Statutes and Ordinances of the University of Cambridge
CHAPTER IV
pp. 343–350
PRELIMINARY EXAMINATIONS AND TRIPOS EXAMINATIONS

The provisions contained in this Chapter are Regulations of the General Board

In this section

TRIPOS EXAMINATIONS

HISTORY AND MODERN LANGUAGES TRIPOS8

Amended by Notices (Reporter, 2016–17, pp. 155 and 665)

General

Three Parts.

1. The History and Modern Languages Tripos shall consist of three Parts: Part Ia, Part Ib, and Part II. A separate class-list shall be published for each Part.

2. The Faculty Board of Modern and Medieval Languages shall be responsible for the Tripos and shall be advised by a Committee of Management for the Tripos which shall comprise such members of the Faculty Boards of History and of Modern and Medieval Languages and which will have such responsibilities as these Boards shall determine, and which shall report to both Faculty Boards.

Examiners and Assessors.

3. On the recommendation of the Committee of Management, the Faculty Board of Modern and Medieval Languages shall nominate a Chair of Examiners and such number of Examiners and Assessors as they shall deem sufficient to conduct the examination for each Part of the Tripos. There shall be at least one Senior Examiner for Modern Languages and at least one Senior Examiner for History. If required to do so, Assessors shall set papers in the subject or subjects assigned to them, shall mark the answers of the candidates in these papers, shall set and conduct oral examinations, shall assess dissertations and projects, and shall present written reports to the Examiners. Assessors may be summoned to meetings of the Examiners for the purpose of consultation and advice, but shall not be entitled to vote. Two Examiners or Assessors shall be present for each oral examination in a language.

Supplementary regulations.

4. The Faculty Board may from time to time make supplementary regulations defining all or any of the subjects and specified texts of examination, and may modify, alter, or withdraw such supplementary regulations as they see fit, as advised by the Committee of Management, due care being taken that sufficient notice is given of any changes.

Notice of variable subjects.

5. 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 following; provided that the 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. The Board shall have power when they give notice of variable subjects to announce any restriction on the combination of papers that a candidate may offer.

6. The questions proposed by each Examiner and Assessor shall be submitted for approval to the whole body of Examiners for the Part of the Tripos concerned.

Class-lists.

7. Separate meetings shall be held of all the Examiners for each Part, at which the respective class-lists shall be drawn up. In each class-list the names of candidates who deserve honours 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. Those candidates placed in the first class whose work is of special merit shall be awarded a mark of distinction.

8. No student shall be a candidate for more than one Part, or any Part and also for another Honours examination in the same term.

9. No student who has been a candidate for any Part shall again be a candidate for the same Part.

10. A candidate shall not offer in any Part of the Tripos a paper that he or she has previously offered in another University examination.

Languages offered.

11. Modern and Medieval Languages Examinations shall be held in the following languages: French, German, 〈Italian, Portuguese〉1, Russian, and Spanish.

Part Ia

Standing of candidates.

12. The following may present themselves as candidates for honours in Part Ia:

  1. (a)a student who has not obtained honours in another Honours examination, provided that he or she has kept one term and that three complete terms have not passed after the student’s first term of residence;
  2. (b)a student who has obtained honours in another Honours examination, in the year after so obtaining honours, provided that he or she has kept seven terms and that nine complete terms have not passed after the student’s first term of residence.
Scheme of examination for Part Ia.

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

History

Papers from Sections B–F of the scheme of examination for Part I of the Historical Tripos, as follows:

 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 1890

 Paper 19.

The history of political thought to c. 1700 (also serves as Paper O6 of Part II of the Classical Tripos and as Paper POL7 of Parts IIa and IIb of the Human, Social, and Political Sciences Tripos)

 Paper 20.

The history of political thought from c. 1700 to c. 1890 (also serves as Paper POL8 of Parts IIa and IIb of the Human, Social, and Political Sciences Tripos)

 Paper 21.

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

 Paper 22.

World history since 1914

Modern Languages

[(i) French, German, and Spanish

 Paper B1

Use of the foreign language

 Paper B2

Translation from the foreign language

 Oral examination B

(ii) Russian

Either Option A (ab initio):

 Paper A1

Introduction to the foreign language 1: Use of Russian

 Paper A2

Introduction to the foreign language 2: Translation from Russian

 Paper A3

Introduction to the foreign language 3: Introduction to Russian culture

 Oral examination A

or Option B (post-A-level):

 Papers B1, B2, and Oral examination B, as in (i) above.

