Master of Studies in Medieval Studies

Differences from 2018/19 to 2021/22

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

  • 1. Candidates for the M.St. in Medieval Studies must follow for at least three terms a course of instruction and directed research and must, upon entering the examination, produce from their society a certificate to that effect.

  • 2. CandidatesThe mustcourse attendshall suchbe lectures,assessed seminars,by the following:

    • (a) Attendance at classes asand his or her supervisor, in consultation with the convenorseminars of the M.St. in Medieval Studies, shall determine. These will include one compulsory medieval language classcourse, taken over three terms, and candidates must attend any languageassociated tests set by their language teachers. The choice of languages includes Latin, Old English, Old Norse, Old French, Old High German, Old Irish, Middle Welsh, Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic. Language and class teachers will report to the Chair of Examiners a candidate's attendance and participation, and where appropriate, test results not later than Monday of ninth week of Trinity Term.

    • 3.(b) InAttendance Michaelmas Term all candidates will follow, as directed byat the programmeInterdisciplinary convenor,Research Methods seminars and workshops. 

    • (c) Assessment of a seriescourse of Palaeography and/or codicology classes ontaught researchwithin methods relevant to their particular combination of disciplines. In Hilary Term candidates will follow a compulsory interdisciplinary seminar, on a theme chosen by the convenorone of the M.St.participating which will exemplify the different but complementary approaches to medieval sources offered by individual disciplines. Candidates must provide evidence of attendance to the examinersfaculties.

    • 4.(d) InOne eachoption taken during Michaelmas and Hilary Term candidates will take one Option Paper of their choice, from the subject options made available by the participating faculties in any given year and term. AStudents descriptiveare listrequired to write an essay of between 5,000 and 7,000 words as specified in the regulations of the host faculty, relating to this option.

    • (e) One option paperstaken during Hilary Term, from the subject options made available by the participating faculties in any given year and term. Students are required to write an essay of between 5,000 and 7,000 words as specified in the regulations of the host faculty, relating to this option.

    • (f) A dissertation of between 10,000 and 12,000 words.

    3. Assessment (a) will be publishedthe certification of the candidate’s attendance and participation, and, where appropriate test results, submitted by the Facultymedieval language class teacher to the Chair of Historythe inBoard Septemberof Examiners.

    4. Assessment (b) will be the certification of satisfactory participation of the Interdisciplinary Research Methods seminar and workshops, submitted by the convenors of the seminars to the Chair of the Board of Examination.

    5. Assessment (c) will be assessed and submitted according to the practices of the faculty within which the candidate is working for the academicPalaeography/ yearcodicology aheadelement. Unless otherwise instructed through the host programme.

    6. Assessment (not all options may be available every yeard). The definitive list of option papers for any one year will be postedthe onwritten work relating to the Historyoption Faculty'staken graduate notice board not later than Friday of third week ofduring Michaelmas Fullterm. TermThis precedingelement must follow the examination. For eachregulations of the twofaculty Optionproviding Papersthe candidatesoption. areCandidates towill be assessed in the format prescribed by the procedures of the host programmes, provided the assessment does not exceed the equivalent of an essay of between 5,000 and 7,000 words. CandidatesAssessments shouldmust consultbe submitted to, and according to the convenorpractices of, the host programme. 

    7. Assessment (e) will be the written work relating to the option taken during Hilary term. This element must follow the regulations of the Optionfaculty Paper onproviding the modesoption andCandidates timetableswill be assessed in the format prescribed by the procedures of the prescribedhost programmes, provided the assessment does not exceed the equivalent of an essay of between 5,000 and 7,000 words. Essays Assessments must be uploadedsubmitted to, and according to the Assignments sectionpractices of, the Medievalhost Studiesprogramme. 

    8. WebLearnAssessment site(f) will be the dissertation, which must be submitted to the University approved online assessment platform no later than 12 noon on Monday of theWeek first week of Trinity Term and accompanied by a declaration that the work is that candidate's own. Where the host programme specifies an earlier deadline that deadline will apply.

  • 5. Candidates will choose a course of palaeography and/or codicology classes in one of the participating faculties. Unless otherwise instructed through the host programme,  they must upload to the Assignments section of the Medieval Studies WebLearn site a copy of the assessment portfolio prescribed by the host programme no later than 12 noon on Monday of first week9 of Trinity Term. The portfoliodissertation shouldmust be accompanied by a declaration that the work is the candidate's own.

  • 6. Candidates must choose, after due consultation with their supervisor, a topic for a dissertation based on their individual research. Candidates are required to upload the dissertation, which shall not normally exceed 12,000 words, to the Assignments section of the Medieval Studies WebLearn site at the latest by 12 noon on Monday of ninth week of Trinity Term. It should be accompanied by a declaration that the work is the candidate's own. Each dissertation must include a short abstract which concisely summarises its scope and principal arguments, in about 300 words.

    9. ThisAssessments (a), (c), (d) and (e) must be formatted and submitted according to the specifications of the faculty that is notproviding includedthe material being examined.

    10. Assessment (f) must be formatted and submitted as specified in the dissertationhandbook wordfor limitthe MSt in Medieval Studies.

  • 7. The examinersassessment must be submitted by uploading it to the University approved online assessment platform; no concomitant copy submission may awardbe submitted, for any purpose. Electronic submissions must be received by the deadline; technical problems external to the online assessment platform will not be accepted as grounds for excusing lateness. Written work shall be submitted as word-processed files converted to PDF using the course coversheet as first page of the work, bearing on the front the candidate's examination number but neither their name nor the name of their college. Candidates must themselves retain a distinction to candidates who have performed with special merit in the whole examination.

  • 8. A candidate who fails the examination will be permitted to retake it on one further occasion only, not later than one year after the initial attempt.

Such a candidate whose dissertation has beencopy of satisfactory standard may resubmit the sameeach piece of work, whileand amust candidateensure whothat hasthey reached a satisfactory standard onreceive the email confirming the submission and that the email is retained for future reference. Each submission of written work will notmust be requiredaccompanied by a Declaration of Authorship from the candidate that it is their own work except where otherwise indicated, to retakebe completed online at the same time as that part of the examinationsubmission.