Honour School of Oriental Studies

Candidates must take both a subsidiary language 

The languages which may be offered shall be:

As first language: and a second language. 

Candidates must take either Egyptian (Egyptology) or Akkadian or(Egyptology Egyptianand Ancient Near Eastern Studies) as a first language. 

OneCandidates must take one of the approved languages as a second language, as listed in the Table at the end of these regulations. 

Candidates must take ten papers as set out in (a), (b) and (c) below: 

(a) Candidates must take all of the following aspapers second language (which must be different fromin the first language): 

Akkadian

1.  Translation Pape
2. Prepared Texts
3. Text Edition Essay: a submitted essay (take-home paper). 

Early(b) Iranian

Egyptian

Coptic

Hittite

Sumerian

(teaching for some languages may not be available every year)

Candidates willmust be required to offertake the following papers:

•  
  1. Translation paper (first language).

• 2. Translation paper (second language).

• 3.,        4. Literary and historical topics including prepared translation from first language.

• 5., 6. Literary and historical topics including prepared translation from second language.

  For papers 4 and 6, in each case four passages from a list of prescribed texts will be set for examination by essay. For each paper, candidates must present a translation of and essay on one passage. Papers should be typed and provided with proper scholarly apparatus. The passages for paper 4 will be published at 10 a.m. on Monday of Week 1 in Full Term in the term in which the final examination is to be offered, and must be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform no later than 12 noon on Monday of Week 2. A signedSpecial statement that the essay is the candidate's own work should be submitted separately. The passages for paper 6 will be published at 10 a.m. on Monday of Week 3 in Full Term in the term in which the final examination is to be offeredOption, and must be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform no later than 12 noon on Monday of Week 4. Essays should not exceed 3,500 words. A signed statement that the essay is the candidate's own work should be submitted separately. Candidates will be contacted with details of how to collect or access the papers.

  Candidates offering one of the following as the second language in the above papers follow the regulations for ‘Subsidary Languages’ in the Honour School of Oriental Studies:

  Arabic

  Aramaic and Syriac

  Classics (in the Honour School of Classics and Oriental Studies)

  Hebrew (Biblical and Rabbinic)

  and Early Iranian.

  Candidates offering Classics as a subsidiary language in the Honour School of Classics and Oriental Studies must offer in place of papers 2, 5 and 6 three subjects in Classics according to the conditions specified in the syllabus for that School.

• 7. A field of concentration to be chosen from a list of topics published at the beginning of Michaelmas Term each year by the OrientalSubject Studies Faculty BoardGroup for examination in the following academic year. Candidates may instead propose their own fieldSpecial ofOption, concentration. The choicewhich must be approved by the BoardSubject Group in eachMichaelmas caseTerm of the candidate's final year.

• 8      5. Selected Egyptian and/or Ancient Near Eastern artefacts together with essay questions on material culture. 

• 9      6. A General paper, including questionsPaper on Egyptology andeither Ancient Near Eastern Studies todayor Egyptology.

• 10      7. A dissertation on a topic to be approved by the FacultySubject BoardGroup, of a different character from thatthe topic chosen for paper 74 (the topic will typically relate to the first language but could relate to the second language or Archaeology and Anthropology or to an area of overlap).3 

• 11.Instead of either paper 4 or paper 7 candidates offering Egyptian artas first language may optionally choose to substitute: 

  8.  Egyptian Art and architecture. This paper is optional and may be taken in substitution for 7. or 10. aboveArchitecture. Selection of this paper is subject to approval by the BoardSubject ofGroup.

  (c) Candidates must take three papers for their second language. The papers required for the Facultysecond oflanguage Orientalare listed below under the relevant subsidiary language.  

  Egyptology, and Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies.

•   (Archaeology and Anthropology track) 

  OrCandidates must take papers 1–7 (or 8) as given for Egyptology, forand Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies with(language Archaeologytrack) above and Anthropology, candidates will be required to offer papers 1, 3-4, and 7-10 above, and the following three papers: 

  1.  The Nature of Archaeological and Anthropological Enquiry.

  2. 12.Either (a) The nature of archaeologicalUrbanism and anthropological enquiry.

