Course Handbook - Faculty of History

3.3 Language Tuition
i) Latin
Many of you will have attended the intensive Latin course. There is a test for all
MPhil students on Wednesday 6 October at 5.00 pm for one hour in the Faculty.
Those who feel they need or are felt to need further tuition will attend the Latin course
given by Dr Neil Wright over the Michaelmas and Lent Terms. The first class will take
place on Friday 8 October at 2pm in the Faculty of History.
There is also a general course available in the Classics Faculty for non-classicists,
details of which may be found in the Lecture List number of the Reporter.
The Language Laboratory also has a computer disk self-learning package called Latin
Study prepared by the Department of Latin and Greek in the University of St
Andrews. Multiple copies have been purchased and these are available for use in the
Laboratory on request. The National Archive website also has a self-learning Latin
course on line.
ii)
Modern Languages
Tuition is provided by the History Faculty. Please consult the General Graduate
Handbook and the Graduate Training Booklet (both available online). It is vitally
important to make your decisions about the languages you wish to study at a very early
stage. If in doubt, your supervisor will best be able to advise you. Although these
classes are intended primarily for those who need them, MPhil students who simply
wish to study the language are welcome to join them if they are not oversubscribed.
However, it should be stressed that all students who sign up for these classes will be
expected to attend the entire course. Please note that, unless you will need to read
sources in French, all members of Option 3 should concentrate on Latin and are not
advised to study a modern language as well, unless their Latin is extremely fluent.
3.4 Faculty Classes For Graduates
The Faculty puts on a wide range of classes for graduate students. These include the Graduate
Training and Transferable Skills Options (see Graduate Training and Transferable Skills
Options Booklet online). This is intended primarily for first-year PhD students who have not
already done an MPhil and for candidates for the MPhil in Historical Studies, which, unlike
the other History MPhils, does not have a highly structured course. It includes some sessions
that may be of interest to all MPhil students, especially Mon 1 November 4:00pm (Seminar
Room 5, History Faculty), an informal session for graduates new to Cambridge, a session on
Leave to Continue to the PhD on 26 October at 2:15pm and one on applying for graduate
funding on 2 November at 2.15pm. There are also research seminars in other periods of
history (see General Graduate Handbook online). Please note that classes and work for the
MPhil must take precedence over any other classes and meetings.
3.5 Medieval Research Seminar
The Faculty offers an extensive programme of seminars designed primarily for PhD students.
Please refer to the General Graduate Handbook online or the Reporter for information on the
major seminars. You should attend the Medieval Research Seminar.
Convenors: Prof M C Carpenter, Dr A Spencer, Dr E van Houts (MT & LT) and Dr M Ryan
(ET)
Michaelmas Term 2010 - Lent and Easter Terms 2011
The seminar for graduate students in medieval history will meet on Thursdays, fortnightly at
5.00pm in Michaelmas and Lent Terms; weekly in Easter Term in the History Faculty Board
Room. Wine and soft drinks are served at each meeting. The focus of the seminar is on work
in progress with a particular emphasis on sources, methods and interpretation, and with plenty
of time for discussion. Papers are given by graduate students. The seminar is thus also a
useful practice ground for presenting papers. PhD students give papers in the Michaelmas and
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