(iii) Introductory Scheduled Paper from the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos relating to the language concerned:

 Paper Fr.1.

Introduction to French literature, linguistics, film, and thought

 Paper Ge.1.

Introduction to German studies

 Paper Sp.1.

Introduction to the language, literatures, and cultures of the Spanish speaking world

 Paper Sl.1.

Introduction to Russian culture]2

〈(i) Option B (post-A-level or equivalent) languages:

French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish

 Paper B1

Use of the foreign language

 Paper B2

Translation from the foreign language

 Oral examination B

(ii) Option A (ab initio) languages:

German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish

 Paper A1

Introduction to the foreign language 1: Use of the foreign language

 Paper A2

Introduction to the foreign language 2: Translation from the foreign language

 Paper A3

Introduction to the foreign language 3: Introduction to culture/literature of the foreign language

 Oral examination A

(iii) Introductory Scheduled Paper from the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos relating to the language concerned:

 Paper Fr.1.

Introduction to French literature, linguistics, film, and thought

 Paper Ge.1.

Introduction to German studies

 Paper It.1.

Italian texts and contexts

 Paper Sp.1.

Introduction to the language, literatures, and cultures of the Spanish speaking world

 Paper Sl.1.

Introduction to Russian culture〉2

A candidate shall offer (a) two papers from Papers 12–22, (b) the papers indicated in (i) or (ii) above, and, for candidates taking Papers B1, B2, and oral examination B, (c) the relevant paper in (iii).

Part Ib

Standing of candidates.

14. The following may present themselves as candidates for honours in Part Ib:

  1. (a)a student who has obtained honours in Part Ia of the Tripos, in the year after so obtaining honours;
  2. (b)a student who has obtained honours in Part Ia of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos, in the year next after so obtaining honours;
  3. (c)a student who has obtained honours in another Honours Examination, in the year after so obtaining honours, provided that he or she has kept four terms and that nine complete terms have not passed after her or his first term of residence, and subject to the prior approval of the Faculty Board of Modern and Medieval Languages.
Scheme of examination for Part Ib.

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

History

 Papers 12–22, as outlined within Regulation 13.

Modern Languages

[(i)

French, German, Spanish, Russian (Option B)

Translation into the foreign language, and test in the foreign language through audio-visual media (also serves as Paper B3 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

(ii)

Russian (Option A)

 

(a)

Use of the foreign language (also serves as Paper B1 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Translation from the foreign language (also serves as Paper B2 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Oral examination B

 

(b)

Translation into the foreign language, and test in the foreign language through audio-visual media (also serves as Paper B3 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)]3

〈(i)

French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish (Option B)

Translation into the foreign language, and test in the foreign language through audio-visual media (also serves as Paper B3 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

(ii)

German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish (Option A)

(a)

Use of the foreign language (also serves as Paper B1 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Translation from the foreign language (also serves as Paper B2 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Oral examination B

(b)

Translation into the foreign language, and test in the foreign language through audio-visual media (also serves as Paper B3 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)〉3

(iii)

The papers listed in Schedule A and in Schedule B

A candidate shall offer the papers indicated in either (i) or (ii)(a) or (ii)(b) above, and three other papers, including at least one paper from Papers 12–22 in Regulation 13, and one paper from (iii) above.

16. [A candidate may offer, in place of one of the designated papers from (iii) above two long essays, each of not fewer than 3,500 and not more than 4,000 words in length including footnotes but excluding bibliography.]7 〈A candidate may offer, in place of one of the designated papers from Schedule A (papers indicated by the ‘†’ symbol) two long essays, each of not fewer than 3,500 and not more than 4,000 words in length including footnotes but excluding bibliography.〉7 Both essays must be in answer to questions prescribed by the examiners for the paper and advertised by the division of term preceding the submission deadlines. The two essays shall be submitted to the Secretary of the Faculty Board, in accordance with detailed arrangements approved by the Board, so as to arrive not later than 12 noon on the first Friday of the Full Lent Term and Full Easter Term respectively. Candidates may receive one hour’s supervision devoted to discussion of a plan of each essay but shall receive no further assistance in the writing of the essays. Detailed instructions will be issued by the Committee of Management regarding any other requirements for the essays as a whole. Candidates will be required to declare that the essays are their own work, and that they do not overlap in content with material submitted for supervisions. Candidates may be called for viva voce examination in connection with their essays.

