Women at Oxford: 100 years of Oxford degrees for women
Women at Oxford: 100 years of Oxford degrees for women

Women Making History

Women Making History celebrates women’s contribution to scholarship and to progressive change at Oxford, 100 years since the first women were awarded degrees at Oxford in 1920.

The year 2020 is a landmark year in the history of Oxford University; in October, we mark a century since the first women collected their degrees in the Sheldonian Theatre. To mark this centenary and celebrate the contribution of women to Oxford, we have launched Women Making History: 100 years of Oxford degrees for women. The centenary provides an opportunity to take stock of our progress in promoting women’s education and advancing gender equality and diversity.

October 1920: the first degrees

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the formal admission of women at Oxford University. Find out more about this milestone, and what it means in the context of the University's overall history:

Timeline: 100 years of women's history at Oxford

This timeline marks some of the significant moments since 1920, when women at Oxford were first awarded the University degrees that they had earned. Women have made extraordinary contributions to academic excellence and University life at Oxford, despite considerable resistance. Most of these inspiring women are well known and many have been pioneers in their field. From remarkable achievements in science and politics, to important victories for women's movements, such as suffrage and childcare, explore the powerful story of these women and their struggle for gender equality at Oxford University and beyond in the last 100 years. View timeline.

You can also download another version of the timeline.

Timeline, 100 years of women's history at Oxford

To learn more about women’s history at Oxford from 1878 to 1920, explore the interactive timeline on the Education and Activism website, featuring a comprehensive digital collection of original documents from the former women’s colleges and the Bodleian Libraries.

Celebrating 100 years of women in Oxford Medical Sciences

100 years since women were admitted as full members of the University of Oxford, women now hold vital posts at all levels of this institution. Medical Sciences Division asked 100 of these women to take part in a project to showcase diversity of roles they now hold. Launching on Thursday 11 February, each day they will be bringing you a new group of incredible women working across the Medical Sciences Division, each reflecting on their journeys, their place in Medical Sciences and their vision for the next 100 years.

Find out more on the MSD website or follow @OxfordMedSci on Twitter.

100 years women Oxford Medical Sciences

History of women at Oxford

Women at Oxford today

Get involved

Women Making History is shining a spotlight on the diverse women who have contributed to Oxford, as well as the women who are shaping its future today. In the coming months, we will explore and share stories of Oxford women as scholars, students, researchers, academics, clinicians, technicians, librarians, archivists, activists, artists and much more. If you have a story about an Oxford woman that you think should be told, please get in touch at centenarycomms@admin.ox.ac.uk or join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #WomenatOxford.