Master of Studies in Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature

• 1. Course.

• Every candidate must follow for at least three terms a course of instruction in Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature.

  2. Syllabus

  Candidates must take three options from lists A, B, C, and D below, at least one of which must be drawn from B or C. Not more than one dissertation (D) may be offered. Every candidate must offer at least one option that requires detailed study of Greek or Latin or of texts in those languages. Options which meet this criterion are specified in the Handbook.

A

The texts for each option will appear in the M.St./M.Phil. handbook issued in Week 0 of the Michaelmas Term preceding the examination. Each option will be examined by (a) one paper of translation (1½½ hours) and (b) two pre-submitted essays. The texts listed in the handbook are those which should be studied in preparation for the pre-submitted essays. Passages will be set for translation only from those texts in section (αα); the edition will be that listed in the handbook.

For any option approved under A11A12 the edition will be specified by the Graduate Studies Committee in Classical Languages and Literature.

• 1A1. Historiography

  2A2. Lyric Poetry

  3A3. Early Greek Hexameter Poetry

  4A4. Greek Tragedy

  5A5. Comedy

  6A6. Hellenistic Poetry

  7A7. Cicero

  8A8. Ovid

  9A9. Latin Didactic

  10A10. Neronian Literature*.

  11A11. Latin Literature from Titus to Trajan*.

• A12. Any other text or combination of texts approved by the Graduate Studies Committee for Classical Languages and Literature.

*N.B. University classes will be given for only one of options A10. Neronian Literature and A11. Latin Literature from Titus to Trajan each year. For further details, please see the course handbook. 

B

1B1. Methods and Techniques of Scholarship. Candidates choosing this option are required to offer two of the following topics:

• (a) Greek Literary Papyrology;

  (b) Greek Palaeography;

  (c) Latin Palaeography;

  (d) Greek Metre;

  (e) Latin Metre.

Each of these topics will be examined in one paper of 1½½ hours, except for (a) Greek Literary Papyrology, which will be examined by a practical test taken in the candidate's own time (as prescribed for option B3 Greek and Latin Papyrology in the M.Phil. in Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature). Option B1(a) may not be combined with option B10B9 below. 

2B2. Greek textual criticism: Euripides, Orestes 1-347 and 1246-1693: papyri, manuscripts, text. (Honour School of Literae Humaniores, subject 513). 

3B3. Latin textual criticism. Either

• (a) Seneca, AgamemnonMedea: manuscripts, text, interpretation (Honour School of Literae Humaniores, subject 514524) or

• (b) Catullus 1-14, 27-39, 44-51, 65-7, 69-76, 95-101, 114-16: manuscripts, text, interpretation (Honour School of Literae Humaniores, subject 515).

University classes will be given for only one of these options each year.

4B4. Historical Linguistics and Comparative Philology. This option includes an introduction to the methods and aims of historical and comparative linguistics, the reconstruction of the Indo-European protolanguage and its development into Latin and Greek. The questions set will require specific competence in one of the two classical languages but not necessarily in both. An opportunity will be given for (optional) commentary on Greek or Latin texts.

Each of options B2-B4 will be examined in one paper of three hours. 

5B5. Any option available in the M.St. in Classical Archaeology, Schedule B. This option will be examined either by two presubmitted essays or by a dissertation of not more than 10,000 words. The deadlines for submission of essays will be those of the M.St. in Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature.

6B6. Any option available in the M.St. in Greek and/or Roman History, Lists B, and C. ThisThe optionmode of assessment will be examinedas byspecified twoin presubmittedthe essaysregulations for the M.St. Thein Greek and/or Roman History. However, the deadlines for submission will be those of the M.St. in Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature.

7. Theoretical Approaches to Classical Literature.

8B7. Reception: Theory and Methods.

9. Comparative Criticism. This option may not be taken together with options 7. Theoretical Approaches to Classical Literature or 8. Reception: Theory and Methods.

