Statutes and Ordinances of the University of Cambridge
CHAPTER VII
DEGREES, DIPLOMAS, AND OTHER QUALIFICATIONS

The Ordinances contained in this Chapter are Ordinances of the General Board

In this section

MASTER OF STUDIES

GENERAL REGULATIONS

M.St. Degree.

1. The M.St. Degree shall be awarded for postgraduate study. A subject of such study, and the special regulations for each subject, shall be approved by the General Board on the recommendation of the Faculty Board or other body concerned, after consultation with the appropriate Degree Committee, and after submission to, and approval by, the Board of Graduate Studies and the Strategic Committee of the Institute of Continuing Education.

Application for admission.

2. Applications for admission to a course of study leading to the M.St. Degree shall be sent to the Director of Continuing Education. The Director shall communicate each application for admission to the Secretary of the Degree Committee concerned with the applicant's proposed course, having first ascertained that appropriate accommodation, if required, is available in a laboratory or elsewhere. The Degree Committee shall consider the application and shall communicate their opinion thereon to the Director. If the Degree Committee decline the application it shall fail, and the Director shall so inform the applicant. If the Degree Committee agree to recommend approval of the application, their recommendation shall be considered by the Strategic Committee of the Institute, who shall decide upon the application, subject to the approval of the Board of Graduate Studies. Before declining an application recommended by a Degree Committee for approval the Strategic Committee shall give a representative appointed by the Degree Committee an opportunity of explaining the Committee's reasons for their recommendation.

3. Any person may be approved for admission to a course leading to the M.St. Degree who has satisfied the Strategic Committee of the Institute, the Board of Graduate Studies, and the relevant Degree Committee that by reason of previous study he or she is qualified to engage in postgraduate work for the degree. The Strategic Committee shall determine the conditions, if any, of each applicant's admission and shall assign to him or her a date of commencement of candidature. The Director of Continuing Education shall maintain a register of persons who have been approved as candidates for the M.St. Degree; when an applicant has been approved for admission, his or her name shall be entered on the Register.

Approved course.

4. A candidate for the M.St. Degree shall pursue, under a Director of Studies appointed by the Strategic Committee of the Institute, an approved course of postgraduate study comprising a number of course units, which shall include not less than 240 hours of formal instruction and shall extend over a period of two years. Every course of study for the degree, and any amendments of it, shall be approved by the Strategic Committee, the Board of Graduate Studies, and the General Board, on the recommendation of the Faculty Board or other body concerned.

Intermission.

5. After considering a recommendation by the Degree Committee concerned, the Strategic Committee may allow a candidate for the degree on account of illness or other sufficient cause to intermit his or her course of study for such period as they may think fit.

Supervisors.

6. For each course unit the Degree Committee concerned shall appoint a Supervisor for every student. Each Supervisor shall send to the Director of Continuing Education, at such intervals as may be specified by the Strategic Committee, a written report on the work of each student who is studying for the M.St. Degree under his or her direction; such reports shall be communicated to the Degree Committee concerned, to the Board of Graduate Studies, and to the student's Tutor.

Prizes or Scholarships.

7. A student who is registered as a candidate for the M.St. Degree shall not be admitted as a candidate for any University Studentship, Scholarship, Exhibition, Prize, Medal, or other such award, which is open only to undergraduates. For the purpose of any regulation which governs the standing of candidates for any other emolument, a candidate for the M.St. Degree who is not a graduate of the University shall be deemed to have kept by residence the nine terms next preceding the first term of his or her candidature for the M.St. Degree.

Fees.

8. While following a course of study leading to an examination for the M.St. Degree, a student shall pay the appropriate University Composition Fee for each year of such study.

Examination.

9. The examination for the M.St. Degree shall include

  1. (a)the submission of a thesis, of such length as shall be prescribed in the appropriate special regulations for the subject as appended to these regulations;
  2. and
  3. (b)either (i) written examination papers or (ii) the submission of essays, project reports, or other exercises, or (iii) any combination of these, as prescribed in the special regulations.

At the discretion of the Examiners the examination may include an oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls as prescribed in the appropriate special regulations. Each candidate shall submit his or her thesis to the Director of Continuing Education by a date to be determined by the Strategic Committee, on the recommendation of the Degree Committee concerned.

Submission of thesis.

10. In submitting a thesis a candidate shall state, generally in a preface and specifically in notes or in a bibliography, the sources from which information has been derived, the extent to which use has been made of the work of others, and the portions of the thesis which are claimed as original.

