Master of Philosophy in Archaeology

(SeeThe alsofinal intake to the generalMaster noticeof Philosophy in Archaeology was in Michaelmas term 2019; no further cohorts will begin this course and the course will be discontinued at the commencementend of thesethe regulations2020/21 academic year. .)

Within the Division of Social Sciences, the course shall be administered by the Committee for the School of Archaeology. The regulations made are as follows:

• 1. Candidates for admission must apply to the Committee for the  School of Archaeology. They will be required to produce evidence of their appropriate qualifications for the proposed course including their suitable proficiency in relevant ancient or modern languages.

• 2. Candidates must follow for six terms a course of instruction in Archaeology.

• 3. The registration of candidates will lapse from the Register of M.Phil. students on the last day of the Trinity Full Term in the academic year after that in which their name is first entered in it, unless the committee decides otherwise.

• 4. All candidates are required:

  • (a) to satisfy the examiners in a Qualifying Examination identical with that for the degree of Master of Studies in Archaeology and  comprising three subjects governed by regulations 5-98 for that degree, in the Trinity Full Term of the academic year in which their name is first entered on the Register for M.Phil. students except that under regulation 5(c) of that degree a 10,000 word dissertation may not normally be offered, and in its place of a second subject should be offered selected from Schedules B-D, examined by two pre-set essays.  In the case of failure in one part of the Qualifying Examination, the candidate will have the same rights of resubmission as for the Master of Studies and, if successful, will be granted permission to supplicate for the degree of Master of Studies but will not be permitted to proceed to the second year of the M.Phil. Candidates whose work in the Qualifying Examination is judged by the examiners to be of the standard required for the degree of M.St in Archaeology, but not of the standard required to proceed to the second year of the M.Phil. in Archaeology, will be granted permission to supplicate for the degree of Master of Studies in Archaeology;

  • (b) to deliverupload to the ExaminationAssignments Schools,section Highof Street,the Oxford,course notWebLearn site no later than noon on the Friday of the sixth week of Trinity Full Term in the academic year after that in which their name is first entered on the Register for M.Phil. students, a thesis of not more than 25,000 words (excluding bibliography and any descriptive catalogue or other factual matter, but including notes and appendices) on the subject approved in accordance with regulations 6 and 10 below;

  • (c) to presentoffer themselvesa further subject chosen from Schedules A-D for writtenthe examinationMaster of Studies in accordanceArchaeology withand regulationwhich 5is belownormally taught in the Trinity FullMichaelmas Term of the academicsecond year. after[Candidates thatwho offered a subject from Schedule C or D in whichthe theirQualifying nameExamination ismay firstnot enterednormally onoffer another subject from the Registersame forschedule.] M.Phil.The studentssubject will be examined by two pre-set essays (each of no more than 5,000 words) regardless of the Schedule from which it has been selected;

  • (d) to present themselves for an oral examination as required by the examiners.

• 5. The written examination shall comprise one subject chosen from Schedules A-D for the Master of Studies in Archaeology. [Candidates who offered a subject from Schedule C or D in the Qualifying Examination may not normally offer another subject from the same schedule.] The subjects will be examined by two pre-set essays (each of 5,000 words), except that further subjects from Schedule A in the M.St in Archaeology may also be examined by a written paper, and those from Schedule A of the M.St in Classical Archaeology will only be examined by written paper.

• 6. The choice of subjects for thesisexamination and examinationthe thesis title must be approved by the candidate’’s supervisor and submitted for approval by the committeeSchool of Archaeology Graduate Studies Committee by noon of Friday of the seventh week of Trinity Full Term of the academic year in which the candidate’s name is first entered on the Register for M.Phil. students,   and such approval having regard to the candidate’’s previous experience and to the availability of teaching. Notice of the subject must be given to the Registrar (via Student Self Service) no later than Friday of the eighth week of the Michaelmas Full Term preceding the examination.

• 76. Candidates will be expected to show sufficient general knowledge of the appropriate history and geography for a proper understanding of their subjects.

• 8. The subject for examination and the chosen method of examination must be submitted for approval by the committee  in time for its meeting in eighth week of the Trinity Full Term of the academic year in which the candidate’s name is first entered on the Register for M.Phil. students. Notice of the subject must be given to the Registrar no later than Friday of the eighth week of the Michaelmas Full Term preceding the examination.

• 97. Where optionssubjects are examined by pre-set essays (as specified in 54 above), candidates will normally selectpropose essay topics fromin aconsultation list offered bywith their supervisorssupervisor or relevant course provider. The proposed essay titles, countersigned by the supervisor, must be submitted for approval toof the Chair of Examiners by noon on Friday of the seventh week of the Hilary Full Term preceding the examinations. Candidates must submit two copies of their essays by notno later than noon on Friday of the sixth week of Trinity Full Term, to the Examination Schools. Essays must be typed or printed. 

• 10. The proposed thesis title must be submitted for approval by the committee in time for its meeting in the eighth week of the Trinity Full Term of the yearterm in which the candidate’sinstruction namefor that subject is firstcompleted. enteredCandidates must upload their preset essays to the Assignments section of the course WebLearn site no later than noon on Monday of the Registerfirst week of the term following that in which instruction for M.Philthat subject was completed. studentsEssays should bear the candidate’s examination number but not his or her name.

• With respect to preset essays and theses, only the file submitted via WebLearn constitutes a valid submission, no concomitant hard-copy submission may be submitted for any purpose. Each submission must be accompanied by a declaration indicating that it is the candidate’s own work.

• 118. Candidates are advised that adequate reading knowledge of an appropriate language or languages (other than English) may be necessary to reach the standard required by the examiners.

• 129. Candidates will be required to deposit one copy of the thesis with the Examination Schools. Successful candidates will be required to deposit one hard copy of the thesis in the Sackler Library or the Balfour Library, as directed by the examiners. Such candidates will be required to complete a form stating whether they give permission for their thesis to be consulted.

• 1310. Candidates whose work in the Final Examination is judged by the Examiners not to be of the standard required for the degree of M.Phil. in Archaeology but whose work in the Qualifying Examination nevertheless reached the standard required for the degree of M.St in Archaeology, may be offered the option of resitting the M.Phil. Examination under the General Regulations §§ 2, cl. 4, or of being granted permission to supplicate for the degree of Master of Studies in Archaeology.

• 14. The examiners may award a distinction for excellence in the whole examination.