  3. Society 13.or  Urbanisation and change in complex societies: comparative approaches or(b) From Hunting and Gathering to States and Empires in South-West Asia.

  4. Either (a) Social Analysis and Interpretation or (b) Cultural Representations, Beliefs, and Practices. 

  14. Social analysis and interpretation or Cultural representations, beliefs and practices.

All candidatesCandidates will be required to undertake a course of practical work, including laboratory work.

Candidates They will be assessed, atby the end of the sixthsecond termyear fromof matriculationtheir course, on their practical ability, under the provisions for Honour Moderations in Archaeology and Anthropology.

Candidates They will also be required to take part in approved fieldwork as an integral part of their course. The fieldwork requirement will normally have been discharged before the Long Vacationend of sixthe termssecond fromyear matriculationof the course. 

Hebrew

Either, for Hebrew only,,

Candidates for Course I will be required to offer seven papers and a dissertation. Candidates for Course II will be required to offer seven papers and a dissertation, and an oral examination. Candidates for Course II are required to spend a year abroad as stated in the Special Regulations for Honour School of Oriental Studies.

• 1. (for Course I): Hebrew composition and unprepared translation.

  (for Course II): Essay in modern Hebrew and unprepared translation.

  2. Prepared texts I: Biblical texts.

  3. Prepared texts II: Rabbinic and Medieval Hebrew texts.

  4. Prepared texts III: Modern Hebrew literature.

  5.  History, Culture and Society.

  6. and 7. Two optionaloption papers of which at least one must be chosen from any of sections I, II, and III as published in the Jewish Studies papercourse chandbook. Not more than one paper from Section V of the Jewish Studies course handbook..

  8.  Dissertation (Refer to Section B, Special Regulations for the Honour School of Oriental Studies). 

  9. (for Course II) Oral.1

Or, for Hebrew with a subsidiary language, Papers 1-4 and 8 above, and three papers from one of the followingapproved additionalsubsidiary subjects:languages Akkadian,as Arabic,listed Aramaic and Syriac, Classics (in the HonourTable Schoolat the end of Classicsthese andregulations. Oriental Studies), Egyptology, Persian and Turkish.

Japanese

The Boardpapers of the Faculty of Oriental Studies shall issue the handbookrequired for the Honour School of Oriental Studies (Japanese and Japanese with aeach subsidiary language) noare laterlisted thanbelow under the Mondayrelevant ofsubsidiary first week of the Hilary Full Term prior to the year in which candidates shall sit their Final Honour School examinationslanguage. The handbook shall include, amongst other information, course details, lists of set texts and regulations regarding the submission of dissertations and long-essays.

Japanese

Either, for Japanese only,

The following papers will be set:

• 1. Modern Japanese I.

• 2. Modern Japanese II.

• 3. Oral.1

• 4. Classical Japanese.

• 5. Dissertation on a subject approved by the Board of the Faculty.3

• 6. Special text option I.4

• 7. Special subject option I.4

• 8. Special text option II.4

• 9. Special subject option II.4

• 10. Either Special Text option III or Special subject option III.4

Or, for Japanese with a subsidiary language, Papers 1-7 above andthree papers 11,from 12,one andof 13the approved subsidiary languages as listed in the Table at the end of these regulations. The papers required for each subsidiary language are listed below inunder Chinese,the Korean,relevant orsubsidiary Tibetanlanguage. 

• 11. Chinese, Korean, or Tibetan Texts (Subsidiary).

• 12. Chinese, Korean, or Tibetan History and Culture (Subsidiary).

• 13. Chinese, Korean, or Tibetan Language (Subsidiary).

Jewish Studies

TheCandidates must take the following papers will be set.:

a1. One paper on one of the following languages: Biblical and Rabbinic, Medieval Hebrew, Modern Hebrew or Yiddish.    Papers for Biblical and Rabbinic Hebrew, Medieval Hebrew and Modern Hebrew are the same papers for subsidiary languages under Hebrew a(1), (b)1 and (c)1.  Referas togiven sectionbelow onunder Subsidiary Languages.  Teaching for some language options may not be available in every year.  

b2. Hi Historystory, Culture and Society 

c3.- 7. Five options, of which at least one must be chosen from each of sections I, II, and III as published in the course handbook. At least three must be chosen from papers which require study of set texts in the original language. Not more than one paper may be chosen from section V. The list of options will beas published in the course Handbook by Monday in the Week 1 of Michaelmas Term in the year preceding the examinationshandbook.  

