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Master of Philosophy in Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics

1. The examination shall consist of:

  • (a) One general paper as indicated in A.

  • (b) Three papers which must be chosen from those listed in B or must be those listed in C or those listed in D.

  • (c) A thesis of not more than 25,000 words. 

A.

  • Linguistic theory.

B.

  • (i) Phonetics and phonology.

  • (ii) Syntax.

  • (iii) Semantics and Pragmatics.

  • (iv) Historical and comparative linguistics.

  • (v) Psycholinguistics and neurolinguistics.

  • (vi) History and structure of a language.

  • (vii) Experimental phonetics.
  •  
  • (viii) Sociolinguistics.
  •  
  • (ix) Computational linguistics.
  • (x) Any other subject which, from time to time, the Faculty of Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics at its own discretion may consider suitable. Candidates wishing to take the Methods Paper offered as part of the MSci in Digital Scholarship programme may do so with the permission of the programme convenor, the person(s) responsible for the delivery of the requested Option paper, the student’s general supervisor, and the Graduate Studies Committee of the Faculty of Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics. Such candidates will be assessed according to the regulations with respect to the form of assessment and deadlines governing that Option.

C.

  • (i) The comparative grammar of Indo-European languages.

  • (ii) The historical grammar of Indo-European languages.

  • (iii) Translation from, and linguistic comment upon, texts in Indo-European languages.

D.

  • (i) The history of one language, or of two or more historically related languages.

  • (ii) The structure of the language or languages selected.

  • (iii) One of:

    • (a) Translation from, and/or linguistic comment upon, texts in the language or languages selected, or

    • (b) Any paper from B above except B (vi), or

    • (c) A project on an aspect of the structure or history of the language, or family of related languages, studied.

2. Paper A must be taken at the end of the first year of study and it is assessed by a three-hour written examination. A candidate who fails paper A taken in the first year will have the option of sitting it again at the end of the second year; the resit shall be subject to the cap on marks for re-examined options (paragraph 8 below). Papers in B, C, D are taken in the second year of study; papers in C and D (i), D(ii) and D(iii)(a) are each assessed by a three-hour written examination. The paper in D(iii)(c) is examined by method (b). The papers in B are assessed by

  • Either:

  • (a) a three-hour written examination.

  • Or:

  • (b) An essay of between 5,000 and 7,500 words. Candidates are required to submit the thesis by uploading to the University approved online assessment platform, not later than noon of Friday of Week 5, Trinity term, in the second year of study. 

  • Or:

  • (c) A written report of between 5,000 and 7,500 words on the design and execution of an original research project. Candidates are required to submit the thesis by uploading to the University approved online assessment platform, not later than noon of Friday of Week 5, Trinity term, in the second year of study.

3. Candidates who wish to offer papers listed in C above must select two Indo-European languages or language groups, one of which must be studied in greater depth than the other. All such combinations are subject to the availability of teaching and the approval of the faculty.

4. Candidates are required to submit the thesis by uploading to the University approved online assessment platform, not later than noon on the Friday of the first week of the Trinity Term in the second year of study. 

5. If it is the opinion of the examiners that the work done by a candidate is not of sufficient merit to qualify them for the degree of MPhil but is nevertheless of sufficient merit to qualify them for the Degree of Master of Studies in Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics, the candidate shall be given the option of re-sitting the MPhil examination under the appropriate regulation or of being granted permission to supplicate for the Degree of Master of Studies.

6. Candidates requesting re-examination should be required to re-sit or resubmit any unit of assessment in which they have failed to achieve a pass mark. The highest mark awarded for a re-examined unit of assessment should be the pass mark.