Statutes and Ordinances of the University of Cambridge
CHAPTER IV
pp. 326–334
PRELIMINARY EXAMINATIONS AND TRIPOS EXAMINATIONS

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

In this section

TRIPOS EXAMINATIONS

ENGLISH TRIPOS

Amended by Notice (Reporter, 2017–18, p. 822)

General

Two Parts.

1. The English Tripos shall consist of two Parts.

2. (a) For the purposes of the Regulations and any Supplementary Regulations, the study of ‘English literature’ shall be understood to mean, in both Parts of the Tripos, the study of literary works written in the English language (including Old English); of literary works of the British Isles including Ireland (whether written in English, or in other languages such as Latin or French); and of literary works written in Old Norse and the Medieval Celtic languages. It shall be understood to embrace the study of the English language.

(b) The study of ‘English literature’ shall normally also embrace, in both Parts of the Tripos, English literary translations of works originally written in other languages, so long as due consideration is given to the fact of translation.

(c) For Part I of the English Tripos, the study of ‘English literature’ shall also embrace such philosophical, historical and other writing as normally comes within the scope of Papers 1 to 8E of that Part as illustrated by reading lists announced by the Faculty Board.

(d) For Part II of the English Tripos, the study of ‘English literature’ shall also embrace such philosophical, historical and other writing, and such products of non-literary media and expressive forms, as normally come within the scope of Papers 1 to 30 of that Part as illustrated by reading lists announced by the Faculty Board.

(e) In both Parts of the Tripos, relevant comparisons with other materials that fall outside the scope of ‘English literature’ thus defined shall be accepted, both in written papers that focus on the study of ‘English literature’ and in dissertations and portfolios of essays that focus on the same; but only so long as greater weight falls, in each answer, dissertation or essay offered in this context, on materials that come within the aforementioned scope.

(f) In addition, in both Parts of the Tripos, the English Tripos shall include certain papers which concentrate on the study of literatures other than ‘English literature’ thus defined. However, it shall not be permissible to make this material the principal basis of any dissertation, any essay within a portfolio of essays, or any answer to a written paper primarily concerned with ‘English literature’.

3. The scheme of the examination shall be as defined in Regulations 14 to 21.

Notice of variable subjects, etc.

4. Notice of all the variable papers available for examination, and of the variable subjects, texts, or portions of subjects specified for special study, shall be given by the Faculty Board of English before the end of the Easter Term (i) two years prior to the examination in the case of Part I of the Tripos, (ii) one year prior to the examination in the case of Part II of the Tripos; provided that, in both cases, 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 her or his examination will be adversely affected. The Board shall have power when they give notice of the variable subjects selected for a particular examination to announce any consequential restriction on the combination of papers that a candidate may offer. The Board shall have power to define or limit by supplementary regulations all or any of the subjects of examination, and to modify or alter such supplementary regulations as occasion may require.

Standing of candidates.

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

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

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

  1. (a)a student who has obtained honours in Part I of the English Tripos, in the year after so obtaining honours; provided that twelve complete terms have not passed after her or his first term of residence;
  2. (b)a student who has obtained honours in another Honours Examination, in the year after or next but one after so obtaining honours; provided that twelve complete terms have not passed after her or his first term of residence;
  3. (c)a student who has obtained honours in Part I of the English Tripos or any other Honours Examination and who has spent the intervening year undertaking legitimate study in another University, in the year next but one after so obtaining honours; provided that twelve complete terms have not passed after her or his first term of residence, and subject to the provision in Regulation 19(c)(i);
  4. (d)an Affiliated Student, in accordance with the General Regulations for Affiliated Students, and subject to the terms of Regulation 19 of the English Tripos that pertain to 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 and Assessors.

9. (a) To conduct the examination in each Part of the Tripos the Faculty Board shall nominate such number of Examiners as they deem appropriate.

(b) The Faculty Board shall have power to nominate Assessors to assist the Examiners for each Part of the Tripos. Assessors may be summoned to meetings of the Examiners for the purpose of consultation and advice, but shall not be entitled to vote.

Meetings of Examiners.

