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Master of Philosophy in English Studies (Medieval Period)

The regulations made by the Board of the Faculty of English Language and Literature are as follows:

Every candidate must follow for at least six terms a course of study in English.

In the first year candidates must follow the courses and submit the essays and dissertations prescribed for the M.St. in English. Candidates must have achieved a pass mark in the first-year assessments before they are allowed to proceed to the second year.

In the second year candidates must offer three of the following subjects and a dissertation.

Syllabus

  • 1. The History of the Book in Britain before 1550 (Candidates will be required to transcribe from and comment on specimens written in English under examination conditions (1 hour).)

  • 2. Old English

  • 3. The Literature of England after the Norman Conquest

  • 4. The Medieval Drama

  • 5. Religious Writing in the Later Middle Ages

  • 6. Medieval Romance

  • 7. Old Norse sagas

  • 8. Old Norse poetry

  • 9. Old Norse special topic (only to be taken by candidates offering either paper 7 or paper 8 or both)

  • 10./11. One or two of the C course special options as on offer in any year, as specified by the M.St. English, provided that they may not re-take any option on which they have submitted examined work as part of their M.St. course.

  • 12./13. Relevant options offered by other Faculties as agreed with the Course Convenors. The teaching and assessment of these options will follow the provisions and requirements as set by the Faculty offering the option.

  • 14. Another option as approved by the Course Convenors.

Examination

The method of examination for each course will be an essay of 5,000-6,000 words to be formatted and submitted electronically as specified in the course handbook not later than noon on Thursday of the tenth week of Michaelmas Term or Hilary Term (depending on the term in which the course was offered).  

Candidates must gain approval of the topic of their essays by writing to the Chair of M.St./M.Phil. Examiners, care of the English Graduate Studies Office, by Friday of the sixth week of Michaelmas Term or Hilary Term (depending on the term in which the course was offered).

The dissertation (not more than 15,000 words) on a subject related to their subject of study should be formatted and submitted electronically as specified in the course handbook, not later than by noon on Monday of the eighth week of Trinity Term.  The dissertation must be presented in proper scholarly form. Candidates must gain approval of the topic of their dissertation by writing to the Chair of M.St./M.Phil. Examiners care of the English Graduate Studies Office, by Friday of sixth week of Hilary Term, providing an outline of the topic of not more than 200 words.

Candidates are warned that they must avoid duplicating in their answers to one part of the examination material that they have used in another part of the examination, but the dissertation may incorporate work submitted for the first year dissertation.

No candidate who has failed any of the above subjects will be awarded the degree in that examination. Candidates who fail any one of the three papers or the dissertation may re-submit that element by noon on the last Monday of the Long Vacation; candidates who fail more than one element of the examination (including one element plus the translation paper where applicable) must re-submit those elements (and, where applicable, take the translation paper) according to the timetable for the examination in the following year. A candidate may only resubmit or retake a paper on one occasion.