The Strategic Committee shall not accept a thesis that is substantially the same as one that the candidate has submitted, or is concurrently submitting, for any other degree, diploma, or similar qualification at any university or similar institution, but they may accept a thesis which the candidate has submitted or is concurrently submitting for some other purpose. In submitting a thesis the candidate shall declare for what purpose, if any, other than for the M.St. Degree, the whole or part of it has already been or is concurrently being submitted. The thesis, apart from quotations, shall be written in English.

11. Two copies of the thesis, accompanied by three copies of a summary, shall be sent to the Director of Continuing Education, who shall forward two copies of the thesis and two copies of the summary to the Secretary of the Degree Committee concerned. In special circumstances the Strategic Committee, after consultation with the Degree Committee concerned, may allow a candidate to submit only one copy of the thesis.

Examiners and Assessors.

12. The Degree Committee concerned shall appoint such number of Examiners and Assessors as they shall deem sufficient to conduct the examination. The Assessors shall undertake such duties as the Degree Committee may decide. The Secretary of the Degree Committee shall communicate to the Director of Continuing Education the name of the Senior Examiner and the names of the Examiners and Assessors.

13. Each candidate's thesis shall be referred by the Degree Committee to two of the Examiners, each of whom shall make an independent report thereon to the Degree Committee. Where the examination includes an oral examination, the two Examiners shall both be present at the oral examination, and shall sign a joint certificate of the result of that examination. If the Examiners do not agree in their recommendations, or if for any other reason the Degree Committee need a further opinion on the merit of a candidate's thesis, the Degree Committee may appoint additional Examiners, provided that not more than one additional Examiner shall be appointed without the leave of the Board of Graduate Studies. Each additional Examiner so appointed shall make an independent report on the thesis to the Degree Committee.

Approval for degree.

14. If the Degree Committee, at a meeting held to consider the reports of the Examiners, approve the candidate’s performance as of the requisite standard for the M.St. Degree and are of the opinion that the degree should be conferred, the Degree Committee shall communicate their resolution to the candidate, to the Strategic Committee of the Institute and to the Secretary of the Board of Graduate Studies who shall publish a notice of the candidate’s approval for the award of the degree of Master of Studies.

Failure.

15. If the Degree Committee, after consideration of a candidate’s marks and the reports of the Examiners in the prescribed examination, are of the opinion that the candidate’s work is not of the requisite standard for the degree, the Degree Committee shall communicate their resolution to the candidate and to the Secretary of the Board of Graduate Studies and to the Strategic Committee of the Institute of Continuing Education. After such a resolution has been passed, the student shall not be eligible to take the examination for the degree again.

16. If the Tutor of a candidate for the degree supplies the Board of Graduate Studies with satisfactory evidence that the candidate has been hindered by illness or other grave cause in preparing for or taking the examination or any part of the examination for the degree, and such representations are received by the Secretary of the Board not later than three months after the date on which the result of the examination was communicated by the Secretary to the candidate, the Board shall have power, notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the relevant regulations,

  1. either(a)to approve the candidate for the degree or other qualification without further examination, provided that no candidate shall be so approved unless the Degree Committee concerned judge him or her to have performed with credit in a substantial part of the examination,
  2. or(b)to allow the candidate to be examined or re-examined under such conditions and at such time as may be determined by the Board after consultation with the Degree Committee concerned.

Representations received after the prescribed time limit shall not be considered. The Secretary of the Board shall communicate any decision by the Board under this regulation to the Strategic Committee of the Institute of Continuing Education.

Payments to Examiners.

17. The fees payable to Supervisors (Regulation 6) and to Examiners and Assessors (Regulation 12) shall be determined from time to time by the General Board on the recommendation of the Strategic Committee of the Institute of Continuing Education, who shall consult the Board of Graduate Studies before making such a recommendation.

Expenses of Examiners.

18. Payment of travelling expenses and a subsistence allowance may be claimed by Examiners in accordance with Regulation 11 of the regulations for the Ph.D., M.Sc., and M.Litt. Degrees.

SPECIAL REGULATIONS

Advanced Subject Teaching43

Notice (Reporter, 2010–11, p. 1114)

The scheme of examination for the course of study in Advanced Subject Teaching for the degree of Master of Studies shall be as follows:

  1. (a)four essays, each of between 3,000 and 4,000 words in length on a topic approved by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Education;
  2. (b)a thesis of between 15,000 and 18,000 words in length including footnotes and appendices, but excluding bibliography, on a subject approved by the Degree Committee.

At the discretion of the Examiners the examination shall include an oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls; such an oral examination may include questions relating to one or more of the other pieces of work submitted by the candidate under (a) and (b) above.

