Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic
The Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic Tripos is unique to Cambridge. The Tripos offers students a wide and unique range of options in the history, languages and literatures of the British Isles, Ireland and Scandinavia in the period from the end of the Roman Empire to the end of the Middle Ages. The Tripos is also unique in offering undergraduates the opportunity to study palaeography and codicology (manuscript studies). Undergraduates have a free choice of papers and may range as they wish across the historical and literary papers and across Germanic and Celtic papers and palaeography.
Overview
Students admitted per year: 1-2
Typical offer:
A Level: A*AA
IB Diploma: 41 points, with 776 at Higher Level
Subject requirements: no subjects required
Useful subjects: English Literature or history, as well as a modern or classical language
Admissions Assessment: n/a
Written work: two pieces, of a maximum of 3,000 words total
Why choose Newnham for Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic?
Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic studies have a long and lively history at Newnham, with some of the most famous scholars in the field – Mary Bateson, Nora Chadwick, Dorothy Whitelock and Kathleen Hughes – having been Fellows here. Newnham was one of the pioneers of the supervision mode of teaching, still the mainstay of any humanities degree, and an important element of the Director of Studies’ job is securing the best supervisors for students. The commitment of Newnham to the subject is strong, and the library provision in College, built up over the years, is excellent and continually expanding. The library also provides an excellent study space.
Academic financial support
Newnham is one of the most generous Colleges when it comes to student support. As well as being able to access support for maintenance, opportunity and sports funding, all Newnham undergraduate students can apply for our book grants and research expenses funds each term for essential purchases and expenditure relating to their studies. A proportion of expenditure on books can be reimbursed against receipts (up to a limit of £200 each year), with research expenses assessed on a case-by-case basis. Funds for essential equipment purchases are also available, for example for stethoscopes for medics. We are also fortunate to have very generous funding available for summer research and/or travel. None of these grants are means-tested, so all students can benefit. Students achieving first-class results for their end of year exams will in addition receive at least £400 as a prize or scholarship.
