HISTORY AND MODERN LANGUAGES TRIPOS1

Amended by Notices (Reporter, 2017–18, pp. 122, 161, and 846)

General

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Part Ia

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.

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:

Modern Languages

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

French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish

(ii) Option A (ab initio) languages:

German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish

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

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

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.

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

History

 Papers 12–22, as outlined within Regulation 13.

Modern Languages

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 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. 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

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.

18. The scheme of examination shall be:

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.

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 dissertation shall either

1.  (i)be written in English, except that quotations from primary sources must be in the language of the original; or

1.  (ii)if the Faculty Board so agrees, be written in a language in which a candidate has been examined in Parts Ia or Ib of the History and Modern Languages Tripos.

(f) 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.

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 either
5.  (i)be written in English, except that quotations from primary sources must be in the language of the original; or
6.  (ii)if the Faculty Board so agrees, be written in a language in which a candidate has been examined in Parts Ia or Ib of the History and Modern Languages Tripos.
7. (d)A year abroad project may take two forms. If in the form of a dissertation, it shall normally be of not more than 8,000 words in length. If in the form of a translation project, it shall normally be of not more than 7,000 words in length.
8. (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.
9. (f)Two copies of the Year Abroad Project shall be submitted, in accordance with detailed arrangements approved by the Committee of Management.
10. (g)A candidate may be called for viva voce examination on the subject of her or his Year Abroad Project.
11. (h)No student shall be a candidate for Part II unless evidence has been produced to the Secretary of the Faculty Board of Modern and Medieval Languages 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 Faculty Board 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 Faculty Board. Students shall keep the Secretary of the Faculty Board informed of their address abroad at all times.
12. (i)A candidate proposing to study abroad shall apply to the Faculty Board for the approval of her or his plans, using a form issued by the Year Abroad Office. The application shall be submitted through the Year Abroad Office to the Secretary of the Faculty Board 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 Secretary of the Faculty Board and seek permission afresh.

Temporary Regulation

21. The examinations for the History and Modern Languages Tripos shall be held for the first time as follows:

Part Ia in 2018

Part Ib in 2019

Part II in 2020

SCHEDULE A4

Amended by Notice (Reporter, 2017–18, p. 846)