Statutes and Ordinances of the University of Cambridge
CHAPTER IV
pp. 339–345
PRELIMINARY EXAMINATIONS AND TRIPOS EXAMINATIONS

The Ordinances contained in this Chapter are Ordinances of the General Board

In this section

TRIPOS EXAMINATIONS

HISTORICAL TRIPOS

Amended by Notice (Reporter, 2012–13, p. 732)

Two Parts.

1. The Historical Tripos shall consist of two Parts. A separate class-list shall be published for each Part.

Supplementary regulations.

2. The Faculty Board of History shall have power to define or limit by supplementary regulations all or any of the subjects of the examination; to determine the credit that shall be assigned to such subjects respectively; to mark out the lines of study that are to be pursued by candidates; and to modify or alter any such supplementary regulations as occasion may require. They shall also have power to publish from time to time lists of books recommended to the candidates.

3. Before the end of the Easter Term each year the Faculty Board shall give notice of the variable subjects for the examinations to be held in the academical year next but one following; provided that

  1. (a)the Faculty Board shall have the power of subsequently issuing amendments if they have due reason for doing so and if they are satisfied that no student's preparation for the examination is adversely affected;
  2. (b)a subject prescribed for Paper 1 of Part I may be withdrawn by the Faculty Board upon notice given in the Reporter not later than the end of the Full Michaelmas Term next but one preceding the examination concerned.
Standing of candidates.

4. The following may present themselves as candidates for honours in Part I:

  1. (a)a student who has kept four terms; provided that six complete terms have not passed after his or her first term of residence;
  2. (b)a student who has obtained honours in another Honours Examination in the year next after or next but one after so obtaining honours; provided that the student has kept seven terms and that twelve complete terms have not passed after his or her first term of residence.

5. A student who has obtained honours in another Honours Examination may be a candidate for honours in Part II in the year next after or next but one after so obtaining honours; provided that the student has kept seven terms and that twelve complete terms have not passed after his or her first term of residence.

6. An Affiliated Student may be a candidate for honours either in Part I or in Part II as allowed by the Faculty Board in accordance with the regulations for Affiliated Students.

7. No student shall be a candidate for both Parts, or for either Part and also for another Honours Examination, in the same term.

8. No student who has been a candidate for either Part shall again be a candidate for the same Part.

Examiners.

9. The Faculty Board shall nominate such number of Examiners as they may deem sufficient for each Part of the Tripos.

Assessors.

10. The Faculty Board shall have power to nominate one or more Assessors to assist the Examiners in either Part of the Tripos. Assessors shall, if required, set the paper or papers assigned to them, shall look over the work of the candidates therein, and shall present a report to the Examiners. They may be summoned to meetings of the Examiners for the purpose of consultation and advice, but shall not be entitled to vote.

11. The Examiners shall have regard to the style and method of the candidates’ answers and shall give credit for excellence in these respects.

Class-lists.

12. In each Part, the names of the candidates who obtain honours shall be arranged 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. A mark of distinction shall be affixed to the names of those candidates placed in the first class whose work either in a part or in the whole of the examination is of special merit. Explanation of the mark shall be limited to the words ‘With distinction’.

Scheme of examination for Part I.

13. The scheme of examination for Part I shall be:

Section A
Themes and Sources

 Paper  1.

Themes and sources

Section B
British Political History

 Paper  2.

British political history, 380–1100

 Paper  3.

British political history, 1050–1509

 [Paper  4.

British political history, 1485–1750]66

 [Paper  5.

British political history, 1700–1914]66

 [Paper  6.

British political history, since 1867]66

 〈Paper  4.

British political history, 1485–1714〉66

 〈Paper  5.

British political history, 1688–1886〉66

 〈Paper  6.

British political history, since 1880〉66

Section C
British Economic and Social History

 Paper  7.

British economic and social history, 380–1100

 Paper  8.

British economic and social history, 1050–c. 1500

 Paper  9.

British economic and social history, c. 1500–1750

 [Paper 10.

British economic and social history, 1700–1914]66

 [Paper 11.

British economic and social history, since c. 1870]66

 〈Paper 10.

British economic and social history, 1700–1880〉66

 〈Paper 11.

British economic and social history, since c. 1880〉66

Section D
European History

 Paper 12.

European history, 776 bcad 69

 Paper 13.

