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Master of Philosophy in Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics

1. The examination shall consist of four parts:

(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.

Linguistic theory.

(i) Phonetics and phonology.
(ii) Syntax.
(iii) Semantics.
(iv) Historical and comparative linguistics.
(v) Psycholinguistics and neurolinguistics.
(vi) History and structure of a language.
(vii) Experimental phonetics.
(viii) Sociolinguisics.
(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.

(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.

(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. In addition, a student may take one other module for assessment in the first year, where there are good reasons for doing so. Marks will be moderated by the board of examiners for the relevant year, and then be released as final. A candidate who fails paper A or another module taken in the first year will have the option of sitting the same module(s) again at the end of the second year; modules retaken in the second year shall be subject to the cap on marks for re-examined options (paragraph 6 below). The general paper A and the 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 (these limits to exclude symbols and diacritics, figures, the bibliography, appendices consisting of a catalogue of data, questionnaire, or other research instrument used to gather data, any extensive text which is specifically the object of a commentary or linguistic analysis, and any translation of that text, but include quotations and footnotes). For all B papers, the essay must be submitted by uploading it to the Assignments section of the M.St. and M.Phil. Linguistics WebLearn site only. They should be word-processed files converted to PDF using the course coversheet as first page of the essay, bearing on the front the candidate's examination number but not their name or the name of their college. The PDF filename should be in this format: 'Candidate Number_Option Name _MPhil in Linguistics’. Candidates must themselves retain a copy of each piece of work. Each submission will require the candidate to make a Declaration of Authorship stating that it is their own work except where otherwise indicated. Candidates must ensure that they receive the email confirming the submission and that the email is retained for future reference.
Or:
(c) A written report of between 5,000 and 7,500 words on the design and execution of an original research project (these limits exclude symbols and diacritics, figures, the bibliography, appendices consisting of a catalogue of data, questionnaire, or other research instrument used to gather data, any extensive text which is specifically the object of a commentary or linguistic analysis, and any translation of that text, but include quotations and footnotes). The research report must be submitted by uploading it to the Assignments section of the M.St. and M.Phil. Linguistics WebLearn site only. They should be word-processed files converted to PDF using the course coversheet as first page of the essay, bearing on the front the candidate's examination number but not their name or the name of their college. The PDF filename should be in this format: 'Candidate Number_Option Name _MPhil in Linguistics’. Candidates must themselves retain a copy of each piece of work. Each submission will require the candidate to make a Declaration of Authorship stating that it is their own work except where otherwise indicated. Candidates must ensure that they receive the email confirming the submission and that the email is retained for future reference.

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. The examiners may require a successful candidate to deposit one of the submitted copies of their thesis in the Bodleian Library. Such a candidate will be required to complete a form stating whether they give permission for their thesis to be consulted.

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.