Master of Science by Coursework in Contemporary Chinese Studies

Differences from 2014/15 to 2023/24

  • 1. The Course shall be under the supervision of the Chinese Studies Committee. The Course Director will, where possible, rotate between members of the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies and the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies.

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  • 2. Each candidate will be required to follow a course of instruction in Contemporary Chinese Studies for three terms.

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  • 23. Candidates will presenttake themselvesa forwritten examination inon the core course Study of Contemporary China atin theWeek beginning0 of Hilary Term.

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  • 34. Candidates will choose two optionaloption papers amongfrom a list approved by the following:

    • Examination papers as part of option courses from the M.Sc. in Contemporary Chinese Studies orCommittee. fromThis another Master’s (M.Phil.list, M.Sc.including details of the assessment method, orwill M.St.)be degree programmepublished in the University.Course A list of papers approved for this purposeHandbook by the Contemporary Chinese Studies Management Committee will be available from the Course Director and willdistributed beto publishedstudents atby theno beginninglater than Friday of eachweek academic0 yearof Michaelmas Term. Students areshould free to elect anyselect two of these papers in consultation with their supervisor, and must do so by filling out the examination entry form. Candidates may, afterWith special permission of the Contemporary Chinese Studies Management Committee, elect subjects outside this list. Thiscandidates may includechoose papers offered inby other relevant master’Master’s degrees in the University, subject also to permission by the relevant Graduate Studies Committee as appropriate. TheCandidates examinerswill may, at their discretion, either require candidates to sittake the standard examinationassessment paperpapers for thissuch electiveoptions.

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    • 5. Candidates paper,will or setcomplete a paper specifically for students on the M.Sc.course in Contemporary Chinese Studies.

  • 4. In addition, all candidates will be required to undertake the following assessment:

    • (i) Research Methods for Area Studies: Candidates will submit a series2,500 word maximum take-home test in qualitative methods to be set on Monday of assignmentsweek 8 and/or unseen written examinations as specifiedsubmitted by the12 teachingnoon committeeon forMonday of week 9 of Michaelmas Term; and a take-home test in quantitative analysis to be set on Monday of Week 8 and submitted by 12 noon on Monday of week 9 of Hilary Term.

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    • 6. Candidates will complete a 12,000 word thesis (including all footnotes and appendices but excluding the M.Sc. in Contemporary Chinese Studies. The formstable of assessmentcontents, abstract and the dates and timesbibliography of submission,cited whereworks). applicable, will be notified to students by not later than Friday of noughth week of Michaelmas Full Term.

    • (ii) One 10,000 word dissertation: theThe title of the dissertationthesis must be approved by the Course Director of Graduate Studies not later than 12 noon on Friday of theweek first week1 of Hilary Term in the academic year in which the examination is taken. The dissertationthesis must be submitted not later thanby 12 noon on Friday of sixthWeek week6 ofin Trinity Term in the academic year in which the examination is taken. The dissertationthesis must be accompanied by a statement that the dissertationthesis is the candidates own work except where otherwise indicated.

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  • Two

  • 7. typewrittenEach orsubmission wordmust processedbe copiesaccompanied ofby eacha declaration indicating it is the candidate’s own work. Each of the items of written work detailed in 4 (i)–(ii) above  must be delivereduploaded to the ExaminationUniversity School,approved addressedonline toassessment theplatform Chair of Examiners for the M.Sc. in Contemporary Chinese Studies, c/o the Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford at by the times and days specified for each paper.

     Successful candidates will be required to deposit a hard copy of the thesis in the Bodleian Library.
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  • 58. AStudents candidatewishing to transfer from the MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies to the MPhil in Modern Chinese Studies must apply to the Course Director no later than noon on Friday of week 8 of Michaelmas Term. Permission to change programme will only be granted for students who failshave satisfactorily passed any formative language assessments agreed by the Course Committee and published in the Course Handbook.
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  • 9. Candidates who fail Research Methods for Area Studies overall will be permitted to resubmit a new submission for the failed piece(s) of work within four weeks of publication of the failed mark(s), on a date to be specified by the Chair of Examiners. Candidates who fail one or more of the examination papers or the thesis will be permitted to retake itthe examination paper(s) or resubmit the thesis on one further occasion withinonly, sixnot termslater ofthan hisone oryear her initial registration. The candidate will be permitted to resubmitafter the samefirst item or items of written work that reached a satisfactory standardattempt.

  • 6. Candidates may be required to attend an oral examination on any part of the examination.

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

     

Schedule

The structure of the course is as follows:

  • (a) Compulsory Core course on The Study of Contemporary China

  • (b) Compulsory Core course in Research Methods for Area Studies

  • (c) Elective papers: Candidates must choose two optional papers from a list published annually by the Contemporary Chinese Studies Management Committee. Candidates may, after special permission of the Contemporary Chinese Studies Management Committee, elect subjects outside this list. This may include papers offered in other relevant master’s degrees in the University, subject to permission by the relevant Graduate Studies Committee as appropriate.

Oxford 1+1 MBA programme

 

Candidates registered on the Oxford 1+1 MBA programme will follow an additional two or three -month bridging programme at the end of their third term of the combined programme.  

Each candidate will be appointed an academic advisor from the Saïïd Business School to plan an individual course of study which will include as a minimum, the following three compulsory elements:  

  • (i) AttendanceNormally oftwo onemeetings during the bridging programme with the senior advisor appointed by the Saïd Business School at the start of the summerOxford elective1+1 programmesMBA offeredprogramme.  

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  • (ii) forA theformatively Masterassessed Integrative Development Plan of Business Administrationup to be3,000 published by the MBA Director before the first Monday of the preceding termwords. Candidates would be required to undertakecritically allreflect assessmentson their learning from the Masters programme and receiverelate feedback,this butboth wouldto nottheir obtainforthcoming creditMBA towardsprogramme as well as to their career goals. The meetings with the MBA.advisor Candidateswill are not permitted to subsequently undertakeframe the samedesign, electivedelivery asand partdiscussion of the MBA programme the following yearplan.

      
  • (ii) A formatively assessed assignment of no more than 5,000 words (including all prefatory matter and appendices) supervised by the Saïd Business School academic advisor, which will relate the Master’s degree learning to an appropriate area of the MBA programme. Candidates would also be required to present a work plan related to this assignment to the 1+1 programme class.

     
  • (iii) Attendance of the MBA pre-course as described in the joining instructions for the MBA class, unless granted exemption by the MBA Committee on the grounds of prior formal study or work experience.