Master of Science by Coursework in Economic and Social History

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

• 1. Every candidate must follow for at least three terms a course of instruction in Economic and Social History and must upon entering for the examination produce from his or her society a certificate to that effect.

• 2. The examination will consist of the following parts:

  Qualifying test

  Every candidate must pass a qualifying test. The test shall consist of two courses on

  • (1) Methodological introduction to research in the social sciences and history.

  • (2) Either Quantitative methods and computer applications for historians

    or A paper from another establishedMethods course within the University where this would provide a more appropriate training for the candidate's dissertation focus. Candidates wishingcan tochoose doeither soQuantitative mustMethods obtain1 theor permissionQuantitative ofMethods the Programme Convenor2, thedepending personon responsibletheir for the delivery of the requested advanced paper, the candidate’s supervisor,mathematical and thestatistical Director of Graduate Studies. Such candidates will be assessed according to the regulations with respect to the form of assessment and deadlines governing that option (i.e. the regulations of the programme under which the option/advanced 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 forcebackground.

• The methodological introduction course will be assessed by an end -of -course essay of up to 4,000 words.  The essay must be uploaded to the Assignments section of the Economic and Social History WebLearn site submitted by noon on Monday of Week 1 of Hilary Term. A quantitative methods course is assessed by an assignment to be completed over the Christmas Vacation; the completed assignment must be uploaded to the Assignments section of the Economic and Social History WebLearn sitesubmitted by noon on Monday of Week 1 of Hilary Term. Essays should be accompanied by a declaration that they are the candidate’s own work.  In addition, convenors of qualifying courses will confirm in writing to the Chair of Examiners not later than Friday of eighth week of Hilary Term the candidates’ satisfactory participation in their classes, including the completion of any assignments for the weekly sessions. Any approved alternative qualifying course will be assessed within the format and timetable of the paper’s parent course. No candidate who has failed the qualifying test of two courses will be permitted to supplicate for the degree. Candidates who fail a qualifying course once will be permitted to take it again, not later than one year after the initial attempt.

• Final examination

  The examination shall consist of two papers and a dissertation.

  • I. One advanced paper selected from Schedule I below.

  • II. Either (i) one paper in a relevant discipline or skill or sources or methods selected from Schedule II below;

    or (ii) a second advanced paper selected from Schedule I or from any additional list of papers for the M.Phil. and M.Sc. in Economic and Social History approved by the Graduate Studies Committee of the Board of the Faculty of History and published in the definitive list of Advanced Papers as set out in Schedule I.

    For I and II, the assessment requirements for the individual papers set out in Schedule I (‘Advanced Papers for M.Phil. and M.Sc. in Economic and Social History’) and Schedule II below will be determined by the Faculty of History and specified in the course handbook. The assessment will take the form either of a timed written examination, or the submission of one essay of 8,000-10,000 words, or the submission of two essays of 5,000 words each. The essay must be the work of the candidate alone. The candidate must not consult any other person, including their supervisor, in any way concerning the method of handling the themes chosen. The themes chosen by the candidate must be submitted for approval by the Course Tutor of that Advanced Paper by the examination entry date. The finished essays must be submitted by noon on Monday of Week 9 of Trinity Full Term.

  • III. A dissertation of not more than 15,000 words, including appendices but excluding bibliography, on a topic approved by the candidate's supervisor. The dissertation must be uploaded to the Assignments section of the Economic and Social History WebLearn sitesubmitted not later than noon on the last Friday in August of the year in which the examination is taken. 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 dissertations and theses of the Board of the Faculty of History. Dissertations should be accompanied by a declaration that they are the candidate’s own work. 

• Each dissertation must include a short abstract which concisely summarises its scope and principal arguments, in about 300 words.  This is not included in the dissertation word limit.

• For I and II, the assessment requirements for the individual papers set out in Schedule I (‘Advanced Papers for M.Phil. and M.Sc. in Economic and Social History’) and Schedule II below will be specified in the course handbook. The assessment will take the form of a three-hour written examination or the submission of an essay of 8,000-10,000 words or two essays of 5,000 words each. The essays must be the work of the candidates alone and they must not consult any other person including their supervisors in any way concerning the method of handling the themes chosen. The themes chosen by the candidate must be submitted for approval by the chair of examiners by the examination entry date. Candidates will be informed within two weeks, by means of a letter directed to their colleges, whether the topics they have submitted have been approved. The finished essays must be uploaded to the Assignments section of the Economic and Social History WebLearn site by noon on Monday of Week 9 of Trinity Full Term. The essays must be presented in proper scholarly form, and accompanied by a declaration that they are the candidate’s own work.

• 4. A candidate who fails the examination of an advanced paper will be permitted to re-take it on one further occasion only, not later than one year after the initial attempt.

  Such

• 5. Candidates who have initially failed any element of assessment shall not normally be eligible for the award of merit or distinction. 
• 
  6. All submitted essays for assessment should be accompanied by a candidatedeclaration whosethat dissertationthey has been of satisfactory standard may re-submitare the samecandidate's piece ofown work, while a candidate who has reached a satisfactory standard on the written papers will not be required to re-take that part of the examination.
   

Schedule I

Advanced Papers for the M.Phil. and M.Sc. in Economic and Social History

A broad range of the course resources are shared with the corresponding courses in History of Science, Medicine, and Technology, and Advanced Papers are therefore available in the subject areas listed here.

• 1. Economic and business history

• 2. History of science and technology

• 3. Social history

• 4. Historical demography

• 5. History of medicine

A descriptive list of Advanced Papers will be published by the Board of the Faculty of History in September for the academic year ahead (not all options may be available in every year). The definitive list of the titles of Advanced Papers for any one year will be circulated to candidates and their supervisors and posted on the Faculty notice board not later than Friday of third week of Michaelmas Term. 

Schedule II

The paper in a relevant discipline or skill may be:

• 1. One of the papers from the M.Phil. in Sociology or in Comparative Social Policy.

• 2. One suitable paper from another Master's degree under the auspices of the Faculty of History approved from time to time by the Graduate Studies Committee of the Board of the Faculty of History.

• 3. One suitable paper in a related skill or discipline other than those specified in paragraphs 1 to 2 above on the recommendation of the candidate's supervisor and endorsed by the Course DirectorConvenor.

Choices under Schedule II have to be approved by the chairCourse of the Graduate Studies Committee of the Board of the Faculty of HistoryConvenor not later than Monday of the fourth week of Michaelmas Term. Candidates wishing to take a paper under 1 or 3 will also need the approval of the appropriateof courseCourse convenorConvenor of the Master’s Programme in Economic and Social History and the Graduateperson Studiesresponsible Committeefor the delivery of the relevantrequested facultyoption/advanced board or inter-faculty committeepaper, who need to be satisfied that each candidate has an adequate background in the subject. Not all options may be available in any oneevery year. Such candidates will be assessed according to the regulations with respect to the form of assessment and deadlines governing that option (i.e. the regulations of the programme under which the advanced 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.