Options B7, B8 and B9 will be examined by two presubmitted essays and requirerequires attendance at the associated classes.

10B8. Greek and Latin Literary Papyrology. This option will be examined by one presubmitted essay of up to 5,000 words and by a practical test taken in the candidate's own time (as prescribed for Greek and Latin Papyrology in the M.Phil. for Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature). This option may not be combined with option B1(a) above. 

11B9.  Any other subject proposed with the aim of developing skills needed for future research and approved by the Graduate Studies Committee in Classical Languages and Literature, which will determine the method of examination.

C

EITHER (1) Classical Greek: either 

(a) Elementary Greek. There will be one three-hour paper, consisting of passages of Greek which will test knowledge of Attic grammar and competence in translation from Greek into English. 

or 

(b) Intermediate Greek. There will be one two-hour paper comprising unseen translation and grammatical questions on prescribed texts and one three-hour paper requiring translation from prescribed texts. A detailed specification and prescribed texts for the paper will appear in the M.St./M.Phil. handbook issued in Week 0 of the Michaelmas Term preceding the examination. Alternative texts for translation under this head may be offered by agreement with the Graduate Studies Committee in Classical Languages and Literature.

OR (2) Latin: either 

Elementary Latin. There will be one three-hour paper, consisting of passages of Latin prose which will test knowledge of classical Latin grammar and competence in translation from Latin into English. 

or 

Intermediate Latin. There will be one two-hour paper comprising unseen translation and grammatical questions on prescribed texts and one three-hour paper requiring translation from prescribed texts. A detailed specification and prescribed texts for the paper will be published in the M.St./M.Phil. course handbook not later than Monday of Week 0 of the Michaelmas Term preceding the examination.

D

A dissertation (if offered) should be of not more than 10,000 words on a subject to be proposed by the candidate in consultation with the overall supervisor or the supervisor for the dissertation, and approved by the Graduate Studies Committee in Classical Languages and Literature. (The dissertation word limit excludes only the bibliography; quotations, notes and appendices are included. A note of the word-count must be included. Candidates who edit and annotate a substantial text, or compile a substantial descriptive catalogue, may apply to Graduate Studies Committee for permission to exclude the text or catalogue in question from the word count.) Supervisors or others are permitted to give bibliographical help and to discuss drafts.

3. The choice of options and/or dissertation will be subject to the approval of the candidate's supervisor and the Graduate Studies Committee in Classical Languages and Literature, having regard to the candidate's previous experience, the range covered by the candidate's choices, and the availability of teaching and examining resources. Options under B5, B6, and B11B10 in disciplines other than Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature require the approval of both the Graduate Studies Committee for Classical Languages and Literature and the Graduate Studies Committee responsible for the discipline concerned. The options which the candidate wishes to offer must be submitted to the Academic Administrative Officer, Ioannou Centre, 66 St. Giles', Oxford OX1 3LU, for approval not later than the Wednesday of Week 1 of Michaelmas Full Term. The candidate should also indicate by this date whether or not he or she wishes to offer a dissertation; the title of the dissertation need not be given until the Friday of Week 1 of Hilary Term (see under 78(i) below).

Not all options may be available in any given year. 

4. In those options for which candidates are examined by presubmitted essays, twothe essays should each be submitted, each of notno more than 5,000 words in length. Where two essays are required, whichthey should between them display knowledge of more than a narrow range of the topic. (The essay word limit excludes only the bibliography; quotations, notes and appendices are included. A note of the word-count must be included. Candidates who edit and annotate a substantial text, or compile a substantial descriptive catalogue, may apply to Graduate Studies Committee for permission to exclude the text or catalogue in question from the word count.) Supervisors or others are permitted to give bibliographical help with, and to discuss a first draft of, such essays. Supervisors are also required to certify that, in their tutorial and class work, students have covered a wider range of topics within the overall subject.

