HUMAN, SOCIAL, AND POLITICAL SCIENCES TRIPOS

Amended by Notice (Reporter, 2018–19, p. 460)

General

1. The Human, Social, and Political Sciences Tripos shall consist of three Parts, Part I, Part IIa, and Part IIb. In Part IIa and Part IIb there shall be an examination in each of the following three subjects: Politics and International Relations, Social Anthropology, and Sociology, and there shall be a joint examination in each of the following pairs of subjects: Politics and Sociology, Social Anthropology and Politics, Sociology and Criminology, and Sociology and Social Anthropology. For Part I there shall be a single class-list; for Part IIa and Part IIb there shall be a separate class-list for each of the subjects of the examination and for each joint examination.

2. The Faculty Board of Human, Social, and Political Science shall nominate a Senior Examiner and such number of Examiners to conduct the examination for Part I of the Tripos, and a Senior Examiner and such number of Examiners to conduct the examination in each subject for Part IIa and Part IIb, as they shall deem sufficient. The Faculty Board shall have power to nominate such number of Assessors as they shall deem sufficient to assist the Examiners for each Part. 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 those papers, shall assess dissertations, and shall advise the Examiners on the performance of candidates in the examination. Assessors may be summoned to meetings of the Examiners for the purpose of consultation and advice, but shall not be entitled to vote.

3. 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, due care being taken that sufficient notice is given of any change.

4. 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 consequential restriction on the combination of papers that a candidate may choose to offer.

5. The questions proposed by each Examiner and Assessor shall be submitted for approval to the whole body of Examiners for Part I or to the Examiners in the particular subject for Part IIa or Part IIb.

6. Separate meetings shall be held of all the Examiners for Part I and of the Examiners for each subject in Part IIa and Part IIb, at which the respective class-lists shall be drawn up. The bodies of Examiners for Part IIa and Part IIb shall also draw up class-lists for the following subjects: Politics and Sociology (the Examiners for Politics and International Relations), Social Anthropology and Politics (the Examiners for Social Anthropology), Sociology and Criminology (the Examiners for Sociology), and Sociology and Social Anthropology (the Examiners for Sociology). In each class-list 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. For special excellence a mark of distinction may be awarded.

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

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

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

Part I

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

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.

11. The scheme of examination for Part I shall be as follows:

Section A

Section B

A candidate for Part I shall be required to offer four papers as follows:

1. (a)three papers from Section A;
2. (b)one further paper from Section A or a paper from Section B.

Part IIa and Part IIb

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

(a) a student who has obtained honours in Part I of the Human, Social, and Political Sciences Tripos in the year next after so obtaining honours, provided that six complete terms have not passed after her or his first term of residence;

(b) a student who has obtained honours in any other Honours Examination, in the year next 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.1

13. A student who has obtained honours in Part IIa of the Human, Social, and Political Sciences Tripos may be a candidate for honours in Part IIb in the year next after so obtaining honours, provided that the student has kept seven terms and twelve complete terms have not passed after her or his first term of residence.1

14. A student who has obtained honours in another Honours Examination other than Part IIa of the Human, Social, and Political Sciences Tripos may be a candidate for honours in either Part IIa or Part IIb in the year after so obtaining honours, provided that the student has kept seven terms and that twelve complete terms have not passed after her or his first term of residence. Such students shall offer, subject to the provisions of Regulation 9, four papers chosen from those available in Part IIa and Part IIb, in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Faculty Board, and conditional upon written permission from the relevant Head of Department obtained not later than the division of the Michaelmas Term next preceding the examination.

15. The scheme of examination for Part IIa and Part IIb shall be as follows:

Politics and International Relations

Social Anthropology

Special subjects in social anthropology12

Sociology

16. Each paper shall be assessed either by a three-hour examination or by a combination of two or more of the following: a coursework portfolio; an essay of not more than 5,000 words; a two-hour examination. The mode of examination for each paper, and details of any coursework or essays required, and about the arrangements for their submission, shall be published by the Faculty Board not later than the beginning of the Michaelmas Term.