Applied Criminology and Police Management

The scheme of examination for the course of study in Applied Criminology and Police Management for the degree of Master of Studies shall be as follows:

  1. (a)four essays, each of not more than 3,000 words in length, which shall be chosen by the candidate from a list of topics announced by the Examiners;
  2. (b)an exercise in designing a proposal for, or in critically evaluating, a research project on a subject chosen by the candidate from a list announced by the Examiners; a candidate's report on such a research exercise shall not exceed 3,000 words in length, including notes and appendices;
  3. (c)a thesis of not more than 18,000 words in length, including notes and appendices, on a subject proposed by the candidate and approved by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Law.

At the discretion of the Examiners the examination shall include an oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls; such an oral examination may include questions relating to one or more of the other pieces of work submitted by the candidate under (a) and (b) above.

Applied Criminology, Penology, and Management

The scheme of examination for the course of study in Applied Criminology, Penology, and Management for the degree of Master of Studies shall consist of:

  1. (a)four essays, each of not more than 3,000 words in length and each on a topic approved by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Law;
  2. (b)course-work in research methods, as prescribed by the Degree Committee;
  3. (c)a thesis, of not more than 18,000 words in length, including footnotes and appendices but excluding bibliography, on a subject approved by the Degree Committee.

At the discretion of the Examiners the examination shall include an oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls; such an oral examination may include questions relating to one or more of the other pieces of work submitted by the candidate under (a) and (b) above.

Building History

Notice (Reporter, 2010–11, p. 744)

1. The scheme of examination for the course of study in Building History for the degree of Master of Studies shall consist of:

  1. (a)three written papers each of three hours’ duration or other exercises specified by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Architecture and History of Art;
  2. (b)a field test of one hour;
  3. (c)the submission of a report of between 3,000 and 5,000 words in length on a building or building element, to include record drawings and photographs together with relevant historical maps and illustrations;
  4. (d)a research proposal of between 2,000 and 3,000 words in length;
  5. (e)the submission of a portfolio/log book and a report of not more than 3,000 words on the required placement, together with a fifteen minute presentation on the placement;
  6. (f)a thesis of not more than 25,000 words in length, including footnotes and appendices, but excluding bibliography, on a subject approved by the Degree Committee.

2. The examination shall include an oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls.

Construction Engineering

The scheme of examination for the course of study in Construction Engineering for the degree of Master of Studies shall consist of:

  1. (a)a case study, of no more than 5,000 words in length, on a topic approved by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Engineering;
  2. (b)two essays, each of no more than 3,000 words in length, on a topic approved by the Degree Committee;
  3. (c)a thesis of not more than 15,000 words in length, including footnotes and appendices, but excluding bibliography, on a subject approved by the Degree Committee.

At the discretion of the Examiners the examination may include an oral examination on any or all of the components of the examination specified under (a) to (c) above, and on the general field of knowledge within which they fall.

Historic Environment

Notice (Reporter, 2010–11, p. 294)

1. The scheme of examination for the course of study in Historic Environment for the degree of Master of Studies shall consist of:

  1. (a)four essays, each of no more than 4,000 words in length, and each on a topic approved by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Human, Social, and Political Science;
  2. (b)a thesis of not more than 15,000 words in length, including footnotes and appendices, but excluding bibliography, on a subject approved by the Degree Committee.

2. At the discretion of the Examiners the examination shall include an oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls.

Interdisciplinary Design for the Built Environment

The scheme of examination for the course of study in Interdisciplinary Design for the Built Environment for the degree of Master of Studies shall be as follows:

1. For the purpose of the general regulations for the degree, the Degree Committee concerned with this examination shall be the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Architecture and History of Art.

2. The examination shall consist of:

  1. (a)a thesis, of not more than 15,000 words in length, including footnotes and appendices but excluding bibliography, on a subject approved by the Degree Committee;
  2. (b)a case study, of not more than 5,000 words in length, of a project approved by the Degree Committee concerning design for the built environment;
  3. (c)two essays, each of not more than 3,000 words in length, on topics approved by the Degree Committee.

3. At the discretion of the Examiners the examination shall include an oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls.

