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Master of Philosophy in Russian and East European Studies

The regulations made by the Russian and East European Studies Management Committee are as follows:

All candidates will be required to follow a course of instruction in Russian and East European Studies for six terms. 

First year examinations

Candidates will be required to sit written examinations on two compulsory papers, to be taken in Trinity Full Term at the end of the first year of the course:

  • 1. An examination paper on Contemporary Russian and East European Studies Part 1.

  • 2. An examination paper on Contemporary Russian and East European Studies Part 2.

Candidates will also be required to submit one extended essay on History of Russia, the USSR and Eastern Europe in the Twentieth Century of 5,000 words, excluding bibliography. The extended essay should be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform by 12 noon on Monday of week 1 of Hilary Term in the first year of the course.

Research Methods for Area Studies: Candidates will submit a 2,500 word maximum take-home paper in qualitative methods to be set on Monday of Week 8 and submitted by 12 noon on Monday of week 9 of Michaelmas Term; and a take-home paper in quantitative analysis to be set on Monday of Week 8 and submitted by 12 noon on Monday of week 9 of Hilary Term. Each of the items of written work described above must be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform.

Candidates who pass these qualifying papers and the extended essay may proceed to the second year of the course and take the final examination.  Candidates who fail the research methods course overall will be permitted to re-submit a new submission for the failed piece(s) of work within four weeks of publication of the failed mark, on a date specified by the Chair of Examiners. Candidates who fail the extended essay will be required to re-submit by 12 noon on Monday of week 1 of Trinity Term of the same year. Candidates who fail one or more of the examination papers may, by permission of the Russian and East European Studies Management Committee, proceed to the second year of the programme and re-sit the failed papers on one subsequent occasion during the final examination.

Final Examination

The final examination shall consist of:

  • (a) A thesis of at least 25,000 words but not more than 30,000 words on a subject approved by the Management Committee for Russian and East European Studies, to be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform by 12 noon on Monday of week 4 of Trinity Term in the second year of the programme. 

  • (b) Two option courses chosen from a list, which is approved annually by the Russian and East European Studies Management Committee and assessed either by written examination or submitted coursework. Coursework assignments must be submitted using the University approved online assessment platform. The selection of options has to be approved by the Russian and East European Studies Management Committee in Trinity Term, Year 1.

  • (c) A Russian language examination taken in Hilary term of the second year. Candidates who on matriculation are deemed by the Russian and East European Studies Management Committee to have an excellent knowledge of Russian may take the examination in Hilary term of their first year. Candidates who fail the language examination will be permitted to re-sit the examination in Trinity term of the second year.