European history, 31 bcad 900

 Paper 14.

European history, 900–c. 1215

 Paper 15.

European history, 1200–1520

 Paper 16.

European history, 1450–1760

 Paper 17.

European history, 1715–1890

 Paper 18.

European history, since 189067

Section E
Political Thought

 Paper 19.

History of political thought to c. 1700 (also serves as Paper O6 of Part II of the Classical Tripos and Paper Pol. 1 of the Politics, Psychology, and Sociology Tripos)

 Paper 20.

History of political thought from c. 1700 to c. 1890 (also serves as Paper Pol. 2 of the Politics, Psychology, and Sociology Tripos)

Section F
World History

 Paper 21.

Empires and world history from the fifteenth century to the First World War68

 Paper 23.

World history since 1914

Section G
American History

 Paper 22.

North American History, c. 1500 to 1865

 Paper 24.

The history of the United States from 1865

Each paper shall be of three hours’ duration, except Paper 1. The examination for Paper 1 shall consist of the submission of an essay, on a topic chosen from a list of topics announced by the Faculty Board; the length of the essay and the arrangements for its submission shall be prescribed by the Faculty Board from time to time.

14. Candidates for Part I shall offer papers as follows:

  1. (a)a candidate who takes the examination in the fourth, fifth, or sixth term after the first term of residence, or in the year next but one after obtaining honours in another Honours Examination, or a candidate who is an Affiliated Student and has been given leave by the Faculty Board to take Part I in the fourth, fifth, or sixth term after the first term kept, shall offer Paper 1 and five other papers;
  2. (b)a candidate who takes the examination in the year next after obtaining honours in another Honours Examination shall offer Paper 1 and four other papers;

provided that

  1. (i)every candidate shall offer at least one paper from Section B, at least one paper from Section C, and at least one paper from Sections D–G;
  2. (ii)no candidate who has obtained honours in either Part of the Classical Tripos shall offer Paper 12 or Paper 13;
  3. (iii)the Faculty Board may specify from among Papers 2–24 a paper or papers which an Affiliated Student who is a candidate under this regulation shall or shall not offer.

Part II

Scheme of examination for Part II.

15. The scheme of examination for Part II shall be:

Section A

 Paper 1.

Historical argument and practice

Section B
Special Subject69

 Paper 2.

Essay Paper

 Paper 3.

Sources Paper

Section C
Political Thought

 Paper 4.

The history of political thought from c. 1700 to c. 1890 (also serves as Paper Pol. 15 of the Politics, Psychology, and Sociology Tripos)70

 Paper 5.

Political philosophy and the history of political thought since c. 1890 (also serves as Paper Pol. 6 of the Politics, Psychology, and Sociology Tripos)

Section D
Specified Subjects

 Papers 6–30.

A variable number of papers on topics or comparative themes in history specified by the Faculty Board,71

provided that within the range of papers listed in Sections B and D, a minimum of one paper in each of the following subject areas shall be offered:

  1. (i)ancient history;69
  2. (ii)medieval history;
  3. (iii)early modern history;
  4. (iv)economic and/or social history;
  5. (v)modern British and/or Irish history;
  6. (vi)modern European history;
  7. (vii)American history;
  8. (viii)African, Asian or Latin-American history;

and that no fewer than twelve specified subjects shall be offered in Section D.

16. Candidates for Part II shall offer papers, or papers and a dissertation, as follows:

  1. (a)a candidate who takes the examination in the year next after obtaining honours in Part I of the Historical Tripos or in another Honours Examination, or a candidate who is an Affiliated Student and has been given leave by the Faculty Board to take Part II in the first, second, or third term after the first term kept, shall offer Papers 1, 2, and 3, and
  2. eithertwo papers from Sections C–D
  3. orone paper from Sections C–D and a dissertation as prescribed in Regulation 17 on a topic, the title of which has been approved by the Faculty Board, within the range of the Historical Tripos as a whole, provided that a candidate shall not submit a dissertation on a topic falling within the scope of any of the papers that he or she is offering in the examination;
  4. (b)a candidate who takes the examination in the year next but one after obtaining honours in Part I of the Historical Tripos or in another Honours Examination, or a candidate who is an Affiliated Student and has been given leave by the Faculty Board to take Part II in the fourth, fifth, or sixth term after the first term kept, shall offer Papers 1, 2, and 3, and
  5. eitherfour papers from Sections C–D
  6. orthree papers from Sections C–D and a dissertation as prescribed in Regulation 17 on a topic, the title of which has been approved by the Faculty Board, within the range of the Historical Tripos as a whole, provided that a candidate shall not submit a dissertation on a topic falling within the scope of any of the papers that he or she is offering in the examination;

