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Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic at University of Cambridge - UCAS

Course summary

The MPhil in Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic is designed for students who have already undertaken a first degree incorporating work in some of the subjects encompassed by the Department. Our MPhil programme provides a nine-month course (October to June) in the scholarly methods and disciplines relevant to the study of the history, languages, literatures, and material culture of the peoples of Britain and Ireland, Brittany and Scandinavia in the earlier Middle Ages. The course enables candidates to achieve an understanding of early Insular culture as a whole, as well as specialising in aspects of particular interest, whether historical, palaeographical, literary, or linguistic. Training is given in scholarly methods and practices, complemented by instruction in the particular fields of the candidate's interests. Learning Outcomes Knowledge and understanding During the MPhil, students should have: developed a deeper knowledge of their chosen area within Anglo- Saxon, Norse and Celtic, and of the critical debates within it; developed an understanding of critical debates which allows the evaluation of current research in their dissertation field; and shown independent judgement based on their own research. Skills and other attributes By the end of their course, students should have: acquired or consolidated linguistic, palaeographical or other scholarly skills; participated effectively in seminar discussions and made an oral presentation of their research; and learned how to schedule independent research to produce written work of a high standard to a strict deadline.

Assessment method

Assessment Thesis / Dissertation The MPhil dissertation (between 10,000 and 15,000 words) makes up 50 per cent of the total mark for the course, and is submitted in the last week of the third term (mid-June). Students are required to submit a dissertation title, with abstract, by the mid-point of the second term (February). Essays At the end of the first term of the course (December), students are required to submit a 5000-word Review of Scholarship essay, intended as a survey and assessment of scholarship on the topic of the projected MPhil dissertation. The mark for the Review of Scholarship essay constitutes 10 per cent of the overall MPhil grade. Over the course of four days in the first week of the third term (April), students write a 3000-word take-home essay, on a broad topic chosen from a selection, and drawing on at least three of the works of literature discussed during the course of the MPhil text-seminar, which runs throughout the first two terms of the course. The mark for the take-home essay makes up 10 per cent of the overall mark. Written examination Students are required to take two three-hour written examinations which assess knowledge and skills acquired during the first two terms of the academic year, in two courses chosen from among those taught in the Department. Courses on offer include Anglo-Saxon history, Scandinavian history, Brittonic and Gaelic history, Old English, Old Norse, Medieval Welsh, Medieval Irish, Insular Latin, and palaeography, most of which can be pursued at beginner, intermediate or advanced level; Germanic philology, Celtic philology, and textual criticism are further options for students with the appropriate prior knowledge. Each written examination is worth 15 per cent of the total MPhil mark, and is assessed independently by two examiners.


Entry requirements

Expected Academic Standard Applicants for this course should have achieved a UK High II.i Honours Degree. If your degree is not from the UK, please check International Qualifications to find the equivalent in your country. If you have already taken a Cambridge BA Degree in ASNC you will need an average mark of 67 at Part II including at least 67 in your Part II dissertation. Conditional offers for other degree courses from other universities will be equivalent.


Fees and funding

Tuition fees

No fee information has been provided for this course

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.
Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic at University of Cambridge - UCAS