Part II

Standing of candidates.

17. The following may present themselves as candidates for honours in Part II:

  1. (a)a student who has obtained honours in Part Ib of the Tripos or Part Ib of the MML Tripos, and has subsequently spent a period abroad in accordance with the requirements of Regulation 20, may be a candidate in the year next but one after last obtaining honours, provided that he or she has kept seven terms and that fifteen terms have not passed after her or his first term of residence;
  2. (b)a student who has obtained honours in Part I of the Historical Tripos may be a candidate in the year next but one after last obtaining honours, provided that (a) he or she has kept seven terms and that fifteen terms have not passed after her or his first term of residence, (b) the Faculty Board of Modern and Medieval Languages has given its prior approval, and (c) he or she has satisfied the requirements of Regulation 20;
  3. (c)a student who has obtained honours in another Honours examination may be a candidate in the year next but one and after last obtaining honours subject to the same proviso as in (b) above.
Scheme of examination for Part II.

18. The scheme of examination shall be:

(i)

Translation from and into the foreign language (also serves as Paper C1 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Foreign language: text and culture (also serves as Paper C2 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Oral examination C;

(ii)

A Year Abroad Project, which shall be offered in accordance with the requirements of Regulation 20;

(iii)

The papers listed in Schedule B and in Schedule C;

(iv)

Papers from Sections C–D of the scheme of examination for Part II of the Historical Tripos, as follows:

Section C

Paper 4.  The history of political thought from c. 1700 to c. 1890 (also serves as Paper POL10 of Parts IIa and IIb of the Human, Social, and Political Sciences Tripos)

Paper 5.  Political philosophy and the history of political thought since c. 1890 (also serves as Paper POL11 of Parts IIa and IIb of the Human, Social, and Political Sciences Tripos)

Section D

Papers on topics or comparative themes in history, as specified by the Committee of Management from among those specified by the Faculty Board of History for Part II of the Historical Tripos.

A candidate shall offer:

  1. (a)the papers in the relevant language in (i) above;
  2. (b)a Year Abroad Project in accordance with the requirements of Regulation 20;
  3. (c)either three papers from Schedule C and Schedule B and from (iv) above, provided that at least one paper shall be offered from those listed in the Schedules and one paper shall be offered from those listed in (iv)
  4. or one paper from (iii) above, and one paper from (iv) above, and a dissertation in accordance with the requirements of Regulation 19;

provided that a candidate who has previously offered a paper from Schedule B cannot offer another paper from that Schedule, and provided that no candidate may offer more than one paper from Schedule B.

Dissertations.

19. (a) A candidate for Part II who wishes to offer a dissertation under Regulation 18 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 Modern and Medieval Languages Faculty Office 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 only in the most exceptional circumstances.

(b) Each candidate shall obtain the approval of the proposed title by the Committee of Management no later than the third Friday of the Michaelmas Term preceding the examination. When that Committee has approved a title, no change shall be made to it without the further approval of the Committee. A candidate may submit a revised title so as to reach the Modern and Medieval Languages Faculty Office not later than the division of the Lent Term; titles submitted after that date will be considered only in the most exceptional circumstances.

(c) A dissertation shall be not less than 10,000 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 Committee of Management. Candidates will be required to provide a full 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 to the Modern and Medieval Languages Faculty Office, 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 her or his dissertation and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls.

Year abroad project.

20. A Year Abroad Project offered under Regulation 18 shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions set out below.

