Master of Philosophy in Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature

Differences from 2015/16 to 2021/22

(See also the general notice at the commencement of these regulations.)

The regulations made by the Board of the Faculty of Classics are as follows:

    • 1. Course. Every candidate must follow for at least six terms a course of instruction in Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature.

      2. Options. See the schedule below. Candidates are required to offer a thesis (D) and any two options chosen from A, B, and C.

      3. Approval of Options. The choice of options will be subject to the approval of the candidate's supervisor and of the Graduate Studies Committee in Classics, having regard to the candidate's previous experience, the range covered by the proposed options, and the availability of teaching and examining resources. Options under B7B6-B9B8 in disciplines other than Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature require the approval of both the Graduate Studies Committee for Classical Languages and Literature and the Graduate Studies Committee responsible for the discipline concerned.

      Candidates must submit their provisional choice of options to the Academic Administrative Officers, Ioannou Centre, 66 St. Giles', Oxford, OX1 3LU not later than noon on Monday of Week 0 of Hilary Full Term in the first year of their course; the proposed thesis title not later than Tuesday of Week 1 in the Trinity Full Term of their first year; and the proposed titles of any pre-submitted essays (see §§§§ 5 and 6) no later than noon on the Monday of Week 0 of Hilary Full Term of the second year of the course (except that the titles of essays to be examined at the end of the first year of study in accordance with cl. 7 below should be submitted no later than the noon on the Monday of    Week 0 of Hilary Full Term of the first year of the course).

      Not all options may be available in any given year.

      4. Examination. The texts for the options in Section A will appear in the M.St./M.Phil. handbook issued in Week 0 of the Michaelmas Term preceding the examination. Each of these options will be examined by (i) a written paper (three hours) of passages for translation and comment, in which the passages for comment will be set only from the books listed under αα in each case, while passages for translation will be set from the books listed under both αα and ββ in each case, and (ii) by three presubmitted essays (see §§ 6 below) which between them display knowledge of more than a narrow range of the topic. Passages for translation and comment will be set from the editions listed in the M.St./M.Phil. handbook: for any option approved under 11 the edition will be specified by the Graduate Studies Committee in Classical Languages and Literature.

      5. Any candidate whose native language is not English may bring a bilingual (native language to English) dictionary for use in any examination paper where candidates are required to translate Ancient Greek and/or Latin texts into English.

      6. Presubmitted essays. Essays should each be of between 5,000 and 7,500 words. 

    • The  essay word limit excludes only the bibliography; quotations, notes and appendices are included. A note of the word-count must be included. Candidates who edit and annotate a substantial text, or compile a substantial descriptive catalogue, may apply to the Graduate Studies Committee no later than three weeks before the submission deadline for permissiondispensation to exclude thecertain textother ortypes catalogueof in questionmaterial from the word-count; countguidance is provided in the handbook.

      Supervisors or others are permitted to give bibliographical help with, and to discuss a first draft of, such essays.

      The essays (two typewritten or printed copies) must be delivered in a parcel bearing the words ‘Essays submitted for the M.Phil. in Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature’uploaded to the ExaminationUniversity Schoolsapproved online assessment platform, High Street, Oxford OX1 4BG, to arrive  by noon on Wednesday of Week 6 in the appropriate Trinity Full Term.

      7. One of the two options taken from A, B and C must be completed by the end of the first year of study. If it is an option to be examined by presubmitted essays, these must be delivered as in §§ 6 above, but to arrive by noon on the Wednesday of Week 6 in the Trinity Full Term of the first year of study for the M.Phil.

      8. In theses and pre-submitted essays all quotations from primary or secondary sources, and all reporting or appropriation of material from those sources, must be explicitly acknowledged. Each candidate must submit a signed declaration of authorship in a sealed envelope together with the thesis or pre-submitted essay.

      9. Oral Examination. Candidates are required to present themselves for oral examination if summoned by the examiners.

      10. Distinction. The examiners may award a distinction for excellence in the whole examination.

      11. A candidate who fails to satisfy the examiners may enter for the examination on one (but not more than one) subsequent occasion (as provided under the appropriate regulation). If it is the opinion of the examiners that the work done by a candidate, while not of sufficient merit to qualify for the degree of M.Phil., is nevertheless of sufficient merit to qualify for the degree of M.St. in Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature, the candidate shall be given the option of resitting the M.Phil. or of being granted leave to supplicate for the degree of Master of Studies.

    Schedule

    Section A

    • 1A1. Historiography

      2A2. Lyric Poetry

      3A3. Early Greek Hexameter Poetry

      4A4. Greek Tragedy

      5A5. Comedy

      6A6. Hellenistic Poetry

      7A7. Cicero

      8A8. Ovid

      9A9. Latin Didactic

      10A10. Neronian Literature*

    • A11. Latin Literature from Titus to Trajan*

    The exact prescribed texts for each of options 1-10 will be as listed in the Student HandbookA12.

  • 11. Any other text or combination of texts approved by the Graduate Studies Committee in Classics.

    • The exact prescribed texts for each of options A1-A11 will be as listed in the Student Handbook.

