1. The Oriental Studies Tripos shall consist of two Parts.
2. The following may present themselves as candidates for honours in Part I:
3. The following may present themselves as candidates for honours in Part II,136 provided that they have kept seven terms and that twelve complete terms have not passed after their first term of residence:
4. No student shall be a candidate for more than one Part, or for either Part and also for another Honours Examination, in the same term.
5. No student who has been a candidate for either Part shall again be a candidate for the same Part.
6. The Faculty Board shall nominate such number of Examiners for each Part as they shall deem sufficient. The Examiners shall set, and shall be responsible for marking, all written papers except papers from another Tripos, and shall also mark dissertations submitted under Regulation 17 and shall conduct the practical examinations in archaeology and the oral examinations.
The Faculty Board shall also have power to nominate one or more Assessors to assist the Examiners in either Part of the Tripos. If required to do so, Assessors shall propose questions in the subject or subjects assigned to them, shall look over the answers of candidates to those questions, shall set and conduct oral and practical examinations, and shall report as required to the Examiners. An Assessor may be summoned, for the purpose of consultation and advice, to meetings of the relevant body of Examiners, but shall not be entitled to vote.
7. In each Part of the Tripos the questions proposed by each Examiner or Assessor shall be submitted to the whole body of Examiners for approval.
8. The Examiners shall have regard to the style and method of candidates’ answers and shall give credit for excellence in these respects. They shall give due credit for the performance of candidates in the oral examinations.
The Examiners shall be empowered to examine any candidate viva voce.
9. (a) A candidate shall be deemed to have obtained honours in Part I if he or she has reached the standard for honours either in one of the options specified in Schedule Ia (whole subjects) of Regulation 14 or in two of the options specified in Schedules Ib and Ic (half-subjects) of that regulation.
(b) A candidate shall be deemed to have obtained honours in Part II if he or she has reached the standard for honours as follows:
(c) For the purposes of this regulation a candidate may substitute for any of the options specified in Regulations 14, 15, or 16 a combination of papers (and oral and practical examinations, if appropriate) authorized by the Faculty Board in a subject approved by the Board under Regulation 18.
10. The names of those candidates who deserve honours in each Part shall be placed in three classes, of which the second shall be divided into two divisions. The names in the first and third classes and in each division of the second class shall be arranged in alphabetical order. The class-list shall also indicate the subject or subjects which each candidate has offered in the examination. In Part II a mark of distinction may be awarded for special excellence.
11. (a) The following papers shall be set if candidates desire to present themselves therein:
Aramaic |
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Am. |
1. |
Aramaic specified and unspecified texts, 1. |
|
Am. |
2. |
Aramaic specified texts and composition.138 |
|
Am. |
3. |
Aramaic literature and its historical background.138 |
|
Am. |
11. |
Aramaic specified and unspecified texts, 2. |
|
Am. |
12. |
Aramaic specified texts.138 |
|
Am. |
13. |
Aramaic unspecified texts and composition.138 |
|
Am. |
14. |
Special subject.138 |
Assyriology |
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As. |
1. |
Akkadian specified texts. |
|
As. |
2. |
Akkadian unspecified texts and composition. |
|
As. |
3. |
Introduction to Mesopotamian civilization. |
|
As. |
4. |
Elementary Akkadian. |
|
As. |
11. |
Mesopotamian literary texts. |
|
As. |
12. |
Mesopotamian documentary texts. |
|
As. |
13. |
History of Mesopotamia. |
|
As. |
14. |
Mesopotamian literature and civilization. |
|
As. |
15. |
Mesopotamian special subject. |
|
As. |
16. |
Historical archaeology of Mesopotamia. |
|
As. |
17. |
