About the course

The MPhil in Modern South Asian Studies is a 21-month, taught master's course, offered jointly by the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies (OSGA) and the Faculty of Oriental Studies. You will study this important region, with its rich history and its complex present-day societies, via an intensive language route or a non-language route, culminating in a 30,000-word thesis.

The MPhil in Modern South Asian Studies is an exciting degree bringing together Oxford’s wealth of expertise on South Asia in a single programme. You will gain access to teaching and expert supervision across departments in the Social Sciences and Humanities Divisions. You will receive rigorous training in one of three tailored modules in research methods, and have the option to build in Hindi, Urdu, Old Hindi, Persian or other language training.

You may choose to explore present-day India’s social, economic and political achievements and challenges, and the connections between the country’s democratic and developmental successes and failures, or to range more broadly across the states and societies of the subcontinent over the past five hundred years. You may pursue any combination of interests, including history, literature, language, religion, economy and interstate relations.

Assessment

In order to receive the MPhil degree, you must obtain pass marks in all components.

Language Track (first year)

Research Methods (comprising two assignments, one in Michaelmas and one in Hilary term, each of no more than 2,500 words) 10%
Core Course Essay (a max. 5,000 word essay, submitted at the beginning of Trinity term) 10%
Core Language Qualifying Exam (3-hour exam, held at the end of Trinity term) 15%
Option 1 (3-hour exam, held at the end of Trinity term) 12.5%

Language Track (second year)

Core Language Final Exam (3-hour exam, held at the end of Trinity term) 15%
Option 2 (3-hour exam, held at the end of Trinity term) 12.5%
Thesis (max 30,000 words, submitted Monday of Week 4 of Trinity term) 25%

In addition to this, you will be required to undertake formative assessment (essays, presentations etc) throughout the programme.

Non-language Track (first year)

Research Methods (comprising two assignments, one in Michaelmas and one in Hilary term, each of no more than 2,500 words) 10%
Core Course Essay (a max. 5,000 word essay, submitted at the beginning of Trinity term) 10%
Option 1 (3-hour exam, held at the end of Trinity term) 15%
Option 2 (3-hour exam, held at the end of Trinity term) 15%

Non-language Track (second year)

Option 3 (3-hour exam, held at the end of Trinity term) 15%
Thesis (max 30,000 words, submitted Monday of Week 4 of Trinity term) 35%

In addition to this, you will be required to undertake formative assessment (essays, presentations etc) throughout the programme.

Graduate destinations

The department aims to equip its graduates with a range of valuable skills which will enable them to compete successfully within a number of different careers - in the civil service and policy-making bodies in Britain, Europe and further afield, in non-governmental organisations concerned with development, in the charitable sector, in journalism, public and private sector research and consultancy, law and academia. The MPhil is a valuable preparation for students wishing to go on to doctoral research.