  1. (a)Every Year Abroad Project offered under Regulation 18 shall normally relate to an aspect of the history, thought, or culture of the country in which the year abroad is spent.
  2. (b)A candidate shall give notice to the Modern and Medieval Languages Faculty Office of the subject of the proposed project and the general area within which it will fall by a date announced by the Committee of Management, which shall be not later than the third Friday of the Full Easter Term in the year next but one preceding the examination. If, after giving such notice, a candidate subsequently wishes to revise her or his choice of subject and to offer a project on a subject that falls within a general area different from that notified, he or she must seek the permission of the Committee of Management not later than the division of the Full Lent Term in the year next preceding the examination.
  3.  After giving notice as required above, a candidate shall submit the proposed title of the project to the Modern and Medieval Languages Faculty Office, in accordance with instructions issued by the Committee of Management.
  4. (c)A Year Abroad Project shall be written in English, except that quotations from primary sources must be in the language of the original.
  5. (d)A Year Abroad Project shall normally be of not more than 8,000 words in length.
  6. (e)The word limits specified above include notes and appendices but exclude bibliography. A project shall be typewritten. Each candidate will be required to sign a declaration that the project is her or his 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.
  7. (f)Two copies of the Year Abroad Project shall be submitted, in accordance with detailed arrangements approved by the Committee of Management.
  8. (g)A candidate may be called for viva voce examination on the subject of her or his Year Abroad Project.
  9. (h)No student shall be a candidate for Part II unless evidence has been produced to the Modern and Medieval Languages Faculty Office that during the academical year next before the year of the examination he or she has spent a period studying abroad under conditions approved by the Committee of Management in a country or countries relevant to the papers to be offered in examination. Such evidence will normally consist of a certificate from a university or employer confirming dates of attendance. Every student shall submit a report on their year abroad in the manner prescribed by the Committee of Management. Students shall keep the Modern and Medieval Languages Faculty Office informed of their address abroad at all times.
  10. (i)A candidate proposing to study abroad shall apply for the approval of her or his plans, using a form issued by the Year Abroad Office. The application shall be submitted through the candidate’s Director of Studies to the Year Abroad Office so as to arrive not later than the seventh Friday of the Full Lent Term in the academical year next preceding that which the candidate proposes to spend abroad, and shall indicate the country or countries that the student intends to visit and the way in which he or she will be occupied while abroad. If a student subsequently changes her or his plans, he or she must inform the Year Abroad Office and seek permission afresh.

SCHEDULE A

Amended by Notices (Reporter, 2016–17, pp. 155 and 665)

French

Fr.2.

Structures and varieties of French

Fr.3.

Love, violence, and power in France, 1100–1500 (also serves as Paper 12 of Part I of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos)

Fr.4.

Rethinking the human: French literature, thought, and culture, 1500–1700

Fr.5.

Revolutions in writing, 1700–1900

Fr.6.

Innovation and upheaval: deformation and reformulation in the 20th and 21st centuries

German

〈Ge.1.

Introduction to German studies〉4

Ge.2.

German history and thought since 1750

Ge.3.

Introduction to German literary texts

Ge.4.

The making of German culture (also serves as Paper 10H of Part I of the English Tripos)

Ge.5.

Modern German culture I, 1750 to 1914

Ge.6.

Modern German culture, II

Ge.7.

German: a linguistic introduction

〈Italian

It.2.

Structure and varieties of Italian

It.3.

Italian cinema †

It.4.

Autobiography and self-representation in Italian culture †

It.5.

Italian identities: place, language, and culture †

Portuguese

Pg.1.

Introduction to the language, literatures, and cultures of Portuguese-speaking countries

Pg.4.

Self, family, nation, and empire in Lusophone culture †

Sp.11.

The Hispanic languages〉4

Spanish

Sp.2.

Introduction to Hispanic texts

Sp.3.

Medieval Iberia, Early Modern Spain, and Latin America5

Sp.4.

Modern Spanish culture and history5

Sp.5.

Latin-American culture and history5

[Sp.10.

Introduction to Catalan language and culture]6

Sp.11.

The Hispanic languages (also serves as Paper 21 of the Linguistics Tripos)

Slavonic Studies

Sl.2.

The history and culture of Early Rus5

Sl.3.

Early modern Russia: literature, history, and visual culture from 1300 to 1725

Sl.4.

Russian culture from the Golden Age to the Silver Age5

Sl.5.

Russian and Soviet culture from 19005,9

Sl.6.

Russian culture after 19535

Sl.7.

Soviet and Russian cinema5

Sl.8.

The history of the Russian language (also serves as Paper 23 of the Linguistics Tripos)

Sl.9.

Introduction to the language, literature, and culture of Ukraine

Sl.10.

Studies in twentieth-century Ukrainian literature and film

Sl.11.

Russia in revolution, from 1861 to 1917

Sl.12.

Socialist Russia 1917–1991

Sl.13.

Introduction to the language, literature, and culture of Poland

Sl.14.

Russian culture from 1905 to the death of Stalin

SCHEDULE B

Amended by Notices (Reporter, 2016–17, pp. 155 and 665)

Sl.9.

Introduction to the language, literature, and culture of Ukraine (Part Ib and Part II)

Sl.13.