5. The word limits for pre-submitted essays and for dissertations exclude only the bibliography. Candidates may apply to the Graduate Studies Committee no later than three weeks before the submission deadline for dispensation to exclude certain other types of material from the word-count; guidance is provided in the handbook.

6. Candidates are required to present themselves for oral examination if summoned by the examiners.

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

7. SubmissionApproval and submission of proposed titles for essays and dissertations:

• (1i) ThoseCandidates submittingwho twooffer a combination of options requiring the submission of four or more presubmitted essays must submit any two of those essays in Hilary Term.

• Candidates who offer a combination of options examinedrequiring bythe submission of fewer than four presubmitted essays may submit two essays in Hilary Term if they wish, Alternatively, they may submit these essays in Trinity Term as described under (ii) below.

• Candidates must submit the proposed titles of two of thoseany essays throughwhich theirthey supervisorsare expecting to submit in Hilary Term to the Academic Administrative Officer, Ioannou Centre, 66 St. Giles', Oxford OX1 3LU, not later than noon on Monday of Week 0 of Hilary Full Term.

• Each Theessay proposed dissertation title, for those offering that option, mustshould be submitteduploaded byto the sameUniversity dateapproved online assessment platform not later than noon on the Thursday of Week 5 of Hilary Full Term.

• (2ii) ThoseCandidates offering only one option examined by presubmitted essays may, if they wish to submit their essays in Hilary Term,must submit the proposed titles of theirany tworemaining presubmitted essays throughto the Academic Administrative Officer, Ioannou Centre, 66 St Giles’, Oxford OX1 3LU, not later than noon on Friday of Week 1 of Trinity Full Term.

• Each essay should be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform not later than noon on the Wednesday of Week 6 of Trinity Full Term.

• (iii) Candidates offering a dissertation (D) must submit the proposed title of their supervisorsdissertation to the Academic Administrative Officer, Ioannou Centre, 66 St. Giles', Oxford OX1 3LU, not later than noon on Monday of   Week 0 of Hilary Full Term.

• The Otherwisedissertation theyshould mustbe submit the proposed titles of their two essays through their supervisorsuploaded to the AcademicUniversity Administrativeapproved Officer,online notassessment later than Friday of Week 1 of Trinity Full Term.

  (3) Those offering more than two presubmitted essays must offer their proposed titles for the remaining essays by Friday of Week 1 of Trinity Full Term.

  (4) The final confirmation of the title of the dissertation, if different from that submitted under (1) above, must be submitted not later than Friday of  Week 1 of Trinity Full Term.

8. Delivery of final copies of essays and dissertations:

• (1) Two typewritten or printed copies of each presubmitted essay should be sent in a parcel bearing the words 'Essays submitted for the M.St. in Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature' to the Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford OX1 4BG. If the candidates are offering only one option examined by presubmitted essays, the essays may be sent as above to arrive not later than noon on the Thursday of Week 5 of Hilary Full Term. Otherwise they must be sent as above to arrive not later than noon on the Wednesday of Week 6 of Trinity Full Term. If candidates are offering two options examined by presubmitted essays, at least two of the essays must be sent as above to arrive not later than noon on Thursday of Week 5 of Hilary Full Term; any others must be sent as above to arrive platform not later than noon on the Wednesday of Week 6 of Trinity Full Term.

  8. In theses and presubmitted essays all quotations from primary or secondary sources, and all reporting or appropriation of material from those sources, must be explicitly acknowledged. Each candidate must submit a signed declaration of authorship in a sealed envelope together with the thesis or presubmitted essay.

• (2) Two typewritten or printed copies of dissertations should be delivered in a parcel bearing the words 'Dissertation for the M.St. in Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature' to the Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford, OX1 4BG, to arrive not later than noon on the  Wednesday of Week 6 of the Trinity Full Term in which the examination is to be taken.

9. Use of bilingual dictionaries in examinations:

Any candidate whose native language is not English may bring a bilingual (native language to English) dictionary for use in any examination paper where candidates are required to translate Ancient Greek and/or Latin texts into English.