Courses

MML Tripos Part IA

For links to information on all Part IA papers, see this page.

• Overview
• Part IA oral examinations
• Marking criteria for Part IA papers
• Examinations Data Policy
• Faculty Policy on Plagiarism
• Summary

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Overview

Part IA is the first year of your course. You take six Part IA Papers. Links to detailed information on all these papers can be found on this page.

Two languages have to be studied for Part IA, but you need only to have specialised (to A-level or equivalent) in one of those languages to be eligible for the course, and any language may be started from scratch except French and Classical Latin.

At Part IA there is a separate classification of examination performance in each language.

The papers you will take are determined by your knowledge of your chosen languages on entry.

For any language you take on at post A-level standard, there are:

• Two written papers ('language papers' - use of the foreign language, including comprehension and analysis of contemporary texts; and translation into English)
• An oral examination
• One introductory paper ('scheduled paper') concerned with literature, philology, or history.

In the case of post A-level languages, note that Paper B2 is assessed as 66% of a full paper and the Oral Examination is assessed as 33% of a full paper.

When you take on a new language from scratch (ab initio), there are

• Two language papers, with an appropriate range and level of language exercises
• An oral examination
• One 'scheduled' paper devoted to literary and cultural questions.

In the case of ab initio languages, note that Paper A2 is assessed as 66% of a full paper and the Oral Examination is assessed as 33% of a full paper.

Useful Links

• Academic Writing for Modern Linguists
• Translation Emergency Toolkit
• Marking Criteria for translations into English
• Marking Criteria for Scheduled Paper Essays
• Transferable Skills for MML Students
• Transkills Project

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Summary of Year 1: Part IA

Six Part IA papers covering two languages (X and Y)

Language X (post A-level) Language Paper B1 Language Paper B2 (2 hours) + Oral examination B One related Scheduled Paper	OR	Language X (post A-level) Language Paper B1 Language Paper B2 (2 hours) + Oral examination B One related Scheduled Paper
Language Y (post A-level) Language Paper B1 Language Paper B2 (2 hours) + Oral examination B One related Scheduled Paper		Language Y (ab initio) Introductory Paper A1 Introductory Paper A2 (2 hours) Introductory Paper A3 + Oral examination A

Key to language papers

• A1: Introduction to foreign language 1
• A2: Introduction to foreign language 2
• A3: Introduction to foreign language 3
• B1: Use of foreign language
• B2: Translation from foreign language