10. Before the examination there shall be general meetings of the Examiners for Part I and of the Examiners for Part II, when the papers set by each Examiner or Assessor shall be submitted to the whole body of each Part’s Examiners for their approval and shall be settled by the Examiners for each Part.

Class-lists.

11. The Examiners for Part I and the Examiners for Part II shall hold separate meetings, at which the class-list for each Part shall be drawn up. In each of these lists the names of the 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.

12. For special excellence in either Part a mark of distinction may be awarded.

13. In each examination, candidates must not use the same material twice, either within any given paper or across the examination as a whole. Nor should material be repeated from one examination to the next.

Part I

14. The papers in Part I shall be as follows:

Paper 1.

Practical criticism and critical practice

Paper 2.

Early medieval literature and its contexts, 1066–1350 (also serves as Paper 20 of Part II of the English Tripos, as Paper O9 of Part II of the Classical Tripos, and as Paper 11 of Part I of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos)

Paper 3.

English literature and its contexts, 1300–1550 (also serves as Paper 21 of Part II of the English Tripos)

Paper 4.

English literature and its contexts, 1500–1700 (also serves as Paper 22 of Part II of the English Tripos)

Paper 5.

Shakespeare (also serves as Paper 23 of Part II of the English Tripos)

Paper 6.

English literature and its contexts, 1660–1870 (also serves as Paper 24 of Part II of the English Tripos)

Paper 7A.

English literature and its contexts, 1830–1945 (also serves as Paper 25A of Part II of the English Tripos)

Paper 7B.

English literature and its contexts, 1870–present (also serves as Paper 25B of Part II of the English Tripos)

Paper 8A.

Old English language and literature (Paper 5 of Part I of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos. Also serves as Paper 26 of Part II of the English Tripos)

Paper 8B.

Old Norse language and literature (Paper 6 of Part I of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos. Also serves as Paper 27A of Part II of the English Tripos)

Paper 8C.

Medieval Welsh language and literature (Paper 7 of Part I of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos. Also serves as Paper 28A of Part II of the English Tripos)

Paper 8D.

Medieval Irish language and literature (Paper 8 of Part I of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos. Also serves as Paper 29A of Part II of the English Tripos)

Paper 8E.

Insular Latin language and literature (Paper 9 of Part I of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos. Also serves as Paper 30 of Part II of the English Tripos)

Paper 9A.

Greek literature (Paper 5 of Part Ib of the Classical Tripos)

Paper 9B.

Latin literature (Paper 6 of Part Ib of the Classical Tripos)

Paper 10A.

Introduction to French literature, linguistics, film, and thought (Paper Fr.1 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Paper 10B.

Love, violence, and power in France, 1100–1500 (Paper Fr.3 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Paper 10C.

Rethinking the human: French literature, thought, and culture 1500–1700 (Paper Fr.4 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Paper 10D.

Revolutions in writing, 1700–1900 (Paper Fr.5 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Paper 10E.

Innovation and upheaval: deformation and reformulation in the 20th and 21st centuries (Paper Fr.6 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Paper 10F.

Italian texts and contexts (Paper It.1 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Paper 10G.

Introduction to German studies (Paper Ge.1 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Paper 10H.

The making of German culture (Paper Ge.4 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Paper 10I.

Modern German culture, I, 1750 to 1914 (Paper Ge.5 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Paper 10J.

Modern German culture, II (Paper Ge.6 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Paper 10K.

Introduction to the language, literatures, and cultures of the Spanish-speaking world (Paper Sp.1 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Paper 10L.

Introduction to the language, literatures, and cultures of Portuguese-speaking countries (Paper Pg.1 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Paper 10M.

Introduction to Russian culture (Paper Sl.1 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Paper 10N.

Russian culture from the Golden Age to the Silver Age (Paper Sl.4 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Paper 10O.

Russian and Soviet culture from 1900 (Paper Sl.5 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Paper 10P.

Introduction to the language, literature, and culture of Ukraine (Paper Sl.9 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Every paper shall be set for three hours except Papers 1 and 3 which shall be set for three and a half hours, and Papers 9A and 9B which shall be set for three hours and fifteen minutes, to include fifteen minutes’ reading time.

