Master of Studies in History (Full-Time)

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

1.  Candidates for this degree 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.  Candidates must attend such lectures, seminars and classes as their lead supervisor shall determine. In addition to the formally examined programme elements described below, each candidate will be expected to attend and complete in-course requirements for a series of skills options based on a schedule to be published from year to year by the Faculty's Graduate Studies Committee. The candidate's individual programme, agreed with their supervisor, will be subject to approval by the programme convenor, by Friday of Week One of Michaelmas Term; subsequent changes must be agreed by the programme convenor not later than Friday of Week Three of Hilary Term.

3. Candidates must apply for and follow a particular named strand of the programme, chosen from a list published by the Faculty by 1 September of the year before entry. They may only change to a different strand with the written agreement of their supervisors, and of the Convener of the MSt in History.

4. The final examination for candidates in History shall comprise (i) one extended essay based on the programme’s core component, (ii) one extended essay based on an Option, and (iii) a dissertation of not more than 15,000 words.

• I.  During Michaelmas Term each candidate shall attend a core programme, comprising introductory lectures, strand-specific classes on sources and historiography, and mixed classes on historical theory and methodological approaches. The core course will be assessed by an extended essay of between 3,000 and 5,000 words. The essay must be submitted by 12 noon on Monday of Week Nought of Hilary Term. 

• II. In Hilary Term candidates must choose one Option course, normally from the Options for the Master of Studies in History. The choice of Option must be discussed with the candidate’s supervisors and will depend on the candidate's training objectives or dissertation project. Candidates wishing to take an Option paper from another programme offered by the History Faculty, and exceptionally, by other Faculties, may do so with the permission of the programme convenor, the person responsible for the delivery of the requested Option paper, and their supervisor. Such candidates will be assessed according to the regulations with respect to the form of assessment and deadlines governing that Option (i.e. the regulations of the programme under which the Option paper is aoffered), newbut the modes of assessment and deadlines for the other course elements of the programme for studentswhich startingthe fromcandidate MTis 2018registered will remain in force. This part of the programme will be assessed by one essay of 6,000-7,000 words. The essay should be submitted by 12 noon on Friday of Week Ten of Hilary Term. This essay should reflect skills and understanding that the candidate has developed by following the choice of Option paper. This essay may complement but must not share significant content with the essay submitted under I. above. 

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  III. Each candidate must prepare a dissertation of not more than 15,000 words on a topic in his or her chosen subject area. The dissertation must include a short abstract which concisely summarises in about 300 words its scope and principal arguments. The dissertation must be submitted by 12 noon of Monday of Week Nine of Trinity Term. Material submitted under I. and II. may be summarised or substantially further developed in the dissertation, but no significant part of the dissertation should reproduce or paraphrase other work submitted for examination.

5.  A candidate who has failed to satisfy the examiners in any one of the papers may enter again to be examined on the failed assessment on one, but not more than one, subsequent occasion. This resubmission of paper will be made within twelve months of the original assessment deadline (Oxford Calendar). No candidate who has satisfied the examiners in any one of the examinations may enter again for the same examination. Candidates who have initially failed any element of assessment shall not normally be eligible for the award of merit or distinction.
6. All submitted assessments should be accompanied by a declaration that they are the candidate's own work.