Papers in section V will be examined in the form of two essays not exceeding 5,000 words in total. The subjects will be published at 10 a.m. on Monday of secondweek week2 of the Trinity term in the termfinal inyear whichof the finalHonour examination is to be offeredSchool, and must be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platformsubmitted no later than 12 noon on Monday of thirdweek week.3 Candidates will be contacted with details on how to collect or accessof the questionsame paperterm. A signed statement that the essays are the candidate's own work should be submitted separately.  

d. A dissertation (see the regulations for dissertations set out under B, SPECIAL REGULATIONS FOR THE HONOUR SCHOOL OF ORIENTAL STUDIES).

Special subjectsSubject may be offered instead of one of the five options in (c) above subject to the approval of the OrientalAsian and Middle Eastern Studies Board. 

Some8. A options may not be available in every year.dissertation  

Candidates may obtain from the Oriental Institute information about which options may be offered for examination the first Monday of Michaelmas Full Term of the academic year preceding that in which the papers will be set.

Applications for the approval of options must be submitted by the deadline published in the course handbook.

Persian

The following papers will be set. Candidates will be required to offertake ten papers.

• Either, for Persian only,

• 1. Unprepared translation from Persian.

• 2. Translation into Persian and essay

• 3. Oral.1

• 4. Persian literature: 1000 – 1400

• 5. Persian literature: 1400 – 1900

• 6. Persian literature: 1900 – the present

• 7. Themes in Iranian history

• 8. and 9. OptionalOption subjects in Iranian and Middle Eastern History and Culture. The list of available optionaloption subjects will be available in the Course Handbook

• 10. Dissertation3Dissertation

• or, for Persian with a subsidiary language,

• (a) Papers 1., 2., 3., 7., and 10. as given for Persian above and 11. and 12.  

• (b) Two papers from a choice of papers 4., 5., and 6 as given for Persian above 

• 13.,  14.,  and 15. Subsidiary language.(c) Three papers onfrom one of the followingapproved subsidiary languages: Arabic,as Armenian, Hebrew, Early Iranian, Classics (in the Honour School of Classics and Oriental Studies), Hindi/Urdu, and Turkish.

• Applications for the approval of options in papers, 8., 9., 13., 14., and 15. must be submitted to the Faculty Office by the deadlinelisted in the CourseTable Handbookat the end of these regulations. The papers required for each subsidiary language are listed below under the relevant subsidiary language. 

Sanskrit

The following papers will be set:

• 1. Sanskrit unprepared translation.

• 2. Essay questions on the history of classical Indian literature, history and civilizationculture.

  This paper may include questions on the visual arts in ancient India.

• 3. Ancient Indian linguistics.

   

• 4. For candidates offering Hindi, Early Iranian, Pali, Prakrit, or Tibetan as additional language: The historical philology of Old Indo-Aryan, with particular reference to:

  • (a) Selected sūktas from the Ṛ g Veda (ed. Müller). A list of sūktas is available in the course handbook.

  • (b) Selected passages of prose from the Yajurveda Samhitâ and Brahmanas, and from the early Upanisads. A list of passages is available in the course handbook.

    For papers 5 and 6, two papers in a chosen area of Sanskrit studies approved by the Board of the Faculty. Applications for approval must be submitted by the Monday of the sixth week of the Trinity Term of the academic year preceding the examination. (Note: These papers are intended to allow candidates to specialise in a particular area of Sanskrit studies such as kāvya, dharmaśāstra, philosophy, grammar, or religion.)

• 5. UnpreparedChosen translationarea fromof Sanskrit textsstudies. Chosen area to be approved by the Subject Group. 

• 6. EssayA questionsspecial onsubject as approved by the chosenSubject areaGroup.