Prehistory of the Near East. |
|
As. |
18. |
Practical examination in Mesopotamian archaeology. |
Chinese Studies |
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|
C. |
1. |
Literary Chinese texts, 1. |
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C. |
2. |
Literary Chinese texts, 2. |
|
C. |
3. |
Modern Chinese texts, 1. |
|
C. |
4. |
Modern Chinese texts, 2. |
|
C. |
5. |
Modern Chinese translation and composition, 1. |
|
C. |
6. |
Chinese history: specified subject, 1. |
|
C. |
7. |
Chinese history: specified subject, 2. |
|
C. |
11 |
Literary Chinese texts, 3. |
|
C. |
12. |
Aspects of traditional Chinese culture. |
|
C. |
13. |
Modern Chinese texts, 3. |
|
C. |
14. |
Modern Chinese translation and composition, 2. |
|
C. |
15. |
Dynastic China: specified subject. |
|
C. |
16. |
Dynastic China: readings. |
|
C. |
17. |
Modern China: specified subject. |
|
C. |
18. |
Modern China: readings. |
Egyptology |
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|
E. |
1. |
Middle Egyptian specified texts. |
|
E. |
2. |
Middle Egyptian unspecified texts. |
|
E. |
3. |
Coptic specified texts, 1 (Sa‘idic dialect). |
|
E. |
4. |
Coptic unspecified texts, 1 (Sa‘idic dialect). |
|
E. |
5. |
The development of human society (Paper 1 of Part I of the Archaeological and Anthropological Tripos). |
|
E. |
6. |
Human societies: the comparative perspective (Paper 3 of Part I of the Archaeological and Anthropological Tripos). |
|
E. |
7. |
Introduction to Egyptian civilization. |
|
E. |
11. |
Old, Middle, and Late Egyptian specified texts. |
|
E. |
12. |
Old, Middle, and Late Egyptian unspecified texts. |
|
E. |
13. |
Specified texts in hieratic book hands of the Middle and New Kingdom. |
|
E. |
14. |
Coptic specified texts, 2. |
|
E. |
15. |
Coptic unspecified texts, 2. |
|
E. |
16. |
Coptic language and literary history. |
|
E. |
17. |
Early history of the Coptic church, monasticism, and art. |
|
E. |
18. |
Ancient Egypt, 1. |
|
E. |
19. |
Ancient Egypt, 2. |
|
E. |
20. |
Ancient Egypt, 3. |
|
E. |
21. |
Ancient Egypt, 4. |
Early civilizations of the Aegean and Near East |
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|
N. |
1. |
Greek translation (Paper 1 of Part Ia of the Classical Tripos). |
|
N. |
2. |
Alternative Greek translation (Paper 2 of Part Ia of the Classical Tripos). |
|
N. |
3. |
Classical questions (Paper 6 of Part Ia of the Classical Tripos). |
|
N. |
4. |
The development of human society (Paper 1 of Part I of the Archaeological and Anthropological Tripos). |
|
N. |
5. |
Human societies: the comparative perspective (Paper 3 of Part I of the Archaeological and Anthropological Tripos). |
|
N. |
6. |
Early civilizations: comparative and theoretical issues. |
|
N. |
7. |
Aegean prehistory (Paper D1 of Part II of the Classical Tripos). |
|
N. |
8. |
A topic within classical archaeology and/or art (Paper D2 of Part II of the Classical Tripos in any year in which the subject announced by the Faculty Board of Classics has been approved for the purpose of this regulation by the Faculty Board of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies). |
|
N. |
9. |
A prescribed period or subject of Greek history (Paper C1 of Part II of the Classical Tripos in any year in which the subject announced by the Faculty Board of Classics has been approved for the purpose of this regulation by the Faculty Board of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies). |
|
N. |
10. |
A prescribed subject taken from ancient history (Paper C3 of Part II of the Classical Tripos in any year in which the subject announced by the Faculty Board of Classics has been approved for the purpose of this regulation by the Faculty Board of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies). |
|
N. |
11. |
Practical examination in Greek archaeology. |
|
N. |
12. |
Special subject in Classics. |
Hebrew Studies |
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|
H. |
1. |
Hebrew texts, 1. |
|
H. |
2. |
Hebrew unspecified texts and composition. |
|
H. |
3. |
Israelite and Jewish history and literature. |
|
H. |
4. |
Modern Hebrew, 1. |
|
H. |
5. |
Modern Hebrew, 2. |
|
H. |
6. |
Mishnaic and medieval Hebrew. |
|
H. |
11. |
Hebrew texts, 2. |
|
H. |
12. |
Hebrew language. |
