The MPhil course will run for 11.5 months (beginning of October to mid-September). It will be based on accumulating a given number of credits from a flexible collection of obligatory courses, elective courses, and a research project. Assessment will be based on coursework, exams, a dissertation and its presentation. Typically, courses run in Michaelmas and Lent terms, while the Easter term is mainly directed at the dissertation. Two options are given for the dissertation: "short" (10,000 word report) and "long (20,000 word report), to accommodate students wanting to take more courses (short) or those wanting to do a more substantial research project (long).