15. Every candidate for Part I shall offer Papers 3 and 5 and any four papers from among Papers 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, provided that

  1. (i)a candidate may offer only one of either Paper 8, or Paper 9, or Paper 10;
  2. (ii)only one option may be offered from amongst the list of options available for Paper 7, and likewise for each of Papers 8, 9, and 10;
  3. (iii)in substitution for one of Papers 4, 6, and 7 not substituted by a portfolio of essays under proviso (iv) below, a candidate may offer a dissertation, to be submitted in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 16, on a topic falling within the scope of that paper; except that if a candidate submits a dissertation in substitution for Paper 4 it shall not be wholly or largely on the subject of Shakespeare and his writings;
  4. (iv)additionally or alternatively, in substitution for one of Papers 4, 6, and 7 not substituted by a dissertation under proviso (iii) above, a candidate may offer a portfolio of essays, to be submitted in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 17, on topics falling within the scope of that paper; except that if a candidate submits a portfolio in substitution for Paper 4 it shall not be wholly or largely on the subject of Shakespeare and his writings;
  5. (v)a candidate for the English Tripos offering an option under Paper 8, or Paper 9, or Paper 10 shall be required to offer this option as a written paper, and may not substitute it with any form of coursework, albeit that such substitutions may be available to candidates who are offering the same papers for the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos, or the Classical Tripos, or the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos;
  6. (vi)a candidate offering any of Papers 3 to 7 either as a written paper or substituted by a portfolio of essays, shall be required to demonstrate, in each such paper offered, substantial knowledge of the literature of the British Isles (which may include Ireland);
  7. (vii)a candidate offering any of Papers 4, 6, 7A, and 7B either as a written paper or substituted by a portfolio of essays, shall be required to demonstrate, in each such paper offered, substantial knowledge of English literature before and after the medial date specified for the paper in question.
Dissertations.

16. (a) A candidate who intends to offer a dissertation under Regulation 15(iii) shall submit the proposed topic of the dissertation for formal approval to the Director of Undergraduate Studies of the Faculty Board through her or his Director of Studies in accordance with the arrangements for such notification approved by the Board. Such proposals must be made by the penultimate Friday of the Full Michaelmas Term preceding the examination. Once a topic has been approved on behalf of the Faculty Board, no change shall be made to it without further formal approval. A candidate may, however, submit a revised topic for approval so as to reach the Director of Undergraduate Studies at any time up until the sixth Wednesday of the Full Lent Term preceding the examination.

(b) The dissertation must be on a topic of ‘English literature’ (as defined by Regulation 2) falling within the scope of the paper for which the dissertation is substituted. Relevant comparisons may be made with other materials, whether those be drawn from elsewhere in Part I or (in accordance with Regulation 2(e)) from beyond Part I, so long as greater weight falls on materials that come within the scope of the relevant paper.

(c) The length of a dissertation shall be not fewer than 4,000 words and not more than 5,000 words. The prescribed length shall include appendices, although appendices beyond the prescribed limit may be allowed in special circumstances, subject to formal approval given on behalf of the Faculty Board not later than the sixth Wednesday of the Full Lent Term preceding the examination. Every dissertation shall be typewritten, in English, paying proper attention to style and presentation.

(d) Candidates shall be required to declare that the dissertation is their own work and that it does not contain material used to any substantial extent for a comparable purpose prior to the date of its submission. Where appropriate, full and proper acknowledgement must be given to the work of others via footnotes. The dissertation must be accompanied by a synopsis of its contents of not fewer than 100 words and not more than 150 words, and by a bibliography of the books, articles, and electronic and online resources used in its preparation. The prescribed length detailed under sub-paragraph (c) above shall exclude the synopsis, notes, and bibliography.

(e) The dissertation shall be submitted to the Director of Undergraduate Studies through the candidate’s Director of Studies, in accordance with arrangements approved by the Faculty Board, so as to arrive at the Faculty not later than 5 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the Full Easter Term in which the examination is to be held.

(f) Candidates may be called for viva voce examination in connection with their dissertations.

Portfolio.