    *N.B. University classes will only be given for one of options A10. Neronian Literature and A11. Latin Literature from Titus to Trajan each year. For further details, please see the course handbook.

    Section B

    • 1B1. The transmission of Greek texts, and the elements of palaeography and textual criticism, with closer study of Euripides, Orestes 1-347 and 1246-1693. Candidates will be required (i) to presubmit two essays on some aspect of the transmission of Greek texts or textual criticism, (ii) sit a paper on Greek Palaeography (1.5 hours), and (iii) to take a paper (Honour School of Literae Humaniores, subject 513: 3 hours) of transcription and of comment on passages in the set text.

      2B2. The transmission of Latin texts, and the elements of palaeography and textual criticism, with closer study of either (a) Seneca, Agamemnon Medea: manuscripts, texts, interpretation: manuscripts,or texts, interpretation or(b) Catullus 1-14, 27-39, 44-51, 65-7, 69-76, 95-101, 114-1610: manuscripts, texts, interpretation. Candidates will be required (i) to presubmit two essays on some aspect of the transmission of Latin texts or textual criticism, (ii) to sit a paper on Latin PaleaographyPalaeography (1.5 hours), and (iii) to take a paper (Honour School of Literae Humaniores subjects 514515 or 515524: 3 hours) of transcription and of comment on passages in the set text.

      3B3. Greek and Latin Papyrology, with special reference to literary papyri. Candidates will be required (i) to submit two essays that between them display more than a narrow range of the topic, and (ii) to undertake a practical test, in their own time. (TheyIn the practical test, they are to prepare and submit an edition, in proper scholarly form, of an original papyrus or small group or papyri. A papyrus or group of papyri will be assigned to each candidate not later than Saturday of Week 6 in the Hilary Full Term preceding the candidates final term.) The edition must be uploaded to the University approved online asessment platform by noon on Wednesday of Week 6 in the appropriate Trinity Full Term.

      4B4. Comparative Philology, with special reference to the history of the Greek and/or Latin language. Two papers will be set. Paper (i), Essays, will cover (a) basic questions about the comparative and/or historical grammar of Greek and/or Latin, and (b) questions about the history of the Greek and/or Latin language. Paper (ii), texts for translation and linguistic commentary, will include a compulsory question with  passages set from either Greek dialect inscriptions and/or Latin archaic inscriptions; other passages will be set, from Greek and/or Latin literary texts;, thereand will be an opportunity to show knowledge offrom Linear B and/or Oscan and Umbrian.

      5B5. Theoretical Approaches to Classical Literature

      6. Reception: Theory and Methods

    • OptionsOption B5 and B6 will be examined by means of four pre-submitted essays and require attendance at the associated classes.

      7B6. Any option available in the M.Phil. in Classical Archaeology, Schedule B. This option will be examined either by two presubmitted essays or by a dissertation of not more than 10,000 words. The deadlines for submission of essays will be those of the MPhil in Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature.

      8B7. Any option available in the M.Phil. in Greek and/or Roman History, Lists B and C. ThisThe optionmode of assessment will be examinedas byspecified twoin presubmittedthe essaysregulations for the M.Phil. Thein Greek and/or Roman History. However, the deadlines for submission will be those of the MPhil in Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature.

      9B8. Any other subject approved by the Graduate Studies Committee in Classics, which will determine the method of examination.

    Section C

    • 1C1. Intermediate Greek. There will be one two-hour paper comprising unseen translation and grammatical questions on prescribed texts and one three-hour paper requiring translation from prescribed texts. A detailed specification and prescribed texts for the paper will appear in the MSt/MPhil handbook issued in Week 0 of the Michaelmas Term preceding the examination. Alternative texts for translation under this head may be offered by agreement with the Graduate Studies Committee.

      2C2. Intermediate Latin. There will be one two-hour paper comprising unseen translation and grammatical questions on prescribed texts and one three-hour paper requiring translation from prescribed texts. A detailed specification and prescribed texts for the paper will appear in the MSt/MPhil handbook published in Week 0 of the Michaelmas Term preceding the examination.

    Section D

    • A thesis of up to 25,000 words, on a subject to be proposed by the candidate in consultation with the supervisor, and approved by the Graduate Studies Committee in Classics. ( The thesis word limit excludes only the bibliography; quotations, notes and appendices are included. A note of the word-count must be included. Candidates who edit and annotate a substantial text, or compile a substantial descriptive catalogue, may apply to the Graduate Studies Committee no later than three weeks before the submission deadline for permissiondispensation to exclude thecertain textother ortypes catalogueof in questionmaterial from the word-count; countguidance is provided in the handbook. Supervisors or others are permitted to give bibliographical help and to discuss drafts.

      The thesis (two typewritten or printed copies) must be delivereduploaded in a parcel bearingto the wordsUniversity ‘Thesisapproved foronline theassessment Mplatform.Phil. in Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature’ to reach the Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford OX1 4BG,  by noon on Wednesday of Week 6 in the Trinity Full Term in which the examination is to be taken.

    The examiners may invite a successful candidate to agree that one copy of his or her thesis be deposited in the Bodleian Library.