The course may be taught in a variety of ways, depending on the needs of the student. Students who require to learn languages are normally taught in classes. Students who wish to concentrate on historical issues may be taught primarily in regular tutorials for which they are expected to write essays. A Candidates are required to submit to the Clerk of the Schools, High Street, Oxford two typed copies of a piece of written work of not less than 5,000 and not more than 7,000 words in length. The piece of written work must be presented in proper scholarly form.
Candidates have to specify how it relates to their proposed subject of research.
The topic of the essay will be set at the conclusion of the course, at a date which the chairman of examiners will announce. Each candidate will be required to submit an essay in proper scholarly form to the chairman of examiners not more than seven days after the assignment of the topic. Course Guide Students discuss with their supervisors at the beginning of the course which form their course will take, but a final decision whether the student will write one or more extended essays, and of what type, is not required until the fourth week of the second term. By this time the supervisor must submit the proposed method of examination to the Director of Graduate Studies for approval by the Board. The decision as to whether the proposed method of examination is appropriate will be taken by the Board on the Friday of that week.