17. (a) A candidate who intends to offer a portfolio of essays under Regulation 15(iv) shall notify the Director of Undergraduate Studies of the Faculty Board through her or his Director of Studies in accordance with the arrangements for such notification approved by the Board. Initial such notification must be made by the penultimate Friday of the Full Michaelmas Term preceding the examination. Notification of any change of intention thereafter must be made no later than the sixth Wednesday of the Full Lent Term preceding the examination.

(b) A portfolio shall consist of three essays. All of the essays must be on topics of ‘English literature’ (as defined by Regulation 2) falling within the scope of the paper for which the portfolio is substituted. Relevant comparisons may be made with other materials, whether those be drawn from elsewhere in Part I or (in accordance with Regulation 2(e)) from beyond Part I, so long as greater weight falls, in each essay, on materials that come within the scope of the relevant paper. It must also demonstrate substantial knowledge of English literature before and after the medial date specified for the paper for which it stands in substitution.

(c) Each essay shall be not fewer than 1,500 words and not more than 2,000 words in length. The prescribed length shall exclude any notes. The essays shall be typewritten, in English, paying proper attention to style and presentation.

(d) Candidates shall be required to declare that the essays are their own work and that they do not contain material used to any substantial extent for a comparable purpose prior to the date of their submission. Where appropriate, full and proper acknowledgment must be given to the work of others. Each essay must be accompanied by a bibliography of the books, articles, and electronic and online resources used in its preparation. The prescribed length shall exclude these bibliographies.

(e) The portfolio shall be submitted to the Director of Undergraduate Studies through the candidate’s Director of Studies, in accordance with arrangements approved by the Faculty Board, so as to arrive at the Faculty not later than 5 p.m. on the last Thursday of the Full Lent Term preceding the examination.

(f) Candidates may be called for viva voce examination in connection with their portfolios.

Part II

18. The papers in Part II shall be as follows:

Group A

Paper 1.

Practical criticism and critical practice II

Paper 2.

Tragedy (also serves as Paper O3 of Part II of the Classical Tripos)1

Paper 3.

Compulsory dissertation

Group B

Paper 4.

Optional dissertation

Paper 5.

Chaucer1

Paper 6.

Medieval English literature, 1066–1500 (also serves as Paper 13 of Part II of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos)

Paper 7.

Early modern drama, 1588–1642

Paper 8.

Material Renaissance

Paper 9.

Lyric

Paper 10.

English literature, 1847–1872

Paper 11.

Modernism and the short story

Paper 12.

Contemporary writing in English

Paper 13.

Postcolonial and related literatures1

Paper 14.

American literature

Paper 15.

The ethical imagination

Paper 16.

History and theory of literary criticism (also serves as Paper O4 of Part II of the Classical Tripos)

Paper 17.

Shakespeare in performance2

Paper 18.

Literature and visual culture1

Paper 19.

A paper or papers in English literature announced by the Faculty Board from time to time.

Group C

Paper 20.

Early medieval literature and its contexts, 1066–1350 (Paper 2 of Part I of the English Tripos; also serves as Paper O9 of Part II of the Classical Tripos, and as Paper 11 of Part I of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos)

Paper 21.

English literature and its contexts, 1300–1550 (Paper 3 of Part I of the English Tripos)

Paper 22.

English literature and its contexts, 1500–1700 (Paper 4 of Part I of the English Tripos)

Paper 23.

Shakespeare (Paper 5 of Part I of the English Tripos)

Paper 24.

English literature and its contexts, 1660–1870 (Paper 6 of Part I of the English Tripos)

Paper 25A.

English literature and its contexts, 1830–1945 (Paper 7A of Part I of the English Tripos)

Paper 25B.

English literature and its contexts, 1870–present (Paper 7B of Part I of the English Tripos)

Paper 26.

Old English language and literature (Paper 5 of Part I of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos. Also serves as Paper 8A of Part I of the English Tripos)

Paper 27A.

Old Norse language and literature (Paper 6 of Part I of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos. Also serves as Paper 8B of Part I of the English Tripos)

Paper 27B.

Advanced medieval Scandinavian language and literature (Paper 6 of Part II of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos)

Paper 28A.

Medieval Welsh language and literature (Paper 7 of Part I of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos. Also serves as Paper 8C of Part I of the English Tripos)

Paper 28B.

