The eight week period is that part of the Oxford term during which the University lectures are given. Degree candidates normally arrive in zero week (the week before the first week of the eight weeks period) to meet with their supervisor regarding the term's courses, etc. Tutorial courses may extend into ninth or tenth week. According to experienced tutors, most degree candidates do academic work for at least 39 weeks a year (an average of 13 weeks a term). An important point is that Oxford degree candidates normally work on reading lists during the three vacation periods.
The Vice-Chancellor recently confirmed this view of the Oxford academic year in the Oxford Gazette. He wrote "... attention is being given to ways in which existing practices may be formalized to make explicit the fact that the academic year at Oxford is more nearly the thirty week year of other institutions, and not, as is commonly assumed, a twenty-four week year."
WISC will ensure that Visiting Students will be in residence for 13 weeks a term and will (depending on the individual college) normally study in two primary tutorial courses of nine tutorial sessions each. Alternatively, in some cases, three secondary courses of six tutorials each might be educationally desirable. Senior fellows also expect to consult with the Visiting Student's U.S. professors to work out the best academic programme for him or her.
This will mean that a Visiting Student could properly earn 13-14 U.S. semester credits over 12-13 weeks of intensive academic work.