1. The Advanced Diploma in Theology and Religious Studies83 shall be awarded to a member of the University, qualified under Regulation 2, who has diligently attended the course of instruction prescribed by the Faculty Board of Divinity, which shall extend over one academical year, and who has satisfied the Examiners in the examination for the Diploma as defined in the following regulations; provided that he or she has kept three terms. For the purpose of this regulation graduates of the University may count previous residence in statu pupillari.
2. A candidate for the Diploma must be approved by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Divinity, who shall assign to each candidate a date of commencement of candidature. No one shall be a candidate for the Diploma who has been a candidate for Parts IIa or IIb of the Theological and Religious Studies Tripos; no one shall be a candidate in the same year both for the Advanced Diploma in Theology and Religious Studies83 and for another Diploma or for any Honours Examination, and no one shall be a candidate for the Advanced Diploma in Theology and Religious Studies83 on more than one occasion.
3. The examination for the Diploma shall consist of two Parts, as follows:
Written papers. Each candidate shall offer three papers chosen from Paper A1 and any of the papers in Groups of B, C, and D of the Theological and Religious Studies Tripos, provided that
A dissertation of not more than 10,000 words in length, including footnotes but not bibliography, on a subject approved by the Degree Committee. Candidates shall submit their dissertations to the Secretary of the Degree Committee by the third Monday of Full Easter Term of the year in which they are examined. Each candidate will be required to sign a declaration that the dissertation is his or her own work, unaided except as may be specified in the declaration, and that it does not contain material that has already been used to any substantial extent for a comparable purpose. The Examiners shall have power to examine a candidate viva voce on the subject of his or her dissertation and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls.
4. The Degree Committee shall nominate such number of Examiners as they deem sufficient; they shall also have power to nominate one or more Assessors to the Examiners.
5. A candidate who has satisfied the Examiners in both Parts of the examination shall be entitled to a Diploma.
6. In the list of successful candidates special excellence in the examination shall be recognized by the award of a mark of distinction.
7. The Advanced Diploma shall be in the following form:
THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT having satisfied the preliminary conditions and having been admitted to the examination appointed by the University of Cambridge has been approved84 by the Examiners and has been awarded the Advanced Diploma in Theology and Religious Studies.85
8. While studying in the University for the Diploma a candidate shall pay the appropriate University Composition Fee for each term of such study.
9. A student who has taken the examination for the Diploma shall not be entitled to count the period or any part of the period during which he or she has been a candidate for the Diploma towards a course of research for the degree of Ph.D., M.Sc., or M.Litt.