Advanced medieval Welsh language and literature (Paper 7 of Part II of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos)

Paper 29A.

Medieval Irish language and literature (Paper 8 of Part I of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos. Also serves as Paper 8D of Part I of the English Tripos)

Paper 29B.

Advanced medieval Irish language and literature (Paper 8 of Part II of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos)

Paper 30.

Insular Latin language and literature (Paper 9 of Part I of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos. Also serves as Paper 8E of Part I of the English Tripos)

Paper 31.

A prescribed Greek author or authors, and a prescribed Latin author or authors (Paper A1 of Part II of the Classical Tripos)

Paper 32.

Prescribed Greek texts (Paper A2 of Part II of the Classical Tripos)

Paper 33.

Prescribed Latin texts (Paper A3 of Part II of the Classical Tripos)

Paper 34.

Topics in medieval studies to be specified by the Faculty Board from time to time (Paper Fr.7 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Paper 35.

Wondrous forms in the age of Montaigne (Paper Fr.8 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)8

Paper 36.

Reason, experience, and authority: French literature, thought, and history, 1594–1700 (Paper Fr.9 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Paper 37.

Enlightenment and its limits (Paper Fr.10 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Paper 38.

Gender, desire, and power in 19th century French culture (Paper Fr.11 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Paper 39.

Ethics and experience: literature, thought, and visual culture of the French-speaking world (1900 to the present) (Paper Fr.12 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Paper 40.

Dante and the culture of his age (Paper It.7 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Paper 41A.

Introduction to Neo-Latin literature, from 1350 to 17003

Paper 41B.

A special subject in Neo-Latin literature3

Paper 42A.

A special subject in comparative literature (i) (Paper CS.4 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Paper 42B.

The body (Paper CS.5 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Paper 43A.

Historical linguistics (Paper 11 of the Linguistics Tripos)4

Paper 43B.

History of the English language (Paper 13 of the Linguistics Tripos)7

Every paper shall be set for three hours except Papers 1 and 21 which shall be set for three and a half hours. Under the provisions of Regulation 4, the Faculty Board shall announce, each year, the variable papers in Group B (Papers 5 to 19) and Group C (Papers 26 to 43) that shall be available for examination in the following year. A question paper shall be set for every paper in the given year’s schedule (other than Papers 3 and 4) for which there is a candidate.

19. Every candidate for Part II shall offer:

  1. (a)Papers 1, 2, and 3;
  2. (b)either(i)if the candidate takes the examination in the year after obtaining honours in another Honours Examination, two papers chosen from amongst Papers 4 to 43;
  3. or(ii)if the candidate takes the examination in the year next but one after obtaining honours in another Honours Examination, or if the candidate is an Affiliated Student, three papers chosen from amongst Papers 4 to 43; provided that since the availability of each of Papers 5 to 19 and Papers 26 to 43 for examination in any given year will not be confirmed until the Easter Term of the preceding year, these papers should not be selected for study until the year of actual examination, and then only in accordance with the list of papers announced as available that year.
  4. (c)In offering papers for examination, the candidate’s choices shall be further governed by the following provisions:
  5. (i)if a candidate takes the examination in the year next but one after obtaining honours in any Honours examination but has spent the intervening year undertaking legitimate study in another University, the candidate shall offer only two papers chosen from amongst Papers 4 to 43, sub-paragraph (b)(ii) above notwithstanding;
  6. (ii)no candidate shall offer both Papers 17 and 23, or both Papers 25A and 25B, or both Papers 27A and 27B, or both Papers 28A and 28B, or both Papers 29A and 29B, or both Papers 41A and 41B, or both Papers 42A and 42B, or both Papers 43A and 43B;
  7. (iii)a candidate who has obtained honours in Part I of the English Tripos or any allowance on that examination towards a degree shall not offer any of Papers 21 to 25;
  8. (iv)if a candidate has not previously obtained honours in Part I of the English Tripos and either takes the Part II examination in the year next but one after obtaining honours in another Honours examination or is an Affiliated Student, the candidate shall offer at least one paper from among Papers 20 to 25;
  9. (v)a candidate shall not offer any paper that he or she has previously offered in another Honours Examination;
  10. (vi)a candidate offering any of Papers 21 to 25 shall be required to demonstrate, in each such paper offered, substantial knowledge of the literature of the British Isles (which may include Ireland);
  11. (vii)a candidate offering any of Papers 22, 24, 25A, or 25B shall be required to demonstrate, in each such paper offered, substantial knowledge of English literature before and after the medial date specified for the paper in question;
  12. (viii)a candidate for the English Tripos offering any of Papers 26 to 43 shall be required to offer them as written papers, and may not substitute them with any form of coursework, albeit that such substitutions may be available to candidates who are offering the same papers for the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos, or the Classical Tripos, or the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos, or the Linguistics Tripos;
  13. (ix)a candidate for Part II of the English Tripos offering any of Papers 22, 24, or 25 shall be required to offer them as written papers, and may not substitute them with any form of coursework, albeit that such substitutions may be available to candidates who are offering the same papers for Part I of the English Tripos;
  14. (x)dissertations offered under this Regulation, whether for Paper 3 or Paper 4, shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 21.
Schemes of work.