17. Subject to the provisions of Regulation 9, candidates for Part IIa shall offer papers and other exercises as follows:

1. (a)Candidates in Politics and International Relations

1.  (i)POL3;

1.  (ii)POL4;

1.  (iii)POL7 or POL8;

1.  (iv)one paper chosen from the following list: Papers A1, A3, B1–B44, and A11 from the Archaeology Tripos, POL5–6, SAN7–14, SOC2–3, Paper 10 or Paper 11 from Part I of the Historical Tripos, Paper 1 or Paper 2 for the subject History and Philosophy of Science in Part Ib of the Natural Sciences Tripos, Papers PBS3–4 of the Psychological and Behavioural Sciences Tripos.

1. (b)Candidates in Social Anthropology

1.  (i)SAN2–4;

1.  (ii)one paper chosen from the following list: Papers A1, A3, B14, and A11 from the Archaeology Tripos, POL3–4, SAN7–14, SOC2–3, SOC5, Paper 1 or Paper 2 for the subject History and Philosophy of Science in Part Ib of the Natural Sciences Tripos, Paper PBS3 of the Psychological and Behavioural Sciences Tripos, or Paper J9 of the Asian and Middle Eastern Studies Tripos.

1. (c)Candidates in Sociology

1.  (i)SOC2;

1.  (ii)SOC3;

1.  (iii)SOC4 or SOC5;

1.  (iv)one paper chosen from the following list: Papers A1, A3, B1–B44, and A11 from the Archaeology Tripos, POL3–4, SAN7–14, SOC4–5, Paper 10 or Paper 11 from Part I of the Historical Tripos, Paper 1 or Paper 2 for the subject History and Philosophy of Science in Part Ib of the Natural Sciences Tripos, Papers PBS3–4 of the Psychological and Behavioural Sciences Tripos, Paper ED3 in Part Ib of the Education Tripos.

1. (d)Candidates in Politics and Sociology

1.  (i)one paper chosen from POL3–4;

1.  (ii)one paper chosen from POL7–8;

1.  (iii)two papers chosen from SOC2, SOC3, or SOC5.

1. (e)Candidates in Social Anthropology and Politics

1.  (i)POL3 or POL4;

1.  (ii)POL7 or POL8;

1.  (iii)SAN2 and one paper chosen from the following list: SAN3, SAN4, SAN7–14.

1. (f)Candidates in Sociology and Criminology

1.  (i)SOC2;

1.  (ii)SOC3;

1.  (iii)CRIM1;

1.  (iv)CRIM2 or CRIM3.

1. (g)Candidates in Sociology and Social Anthropology

1.  (i)SAN2 and either SAN3 or SAN4;

1.  (ii)two papers chosen from the following list: SOC2, SOC3, SOC5.

18. Candidates for Part IIb who have taken Part IIa in the Human, Social, and Political Sciences Tripos may not change their subject track between Parts IIa and IIb, unless changing from a joint track to one of the single subjects within it. Subject to the provisions of Regulation 9, candidates for Part IIb shall offer four papers, of which at least three shall be assessed by written examination, either in part or in whole:

1. (a)Candidates in Politics and International Relations

1.  (i)POL9;

1.  (ii)two papers chosen from POL10–21; one paper may be substituted by a dissertation on a subject approved by the Head of the Department of Politics and International Studies, which shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 19;

1.  (iii)one paper chosen from the following: B2–B413 from Part II of the Archaeology Tripos, SAN7–146, SOC6–157, Paper 5 or Paper 6 for the subject History and Philosophy of Science in Part II of the Natural Sciences Tripos, Paper 6 from Part II of the Historical Tripos, Paper 8 borrowed from Part II of the Economics Tripos, or a further paper chosen from POL610 and POL10–218.

