Camera, the Bodleian Library, the Pitt Rivers and Ashmolean museums (Great Britain’s oldest), and the Sheldonian Theatre, and follow in the footsteps of world leaders, scientists, medical researchers, business leaders, and artists.
About James Basker
Professor Basker co-founded our flagship Oxford Academia program. He earned his B.A. from Harvard, followed by his doctorate at Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship, and has founded, directed, and taught summer programs and teacher seminars at Oxford for over 30 years. Jim offers plenary talks and private tours of the university and city on both Oxford sessions.
Seminars at Oxford
Oxford Academia is designed for intellectually curious students to pursue an academic interest at one of the world’s most prestigious universities. Students choose a major seminar and a minor seminar, taught by academic faculty and active professionals. Majors meet each morning and minors alternating afternoons, and students engage with course material through lectures from guest speakers and scholars, small group projects, classroom discussion, and experiential learning.
Architecture & Design
Explore how we interact with space through hands-on exercises paired with critique sessions, small-scale construction projects, and guest designers. Dive into how the concepts of design and sustainability are inextricably linked, and gain insights into sustainable building materials, energy-efficient technologies, and sustainable urban planning. Discover how architectural design can be a catalyst for positive environmental change, addressing pressing global issues. Learn how the concepts of use cases, impact studies, material life cycles, and functional aesthetics overlap and inform both products and policies focused on design.
Creative Writing
Whether you want to write your first novel or create a poem that captures a specific emotion or experience, this dynamic workshopstyle seminar is a step toward finding your voice and pushing your boundaries as a creative writer. Through personalized exercises led by published authors, develop skills in the genre of your choosing while exploring important craft challenges such as dialogue, imagery, narrative structure, word choice, theme, and storytelling technique. Share your work and receive valuable feedback from your peers and instructor as you push yourself to think creatively and try new techniques.
Pre-Med
Led by a practicing doctor or professor of medicine, this seminar introduces students to every aspect of medicine, from the science prerequisites in the pre-med major, to the systems of the body and how they correlate to the various specializations in medicine, to career paths in clinical practice and research, to the latest developments in medical research today. Topics included in this seminar bring attention to such diseases as cancer, diabetes, obesity, HIV, and COVID-19. Meet with researchers and medical practitioners to gain a better sense of the challenges doctors face today and how the practice of medicine continues to evolve.
Full Seminar List:
• AI: Application, Implication, & Ethics
• Architecture & Design
• Art History
• Business & Entrepreneurship
• Comparative Economics
• Creative Writing
• Criminology & Justice
• Debate & Public Speaking
• Drama & Performance
• Engineering & Innovation
• English Literature
• International Relations & Diplomacy
• Law & Society
• Math: Statistics & Probability
• Oncology: The Science of Cancer
• Philosophy
• Pre-Med
• Psychology
• Sports Business & Media
• War & World History
American University of Paris
Session 1: July 5–July 18 | Session 2: July 19–August 1
Discover the full scope of one of the world’s most intellectually stimulating cities. Located in the heart of the 7th arrondissement, Paris Academia at the American University of Paris offers students an unparalleled Parisian university experience. Delve into your major and minor seminars with the city as your classroom. Together with peers and esteemed faculty, take advantage of all on offer in this global hub of arts, fashion, finance, cuisine, and diplomacy.
American University of Paris
The American University of Paris is a vibrant urban campus, nestled in the heart of the city. Some buildings overlook the Seine on the Quai d’Orsay, while others are tucked into the quiet St. Dominique neighborhood a few blocks away, between the Invalides and the Champ de Mars and Eiffel Tower. In a mix of elegant historic structures and modern, state-of-the-art facilities, students are immersed in university life and inspired by the Parisian experience.
OXFORD ACADEMIA AT
History & Tradition
As one of the oldest American educational institutions in Europe, and the first in France, the American University of Paris is the ideal location to pursue academics and the arts. This summer, students will find inspiration in Paris’ vibrant social and cultural scene, following in the footsteps of world leaders, scientists, artists, and researchers—on the banks of the Seine, in the Musée d’Orsay up the street, at La Bourse, the French stock exchange, and more.
Paris Academia Seminars:
• Art History
• Business & Entrepreneurship
• Creative Writing
• Fashion Design & Culture
• French Cuisine
• French Language: French Cuisine (Advanced/Intermediate French)
• French Language: Streets of Paris (Advanced/Intermediate French)
• History of Paris
• Law & Society
• Paris & the Creative Imagination
Yale University
Session 1: June 29–July 11 | Session 2: July 13–July 25
Journey into the heart of intellectual excellence and experience the Ivy League on the campus of Yale University, immersed in an atmosphere of curiosity, innovation, and tradition. Choose from seminars at the forefront of knowledge to foster critical thinking in the modern world. Beyond the classroom, Yale’s vibrant campus teems with cultural events, art exhibitions, and fun activities. Oxford Academia at Yale is a unique opportunity to absorb knowledge, expand your horizons, and join a tradition of academic excellence.
Yale University
Founded in 1701, Yale boasts a legacy that spans centuries. The sprawling and iconic campus is nestled in the heart of New Haven, Connecticut, and blends historic charm with cutting-edge resources and innovative research facilities. Students on Oxford Academia at Yale gain access to this unparalleled wealth of knowledge while immersing themselves in the university’s storied legacy.
OXFORD ACADEMIA AT
History & Tradition
As one of the oldest universities in the U.S., Yale University has long attracted brilliant scholars and minds. Its alumni include presidents, Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and trailblazing intellectuals. This summer, students will find inspiration in this tradition and history, following in the footsteps of these luminaries and forging their own path for intellectual exploration and discovery.
Yale Academia Seminars:
• AI: Application, Implications, & Ethics
• Business & Entrepreneurship
• Creative Writing
• Future of Finance: Cash to Crypto
• Math: Statistics & Probability
• Politics & Human Rights
• Pre-Med
• Psychology
• Sports Business & Media
Oxford Academia at Yale is operated independently of Yale University and is not sponsored or endorsed by the University. The views expressed in connection with the program are not the official positions, statements of advice nor opinions of Yale University and should not be viewed as an endorsement by Yale of any such views or statements.
Apply Today
Join us on an Oxford Academia 2025 summer program and connect with an inspiring academic community of student peers and distinguished educators. Begin your application today at oxfordacademia.com or call 802.387.5000 to speak with our admissions team.
Eligibility
Students completing 9th through 12th grades are eligible to participate in Oxford Academia programs. Motivated rising 9th graders will also be considered.
Multiple Sessions
Students who attend two sessions receive a tuitionreduction. Program dates are also linkable with Putney’s other pre-college offerings. Choose your own path!
Scholarship Opportunities
The Putney Open Door Fund, a nonprofit foundation whose purpose is to provide support for young people seeking educational summer experiences, considers scholarship applications from students applying to Oxford Academia programs. Learn more at goputney.com/podf
Begin your application today!
AI: Application, Implication, & Ethics
Architecture & Design
Art History
Business & Entrepreneurship
Comparative Economics
Creative Writing
Criminology & Justice
Debate & Public Speaking
Drama & Performance
Engineering & Innovation
English Literature
Fashion Design & Culture
French Cuisine
French Language (Multiple Options)
Future of Finance: Cash to Crypto
History of Paris
International Relations & Diplomacy
Law & Society
Math: Statistics & Probability
Oncology: The Science of Cancer
Paris & the Creative Imagination
Philosophy
Politics & Human Rights
Sports
War & World History
