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

• 1. Candidates must satisfy the board that they possess the necessary qualifications in Greek and/or Latin to profit by the courseCourse.

• 2. Every candidate Candidates must follow for at least three terms a course of instruction in Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature. Candidates will, when they enter for the examination, be required to produce from their society a certificate that they are following such a course.

• 32. Syllabus

  Candidates must take three options from lists A, B, C, and D below, at least one of which must be drawn from AB or B. Not more than one dissertation (D) may be offeredC. 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

EITHER (i) Classical Greek: either

• (a) Elementary Greek3. ThereThe choice of options and/or dissertation will be onesubject three-hourto paper,the consistingapproval of passagesthe ofcandidate's Greeksupervisor whichand willthe testGraduate Studies Committee in Classical Languages and Literature.

•  
• 4.   Presubmitted essays should each be no more than 5,000 words in length. Where two essays are required, they should between them display knowledge of Atticmore grammarthan a narrow range of the topic. Supervisors or others are permitted to give bibliographical help with, and competenceto discuss a first draft of, such essays.
•  
• 5.  The word limits for presubmitted 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 translationthe fromHandbook.
•  
• 6. Submission of essays and dissertations:
• • Candidates who offer a combination of options requiring the submission of four or more presubmitted essays in total must submit any two of those essays in Hilary Term.
  •  
  • Candidates who offer a combination of options requiring the submission of fewer than four presubmitted essays in total may submit two essays in Hilary Term if they wish, Alternatively, they may submit the essays in Trinity Term as described below.
  •  
  • Essays to be assessed in Hilary Term should be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform not later than noon on the Thursday of Week 5 of Hilary Full Term. All remaining presubmitted essays and the dissertation (if offered) should be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform not later than noon on the Wednesday of Week 6 of Trinity Full Term. 
  •  
• 7.  Use of bilingual dictionaries in examinations. Any candidate whose first language is not English may bring a bilingual (first language to English) dictionary for use in any examination paper where candidates are required to translate Ancient Greek and/or Latin texts into English.
   

or

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

A

(b)Candidates may offer up to two options from List A. IntermediateEach Greek. Thereoption will be examined by (a) one two-hourwritten paper comprising unseenof translation and grammatical(b) questionstwo onpre-submitted essays. 

A list of available options and the associated prescribed texts and one three-hour paper requiring translation from prescribed texts. A detailed specification and prescribed texts for the papereditions will be publishedappear in the MSt/MPhilHandbook courseissued handbook not later than Monday ofin Week 0 of the Michaelmas Term preceding the examination. 

In Alternativeaddition to the options set out in the Handbook, candidates may offer an option based on any other text or combination of texts forin translationAncient underGreek thisand/or headLatin mayof betheir offeredchoice, bysubject agreementto withthe approval of the Graduate Studies Committee in Classical Languages and Literature.  

OR (ii) Latin: either

Alternative texts for translation under this head may be offered by agreement with the Graduate Studies Committee in Classical Languages and Literature.

B

• (i) 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 optionstopics will be examined in one written paper of 1½ hours, except for (a) Greek Literary Papyrology, which will be examined by a practical test taken in the candidate's own time, (as prescribedto forbe Greekuploaded and Latin Papyrology into the MUniversity approved online assessment platform not later than noon on the Wednesday of Week 6 of Trinity Full Term.Phil. for Greek and/or Latin Languages and Literature). Option B(i)B1(a) may not be combined with option B(ix) belowB8. 

• (ii)B2. Euripides, Greek textual criticism:  (Honour :School of Literae Humaniores, subject 513).

  B3. OrestesLatin textual criticism. Either

  • (a) 1-347 and 1246-1693: papyriSeneca, manuscripts, text.Medea:  (Honour School of Literae Humaniores, optionsubject III.13524). or

  • (iiib) Latin textual criticism.

    EitherCatullus (a ) Seneca, Agamemnon : manuscripts, text, interpretation1

    or (b ) Catullus 1-14, 27-39, 44-51, 65-7, 69-76, 95-101, 114-16 [Honour School of Literae Humaniores, optionsubject III.14].1515)

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

  (iv)B4. Historical Linguistics and Comparative Philology .

• Each of options (ii)B2-(iv)B4 will be examined in one written paper of three hours. 

• (v)B5. An Any option availablefrom inSchedule B of the M.StPhil. in Classical Archaeology, Schedulesubject Bto the approval of the Graduate Studies Committee in Classical Languages and Literature and the Graduate Studies Committee in Archaeology.

• Option (v)The submission deadline will be examinedas eitherspecified byunder two6. presubmittedabove. 

  B6. essaysAn option from Lists B or by one written paperC of three hours.

• (vi) Any option available in the M.St. in Greek and/or Roman History, Listssubject Bto the approval of the Graduate Studies Committee in Classical Languages and C.