|
H. |
13. |
General paper. |
|
H. |
14. |
Post-biblical Jewish texts. |
|
H. |
15. |
Modern Hebrew, 3. |
|
H. |
16. |
Modern Hebrew, 4. |
|
H. |
17. |
Semitic specified texts. |
|
H. |
18. |
Special subject. |
|
H. |
19. |
Judaism II (Paper C8 of the Theological and Religious Studies Tripos). |
Japanese Studies |
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|
J. |
1. |
Modern Japanese, 1. |
|
J. |
2. |
Modern Japanese texts, 1. |
|
J. |
3. |
Modern Japanese texts, 2. |
|
J. |
4. |
Modern Japanese history. |
|
J. |
5. |
Classical Japanese. |
|
J. |
6. |
Japanese culture. |
|
J. |
7. |
Modern Japan, 1. |
|
J. |
8. |
Modern Japan, 2. |
|
J. |
10. |
Modern Japanese, 2. |
|
J. |
11. |
Modern Japanese unspecified texts.139 |
|
J. |
12. |
Japanese texts, 1. |
|
J. |
13. |
Japanese texts, 2. |
|
J. |
14. |
Classical studies: specified subject. |
|
J. |
15. |
Japanese culture: specified subject. |
|
J. |
16. |
Japanese history: specified subject. |
|
J. |
17. |
Japanese society: specified subject. |
|
J. |
18. |
Japanese politics and international relations: specified subject. |
Korean Studies |
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|
K. |
1. |
Elementary Korean. |
Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies |
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|
Is. |
1. |
Arabic language, 1. |
|
Is. |
2. |
Arabic language, 2. |
|
Is. |
3. |
Middle Eastern and Islamic literatures. |
|
Is. |
4. |
Arabic literature, 1. |
|
Is. |
5. |
Persian language, 1. |
|
Is. |
6. |
Persian literary texts. |
|
Is. |
7. |
Persian literature, 1. |
|
Is. |
8. |
Middle Eastern and Islamic history, 1. |
|
Is. |
9. |
Middle Eastern and Islamic history, 2. |
|
Is. |
10. |
Middle Eastern and Islamic history, 3. |
|
Is. |
11. |
Arabic language, 3. |
|
Is. |
12. |
Arabic language, 4. |
|
Is. |
13. |
Middle Eastern and Islamic culture.140 |
|
Is. |
14. |
Arabic literature, 2. |
|
Is. |
15. |
Arabic literature, 3. |
|
Is. |
16. |
Persian language, 2. |
|
Is. |
17. |
Persian language, 3. |
|
Is. |
18. |
Persian literature, 2. |
|
Is. |
19. |
Persian literature, 3. |
|
Is. |
20. |
Middle Eastern and Islamic history, 4. |
|
Is. |
21. |
Middle Eastern and Islamic history, 5.140 |
|
Is. |
22. |
Middle Eastern and Islamic history, 6.140 |
|
Is. |
23. |
Middle Eastern and Islamic history, 7. |
Oriental Studies |
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|
OS. |
1. |
Cinema East: an introduction to the film traditions of Asia and the Middle East |
South Asian Studies141 |
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|
Sa. |
1. |
Sanskrit specified and unspecified texts, 1. |
|
Sa. |
2. |
Sanskrit specified and unspecified texts, 2. |
|
Sa. |
3. |
Hindi texts, 1. |
|
Sa. |
4. |
Hindi texts, 2. |
|
Sa. |
5. |
Composition, and grammar or essay, in an Indian language. |
|
Sa. |
6. |
Indian literature. |
|
Sa. |
7. |
Indian religion and philosophy, 1. |
|
Sa. |
8. |
Indian cultural history. |
|
Sa. |
9. |
Society, politics, and media in South Asia. |
|
Sa. |
11. |
Sanskrit specified texts, 1. |
|
Sa. |
12. |
Sanskrit specified texts, 2. |
|
Sa. |
13. |
Sanskrit specified texts, 3. |
|
Sa. |
14. |
Pali and Prakrit specified texts. |
|
Sa. |
15. |
Sanskrit unspecified texts. |
|
Sa. |
16. |
Hindi texts, 3. |
|
Sa. |
17. |
Hindi texts, 4. |
|
Sa. |
18. |
Hindi texts, 5. |
|
Sa. |
19. |
Selected readings in a North Indian language. |
|
Sa. |
20. |
Indian epics. |
|
Sa. |
21. |
Special subject in South Asian history. |
|
Sa. |
22. |
The Mughal Empire. |
|
Sa. |
23. |
Women and literature in India. |
|
Sa. |
24. |
Special subject in South Asian religion and philosophy. |
|
Sa. |
25. |
Special subject in South Asian literature. |
|
Sa. |
26. |
Special subject in nineteenth-century or twentieth-century Indian history. |
|
Sa. |
27. |
Specified subject in South Asian Studies. |
|
Sa. |
28. |
Special subject in modern South Asian history, 1. |
|
Sa. |
29. |
Special subject in modern South Asian history, 2. |
(b) In addition to the written papers, oral examinations shall be held in the modern spoken form of Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, Hindi, Japanese, and Persian, and of any language approved by the Faculty Board under Regulation 18.