20. (a) Every candidate shall submit her or his scheme of work (a list of papers to be offered for examination), together with the proposed topic(s) of her or his dissertation(s), for formal approval to the Director of Undergraduate Studies of the Faculty Board through her or his Director of Studies in accordance with the arrangements for such notification approved by the Board. Submissions must be made by the penultimate Friday of the Full Michaelmas Term preceding the examination.

(b) The Director of Undergraduate Studies and the Undergraduate Submissions Committee, acting on behalf of the Faculty Board, shall consider each such submission with respect to two considerations:

  1. (i)where a candidate offers both Papers 3 and 4, if one of the dissertations so offered is in the same field as one of the candidate’s papers, these parties may decline to allow the candidate to offer the second dissertation in the field of that same or any other of her or his papers;
  2. (ii)where a candidate offers six papers, these parties shall consider the overall balance of the candidate’s scheme of work and the potential for overlap, whether between papers or between papers and the dissertation(s), and may reject such proposals as they judge fail to demonstrate sufficient breadth.

(c) Once a scheme of work and topic(s) have been approved on behalf of the Faculty Board, no change shall be made to them without further formal approval. A candidate may, however, submit a revised scheme and/or topic(s) for approval so as to reach the Director of Undergraduate Studies at any time up until the sixth Wednesday of the Full Lent Term preceding the examination.

Dissertations.

21. (a) Every candidate, in offering one or more dissertations under Regulation 19, shall submit the proposed topic(s) thereof for formal approval in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 20.

(b) Dissertations must be on topics of ‘English literature’ as defined under Regulation 2, save that (Regulation 2(b) notwithstanding) where Part II ‘English literature’ papers such as Papers 2, 9, 15, and 16 encompass the study of specified musical or foreign-language materials, permission to make these latter materials the primary focus of a dissertation shall be at the discretion of the Undergraduate Submissions Committee, acting on behalf of the Faculty Board. Relevant comparisons may always be made with any foreign-language materials or materials that fall outside the scope of ‘English literature’ without obtaining prior permission, so long as those comparisons are made subject to the terms of Regulation 2(e).

(c) The length of each dissertation shall be not fewer than 6,000 words and not more than 7,500 words. The prescribed length shall include appendices, although appendices beyond the prescribed limit may be allowed in special circumstances, subject to formal approval given on behalf of the Faculty Board not later than the sixth Wednesday of the Full Lent Term preceding the examination. Each dissertation shall be typewritten, in English, paying proper attention to style and presentation.

(d) Candidates shall be required to declare that dissertations are their own work and that they do not contain material already used to any substantial extent for a comparable purpose prior to the date of their submission. Where appropriate, full and proper acknowledgment must be given to the work of others via footnotes. Each dissertation must be accompanied by a synopsis of its contents of not fewer than 100 words and not more than 150 words, and by a bibliography of the books, articles, and electronic and online resources used in its preparation. The prescribed length detailed under subparagraph (c) above shall exclude the synopsis, notes and bibliography.