• (vii)Literature Literaryand Theorythe for ClassicalGraduate Studies

• Each ofCommittee optionsin (vi)-(vii)Ancient History. The submission deadline will be examinedas byspecified twounder presubmitted6. essaysabove. 

• (viii)B7. Reception: Theory and Methods of Reception . OptionThis (viii)option will be examined by two presubmitted essays and requires attendance at the associated classes.

• (ix)B8. 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, (asto prescribedbe foruploaded Greek and Latin Papyrology into the M.Phil.University forapproved Greekonline and/orassessment Latinplatform Languagesnot andlater Literature)than noon on the Wednesday of Week 6 of Trinity Full Term. This option may not be combined with option B(i)B1(a ) above.

• (x)B9.  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

EachCandidates may offer one of the following. optionsOptions C1 and C3 will be examined by (a )in one written paper; ofoptions translation (1½ hours)C2 and (b ) two pre-submitted essays. The texts listed are those which should be studied in preparation for the pre-submitted essays. PassagesC4 will be set for translation only from those textsexamined in sectiontwo (α)written papers.

C1. PassagesElementary forGreek. 

C2. translationIntermediate willGreek. 

C3. beElementary setLatin. 

C4. fromIntermediate theLatin. 

D

A editions listed in the regulations for the Honour Schooldissertation of Literaenot Humanioresmore than 10,000 wheneverwords applicable.on Fora any optionsubject approved under 12 the edition will be specified by the Graduate Studies Committee in Classical Languages and Literature.

• 1. Historiography 

  2. Lyric Poetry

  3. Early Greek Hexameter Poetry

  4. Greek Tragedy

  5. Comedy

  6. Hellenistic Poetry

  7. Cicero

  8. Ovid

  9. Latin Didactic

  10. Neronian Literature.

• 11. Medieval and Renaissance Latin Hexameter Poetry

  α In Latin:

  • 1. Walter of Châtillon, Alexandreis Book 10;

  • 2. Petrarch, Africa Book 9;

  • 3. Vida, Ars Poetica Book 3;

  • 4. Milton, In Quintum Novembris.

• ß In translation:

  • 1. Walter of Châtillon, Alexandreis Books 1-9;

  • 2. Petrarch, Africa Books 1-8;

  • 3. Vida, Ars Poetica Books 1-2.

The exact prescribed texts for options 1-10 will be as listed in the student handbook.

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

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 the bibliography, any text that is being edited or annotated, any translation of that text, and any descriptive catalogue or similar factual matter, but includes quotations, notes, and appendices. A note of the word-count must be included.) Supervisors or others are permitted to give bibliographical help and to discuss drafts.

• 4. 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. The options which the candidate wishes to offer must be submitted to the Academic Administrative Officer, Classics Centre, 66 St. Giles', Oxford OX1 3LU, for approval not later than the Wednesday of the first week 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 the first week of Hilary Term (see under 8(i) below).

  Not all options may be available in any given year. 

• 5. In those options for which candidates are examined by presubmitted essays, two essays should be submitted, each of not more than 5,000 words in length, which between them display knowledge of more than a narrow range of the topic. (The essay word limit excludes the bibliography, any text that is being edited or annotated, any translation of that text, and any descriptive catalogue or similar factual matter, but includes quotations, notes, and appendices. A note of the word-count must be included.) 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.

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

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

• 8.Submission of proposed titles for essays and dissertations:

  • (1) Those submitting two options examined by presubmitted essays must submit the proposed titles of two of those essays through their supervisors to the Academic Administrative Officer, Ioannou Centre, 66 St. Giles', Oxford OX1 3LU, not later than noon on the Monday of the week preceding first week of Hilary Full Term. The proposed dissertation title, for those offering that option, must be submitted by the same date.

  • (2) Those offering only one option examined by presubmitted essays may submit the proposed titles of their two essays through their supervisors to the Academic Administrative Officer, Ioannou Centre, 66 St. Giles', Oxford OX1 3LU, not later than noon on the Monday of the week preceding first week of Hilary Full Term. Otherwise they must submit the proposed titles of their two essays through their supervisors to the Academic Administrative Officer, Ioannou Centre, 66 St. Giles', Oxford OX1 3LU, not later than Friday of the first week of Trinity Full Term.

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

• 9.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 presubmitted 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 the fifth week of Hilary Full Term. Otherwise they must be sent as above to arrive not later than noon on the Thursday of the sixth week 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 the Thursday of the fifth week of Hilary Full Term; any others must be sent as above to arrive not later than noon on the Thursday of the sixth week of Trinity Full Term.

    In theses and pre-submitted 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 sign a certificate to the effect that the thesis or pre-submitted essay is the candidate's own work, and that the candidate has read the Faculty's guidelines on plagiarism. This declaration must be placed in a sealed envelope bearing the candidate's examination number and presented together with the thesis or pre-submitted 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 Thursday of the sixth week of Trinity Full Term in which the examination is to be taken.

• 10. 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.