MSc - Assessment

There is an unseen three-hour examination of the core course, in which students are required to answer three questions under strict examination conditions. It is held in Week 0 of Trinity Term at the Examination Schools.

The research methods courses is examined by means of a 2,500-3,000 word assessment to be submitted in Week 9. These courses also have some term-time assignments which are assessed on a pass/fail basis.

Each option is examined by means of an assessed essay of 3,500-5,000 words for which time is set aside during the last three weeks of each term, when there are no classes. Assessed essay titles are given out at the end of Week 6 and must be completed by the end of Week 9 of each term.

The dissertation is between 8,000 and 10,000 words long on a topic of the student's choice, subject to the agreement of the Board of Studies. It should be library-based, and should not involve the student in any empirical research (as there is insufficient time for this task). Students are expected to carry out the research independently, with only minimum guidance from their dissertation supervisor.

The degree of MSc shall be awarded to any candidate who achieves a mark of at least 50 per cent for (a) the five options and the ‘Research Design and Data Collection’ course, (b) the core course paper, and (c) the dissertation, as well as satisfactorily completes the continuous assessment element of ‘Research Design and Data Collection’, and, where relevant, those of ‘Social Explanation and Data Analysis’, and/or ‘Statistical Methods for Social Scientists’ and/or ‘Qualitative Methods’.