Assessment

For successful completion of the course, MPhil students must submit the following written work for examination:

  1. A thesis of not more than 12,000 words in length, excluding footnotes, appendices, and bibliography. This counts for 40% of the total marks.
  2. An assessed research essay (set essay) of not more than 6,000 words in length (excluding footnotes, tables, appendices and bibliography), on a subject chosen by the candidate from a list published each year by the Division. This counts for 20% of the total marks.
  3. Written examinations on two papers chosen from the following:
    1. Paper 1 The Scope of Social Anthropology I: Production and Reproduction
    2. Paper 2 The Scope of Social Anthropology II: Systems of Power and Knowledge
    3. Paper 3 Social Anthropology and the Professional Process:
      1. Either Paper 3(a) Social Anthropology and Development
      2. Or Paper 3(b) Social Anthropology and Museums
      3. Or Paper 3(c) Medical Anthropology

    Each exam paper counts for 20% of the total marks.

In place of one of the two papers chosen from among papers 1-3, a candidate may, by special permission of the Degree Committee, offer an optional research essay of not more than 6,000 words in length, excluding footnotes, appendices and bibliography, on a subject approved by the Degree Committee.

The formal regulations for the MPhil in Social Anthropology can be found  in the University’s Statutes and Ordinances.

Set essay

Your set essay is a research-based essay but must be chosen from the list of subjects published by the Division. See MPhil Set Essay Topics. The subject of the essay must not fall within the field of your thesis. Two copies of the set essay must be submitted to the Administration Office on the first day of Easter term.

Examinations

Examinations last for three hours, during which you are expected to answer three questions (in essay form), from a menu of approximately 14-16 previously unseen questions. In preparation for these examinations, you should draw across material you have learned in lectures, seminars, supervisions and through your own independent reading. Examiners are well aware that the papers cover more than individual students can master in one year. For individual questions we are looking for evidence that students are not simply repeating existing essays, but are engaging thoughtfully with the questions at hand. Copies of previous years’ examination papers are available on this website (one each relevant course page), hard copies are also kept in the Administration Office for you to consult.

Optional Essays

Under special circumstances, it is possible to offer optional research led essays in place of one or both of the two written examination papers. This provision is made only for those who can provide documentary evidence that they already have substantial previous training in the fields covered by the paper in question. The request to replace both examined papers with optional essays, although allowed, is discouraged. The topic of the essay should normally fall within the province of the paper that it replaces and should ideally relate to teaching on offer in the Division.

You need to submit your application to do an optional essay in writing by early November to the MPhil Tutor. Titles should be submitted to the Graduate Admissions Administrator and must be approved by the Division in Michaelmas term. Two copies of the optional essay must be submitted to the Graduate Admissions Administrator on 18 May.

The Thesis

The thesis (see Planning your thesis) is an exercise in original research. For those candidates doing either of the Paper 3 options the topic of the thesis should be within the general field of that option.  For those candidates doing Papers 1 and 2, the only requirement is that the thesis is securely anthropological. In both cases the primary aim of the thesis should be the theoretical analysis of ethnographic material; it may also be a new synthesis of data, and/ or new interpretation of existing material. All titles must be approved by the Degree Committee. You are expected to attend all seminar classes, including those relating to the field in which your thesis falls. This is to ensure that you will have a broad background from which to approach the more specialised work involved in writing the thesis. Two copies of the thesis must be submitted to the Administration Office by 18 May (early assessment) or 31 August (late assessment).

See here for style guidelines for the thesis

 

Submission Deadlines

Submission deadlines are announced in the MPhil Diary. Essays and theses must be submitted by noon on the day of the deadline. You are expected to manage your time to meet the deadlines. This includes, for example, preparing a draft well in advance, to allow reasonable time for feedback from your supervisor, and final revisions. Please note that sloppy presentation (bad spelling or grammar, incomplete bibliography etc.) will be penalized by the examiners.

No extensions will be given to the deadlines, with exceptions being made only for certified medical emergencies. Essays or theses submitted after the deadlines will be penalized by 5 marks for the first working day, followed by 1 mark for each day of delay thereafter. If you experience personal or other difficulties that interfere with your work, you should consult your supervisor and/or College Tutor in good time for advice and assistance. In exceptional circumstances, a case for late submission may be made through these authorities, but it must reach the graduate administrator well before the deadline. In extreme cases personal problems may require periods of intermission of studies.

Please also note that the word counts for essays and theses are strict. There are upper limits and you must not exceed them. The Division reserves the right to request a disk copy of the essay or thesis to verify the word count.

Assessment Standards

Formally, this is a pass/ fail course. The standard for a pass begins at 60. Internally we note the difference between a pass (60-69) and a high pass (70-74), and a mark above 75 is awarded a distinction.

The thesis is weighted insofar as it is a separate element, which must be passed; a candidate may carry one fail mark in any element other than the thesis provided there are compensating marks.

If you wish to proceed to doctoral research you will be expected to achieve a high pass overall.

Assessment Descriptors

Mark Class Description
75% + Distinction At the upper end this is work which consistently exceeds expectations and challenges received views. At the lower end it indicates work which is excellent in its range and its command of the material, and in the argument and analysis that it brings to bear.
70 -74% High Pass Work showing evidence of a good, broad-based engagement with and understanding of the relevant material organised in a clearly-argued, well-illustrated and relevant fashion.
60-69% Pass At the upper end this includes work which, though competent and broadly relevant, is somewhat lacking in focus, organisation or breadth of reference. At the lower end it indicates work which, while demonstrating some knowledge of the material, is yet deficient in understanding, analysis and breadth of reference.