Graduates

M.St. and M.Phil. degrees
D.Phil degree
Handbook
Programmes
Supervision & Training

M.St. and M.Phil. degrees

The M.Phil. and M.St. are taught courses offering a range of options for graduates seeking a higher academic qualification in language studies and wishing to specialize in General Linguistics (including Phonetics but not Applied Linguistics), in Historical and Comparative Philology and Linguistics, or in the linguistics of a specific language. All candidates must work in Oxford under supervision for at least one year for the M.St., and two years for the M.Phil. Most of the teaching is done through lectures, seminars and individual tutorials. For the M. Phil, four final examinations must be offered, of which one is on general theory and is taken by all candidates. The other three examinations must be chosen from the range of options set out below. Candidates for the M.Phil. must in addition offer a thesis of not more than 25,000 words.

For the M.St. and the M.Phil. students may specialize in various branches of linguistics, including phonetics and phonology (option B), or in the Comparative Philology of the Indo-European languages (option C), or in the History and Structure of One or Two Selected Languages (option D). However, in addition to the examinations chosen from those listed under B,C, or D, all students are expected to take the same written examination in Linguistic Theory (A). The regulations governing the M.St. and M.Phil. degrees, with a complete list of the various subjects which can be offered for examination, are detailed in the Graduate Students Handbook.

Student background

Most students admitted to read for the M.St. or M.Phil. have some background in linguistics or philology, but few will have taken a full undergraduate course in these subjects. The backgrounds of entering students vary considerably, and the first-year curriculum is designed to bring every student to a general understanding of linguistic research, whilst not hindering progress in fields of special interest.

In their first term students preparing for the General Linguistics (B) or Selected Languages (D) options will follow a basic course consisting of lectures on syntax (including morphology), semantics, phonology, phonetics (including laboratory work), and a practical class on problems in linguistic analysis. Students in Comparative Philology will follow as a minimum the first four weeks of this course (and preferably all of it), while also taking courses specifically intended for them. In succeeding terms more specialised lectures are offered. In each term there are regular graduate seminars in General Linguistics, in Comparative Philology, in Phonetics/Phonology, and in Romance Linguistics, a number of other seminars or mixed graduate/undergraduate classes, and a Thesis Workshop in general linguistics for advanced M.Phil. students and those reading for research degrees.

Tutorials

Tutorial teaching is a distinctive feature of Oxford education, and plays an important role in the M.St. and M.Phil. programmes. Besides lecture courses and seminars, students will have individual tutorials, arranged according to their interests and the availability of teaching staff. Tutorials typically involve close reading and discussion of the student's weekly essays on the chosen subject.

Examinations

The examinations set for the M.St. will be the same as those set for the M.Phil. but the number of option papers is two and the level of achievement required is less exacting. Candidates for the M.St. may offer a thesis of not more than 15,000 words in lieu of one of the papers.

The schedule for the examinations to be offered for the M.Phil. and M.St. comprises:

• one general examination as indicated in A
• two or three examinations from those listed in B, C or D.

The language or languages selected by candidates who wish to offer the papers listed under C should normally be ancient Indo-European languages, whilst for those listed under D the languages may be ancient (e.g. Ancient Greek, Latin, Sanskrit, Akkadian) or Modern (e.g. French, Italian, German, English, Turkish). Only languages for which teaching is available at the time may be offered.

Examinations are regularly taken at the end of the third term for the M.St., and at the end of the sixth term for the M.Phil. though the M.Phil. thesis must be submitted at the beginning of that term, The examinations are not classified (that is, they are graded pass or fail only) though for exceptionally good results it is possible to obtain a distinction. For the M.Phil. the thesis is an integral part of the examination. Students who have taken the written papers for their degrees must present themselves for an oral (viva voce) examination. By Oxford convention, the results of a viva can only improve, not worsen, the candidate's chances of success.

D.Phil. degree

The D.Phil. is an advanced research degree for qualified students who are ready to begin thesis work in General Linguistics (including Phonetics but not Applied Linguistics), in Historical and Comparative Philology and Linguistics, or in the linguistics of a specific language. Though the degree does not have a coursework requirement, D.Phil. candidates are encouraged to attend lectures and seminars in the Faculty.

Successful applicants for the D.Phil. degree who have completed an M.Phil. under the Faculty of Linguistics, Philology, and Phonetics are admitted directly into the D.Phil. programme; they are required to spend one additional year in residence in Oxford. Candidates without an Oxford M.Phil. are expected to have a background in Linguistics comparable to the M.Phil, and successful applicants are admitted as Probationer Research Students. Probationer Research Students normally transfer to D.Phil. status in the third term of their first year at Oxford.

Examiners for the D.Phil. thesis must certify that your thesis makes a significant and substantial contribution to knowledge or understanding in the field of learning within which the subject of your thesis falls, that you possess a good general knowledge of the field of learning within which the subject of your thesis falls, and that the thesis is presented in a lucid and scholarly manner. The examiners are required to bear in mind what may reasonably be expected of a capable and diligent student after full-time study for three or at the most four years. The thesis for the D.Phil. shall not exceed 100,000 words in length.

Handbook

The handbook provides basic guidance for graduate students of linguistics, philology and phonetics at Oxford and answers questions that may arise during your time here. It explains the procedures with which you may become involved and indicates the scope of the work required for the various degrees.

Handbook