skip to content

Postgraduate Study

2 courses offered in the Scott Polar Research Institute

The aims of the course are to provide an understanding of key contemporary research problems in a range of disciplines in either the humanities and social sciences or the physical sciences relating to the Arctic and Antarctica, and for students to undertake original research on a topic selected in consultation with members of staff.

More Information

The PhD in Polar Studies is a full-time three-year research degree (or five years part-time), examined by a thesis of up to 80,000 words if a candidate's work falls within the social sciences, or 275 numbered pages (of which not more than 225 pages are text, appendices, illustrations and bibliography) if a candidate's work falls within the physical sciences. A successful thesis will represent "a substantial contribution to knowledge" and will also represent a realistic amount of work for three years' full-time study (or equivalent part-time). Research in polar studies embraces both the natural sciences (physical geography, environmental science, biogeography, etc.) and social sciences and humanities (human geography, anthropology, politics, history, etc).

More Information

1 course also advertised in the Scott Polar Research Institute

From the British Antarctic Survey

This PhD course takes place under the joint supervision of a research scientist at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and a University supervisor. Students may be based at BAS but will be registered for their degree with one of the partnering departments: Archaeology & Anthropology, Land Economy, Plant Sciences, Zoology, Earth Sciences, Geography and Scott Polar Research Institute, Applied Mathematics & Theoretical Physics, Chemistry, Engineering, Computer Science and Technology.

BAS welcomes enquiries from those interested in higher degrees in earth science subjects, physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology and related areas.

More Information

Department Members


http://www.spri.cam.ac.uk/