Master of Science by Coursework in Social Anthropology

Differences from 2017/18 to 2021/22

  • 1. The Social Sciences Divisional Board shall elect for the supervision of the course a Standing Committee, namely the Teaching Committee of the School of Anthropology, which shall have power to arrange lectures and other instruction. The course director shall be responsible to that committee.

  • 2. Candidates must follow a course of instruction in Social and Cultural Anthropology for at least three terms, and will, when entering for the examinations, be required to produce a certificate from their supervisor to this effect.

  • 3. Candidates will be required to present themselves for written and (if requested) oral examinations and to threesubmit copieswritten ofwork for assessment, including a dissertation in prescribed form on an approved topic as defined below.

  • 4. Three papers will be taken to constitute Part I of the degree, as follows. Paper 1 will be examined by one coursework essay and by one three-hour paper; Papers 2 and 3 (options) will each be examined either by coursework essay or by one three-hour paper. The dissertation will be taken to constitute Part II of the degree. A candidate who fails any of the component parts of the examination may re-take or re-submit that part of the examination on one occasion only. At the close of the written examinationexaminations, the examiners will consistpublish a list of fourthose paperswho onhave thesatisfied syllabus describedthem in thePart ScheduleI.

5. EachThe candidateassessed written work will consist of:

  • (i) one essay of no more than 5,000 words for Paper 1, for which a list of essay titles will be requiredannounced no later than Friday of the seventh week of Michaelmas Term. The essay must be uploaded to submitthe University approved online assessment platform not later than noon of the Thursday of the first week of Hilary Term; the essay must be anonymous, accompanied by confirmation that it is the candidate’s own work, and submitted in electronic file format.

  • (ii) a dissertation of no more than 10,000 words, on a subject selected in consultation with the supervisor and approved by the Chair of Examiners.  The proposed title of the dissertation, together with a paragraph describing its scope and the supervisor's written endorsement, must be submitted to the Chair of Examiners by TuesdayThursday of the fifth week of Trinity Term.

  • 6. Three typewritten copies of theThe dissertation must be delivereduploaded notto the University approved online assessment platformnot later than noon on the last Wednesday in August in the year in which the examination is taken. The dissertation must be anonymous, toaccompanied by confirmation that it is the Chaircandidate's ofown the Examinerswork, M.Sc.and submitted in Socialelectronic Anthropology,file c/o Examination Schools, High Street, Oxfordformat. The dissertation shall be provided with an abstract of up to 250 words, to be placed immediately after the title page. The word count shall be stated on the outsidetitle front coverpage of the thesisdissertation.

  • 7. The written examination will consist of one three-hour paper for Paper 1. Papers 2 and 3 (options) may each be assessed either by one 3-hour paper or by coursework essay. For those taking Papers 2 and 3 assessed by coursework essay, each essay must be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform not later than noon of the Thursday of the second week of Trinity Term; each essay must be anonymous and accompanied by confirmation that it is the candidate’s own work.

  • 8. The oral examination (if requested) may be on any of the candidate's written papers, orassessed dissertationwritten work, or bothdissertation.

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

  • 9. In order to pass the degree, a student must pass all its assessed components. Where one or more components are failed, the student will be given the opportunity to re-sit or re-submit them once, as the case may be. Any subsequent award of the degree on successful completion of all the assessed components may be delayed by up to three terms, i.e. until the Examination Board next meets.

  • 10. The four papers will be taken to constitute Part I of the degree and the dissertation to constitute Part II. At the close of the written examinations, the examiners will publish a list of those who have satisfied them in Part I.

  • Schedule

    Students must satisfy the examiners in fourthree papers, twoone of a general nature and two options.  

    • I1.Culture Theories, Approaches and IdentityThemes in Social Anthropology

    • II. Kinship, Power and Change

    • III.2. Option Paper I

    • IV3. Option Paper II

    Paper 1 is examined by assessed essay submitted in Hilary Term and by one three-hour paper sat in Trinity Term. The two option papers (Papers III2 and IV3 above) may be examined by assessed essay or by a three-hour sat examination, and must be selected from the lists below, within which the student has a free choice:

    • List A. Anthropologylist of aoptions Selected Regionoffered. 

    • List B. Topics in Material Anthropology

    • List C. Anthropology and Topical Issues

    Options offered in any of the three lists may vary from year to year. ListsThe list for the current academic year will be issued by the Director of Graduate Studies or his or her delegate by the end of the third week of Michaelmas term.