(e) Dissertations shall be submitted to the Director of Undergraduate Studies through the candidate’s Director of Studies, in accordance with arrangements approved by the Faculty Board, so as to arrive at the Faculty not later than 5 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the Full Easter Term in which the examination is to be held.

(f) Candidates may be called for viva voce examination in connection with their dissertations.

SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS

Amended by Notice (Reporter, 2017–18, p. 111)

Part I

Paper 1. Practical criticism and critical practice

The paper, which shall be set for three and a half hours, shall consist of questions offering passages of English verse or prose from various periods for critical comment.

Paper 2. Early medieval literature and its contexts, 1066–1350 (also serves as Paper 20 of Part II of the English Tripos, as Paper O9 of Part II of the Classical Tripos, and as Paper 11 of Part I of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos)

The period covered by this paper is 1066–c.1350. English, French, and Latin texts shall be prescribed for special study, and passages set from them for translation or explanation or both. Questions shall also be set on English, French, and Latin texts of the period. Candidates will be required to show knowledge of literature from two languages in the paper as a whole. Candidates are expected to show such knowledge of the life and thought of the period as is necessary for the understanding of its literature.

Paper 3. English literature and its contexts, 1300–1550 (also serves as Paper 21 of Part II of the English Tripos)

Medieval texts shall be prescribed for special study, and passages shall be set from them for translation or comment, or both. The Faculty Board may give notice from time to time of a list of topics on which optional questions will be set. Questions shall be set both on the literature and on the life and thought of the period.

Paper 4. English literature and its contexts, 1500–1700 (also serves as Paper 22 of Part II of the English Tripos)

There are no prescribed texts or topics for this paper. Questions will be set on the literature of the period and its contexts. Candidates will be required to answer three questions. In their scripts as a whole, they must demonstrate substantial knowledge of the literature of the British Isles (which may include Ireland). They must also show substantial knowledge of literature from both before and after 1603.

Paper 5. Shakespeare (also serves as Paper 23 of Part II of the English Tripos)

Questions shall be set requiring explanation and discussion of a specified work or works. Questions shall also be set on the whole range of Shakespeare’s work and matters of historical and critical interest.

Paper 6. English literature and its contexts, 1660–1870 (also serves as Paper 24 of Part II of the English Tripos)

There are no prescribed texts or topics for this paper. Questions will be set on the literature of the period and its contexts. Candidates will be required to answer three questions. In their scripts as a whole, they must demonstrate substantial knowledge of the literature of the British Isles (which may include Ireland). They must also show substantial knowledge of literature from both before and after 1784.

Paper 7A. English literature and its contexts, 1830–1945 (also serves as Paper 25A of Part II of the English Tripos)

There are no prescribed texts or topics for this paper. Questions will be set on the literature of the period and its contexts. Candidates will be required to answer three questions. In their scripts as a whole, they must demonstrate substantial knowledge of the literature of the British Isles (which may include Ireland). They must also show substantial knowledge of literature from both before and after 1890.

Paper 7B. English literature and its contexts, 1870–present (also serves as Paper 25B of Part II of the English Tripos)

There are no prescribed texts or topics for this paper. Questions will be set on the literature of the period and its contexts. Candidates will be required to answer three questions. In their scripts as a whole, they must demonstrate substantial knowledge of the literature of the British Isles (which may include Ireland). They must also show substantial knowledge of literature from both before and after 1945.

Part II

Paper 1. Practical criticism and critical practice II

Passages of English prose and verse for critical comment.

Paper 2. Tragedy (also serves as Paper O3 of Part II of the Classical Tripos)5

Tragedy ancient and modern, in connection and comparison with English Tragedy.

Paper 3. Compulsory dissertation
Paper 4. Optional dissertation
Paper 5. Chaucer5

Candidates will be expected to show a full and detailed knowledge of the works of Chaucer. Questions shall be set on those works and on Chaucer’s relationship to his contemporaries and to the life and thought of his age.

Paper 6. Medieval English literature, 1066–1500 (also serves as Paper 13 of Part II of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos)

A specific literary subject shall be prescribed for special study. It shall be of a kind to require reading in early as well as in late medieval English literature and may involve the study of related texts from other languages.

