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Master of Studies in History of Art and Visual Culture

The regulations of the Board of the Faculty of History are as follows:

  • 1. Every candidate must follow for at least three terms a course of instruction in the History of Art, and must, upon entering for the examination, produce from his or her society a certificate to this effect.

  • 2. Syllabus

    The course shall comprise: I, one compulsory paper; II, one optional paper chosen by the candidate; and III, a dissertation.

  • I. The compulsory paper entitled 'Issues in Art History’ will be assessed by three essays of between 1,200 and 1,500 words each. A choice of topics for these essays as prescribed by the examiners will be published by the department by noon on Monday of 0th week of Trinity Term. Each essay must be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform by noon on Thursday of 0th week of Trinity Term in the year in which the examination is to be taken.

  • II. Optional papers will cover topics and issues of art history and visual culture from the later Middle Ages to the present, as approved from time to time by the Committee of the History of Art. A definitive list of the optional papers available in any one year will be posted on the notice boards of the Faculty of History by Friday of fourth week of Michaelmas Term at the latest. Optional papers will be examined by one short essay of 2,500 words and one research project of 7,500 words.

  • III. A dissertation of not more than 15,000 words on a topic in the history of art, to be approved by the candidate's supervisor and the Head of the Department of History of Art prior to the submission of essay and dissertation titles to the Chair of Examiners for the degree.

  • 3. Candidates shall make written application for the approval of the titles of their essay and research project in their optional paper, and also notify the examiners of the title of their dissertation by the examination entry date.

  • 4. Each essay and research project for the optional paper must be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform by noon on Friday of Week Nine of Hilary Term. The dissertation must be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform by noon on Monday of Week Nine of Trinity Term. The dissertation must include a short abstract which concisely summarizes its scope and principal arguments, in about 300 words. For both the essays and the dissertations, the presentation and footnotes should comply with the requirements specified in the Regulations of the Education Committee for the degrees of M.Litt. and D.Phil. and follow the Conventions for the presentation of dissertations and theses of the Board of the Faculty of History.

  • 5. A candidate who fails the examination will be permitted to re-take the examination on one further occasion only, not later than one year after the initial attempt. Such a candidate whose dissertation has been of satisfactory standard will not be required to re-submit the dissertation, while a candidate who has reached a satisfactory standard on both the option and the prescribed issues in art history essays will not be required to re-take those parts of the examination.