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Master of Philosophy in Japanese Studies

  • 1. The Course shall be under the supervision of the Japanese Studies Committee. The Course Director will, where possible, rotate between members of the Faculty of Oriental Studies and the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies.

  • 2. Each candidate will be required to follow a course of instruction in Japanese Studies for six terms.

First year examinations

  • 3. Candidates will be required to present themselves for examination in either:

    • Mode A:

    • (i) a compulsory paper in Japanese Language;

    • (ii) two option subjects at the end of Trinity Term in the year of registration.

    • Or Mode B:

    • (i) three option subjects at the end of Trinity Term in the year of registration.

  • Candidates taking the examination in Japanese Language will also be required to undertake a series of written tests and essays as specified by the Japanese Studies Committee. The forms of assessment, and the dates and times of submission, where applicable, will be notified to students not later than Friday of week 0 of Michaelmas Term.

  • Candidates must choose option papers from a list which will be published annually and distributed to students by not later than Friday of week 0 of Michaelmas Term.

  • 4. In addition, all candidates will be required to undertake the following assessment:

  • Research Methods for Area Studies: A take-home test on the collection and analysis of qualitative data (word limit: 2500 words including footnotes but excluding bibliography) will be released on Monday of Week 8 of Michaelmas Term with the work to be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform by 12 noon on Monday of Week 9 of Michaelmas Term; and a take-home test in quantitative analysis to be set on Monday of Week 8 with the work to be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform by 12 noon on Monday of Week 10 of Hilary Term.

  • Each submission must be accompanied by a declaration indicating it is the candidate’s own work. An electronic copy of each of the items of written work detailed above, must be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform at the times and days specified for each paper.

  • 5. Candidates who pass each of the four elements of the first year will be permitted to proceed to the second year of the course and take the final examinations. Candidates who fail the research methods course overall will be permitted to resubmit a new submission for the failed piece(s) of work within four weeks of publication of the failed mark(s), on a date specified by the Chair of Examiners.

  • Candidates who fail one or more of the examination papers may, by permission of the MPhil in Japanese Studies Examination Board, proceed to the second year of the course and re-sit the failed papers during the final examination.

  • 6. Students wishing to transfer from the MPhil in Japanese Studies to the MSc in Japanese Studies must apply to the Course Director no later than Friday of week 9 of Hilary Term of their first year.

Final year examinations

  • 7. Candidates will be required to present themselves for examination as specified for either Mode A or Mode B.

    • Mode A:

    • (i) Either a compulsory paper in Advanced Japanese Language for candidates successfully passing the compulsory core course in Japanese at Upper Intermediate Level in the first year examinations, or for candidates successfully passing the compulsory core course in Japanese at Advanced Level in the first year examinations, a compulsory paper in Upper Advanced Japanese Language. Candidates will also be required to undertake a series of written tests and essays as specified by the Japanese Studies Committee. The forms of assessment, and the dates and times of submission, where applicable, will be notified to students by Friday of week 0 of Michaelmas Term.

    • (ii) One three-hour written option paper chosen from a list published annually and distributed to students by Friday of week 0 of Michaelmas Term, and taken at the end of Trinity Term of the second year of the course.

    • Or Mode B:

    • (i) Two three-hour written option papers chosen from a list published annually and distributed to students by Friday of week 0 of Michaelmas Term, and taken at the end of Trinity Term of the second year of the course.

  • 8. Students should select option papers in consultation with their supervisor. With special permission of the Japanese Studies Committee, candidates may choose papers offered by other relevant Master’s degrees, subject also to permission by the relevant Graduate Studies Committee. Candidates will take the standard assessment for such options.

  • 9. In addition, all candidates will be required to undertake the following assessment:

    • (i) Advanced Research Methods:

    • One three hour written option paper or appropriate assignments as specified by the department offering the research methods course, as agreed by the Japanese Studies Committee. The forms of assessment, and the dates and times of submission, where applicable, will be notified to students by Friday of week 0 of Michaelmas Term.

    • (ii) A thesis of not more than 30,000 words (excluding abstract/summary, footnotes, bibliography and appendices) on a subject approved by the Course Director not later than Friday of week 4 of Michaelmas Term in the year in which the examination is to be taken.

    • The thesis must be submitted by not later than 12 noon on Monday of week 4 of Trinity Term in the year in which the examination is taken. The thesis must be accompanied by a statement that the thesis is the candidate's own work except where otherwise indicated. The thesis must be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform.

    • Successful candidates will be required to deposit a hard copy of the thesis in the Bodleian Library.

  • 10. Candidates may be required to attend an oral examination on any part of the examination.

  • 11. Candidates who fail one or more of the elements of the final examination will be permitted to resubmit the relevant work or retake the examination paper or papers, as applicable, on one further occasion only, not later than one year after the first attempt.

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