1. (b)Candidates in Social Anthropology

1.  (i)SAN5 and SAN6;

1.  (ii)either one paper chosen from SAN7–146, or a dissertation on a subject approved by the Head of the Department of Social Anthropology, which shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 19;

1.  (iii)one paper chosen from the following: a further paper chosen from SAN4 or SAN7–146, one paper chosen from POL135, POL175, SOC5–157,9, A61 from Part II of the Archaeology Tripos, and Paper 5 for the subject History and Philosophy of Science in Part II of the Natural Sciences Tripos, or Paper J9 from the Asian and Middle Eastern Studies Tripos.

1. (c)Candidates in Sociology

1.  (i)one paper chosen from SOC5–137,9;

1.  (ii)two further papers chosen from SOC5–157,9, one of which may be substituted by a dissertation on a subject approved by the Head of the Department of Sociology, which shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 19;

1.  (iii)one paper chosen from the following list: A61 and B2–B413 from Part II of the Archaeology Tripos, POL135, POL175, SAN7–146, Papers PBS6–9 of the Psychological and Behavioural Sciences Tripos, a further paper chosen from SOC5–15.

1. (d)Candidates in Politics and Sociology

1.  (i)two papers chosen from POL6, POL10–218;

1.  (ii)two papers chosen from SOC5–157,9,11;

1.  (iii)a candidate may substitute for one paper a dissertation on a subject within the field of Politics or Sociology approved by the Head of the relevant Department, which shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 19.

1. (e)Candidates in Social Anthropology and Politics

1.  (i)two papers from POL6, POL10–218;

1.  (ii)one paper chosen from SAN5–SAN6, and one paper chosen from SAN4–146;

1.  (iii)a candidate may substitute for one paper a dissertation on a subject within the field of Social Anthropology or Politics approved by the Head of the relevant Department, which shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 19.

1. (f)Candidates in Sociology and Criminology

1.  (i)two papers chosen from SOC6–SOC14;

1.  (ii)CRIM4;

1.  (iii)CRIM5;

1.  (iv)a candidate may substitute for one paper a dissertation on a subject within the field of Sociology or Criminology approved by the Head of the relevant Department, which shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 19.

1. (g)Candidates in Sociology and Social Anthropology

1.  (i)two papers chosen from SOC5–157,9;

1.  (ii)one paper chosen from SAN5–SAN6, and one paper chosen from SAN4–146;

1.  (iii)a candidate may substitute for one paper a dissertation on a subject within the field of Sociology or Social Anthropology approved by the Head of the relevant Department, which shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 19.

19. (a) A candidate for Part IIb who wishes to offer a dissertation shall submit an application, including the title of the proposed dissertation, a brief account of its scope, and a statement of the scheme of papers to be offered in the examination. A candidate who so wishes may request permission to include a film or filmed material, amounting to not more than twenty minutes in length, as a component part of the dissertation. Applications shall be submitted to the Head of the relevant Department in which the dissertation will be examined so as to arrive not later than the division of the Full Michaelmas Term next preceding the examination.

(b) Each candidate must obtain the approval of the Head of Department for the proposed title not later than the division of the Lent Term. When the Head of Department has approved a title, no change shall be made to it, or to the candidate’s scheme of papers, without the further approval of the Head of Department.

(c) A dissertation shall be of not more than 10,000 words in length. The inclusion of footnotes, figures, tables, appendices, and bibliography in the word count will be specified by each department. Each dissertation shall be typewritten, with two printed copies submitted in addition to a copy in an approved electronic format.

(d) A dissertation shall be submitted to the Senior Examiner in the relevant subject not later than the second Friday of the Full Easter Term in which the examination is held.

A dissertation shall be accompanied by (i) a brief synopsis on a separate sheet of paper of the contents of the dissertation, and (ii) a certificate signed by the candidate stating the word count of the dissertation, that it is her or his own original work, and that it does not contain material that has already been used to any substantial extent for a comparable purpose.

20. At the discretion of the Examiners, a candidate for Part IIb may be examined viva voce.