This course aims to build on a basic knowledge of modern Korean and classical Chinese or modern Japanese. The MSt aims to build your capability in using at least modern Korean for research purposes; to acquaint you with many of the most important classical texts from Korean history, in modern Korean translation or the original Classical Chinese or Old or Middle Korean; to enable you to understand and use a range of classical references and historiographical and linguistic research methods for the treatment of primary sources; and to allow you to engage in specialised study from a wide range of options and exercise your new skills. You should expect to attend up to ten hours per week of tutorials and should expect to spend an additional thirty to forty hours a week, perhaps more, during each full term for preparation. In addition, you should expect to be set a considerable amount of work during the vacations. All examination papers and the dissertation will be reviewed by examiners, one of whom is from outside the University. The external examiner shall have the final decision as to whether to award the degree. You will be examined viva voce unless you have been individually excused by the examiners. Graduates from this degree have gone on to pursue DPhil and PhD degrees in Oxford and elsewhere and some now hold academic posts in leading universities in the UK, Europe and Korea.