provided that

  1. (i)no candidate shall offer any paper that he or she has previously offered as a candidate for another Honours Examination;
  2. (ii)the Faculty Board may give notice before the end of the Easter Term in the academical year next but one preceding the examination that a candidate who offered a particular paper or combination of papers in Part I of the Historical Tripos may not offer a particular paper or papers from Section D of Part II;
  3. (iii)no candidate who has obtained honours in Part II of the Classical Tripos shall offer the paper which serves as the subject for Paper C4 of Part II of the Classical Tripos;
  4. (iv)no candidate shall offer in Papers 2 and 3, a subject which he or she has already offered in Group C of Part II of the Classical Tripos;
  5. [(v)no candidate who has previously offered Paper 20 in Part I of the Historical Tripos shall offer Paper 4;
  6. (vi)the Faculty Board may specify from among Papers 4–30 a paper or papers which an Affiliated Student who is a candidate under this regulation shall or shall not offer;
  7. (vii)a candidate who has previously obtained honours in Part I of the Historical Tripos, but who did not offer in that Part a paper from among
  8. eitherPapers 2–4, 7–9, 12–16, and 19,
  9. orPapers 23 and 24 (if the subject specified for the paper fell mainly in the period before 1750),
  10. shall offer in Part II
  11. eitherPapers 2 and 3, provided that the special subject selected by the candidate is one which has been announced by the Faculty Board as a subject falling mainly in the period before 1750,
  12. orone of the following papers, provided that the subject specified for the paper is a subject falling mainly in the period before 1750:
  13.  Papers 6–30;
  14. ora dissertation as prescribed in Regulation 17, provided that its subject falls mainly in the period before 1750;
  15. (viii)a candidate who has previously obtained honours in Part I of the Historical Tripos, but who did not offer in that Part a paper from among
  16. eitherPapers 5–6, 10–11, 17–18, and 20,
  17. orPapers 23 and 24 (if the subject specified for the paper fell mainly in the period after 1750),
  18. shall offer in Part II
  19. eitherPapers 2 and 3, provided that the special subject selected by the candidate is one which has been announced by the Faculty Board as a subject falling mainly in the period after 1750,
  20. orone of the following papers, provided that the subject specified for the paper is a subject falling mainly in the period after 1750:
  21.  Papers 4–5 and 6–30;
  22. ora dissertation as prescribed in Regulation 17, provided that its subject falls mainly in the period after 1750;
  23. (ix)a candidate who has previously obtained honours in Part I of the Historical Tripos but who did not offer in that Part a paper from among Papers 12–18 shall offer in Part II a paper from Section D on a subject in European history specified by the Faculty Board.]72
  24. 〈(v)no candidate who has previously offered Paper 20 in Part I of the Historical Tripos shall offer Paper 4;
  25. (vi)the Faculty Board may specify from among Papers 4–30 a paper or papers which an Affiliated Student who is a candidate under this regulation shall or shall not offer;
  26. (vii)a candidate who has previously obtained honours in Part I of the Historical Tripos, but who did not offer in that Part a paper from among
  27. eitherPaper 1 (Themes and Sources) provided that the option selected by the candidate is one which has been announced by the Faculty Board as a subject falling mainly in the period before 1750;
  28. orPapers 2–4, 7–9, 12–16, and 19,
  29. orPapers 23 and 24 (if the subject specified for the paper fell mainly in the period before 1750),
  30. shall offer in Part II
  31. eitherPapers 2 and 3, provided that the special subject selected by the candidate is one which has been announced by the Faculty Board as a subject falling mainly in the period before 1750,
  32. orone of the following papers, provided that the subject specified for the paper is a subject falling mainly in the period before 1750:
  33.  Papers 6–30;
  34. ora dissertation as prescribed in Regulation 17, provided that its subject falls mainly in the period before 1750;
  35. (viii)a candidate who has previously obtained honours in Part I of the Historical Tripos, but who did not offer in that Part a paper from among
  36. eitherPapers 5–6, 10–11, 17–18, and 20,
  37. orPapers 23 and 24 (if the subject specified for the paper fell mainly in the period after 1750),
  38. shall offer in Part II
  39. eitherPapers 2 and 3, provided that the special subject selected by the candidate is one which has been announced by the Faculty Board as a subject falling mainly in the period after 1750,
  40. orone of the following papers, provided that the subject specified for the paper is a subject falling mainly in the period after 1750:
  41.  Papers 4–5 and 6–30;
  42. ora dissertation as prescribed in Regulation 17, provided that its subject falls mainly in the period after 1750.〉72
Dissertation.

