Eastern Christian Studies (Taught)

The information provided on this page was correct at the time of publication (November 2025). For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas.

The MPhil in Eastern Christian Studies is a taught course offering intensive study of Greek, Armenian with Greek, or Syriac with Greek texts, combining language training, doctrinal history, and a thesis.

Course structure
Teaching takes the form of text classes, supervisions and/or seminars, and background lectures. You will also be required to write and present essays, either for supervisions or for seminars.

The Armenian and Syriac set texts are read in the first year in text classes, for which you will be expected to prepare, while the Greek set texts will normally be left to you to work through alone.

In addition to the set texts, you will also study for papers in one of three options, which you will have chosen before you arrive at Oxford.

The second year is normally left for work on the thesis, the subject of which must be approved by the Faculty Board. Your supervisor will provide general guidance on this.