Paper 7. Early modern drama, 1588–1642

The paper will be divided into two sections. Section A will consist of passages for comment and Section B will consist of essay questions. In the paper as a whole, candidates must show knowledge of work from a range of playwrights within the period 1588–1642.

Paper 8. Material Renaissance

The paper will be divided into two sections. Section A will consist of passages for comment and Section B will consist of essay questions.

Paper 9. Lyric

This paper will not be divided into sections. The paper will consist of essay questions offering candidates the opportunity to explore many aspects of the nature and history of lyric in many different ways. Candidates must show substantial knowledge of lyric written during at least two of the following three date ranges: (i) before 1700; (ii) 1700–1900; (iii) after 1900.

Paper 10. English literature, 1847–1872

The paper will be divided into two sections. Section A will consist of passages for comment; Section B will consist of essay questions about authors, topics, genres, and writing in the period generally, and about the relationships between literature, life, and thought 1847–1872.

Paper 11. Modernism and the short story

The paper will be divided into three sections. Section A will consist of passages for comment, which will be drawn either from short stories published between 1890–1945, or from commentary on the short story as a genre. Section B will consist of essay questions about the genre’s formal qualities, about the history of its development during the period, and about the variety of uses to which it was put. Section C will consist of essay questions about the ways in which individual writers made the genre their own.

Paper 12. Contemporary writing in English

The paper will be divided into two sections. Section A will consist of six passages, one from each of the following categories: poetry; drama including screenplays; fictional prose; non-fictional prose (including travel and life-writing); literary criticism; and trans-generic/hybrid modes. Section B will consist of between 15 and 20 essay questions.

Paper 13. Postcolonial and related literatures5

The paper will be divided into two sections. Section A will consist of passages for comment; Section B will consist of essay questions, enabling comparison between texts from different regions. The scope of the paper is, subject to the following qualifications, literature in English outside the British Isles and the United States of America. It includes expatriate nationals publishing in those countries (e.g. Rushdie, d’Aguiar, Lessing). Comparative and incidental reference to British, Irish, American, and foreign language texts is welcome but should not form the greater part of any single answer. Answering on texts in translation is permitted but should not constitute the greater part of answers to the paper as a whole.

Paper 14. American literature

The paper will be divided into two sections. Section A will consist of passages for comment from or relating to the period 1835–1865. Section B will consist of essay topics covering American literature with particular emphasis on literature from 1820 to the present day. The subject covered by the paper is American literature, life, and thought, with special reference to the period from 1820 to the present day. All candidates will be expected to show such knowledge of the life, history, and thought of the period as is necessary for understanding its literature.

Paper 15. The ethical imagination

The paper will not be divided into sections. Questions will be set on the history and nature of moral thought, broadly interpreted. Candidates will be invited to show knowledge of a range of literary, philosophical, social, and political writings by authors from Plato to the present.

Paper 16. History and theory of literary criticism (also serves as Paper O4 of Part II of the Classical Tripos)

The paper shall comprise historical, critical, and comparative questions on works and problems in the history of literary criticism and also of literary theory from the fourth century bc to the present day. A sufficient number of questions will be set to enable candidates to choose questions on a limited chronological period (including the modern period).

Paper 17. Shakespeare in performance6

The paper will be divided into two sections: Section A, Shakespeare’s plays in performance in the Shakespearean theatre; and Section B, Shakespeare’s plays in performance, 1894 to the present.

Paper 18. Literature and visual culture5

The paper will be divided into two sections: Section A, practices and methodologies, will address issues of theory and principle. Section B will concern classical Hollywood: genre and style, 1930–1950. Both sections will consist of essay questions, except that either section may in addition contain passages and/or images for comment.

Footnotes

  1. 1. This paper is also available to candidates for Part II of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos; see p. 400.a b c d
  2. 2. This paper is suspended in 2018–19.a
  3. 3. This paper is suspended until further notice.a b
  4. 4. This paper is suspended in 2019–20 and each alternate year thereafter.a
  5. 5. This paper is also available to candidates for Part II of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos; see p. 400.a b c d
  6. 6. This paper is suspended in 2018–19.a
  7. 7. This paper is suspended in 2018–19 and each alternate year thereafter.a
  8. 8. This paper is suspended in 2018–19.a