Master of Philosophy in Russian and East European Studies

Differences from 2018/19 to 2023/24

The regulations made by the Russian and East European Studies Management Committee are as follows:

All candidates will be required to follow a course of instruction in Russian and East European Studies for six terms. 

First year examinations

Candidates will be required to sit written examinations on two compulsory papers, to be taken in the eighth week of Trinity Full Term at the end of the first year of the course:

  • 1. An examination paper on Contemporary Russian and East European Studies Part 1.

  • 2. An examination paper on Contemporary Russian and East European Studies Part 2.

Candidates will also be required to submit one extended essay on History of Russia, the USSR and Eastern Europe in the Twentieth Century Russian, Soviet and East European History of 45,500000 words, excluding bibliography. Two copies of theThe extended essay should be submitteduploaded to the ExaminationUniversity Schools,approved Highonline Street,assessment Oxford,platform by 12 Noonnoon on Monday in the fifthof week 1 of Hilary Term in the first year of the course.

Research AnMethods electronicfor copyArea shouldStudies: alsoCandidates will submit a 2,500 word maximum take-home paper in qualitative methods to be set on Monday of Week 8 and submitted by 12 noon on Monday of week 9 of Michaelmas Term; and a take-home paper in quantitative analysis to be set on Monday of Week 8 and submitted by 12 noon on Monday of week 9 of Hilary Term. Each of the items of written work described above must be uploaded to the programmeUniversity byapproved the same deadline. The essay must be accompanied by a statement that it is the candidate’s own work except where otherwise indicated.

All candidates will also be required to have demonstrated competence in Methods and Language as specified in Methods Requirement and Language Requirement.

Methods Requirement. All candidates will be required to pass the Research Methods requirement related to Russian and East European Studies and to have achieved pass marks for the assessed components, as specified in the Notes of Guidance of the year of Matriculation of the Candidates. Two printed copies of each of the written items required for the methods requirement must be submitted to the Examination Schools, addressed to the Chair of Examiners for the MPhil in Russian and East European Studies, c/o the Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford at the times and days specified in the Notes of Guidance. Each submission must be accompanied by a declaration indicating it is the candidate’s own work.

Language Requirement. All candidates will be required to pass a language qualifying exam on the region, which is in Russian. The specific arrangements for the provision and methods ofonline assessment of language training are governed by the Examination Conventions and Notes of Guidance of the year of matriculation of the candidatesplatform.

Candidates who pass these qualifying papers and the extended essay may proceed to the second year of the course and take the final examination.  atCandidates who fail the endresearch methods course overall will be permitted to re-submit a new submission for the failed piece(s) of work within four weeks of publication of the secondfailed mark, on a date specified by the Chair of Examiners. Candidates who fail the extended essay will be required to re-submit by 12 noon on Monday of week 1 of Trinity Term of the same year. Candidates who fail one or more of the examination papers or the extended essay may, by permission of the Russian and East European Studies Management Committee, proceed to the second year of the courseprogramme and re-sit the failed papers on one subsequent occasion during the final examination. Candidates who have initially failed any element of assessment shall not normally be eligible for the award of distinction.

Final Examination

The final examination shall consist of:

  • (a) aA thesis of at least 25,000 words but not more than 30,000 words on a subject approved by the Management Committee for Russian and East European Studies, to be delivereduploaded to the ExaminationUniversity Schools,approved Highonline Street,assessment Oxford,platform by 12 Noonnoon on Monday in the fourthof week 4 of Trinity Term in whichthe second year of the final examination is takenprogramme. The thesis must be accompanied by a statement that it is the candidate’s own work except where otherwise indicated. An electronic copy should also be submitted to the Programme by the same deadline. 

  • (b) twoTwo subjects (optionaloption courses) chosen from a list, which is approved annually by the Russian and East European Studies Management Committee and assessed either by written examination or submitted coursework. Coursework assignments must be submitted using the University approved online assessment platform. The selection of subjectsoptions has to be approved by the Russian and East European Studies Management Committee in Trinity Term, Year 1.

  • (c) A Russian candidatelanguage examination taken in Hilary term of the second year. Candidates who failson matriculation are deemed by the FinalRussian Examinationand East European Studies Management Committee to have an excellent knowledge of Russian may entertake again,the onexamination onein subsequentHilary occasion,term usuallyof their first year. Candidates who fail the language examination will be permitted to re-sit the examination in Trinity Term,term provided that this is still withinof the twelvesecond terms of his or her registrationyear.