• 7. A special subject from among the following, or such other special subjects as may be approved by the board of the faculty:

  • (a) Comparative grammar of Sanskrit and Old IranianDissertation.

  • (b) Indian art and archaeology.

  • (c) Composition in Sanskrit prose and/or verse.

  • (d) Practical criticism and appreciation, including translation from the Sanskrit.

• Either

• 8. and 9. Two papers on one of the following additional languages: Hindi, Early Iranian, Pali, Prakrit, Tibetan.

• Or 8., 9., 10. Three papers on Classicsone (of the approved subsidiary languages as listed in the HonourTable Schoolat the end of Classicsthese andregulations. OrientalThe Studies)papers asrequired anfor additionaleach subsidiary language are listed below under the relevant subsidiary language.

   

Turkish

Turkish Handbook. The Board of the Faculty of Oriental Studies shall issue annually the Handbook for the Honour Schools of Oriental Studies (Turkish and Turkish with a Subsidiary Language) by Monday of Week 1 of the first Hilary Term of candidates’ work for the Honour School. The Handbook will include, amongst other things, lists of the set texts prescribed for particular papers.

The following papers will be set:

Either, for Turkish only,

• 1. Unprepared translation from Ottoman and modern Turkish.

• 2. Translation into Turkish and essay in Turkish.

• 3. Oral.1

• 4. Ottoman historical texts.

• 5. Turkish political and cultural texts, 1860 to the present.

• 6. Modern Turkish literary texts.

• 7., 8., 9. Three papers from a list of options published in the course handbook.

• 10.  A dissertation.3

or, for Turkish with a subsidiary language,  Papers 1-6 and 10 above (A dissertation is to be approved by the Board of the Faculty of Oriental Studies. See the ‘Guidelines for writers of Theses’ under Arabic and Islamic Studies above for notes concerning the preparation and submission of a dissertation) and

• t11., 12., 13. Threehree papers onfrom one of the followingapproved subsidiary languages: Arabic,as Armenian,listed Classics (in the HonourTable Schoolat the end of Classicsthese andregulations. OrientalThe Studies),papers Earlyrequired Iranian,for Hebrew,each Hindi/Urdu,subsidiary Persianlanguage are listed below under the relevant subsidiary language.

Subsidiary Languages 

Akkadian (for candidates offering Arabic, Classics (in the Honour School of Classics and Oriental Studies) or Hebrew as main subject).

The following papers will be set:

1. Translation paper. 

2. Prepared texts.

3. Text edition essay: a submitted essay (take-home paper).

Instead of either paper 2 or paper 3, 2,candidates 3may =offer Papersone 2of papers 4, 5, and6, 6or 7 as specified for Akkadian in the Honour School of Oriental Studies (Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies) above. (InsteadAny such substitution will be subject to the approval of either paper 5 or paper 6, candidates may offer one of papers 7, 9, or 10 as specified for the Honour School of Oriental Studies (Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies) Subject Group.

Arabic (for candidates offering Classics (in the Honour School of Classics and Oriental Studies), Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Hebrew, Persian, or Turkish as main subject).

The following papers will be set:

• 1. Arabic prose composition and unprepared translation.

• 2. Additional Arabic: literary texts.

  Selected classical and modern Arabic prose texts (lists available in the course handbook).

• 3. Additional Arabic: Islamic texts.

  Selected Arabic religious texts (list available in the course handbook).

  Papers 2 and 3 may contain general and linguistic questions.

Aramaic and Syriac (for candidates offering Arabic, Classics (in the Honour School of Classics and Oriental Studies), Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Hebrew or Persian as main subject).

The following papers will be set:

• 1. Syriac prose composition and Aramaic and Syriac unprepared translation.

• 2. Aramaic prepared texts.6

• 3. Syriac prepared texts.6

  Papers 2 and 3 may contain general and grammatical questions.

Armenian

The following papers will be set:

either

A. Classical Armenian7

• 1. Classical Armenian prose composition and unprepared translation.

• 2. Prepared religious texts.6

• 3. Prepared historical and other texts.6

or

B. Modern Armenian8

• 1. Modern Armenian prose composition and unprepared translation.