17. (a) A candidate for Part II who wishes to offer a dissertation under Regulation 16 shall submit an application, including the title of the proposed dissertation and a statement of the scheme of papers to be offered in the examination. Applications, signed by the candidate's Director of Studies, shall be submitted to the Academic Secretary of the Faculty so as to arrive not later than the division of the Easter Term next preceding the examination. Applications submitted after that date will be considered by the Board only in the most exceptional circumstances.

(b) Each candidate shall obtain the approval of the proposed title by the Faculty Board not later than the last day of August preceding the examination. When the Faculty Board have approved a title, no change shall be made to it without the further approval of the Board. A candidate may submit a revised title so as to reach the Academic Secretary of the Faculty not later than the division of the Lent Term; titles submitted after that date will be considered by the Board only in the most exceptional circumstances.

(c) A dissertation shall be not less than 10,000 words and not more than 15,000 words in length, shall show knowledge of primary sources, and shall give full reference to all sources used. Each dissertation shall be typewritten, with proper attention to style and presentation in accordance with detailed guidelines issued by the Faculty Board. Candidates will be required to provide a brief synopsis of the contents of the dissertation, and to declare that the dissertation is their own original work and that it does not contain material already used to any substantial extent for a comparable purpose.

(d) A dissertation shall be submitted through the candidate's Director of Studies to the Academic Secretary of the Faculty, in accordance with arrangements approved by the Board, so as to arrive not later than the first Friday of the Full Easter Term in which the examination is to be held.

(e) A candidate may be called for viva voce examination on his or her dissertation and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls.

SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS

Amended by Notices (Reporter, 2012–13, pp. 200 and 732)

Part I

Paper 1. Themes and sources

The purpose of this paper is to give candidates experience of problems in the interpretation of historical sources within a thematic framework. Each candidate will be required to select an option from a list of options announced by the Faculty Board, and each option will include a number of essay topics. An essay on a topic chosen from a list announced by the Faculty Board will be submitted. Some of the topics may involve the use of sources in a foreign language.

Papers 2–6. British political history, from ad 380 to the present day

In these papers candidates will be required to show knowledge of political aspects and also of general aspects of English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh history where relevant to the period studied. Candidates will be expected to show evidence of their ability to use and interpret contemporary documents. In each paper three questions must be answered, but no question will be specified as compulsory.

Papers 7–11. British economic and social history, from ad 380 to the present day

In these papers candidates will be required to show knowledge of economic, social, and cultural aspects and also of general aspects of English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh history where relevant to the period studied. Candidates will be expected to show evidence of their ability to use and interpret contemporary documents. In each paper three questions must be answered, but no question will be specified as compulsory.

Papers 12–18. European history, from 776 bc to the present day

These papers will survey European history in the periods concerned, in its political, constitutional, cultural, economic, and social aspects. Candidates will also be required to show knowledge of general aspects of European history. In each paper candidates will be required to answer three questions.

Paper 18 will be set in two sections. In one section the major emphasis will be on political and constitutional history; in the other section the major emphasis will be on economic, social, intellectual, and cultural history. Candidates will be required to answer three questions, at least one question to be taken from each section.

Paper 19. History of political thought to c. 1700 (also serves as Paper O6 of Part II of the Classical Tripos and Paper Pol. 1 of the Politics, Psychology, and Sociology Tripos)
Paper 20. History of political thought from c. 1700 to c. 1890 (also serves as Paper Pol. 2 of the Politics, Psychology, and Sociology Tripos)

These papers will deal with political ideas and arguments in relation to the general historical contexts in which they arose. Each paper will be divided into two sections. Section A will consist of questions on prescribed texts. Section B will be designed to test knowledge of a series of themes of importance in the history of political thought in the period covered by the paper. Candidates will be required to answer three questions, at least one question to be taken from each section.

