Master of Philosophy in History

Differences from 2020/21 to 2021/22

The regulations of the Board of the Faculty of History are as follows:

1. Candidates for the Master of Philosophy in History must follow for at least six terms a course of instruction and directed research and must, upon entering the examination, produce from their society a certificate to that effect.

2. Candidates must attend such lectures, seminars and classes as their lead supervisor shall determine. In addition to the formally examined programme elements described below, each candidate will be expected to attend and complete in-course requirements for a series of skills options based on a schedule to be published from year to year by the Faculty's Graduate Studies Committee. The candidate's individual programme, agreed with their supervisor, will be subject to approval by the Director of Graduate Studies, in consultation with the programme convenor, by Friday of Week One of Michaelmas Term; subsequent changes must be agreed by the Directorprogramme of Graduate Studiesconvenor not later than Friday of Week Three of Hilary Term. Class teachers will report to the Chair of Examiners on the candidate's attendance and participation, and, where appropriate, test results, not later than Monday of Week Nine of Hilary Term, except in the case of three-term language classes where the respective reporting deadline will be Monday of Week Nine of Trinity Term. 

3. Candidates must apply for and follow a particular named strand of the programme, chosen from a list published by the Faculty by 1 September of the year before entry.  They may only change to a different strand with the written agreement of their supervisors, and of the ConvenerConvenor of the MPhil in History and the Director of Graduate Studies.

4. The final examination shall comprise (i) one extended essay based on the programme’s core component, (ii) one extended essay based on an Advanced Option, (iii) one extended essay based on a class on the writing of History, (iv) one research methodology essay and (v) a dissertation of not more than 30,000 words in the final year of the programme.

  • I.    During Michaelmas Term of the first year, each candidate shall attend a core programme, comprising introductory lectures, strand-specific classes on sources and historiography, and mixed classes on historical theory and methodological approaches. The core course will be assessed by an extended essay of between 3,000 and 5,000 words. The essay must be submitted by 12 noon on Monday of Week OneNought of Hilary Term of the first year. The submission will require the candidate to make a declaration indicating that it is their own work. The assessment of the annotated bibliography and the dissertation proposal will be on a pass/fail basis only, and candidates who fail one of these elements will be given the opportunity to submit a revised version in the course of their programme. 

  • II.    In Hilary Term of the first year candidates must choose one Option course, normally from the Options for the Master of Studies in History. The choice of Option must be discussed with the candidate’s supervisors and will depend on the candidate's training objectives or dissertation project. Details of available Options are published in course handbooks. Candidates wishing to take an Option paper from another programme offered by the History Faculty, and exceptionally, by other Faculties, may do so with the permission of the Programmeprogramme Convenorconvenor, the person responsible for the delivery of the requested option/advancedOption paper, and their supervisor, and the Director of Graduate Studies.  Such candidates will be assessed according to the regulations with respect to the form of assessment and deadlines governing that optionOption (i.e. the regulations of the programme under which the AdvancedOption paper is offered), but the modes of assessment and deadlines for the other course elements of the programme for which the candidate is registered will remain in force. This part of the programme will be assessed either by one extended essay of between 86,000 and 10-7,000 words or by two extended essays of 4-5,000 words each, depending on the Option taken. The essay should be submitted by 12 noon on Friday of Week NineTen of Hilary Term of the candidate’s first year. The submission of the essay will require the candidate to make a declaration indicating that it is their own work. This essay should reflect skills and understanding that the candidate has developed by following the choice of Option paper. This essay may complement but must not share significant content with the essay submitted under I. above. Teaching may not be available for all the Advanced Options each year. 

  • III.        In Trinity Term candidates take a class on ‘Writing History’ and finalise a proposal for their dissertation. The Writing History classes will be assessed by an extended essay of between 4,000 and 5,000 words. The essay may complement but must not share significant content with the essays submitted under I. and II. above. The essay should be submitted by 12 noon on Monday of Week Nine of Trinity Term of the candidate’s first year. The submission of the essay will require the candidate to make a declaration indicating that it is their own work.

  • IV.    Candidates must prepare one methodological essay (of up to 7,000 words) and a seminar presentation for a class on ‘Historical concepts and controversies’, to be examined in Trinity Term of the candidate’s second year. Students may choose a topic for their essay and presentation in an area proximate to their dissertation subject, but may not replicate any other material submitted for examination. The essay must be submitted by 12 noon on Monday of first week of Trinity Term of the candidate’s second year. The candidate will be required to make a declaration indicating that it is their own work. 

  • V.    A dissertation of not more than 30,000 words, including footnotes and appendices but excluding bibliography, on a topic approved by the candidate’s supervisor. The dissertation must be submitted by 12 noon on Monday of Week Eight  of Trinity Term of the candidate’s second year, accompanied by a declaration indicating that it is the candidate’s own work. Dissertations submitted must not exceed the permitted length. If they do the Examiners will reduce the marks awarded. The presentation and footnotes should comply with the requirements specified in the Regulations of the Education Committee for the degrees of M.Litt and D.Phil and follow the Conventions for the presentation of essays, dissertations and theses of the Faculty of History. Each dissertation must include a short abstract which concisely summarises its scope and principal arguments, in about 300 words. One copy of an M.Phil. dissertation which is approved by the examiners must be deposited in the Bodleian Library. This final copy should incorporate any corrections or amendments which the examiners may have requested. It must be hard bound, in a dark colour, and lettered on the spine with the candidate’s name and initials, the degree, and the year of submission.

5. A candidate who has failed to satisfy the examiners in any one of the papers may enter again to be examined on the failed assessment on one, but not more than one, subsequent occasion. This resubmission of paper will be made within twelve months of the original assessment deadline (Oxford Calendar). No candidate who has satisfied the examiners in any one of the examinations may enter again for the same examination. Candidates who have initially failed any element of assessment shall not normally be eligible for the award of merit or distinction.

6. All submitted assessments should be accompanied by a declaration that they are the candidate's own work.