Master of Science by Coursework in Archaeological Science
Differences from 2015/16 to 2019/20
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1. Within the Division of Social Sciences, the course shall be administered by
the Committee forthe School of Archaeology. The regulations made are as follows: -
2. Candidates for admission must apply to
the Committee forthe School of Archaeology. -
3. Candidates must follow a course of instruction in Archaeological Science for at least three terms and for a substantial part of the three subsequent vacations, as determined by the course timetable.
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4. The written examination shall consist of:
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(a) three papers on the syllabus described in the Schedule, to be taken
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(b)
eitherone pre-set essay of noapproximatelymore than 10,000 words,ortwo pre-set essays of approximately 5,000 words each. Thethe subject and length ofeach essaywhich must be submittedapprovedforby the examiners before the end of Michaelmas Full Term. Two copies of each essay must be deliveredapproval to theExaminationChairSchoolsof Examiners by noon on the Friday of the sixth week of Hilary Term. Candidates must upload their essay to the Assignments section of the course WebLearn site by noon on the Monday of first week of Trinity Term. Essaysmust be typed or printed,must bear the candidate's examination number but not his or her name, and must include a statement of the number of words.Any illustrations must be included in both copies. -
(c) in lieu of one of the three papers described in the Schedule,
and the extended essay(s),candidates may, with the permission of the School ofCommittee for's Graduate Studies Committee,onlybe examined on one pre-set essay of approximately 5,000 words on a topic in Archaeological Science in lieu of the requirements laidonout in b) above.
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5. Each candidate will be required to submit a dissertation of no
approximatelymore15,000 tothan 20,000 words, (excluding bibliography and/or catalogues), on a research area selected in consultation with the supervisor and approved by a person designated for this purpose by the ChairCommitteeof Examiners for Archaeological Science. Proposed titles must be submitted for approval to theSchoolChair ofArchaeologyExaminers by noon on the Friday of the sixth week of Hilary Term. -
6.
ThreeCandidatestypewrittenmustcopiesupload their dissertation to the Assignments section of thedissertationcoursemustWebLearnbesitesent, notno later than noon on the Friday four weeks and two days before the start of the following Michaelmas Term,. -
With respect to
theessaysM.Sc.andExaminers (Archaeological Science)dissertations,c/o Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford. The examiners will retain one copy ofonly thedissertationfileofsubmittedeachviacandidateWebLearn constitutes a valid submission; no concomitant hard-copy submission must be submitted for any purpose. Each submission must be accompanied by a declaration indicating that it is thedepartmentalcandidate'slibraryown work. -
7. The examiners may require to see the records of practical work carried out during the course.
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8. Candidates must present themselves for an oral examination if
asrequired by the examiners. This may be onpaperpapers, or dissertation, or both. -
9. The examiners may award a distinction for excellence in the whole examination.
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10. In the case of failure in just one part of the examination (written papers, extended essay(s), dissertation), the candidate will be permitted to retake that part of the examination on one further occasion, not later than one year after the initial attempt. Written papers would be retaken the following year. Pass or failure in the written papers will be taken as an average of all written papers and in the case of failure all written papers must be retaken. If the candidate passes all parts of the examination except the dissertation, the dissertation may be considered as a practical report as defined in the schedule for the M.St and, if of a sufficiently high standard, the candidate may be granted permission to supplicate for the degree of M.St.
Schedule
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(i) Principles and practice of scientific dating
The principles of scientific dating methods including radiocarbon, luminescence, uranium series and dendro-chronology. The practical aspects of these methods and the problems encountered in their application. The statistical analysis of chronological information in the study of archaeological sites and cultures.
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(ii) Bio-archaeology
Scientific methods for the study of biological remains from archaeological sites; introduction to the analysis of plant and faunal remains including indicators of disease and artefactual analysis; theoretical and practical aspects of quantitative methods for diet reconstruction by isotopic analysis; introduction to ancient DNA studies; residue analysis.
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(iii) Materials analysis and the study of technological change
Introduction to the history of technology; theoretical and practical aspects of materials analysis methods—SEM, microprobe, TIMS, ICP, ICP-MS, XRF, XRD, PIXE, FTIR, and NAA; application of analysis to different material types—stone, ceramics, vitreous materials and metals; provenance of raw materials; case studies of application to archaeological problems.