(c) Papers from the Classical Tripos and the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos shall also be available, as follows: papers from Part Ib of the Classical Tripos and from Part Ib of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos, as specified in options (15) and (11) of Regulation 14; papers from Part II of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos, as specified in option (12) of Regulation 15 and in option (6) of Regulation 16.
(d) Papers from other Triposes shall also be available, as follows:
S2. |
Foundations of social anthropology II. |
19. |
History of political thought to c. 1700. |
20. |
History of political thought from c. 1700 to c. 1890. |
21. |
Empires and world history from the fifteenth century to the First World War. |
23. |
A subject in any aspect of history specified by the Faculty Board from time to time (in any year in which the subject specified has been approved for this purpose by the Faculty Board of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies). |
Li. 2. |
Structures and meanings. |
Pol. 11. |
A subject in modern politics V (in any year in which the subject specified has been approved for this purpose by the Faculty Board of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies). |
B15. |
Introduction to Islam. |
C9. |
Islam II. |
12. The Faculty Board shall give notice before the end of the Easter Term each year of the specified texts and variable subjects selected for the examinations to be held in the academical year next but one following, provided that the Board shall have the power of subsequently issuing amendments if they have due reason for so doing and if they are satisfied that no student's preparation for the examination is adversely affected.
13. The Faculty Board shall have the power of issuing from time to time supplementary regulations to define or limit all or any of the subjects of the examination, due care being taken that sufficient notice is given of any change, and of modifying or altering such supplementary regulations as occasion may require; and of marking out the lines of study that are to be pursued by candidates.
14. Except as provided in Regulation 18, a candidate for Part I shall offer either one of the whole subjects or two of the half-subjects listed below, and shall take the written papers or other alternative exercises and oral examinations specified; provided that
15. Except as provided in Regulation 18, a candidate for Part II who takes the examination under Regulation 3(a)144 shall offer either one of the whole subjects or two of the half-subjects listed below, and shall take the written papers or other alternative exercises and oral examinations specified, provided that
16. Except as provided in Regulation 18, a candidate for Part II who takes the examination under Regulation 3(b)147 shall offer either one of the whole subjects or two of the half-subjects listed below, and shall take the written papers and oral examinations specified; provided that
17. A candidate who wishes, or is required, to submit a dissertation in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 15 or Regulation 16 shall submit the proposed title, together with a statement of the papers to be offered in the examination, to the Secretary of the Faculty Board so as to arrive not later than the division of the Michaelmas Term next preceding the examination. Each candidate must obtain the approval of the proposed title by the Board not later than the end of that term. A dissertation, which shall be of not more than 12,000 words in length (inclusive of notes and appendices), should show evidence of reading, judgement, and power of exposition, but not necessarily evidence of original research, and must give full references to the sources used. One electronic and two paper copies of each dissertation, marked with the candidate’s examination number, shall be submitted to the Secretary of the Faculty Board so as to arrive not later than the third day of the Full Easter Term in which the examination is to be held. 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. Each copy of the dissertation shall be accompanied by a summary of not more than 300 words in English, except that a candidate in Chinese Studies shall furnish instead a summary in Chinese of not less than 600 characters. The maximum marks allocated to the dissertation shall be one quarter of the maximum marks for the examination as a whole.
18. The Faculty Board shall have power to grant permission to a candidate for either Part of the Tripos to offer in the examination an Oriental subject or language other than those specified in Regulations 14, 15, and 16, provided that the Board are satisfied
Applications for such permission shall be made through the candidate's Tutor to the Secretary of the Faculty Board at the earliest possible date and in no circumstances later than the following dates:
the division of the Easter Term in the year next preceding the examination, for a candidate taking Part I or a candidate taking Part II under Regulation 16;
the division of the Easter Term in the year next but one preceding the examination, for a candidate taking Part II under Regulation 15.
For subjects offered under this regulation the Faculty Board shall have power (i) to determine the papers to be set, in general conformity with the provisions of Regulations 14, 15, and 16, and (ii) to specify whether such a subject is to be taken as a whole subject or as a half-subject.
19. Not later than the division of Full Michaelmas Term each year the Secretary of the Faculty Board shall inform the Registrary of any subjects for which permission has been granted under Regulation 18, together with the names of the candidates to whom such permission has been granted.
20. The examinations for the Oriental Studies Tripos shall be offered for the last time:
for Part I in 2009
for Part II in 2011
The examination for this paper will consist of the submission of records of such course-work undertaken during the courses leading to the examination as shall be determined from time to time by the Faculty Board; such records shall bear as an indication of good faith the signatures of the teachers under whose direction the work was performed.