Introduction to the language, literature, and culture of Poland (Part Ib and Part II)

SCHEDULE C

Amended by Notices (Reporter, 2016–17, pp. 155 and 665)

French

Fr.7.

Topics in medieval studies to be specified by the Faculty Board from time to time (also serves as Paper 18 of Part II of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos and as Paper 34 of Part II of the English Tripos)

Fr.8.

Wondrous forms in the age of Montaigne (also serves as Paper 35 of Part II of the English Tripos)

Fr.9.

Reason, experience, and authority: French literature, thought, and history, 1594–1700 (also serves as Paper 36 of Part II of the English Tripos)

Fr.10.

Enlightenment and its limits (also serves as Paper 37 of Part II of the English Tripos)

Fr.11.

Gender, desire, and power in 19th century French culture (also serves as Paper 38 of Part II of the English Tripos)

Fr.12.

Ethics and experience: literature, thought, and visual culture of the French-speaking world (1900 to the present) (also serves as Paper 39 of Part II of the English Tripos)

Fr.13.

The French language: variation and change (also serves as Paper 33 of the Linguistics Tripos)

Fr.14.

A special topic in French studies (A) to be specified by the Faculty Board from time to time

Fr.15.

A special topic in French studies (B) to be specified by the Faculty Board from time to time

Fr.16.

A special topic in French studies (C) to be specified by the Faculty Board from time to time

German

Ge.8.

German literature, thought, and history, from 1700 to 1815, including Goethe works to 1832

Ge.9.

German literature, thought, and history, from 1815 to 1914

Ge.10.

German literature, thought, and history, since 1910

Ge.11.

History of the German language (also serves as Paper 22 of the Linguistics Tripos)

Ge.12.

A special period or subject in German literature, thought, or history (i)

Ge.13.

A special period or subject in German literature, thought, or history (ii)

Ge.14.

German literature, thought, and history in the medieval and modern periods

Ge.15.

Modern German cultures of performance

Italian

It.6.

Topics in modern Italian culture

It.7.

Dante and the culture of his age

It.8.

Italian literature, thought, and culture, 1500–1650

It.9.

Text and image

It.10.

The language of Italy

Portuguese

Pg.4.

Self, family, nation, and empire in Lusophone culture

IL.1.

Ibero-American cinema

Sp.11.

The Hispanic languages (also serves as Paper 21 of the Linguistics Tripos)〉4

Spanish

Sp.7.

Spanish and Latin-American Early Modern literature and culture

Sp.8.

Spanish cinema and television

Sp.9.

Spanish literature, thought, and history, after 1820

Sp.11.

The Hispanic languages (also serves as Paper 21 of the Linguistics Tripos)

Sp.12.

Latin-American culture

Sp.13.

Contemporary Latin-American culture

Sp.14.

Spanish literature, life, and history, before 1492

Slavonic Studies

Sl.2.

The history and culture of Early Rus

Sl.3.

Early modern Russia: literature, history, and visual culture from 1300 to 1725

Sl.4.

Russian culture from the Golden Age to the Silver Age

Sl.5.

Russian and Soviet culture from 19009

Sl.6.

Russian culture after 1953

Sl.7.

Soviet and Russian cinema

Sl.8.

The history of the Russian language (also serves as Paper 23 of the Linguistics Tripos)

Sl.9.

Introduction to the language, literature, and culture of Ukraine

Sl.10.

Studies in twentieth-century Ukrainian literature and film

Sl.11.

Russia in revolution, from 1861 to 1917

Sl.12.

Socialist Russia 1917–1991

Sl.13.

Introduction to the language, literature, and culture of Poland

Sl.14.

Russian culture from 1905 to the death of Stalin

 

 

Footnotes

  1. 1. The languages in angular brackets will be inserted with effect from 1 October 2018.a
  2. 2. The clauses in angular brackets will replace those in square brackets with effect from 1 October 2018.a b
  3. 3. The clauses in angular brackets will replace those in square brackets with effect from 1 October 2018.a b
  4. 4. The papers in angular brackets will be inserted with effect from 1 October 2018.a b c
  5. 5. The dagger symbol will be added to this paper with effect from 1 October 2018.a b c d e f g h
  6. 6. This paper will be removed with effect from 1 October 2018.a
  7. 7. The text in angular brackets will replace the text in square brackets with effect from 1 October 2018.a b
  8. 8. The examination for Part Ia only will be held for the first time in 2018.a
  9. 9. This paper is suspended in 2017–18.a b