Study at Downing

Downing is a friendly, informal community that encourages all students who study here to strive for academic excellence and realise their full potential.

The teaching process

The teaching of Downing’s undergraduates is shared between the University and the College. University faculties and departments hold lectures and practical classes, attended by students from all colleges.

Individual or small-group teaching is provided by the College, taught by our Fellows and by those from elsewhere in the University.

These teaching sessions are called Supervisions. Students meet their Supervisor in a particular subject to discuss their work and any problems encountered in lectures or reading.

Supervisions are organised by the Director of Studies in each subject, who also advises students on any lectures, seminars and practical sessions they should attend.

Read the Cambridge University Prospectus for a comprehensive guide to the Cambridge application process, its courses, and colleges.

Courses

Find out more about the courses on offer at Downing College.

Tutors

Students are assigned a Tutor, usually remaining with the same Tutor throughout their studies.

Directors of Studies

Each student is allocated a Director of Studies (DoS) who is responsible for their academic work and progress.

Academic societies

Many groups with common interests flourish at Downing College.

Supervisions bring people together in active conversation. In the interplay of teaching and learning, they combine intellectual rigour with the profound pleasures of encounter, challenge, and discovery.
Dr Sarah Kennedy, Fellow in English