The examination for this paper will consist of the submission of records of such practical work done during the courses leading to the examination as shall be determined from time to time by the Faculty Board; such records shall bear as an indication of good faith the signatures of the teachers under whose direction the work was performed.
The paper will examine the history of the globalization of China from c. 1850 to c. 1950. The examination for this paper will consist of the submission of an essay, of not more than 8,000 words based on relevant primary and secondary sources, before the first day of the Full Easter Term in which the examination takes place.
This paper will be examined by (a) a written paper and (b) the submission of records of such course-work undertaken during the courses leading to the examination as shall be determined from time to time by the Faculty Board. Parts (a) and (b) will carry equal weight.
These courses aim to develop students’ reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Students will be introduced to a range of academic and literary texts in order to develop their ability to follow complex discussions and improve their understanding of linguistic structures. Classes will run completely in Arabic.
The aim of this course is to develop students’ skills in translating from Arabic to English. The course will involve translation practice and discussion of the issues involved.
This course will examine current scholarship on diaspora(s) with specific focus on those originating in the Middle East. Conceptions of ‘homeland’ and the role of memory will be reviewed, as well as tensions between national(ist)/transnational, immobility/mobility (both physical and existential), integration/non-integration, forced/voluntary displacement, and cosmopolitan/parochial sensibilities. Students will be urged to examine ‘diaspora’ from a critical perspective, attuned to historical and cultural specificity.
The course will provide the student with a sustained introduction to several key texts in the classical Arabic philosophical tradition relating to the relationship between the philosopher and his society (reason and revelation). Throughout the emphasis will be on developing appropriate strategies for interpreting the texts, with particular focus on the method of reading (‘esotericism’) developed by Leo Strauss and his followers. Among the thinkers discussed will be Ibn Tufayl, Muhammad b. Zakariyya, al-Razi, and al-Farabi.
This course will provide a regional survey of Modern Arabic literature, with special emphasis on text-based analysis. Themes covered will include: the city; the nation; women; memory; exile and return; and inter-cultural encounter.
This course aims to develop students’ reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. The students will write essays and prepare presentations in Persian, which they will discuss in class.
Students will be asked to read a modern Persian novel each term and will study several Iranian films, which they will be expected to analyse and discuss, making oral and written presentations of their critical and comparative analyses of these texts and films.
This course will use a selection of both classical and contemporary Persian poetry to study the treatment of particular themes and rhetorical techniques. The theme for 2009–10 will be the evolution of wine-imagery in classical poetry with particular emphasis on the poems by Hafez.
This course covers different genres of prose literature, with an emphasis this year on hagiography and historiography and their ethical dimensions.
This paper involves an in depth study of Ghazali’s Kitab al-‘amr bi al-ma’ruf wa al-nahi ‘an al-munkar, his invaluable analysis of the hisba, the primary duty of every Muslim ‘to promote what is right and prevent what is wrong’.
This course is spread over the Michaelmas and Lent Terms. The first term is devoted to the rise of the Mongol empire and its establishment as khanates in different regions of Asia, with an emphasis on the mechanics of state formation and the interactions between ‘nomads’ and the sedentary lands. The second term charts the fragmentation of and collapse of Mongol rule in the different regions, concentrating on topics such as acculturation, religious conversion, and aspects of continuity and change seen under Mongol rule. Throughout, there is an emphasis on the historiography of the period and the course (and the examination) may include the discussion of primary source material. Students will be expected to write 2 to 3 essays a term. The Easter Term will be set aside for revision classes.
Perhaps unique in its nature and structure in British and Western universities, this course offers comprehensive knowledge of the rising phenomenon of political Islam, especially in the Middle East. The course starts with focusing on the historical context and conditions that helped the emergence of Islamist movements. Then it discusses and analyses various scholarly approaches of understanding Islamism (for instance approaches of social theory, anti-colonial, identity assertion, poverty and deprivation, and global resurgence of religion and so forth). The course moves on to discussing a wide spectrum of Islamism ranging from ‘moderate’ and non-violent movements such as the Muslim Brotherhood organizations and the Justice and Development Party in Turkey to ‘radical’ and violent movements such as Al-Qaeda and Hizbuallah. A specific emphasis is given to the notion of country-based movements and trans-national (global) movements. The part of thematic analysis in the course covers major issues and debates that pertain to ‘Islamist’ perceptions of democracy, modernity, religious minorities, and gender issues.
The examination for this paper will consist of the submission of records of such practical work done during the courses leading to the examination as shall be determined from time to time by the Faculty Board; such records shall bear as an indication of good faith the signatures of the teachers under whose direction the work was performed.