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

(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 candidateCandidates must follow for at least six terms a course of instruction in Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature.

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

    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 B7-B9 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 α in each case, while passages for translation will be set from the books listed under both α and β 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 Graduate Studies Committee for permission to exclude the text or catalogue in question from the word count.

    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’ to the Examination Schools, 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 arrivesubmitted by noon on the Wednesday of Week 6 in the Trinity Full Term of the first year of study for the M.Phil.

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

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

    The essays must be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform, by noon on Wednesday of Week 6 in the appropriate Trinity Full Term.

    86. The word limits for presubmitted Inessays and for theses andexclude pre-submittedonly essaysthe allbibliography. quotationsCandidates frommay primaryapply orto secondarythe sources,Graduate andStudies allCommittee reportingno orlater appropriationthan three weeks before the submission deadline for dispensation to exclude certain other types of material from thosethe sources,word-count; mustguidance beis explicitlyprovided acknowledgedin the handbook.

    7. EachAny candidate mustwhose submitfirst language is not English may bring a signedbilingual declaration(first oflanguage authorshipto English) dictionary for use in aany sealedexamination envelopepaper togetherwhere withcandidates theare thesisrequired to translate Ancient Greek and/or pre-submittedLatin essaytexts into English. 

    98.   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.

    119. 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

  • 1Candidates may offer up to two options from List A. HistoriographyEach option will be examined by (i) a written paper of passages for translation and comment, and (ii)  three presubmitted essays which between them display knowledge of more than a narrow range of the topic. 

    2.A list of available options and the associated Lyric Poetry

    3. Early Greek Hexameter Poetry

    4. Greek Tragedy

    5. Comedy

    6. Hellenistic Poetry

    7. Cicero

    8. Ovid

    9. Latin Didactic

    10. Neronian Literature

  • The exact prescribed texts forand eacheditions of options 1-10 will be as listedappear in the StudentHandbook issued in Week 0 of the Michaelmas Term preceding the examination. In addition to the options set out in the Handbook.

  • , candidates may offer 11.an option Anybased on any other text or combination of texts approvedin byAncient Greek and/or Latin of their choice, subject to the approval of the Graduate Studies Committee in ClassicsClassical Languages and Literature.  

  SectionB

   Candidates may offer up to two options from List 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 presubmitsubmit 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: manuscripts, texts, interpretation: manuscripts, texts, interpretation or Catullus 1-14, 27-39, 44-51, 65-7, 69-76, 95-101, 114-1610: manuscripts, texts, interpretation. Candidates will be required (i) to presubmitsubmit two essays on some aspect of the transmission of Latin texts or textual criticism, (ii) to sit a paper on Latin Paleaography (1.5 hours)Palaeography, and (iii) to take a paper (Honour School of Literae Humaniores subjects 514515 or 515: 3 hours524.) 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. (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 assigneduploaded to eachthe candidateUniversity notapproved lateronline thanassessment Saturdayplatform by noon on Wednesday of Week 6 in the Hilaryappropriate Trinity Full Term preceding the candidate’s final term.)

    4B4. Comparative Philology,. This with special reference to the history of the Greek and/or Latin language. Two paperssubject will be setassessed by two written papers. 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 from either Greek dialect inscriptions or Latin archaic inscriptions; other passages will be set from Greek and/or Latin literary texts; there will be an opportunity to show knowledge of Linear B and/or Oscan and Umbrian. 

    5B5. Theoretical Approaches to Classical Literature

    6. Reception: Theory and Methods.

  • OptionsThis B5subject and B6 will be examined by means of four pre-submitted essays and require attendance at the associated classes.

    7B6. AnyAn option availablefrom inSchedule B of the M.Phil. in Classical Archaeology, Schedulesubject B.to Thisthe 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 thoseapproval of the MPhilGraduate Studies Committee in Greek and/or LatinClassical Languages and Literature and the Graduate Studies Committee in Archaeology. The submission deadline will be as specified under 4. above. 

    8B7. AnyAn option availablefrom inLists B or C of the M.Phil. in Greek and/or Roman History, Listssubject Bto andthe C. This option will be examined by two presubmitted essays. The deadlines for submission will be thoseapproval of the MPhilGraduate Studies Committee in Greek and/or LatinClassical Languages and Literature and the Graduate Studies Committee in Ancient History. The submission deadline will be as specified under 4. above. 

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

  Section C

  Candidates may offer one of the following. Each of these options will be examined in two written papers. 

  • 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 Graduate Studies Committee for permission to exclude the text or catalogue in question from the word count. 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.