Paper 21. Empires and world history from the fifteenth century to the First World War

This paper will deal comparatively with the growth of political, economic, and cultural relations between Europe and the rest of the world since 1400; and with their effects in world history. Candidates will be required to answer three questions.

Paper 22. North American history, c. 1500 to 1865

This paper will concentrate on the history of those parts of North America which now form the United States. Candidates will be required to answer three questions.

Paper 23. World history since 1914

The paper will explore the climax and decline of Europe’s older imperial systems during the first half of the twentieth century, the emergence of new forms of imperial power, and the making of the modern ‘postcolonial’ world in the context of world war and global economic shifts. Candidates will be required to answer three questions.

Paper 24. The history of the United States from 1865

The paper will concentrate on the history of those parts of North America which now form the United States. The paper will be set in two sections. Section A will consist of thematic questions; in Section B questions will be arranged chronologically. Three questions must be answered; one from Section A, two from Section B.

Part II

Paper 1. Historical argument and practice

This paper aims to provide an opportunity for candidates to reflect on broad issues of historical argument and practice arising out of their work for all three years of the Historical Tripos, but especially Part II. The paper is a means of enabling candidates to raise and discuss fundamental questions which relate their specialist knowledge to more general themes of historical inquiry and explanation. The focus of this paper, as distinct from other Part II papers, is on understanding the conceptual, historiographical, and methodological dimensions of historical argument and practice. However, the paper also fundamentally requires candidates to develop their understanding of these conceptual, historiographical, and methodological issues in relation to their work for their other Part II papers, for example by critically evaluating the merits of different approaches in relation to the more specific and empirical material that they encounter elsewhere in the Tripos. The questions will be designed to encourage broad discussion of issues derived from, and relevant to, papers set in Part II, and will also allow candidates to draw upon their wider reading, done within and outside Parts I and II. The paper will offer a choice of questions, from which candidates will be required to answer one.

Papers 2 and 3. Special Subject: sources and long essay

Each candidate shall choose one special subject from a list of special subjects published by the Faculty Board. For each of the subjects primary sources will be specified, some of which may be in a foreign language. A candidate will be required to take one three-hour examination paper and to submit an essay of 6,000 to 7,000 words. The examination paper will include extracts from the specified primary sources and will require commentary by the candidate. For the essay candidates will be required to select an option from a list of options announced by the Faculty Board and to discuss an historical issue with reference to the primary sources, including those specified for the special subject.

Paper 4. The history of political thought from c. 1700 to c. 1890 (also serves as Paper Pol. 15 of the Politics, Psychology, and Sociology Tripos)

This paper will deal with political ideas and arguments in relation to the general historical contexts in which they arose. The paper will be divided into two sections. Section A will consist of questions on prescribed texts. Section B will be designed to test knowledge of a series of themes of importance in the history of political thought in the period covered by the paper. Candidates will be required to answer three questions, at least one question to be taken from each section.

Paper 5. Political philosophy and the history of political thought since c. 1890 (also serves as Paper Pol. 6 of the Politics, Psychology, and Sociology Tripos)

This paper will explore the central texts and key ideas of twentieth-century political thought, looking at both analytical concepts and historical context. It is divided into two parts, Section A which covers historical topics organized around authors and their texts, and Section B which covers a variety of themes in contemporary political philosophy. Students are required to answer three questions, taking at least one from each section.

Footnotes

  1. 66. The papers in angular brackets will replace the papers in square brackets with effect from 1 October 2014.a b c d e f g h i j
  2. 67. This paper is also available to candidates for Part II of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos; see p. 390.a
  3. 68. This paper is also available to candidates for Part IIa of the Archaeological and Anthropological Tripos.a
  4. 69. One or more subjects specified in Sections B and D may also serve as Group C papers of Part II of the Classical Tripos.a b
  5. 70. This paper is also available, in certain years, to candidates for Part II of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos.a
  6. 71. One or more subjects specified in Section D may also be available to candidates for Part II of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos.a
  7. 72. The regulations in angular brackets will replace the regulations in square brackets with effect from 1 October 2014.a b