• 2. Prepared texts from the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries.6

• 3. Prepared texts from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.6

Papers 2 and 3 will include questions on the subject-matter and grammar of the texts offered, and Paper 3 will also include questions on Armenian language, literature, and history.

Chinese (for candidates offering Japanese as main subject)

The following papers will be set:

• 1. Chinese Prescribed Texts. (Lists of texts will be available in the course handbook.)

• 2. Either (a) Unprepared translation and prose composition, or (b) Classical Chinese. (Texts will be as prescribed for paper 3, ‘Classical texts’ of Moderations in Oriental Studies (Chinese).) 

• 3. History and Culture of China.

Coptic (for candidates offering Classics (in the Honour School of Classics and Oriental Studies) or Egyptology as main subject).

The following papers will be set:

• 1. Translation paper (Coptic unprepared translation and grammar).

• 2. Prepared texts I(Coptic).6

• 3. PreparedText textsedition II,essay with(Coptic): generala questionssubmitted essay (take-home paper).6

Early Iranian

Candidates offeringmust Classics (in the Honour School of Classics and Oriental Studies), Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Arabic, Persian or Turkish as main subject will offertake three papers, from those listed below with at least one but no more than two from group (a). Candidates offering Sanskrit as main subject will offer two papers: either one paper from group (a) and one paper from groups (b) or (c), or one paper from group (a) and paper (d).

(a) Old and Middle Iranian Language

• 1. Avestan Textstexts

• 2. Old Persian texts

• 3. Middle Persian texts

(b) Religion and Philology of Ancient and Late Antique Iran

• 4. Zoroastrianism

• 5. Indo-Iranian Philology

(c) History of Ancient and Late Antique Iran

• 6. The Achaemenid HistoryEmpire, 550-330 BC

• 7. The Sasanian HistoryEmpire, 224-651 AD

(d) Early Iranian Texts and Topics:

• 8. Texts and Topics

CandidatesFor paper 8, candidates will choose two of the subjects 1 to 7 above. Candidates may not choose under (d) a subject which they are also offering from groups (a)-(c), and in addition may not choose under (d) a subject from group (a) if they are already offering two subjects from group (a).

EgyptologyEgyptian  (for candidates offering Classics (in the Honour School of Classics and Oriental Studies) or Hebrew as main subject).

The following papers will be set:

1. Translation paper.

2. Prepared texts.

3. Text edition essay: a submitted essay (take-home paper).

Instead of either paper 2 or paper 3, 2,candidates 3may =offer Papersone 2of papers 4, 5, and6, 67, or 8 as specified for Egyptian in the Honour School of Oriental Studies (Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies) above. (InsteadAny such substitution will be subject to the approval of either paper 5 or paper 6, candidates may offer one of papers 7, 9 or 10 as specified for the Honour School of Oriental Studies (Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies) Subject Group.

Hebrew (for candidates offering Arabic, Classics (in the Honour School of Classics and Oriental Studies) or Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Persian or Turkish as main subject).

Candidates taking Arabic, Persian or Turkish may offer either (a) Biblical and Rabbinic or (b) Medieval or (c) Modern Hebrew. Candidates taking Classics (in the Honour School of Classics and Oriental Studies) may offer either (a) Biblical and Rabbinic or (b) Medieval Hebrew. Candidates taking Egyptology may offer only Biblical and Rabbinic Hebrew. Biblical texts will be set from Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (ed. Elliger and Rudolph). 

The following papers will be set:

• (a) Biblical and Rabbinic Hebrew:

• 1. Prose composition and unprepared translation.

• 2. Prepared texts I: Biblical texts.6

• 3. Prepared texts II: Rabbinic texts.6

  Papers 2 and 3 may contain general and grammatical questions.

  (b) Medieval Hebrew:

• 1. Unprepared translation.

• 2. Prepared texts I.6

• 3. Prepared texts II.6

  Papers 2 and 3 may contain general and grammatical questions.

• (c) Modern Hebrew:

• 1. Prose composition and unprepared translation.

• 2. Prepared texts I.6

• 3. Prepared texts II.6

Papers 2 and 3 may contain general and grammatical questions.

