Preliminary Examination in Oriental Studies

Differences from 2017/18 to 2022/23

A

  • 1. TheThe languages, subjects, and papersexamination in thethese examinationschools shall be asunder prescribedthe bysupervision regulation from time to time byof the Board of the Faculty of OrientalAsian and Middle Eastern Studies. 

  • 2. A candidate shall be deemed to have passed the examination when he or shethey shall have satisfied the Moderators in all the papers associated with one of the languages specified in the regulations.

  • 3. Candidates must offer all subjects at one examination provided that: (i) in languages for which four papers are required, a candidate who fails in one or two papers may offer those subjects at one subsequent examination, and a candidate who fails three or four papers must offer all four subjects at one subsequent examination; and (ii) in languages for which three papers are required, a candidate who fails in one paper may offer that subject at one subsequent examination, and a candidate who fails two or three papers must offer all three subjects at one subsequent examination.

  • 4. In the case of candidates who have satisfied the Moderators in all the papers at a single examination, the Moderators may award a distinction to those of special merit.

B

The languagesawards which may be offered shallwill be in Arabic, Chinese, Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Hebrew, Japanese, Persian, Sanskrit, and Turkish.

Arabic

Candidates will be required to offer three three-hourwritten papersexaminations (papers (i), (ii), and (iv) below), plus an oral/aural examination as specified under (iii) below.

  • (i) Translation and precis into English.

  • (ii) Comprehension, composition, and grammar.

  • (iii) Oral/aural examination (to be done at the Oriental Institute)1 

  • (iv) Islamic history and culture.

Chinese

Candidates will be required to offer three three-hourwritten papersexaminations.

  • (i) Modern.

  • (ii) Classical.

  • (iii) East Asia Survey: China.

Egyptology, and Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies

Candidates offering Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies are required to offer four three-hourwritten papersexaminations

For the examination in Egyptology: 

  • 1,(i) 2

    Either AkkadianEgyptian texts. (Lists are available from the Oriental Institute)

    and

    Akkadian grammar and unprepared translation.

  • Or

    Egyptian texts: Middle Egyptian texts, ed. Baines and Smith. (Copies are available from the Oriental Instituteii)

    and

    Middle Egyptian grammar and unprepared translation.

  • 3.(iii)  Civilizations of the Ancient Near East and Egypt.

  • 4.(iv)  History of the Ancient Near East and Egypt to 30 BCE.

For the examination in Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies: 

  • (i) Akkadian texts 
  •  
  • (ii) Akkadian grammar and unprepared translation. 
  •  
  • (iii) Civilizations of the Ancient Near East and Egypt.
  •  
  • (iv) History of the Near East and Egypt to 30 BCE.

Hebrew and Jewish Studies

Candidates will be required to offer four three-hourwritten papersexaminations.

  • (i) Hebrew Texts I: Biblical and Rabbinic Hebrew.

  • (ii) Hebrew Texts II: Medieval and Modern Hebrew.

    Copies of texts for papers (i) and (ii) are available from the Oriental Institute.

  • (iii) Grammar and Translation into Hebrew.

  • (iv) General Paper.

Japanese

Candidates will be required to offer three three-hourwritten papersexaminations.

  • (i) Modern Japanese I.

  • (ii) Modern Japanese II.

  • (iii) East Asia Survey: Japan.

Persian

Candidates will be required to offer three three-hourwritten papersexaminations.

  • (i) Translation from Persian and reading comprehension.

  • (ii) Translation into Persian and essay.

  • (iii) Islamic History and Culture.

Sanskrit

Candidates will be required to offer three three-hourwritten papersexaminations.

  • (i) Sanskrit I: Texts: C. R. Lanman, Sanskrit Reader, pp. 1-34, l. 11. Bhagavad-Gītā (ed. Belvalkar), Books II, IV, VI, and XI.

  • (ii) Sanskrit II: Grammar: the subject will be studied from M. A. Coulson, Teach Yourself Sanskrit ; A. A. Macdonell, Sanskrit Grammar for Students.

  • (iii) Sanskrit III: General paper.

Turkish

Candidates will be required to offer three three-hourwritten papersexaminations.

  • (i) Prepared texts and unseen translation from Turkish. (The list of texts to be prepared is published in the current issue of the Islamic Studies handbook.) 

  • (ii) Turkish grammar and translation into Turkish.

  • (iii) Islamic history and culture.