International Relations

Amended by Notice (Reporter, 2010–11, p. 745)

1. The scheme of examination for the course of study in International Relations for the degree of Master of Studies shall consist of:

  1. (a)a thesis of not more than 25,000 words in length, including tables, footnotes, and appendices, but excluding bibliography, on a subject approved by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Human, Social, and Political Science;
  2. and
  3. (b)an examination paper written under examination conditions of three hours’ duration on a compulsory core course;

and

  1. (c)an assessed course of study on each of six topics from a list of no fewer than eight and no more than fifteen fields to be set by the Degree Committee. The form of examination shall be determined by the Degree Committee on the recommendation of the Course Directors in advance of the course. Provided that candidates for each field shall be examined in the same way, the form of examination for any field may be:
  2. (i)two essays not exceeding 2,000 words in length and on set topics falling within a field designated by the Degree Committee;
  3. (ii)one essay not exceeding 4,000 words in length and on set topics falling within a field designated by the Degree Committee;
  4. (iii)an examination paper written under examination conditions of three hours’ duration on set topics falling within a field designated by the Degree Committee.

2. The arrangements for announcing the set topics for essays shall be made by the Degree Committee.

3. The examination may include, at the discretion of the Examiners, an oral examination on the thesis, or on the general field of knowledge within which this falls, or both.

Jewish-Christian Relations

The scheme of examination for the course of study in Jewish-Christian Relations for the degree of Master of Studies shall consist of:

  1. (a)four essays, each of not more than 4,000 words in length and each on a topic approved by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Divinity;
  2. (b)a thesis, of not more than 15,000 words in length, including footnotes and appendices but excluding bibliography, on a subject approved by the Degree Committee.

At the discretion of the Examiners the examination shall include an oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls.

Local and Regional History44

Amended by Notice (Reporter, 2010–11, p. 1056)

The scheme of examination for the course of study in Local and Regional History for the degree of Master of Studies shall consist of:

  1. (a)three essays, each of not more than 4,000 words in length, and each on a subject approved by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of History;
  2. (b)a practical test in palaeography;
  3. (c)a thesis of not more than 20,000 words in length, excluding footnotes, appendices, and bibliography, on a subject approved by the Degree Committee.

At the discretion of the Examiners the examination shall include an oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls.

Manufacturing44

The scheme of examination for the course of study in Manufacturing for the degree of Master of Studies shall consist of:

  1. (a)course-work, as prescribed by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Engineering;
  2. (b)three case studies, each of not more than 5,000 words in length and each on a project approved by the Degree Committee;
  3. (c)a thesis, of not more than 15,000 words in length, including footnotes and appendices but excluding bibliography, on a subject approved by the Degree Committee.

At the discretion of the Examiners the examination shall include an oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls.

Modernism (English Literature, 1890–1939)45

The scheme of examination for the course of study in Modernism (English Literature, 1890–1939) for the degree of Master of Studies shall consist of:

  1. (a)a bibliography of an approved area of study, containing not more than 100 items;
  2. (b)three essays, each not exceeding 2,500 words in length, and each on a topic approved by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of English;
  3. (c)a thesis, not exceeding 15,000 words in length, including footnotes and appendices but excluding bibliography, on a subject approved by the Degree Committee.

At the discretion of the Examiners the examination shall include an oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls.

Social Enterprise and Community Development

The scheme of examination for the course of study in Social Enterprise and Community Development for the degree of Master of Studies shall consist of:

  1. (a)four essays, each of not more than 3,000 words in length and each on a topic chosen by the candidate from a list of topics announced by the Examiners and approved by the Degree Committee for the Faculty Board of Business and Management;
  2. (b)the submission of a report of not more than 2,000 words in length together with an oral presentation of the report of not more than twenty minutes which shall include the use of PowerPoint slides;
  3. (c)a thesis of not more than 18,000 words in length, including footnotes and appendices but excluding bibliography, on a subject approved by the Degree Committee.

If the Examiners deem it necessary, the examination shall include an oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls.

Sustainability Leadership

The scheme of examination for the course of study in Sustainability Leadership for the degree of Master of Studies shall be as follows:

1. For the purpose of the general regulations for the degree, the Degree Committee concerned with the examination shall be the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Business and Management.

2. The examination shall consist of:

  1. (a)two essays (a case review and a strategy paper), each of no more than 3,000 words in length, and each on a topic approved by the Degree Committee;
  2. (b)an essay (a group project) of no more than 7,000 words in length on a topic approved by the Degree Committee;
  3. (c)an action research project, with a ten minute oral presentation of findings, on a topic approved by the Degree Committee;
  4. (d)a thesis of not more than 15,000 words in length, including footnotes and appendices, but excluding bibliography, on a subject approved by the Degree Committee.

3. At the discretion of the Examiners the examination shall include an oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls.

Footnotes

  1. 43. This course will be available with effect from 1 September 2012.a
  2. 44. This course is suspended until further notice.a b
  3. 45. This course is suspended until further notice (Reporter, 2010–11, p. 542).a