Hindi (for candidates offering Sanskrit as main subject)

The following papers will be set:

• 1. Hindi unprepared translation.

• 2. PreparedHindi prepared texts,.

• 3. with questionsQuestions on Hindi language and literature.
   

Hindi/Urdu (For candidates offering Arabic, Persian, or Turkish as main subject)

The following papers will be set:

• 1. Hindi and Urdu prose composition and unprepared translation;

• 2. Hindi prepared texts with questions on language and literature;

• 3. Urdu prepared texts with questions on language and literature.

Japanese (for candidates offering Chinese as main subject)

The following papers will be set:

1. Japanese texts
2. 1.Japanese History and Culture
3. Japanese Prescribed Texts.6
   Language

2. Either Unprepared translation, Prose Composition, and Grammatical Questions, or any Special Subject set for paper 8 of the syllabus in Japanese only [see the list of Special Subjects for Paper 8 set out under SPECIAL REGULATIONS FOR THE HONOUR SCHOOL OF ORIENTAL STUDIES, REGULATIONS CONCERNING INDIVIDUAL SUBJECTS, MAIN SUBJECTS, Japanese, Japanese only]

• 3. Essay questions on Japanese Culture.

Korean (for candidates offering Chinese and Japanese as main subject)

The following papers will be set:

• 1. Korean texts.6

• 2. Korean History and Culture.

• 3. Korean Language.

Pali and Prakrit (for candidates offering Sanskrit as main subject).

The following papers will be set:

• 1. Unprepared translation from Pali unpreparedand/or translationPrakrit literature.

• 2. Prepared texts.

  23. Questions on PaliMiddle Indic language and, literature, on Theravāda Buddhist doctrine, and on the early history of Buddhism in South Asiaculture.

Pali (for candidates offering Classics (in the Honour School of Classics and Oriental Studies) as main subject).

The following papers will be set:

• 1. Pali unprepared translation.

• 2. Questions on Pali language and literature, on Theravāda Buddhist doctrine, and on the early history of Buddhism in South Asia.

• 3. Prepared texts, with questions on contents.

Persian (for candidates offering Arabic, Classics (in the Honour School of Classics and Oriental Studies), Hebrew or Turkish as main subject).

The following papers will be set:

• 1. Persian Language.

• 2. Pre-Modern Persian Literature.

• 3. Modern Persian Literature.

PrakritSanskrit (for candidates offering Sanskrit as main subject).

The following papers will be set:

1. 1. PrakritSanskrit unprepared translation.

2. 2Sanskrit prepared texts.

3. Essay Questionsquestions on Prakritclassical languageIndian, literature, history, and literature and on the doctrine and early history of the Jainsculture.

SanskritSumerian (for candidates offering Classics (in the Honour School of Classics and Oriental Studies) and Chinese (in the Honour School of Oriental Studies) as main subject.)

The following papers will be set:

• 1. SanskritTranslation unprepared translationpaper.

• 2. Questions on Sanskrit language and literature.

• 3. Prepared texts

  3. Text edition essay: a submitted essay (take-home paper).

Tibetan (for candidates offering Chinese or Japanese as main subject)

• 1. Tibetan prose composition and unprepared translation.

• 2. Prepared texts, with questions.6

• 3. Questions on Tibetan culture and history.

Tibetan (for candidates offering Sanskrit as main subject).

The following papers will be set:

• 1. Tibetan prose composition and unprepared translation.

• 2. Prepared texts, with questions on Tibetan culture and history.

Turkish (for candidates offering Arabic, Classics (in the Honour School of Classics and Oriental Studies), Hebrew or Persian as main subject).

The following papers will be set:

• 1. Turkish prose composition and unprepared translation.

• 2. Either (a) Additional Turkish: Late Ottoman and modern Turkish literary texts.6

Or (b) Additional Turkish: Modern Turkish literary texts:6

• 3. Either (a) Additional Turkish: Political and cultural texts, 1860 to the present.6

•  
• Or (b) Additional Turkish: Political and cultural texts, 1920 to the present.6

Table of permitted combinations