Teaching
The MPhil in Human Evolutionary Studies is a full-time interdisciplinary course which involves teaching across the range of subdisciplines in human evolutionary studies. Core modules cover human and primate behaviour and culture, human and hominin evolution, comparative human biology, and statistical methods.
The programme involves a variety of learning methods: lectures related to the core modules; students are also encouraged to sit in on other non-assessed special topics lecture courses; seminars and discussion sessions that cover core course content as well as research skills training; practical sessions; small group teaching which involves essay writing and delving into specific topics in more detail; and an independent research project conducted under the guidance of a dissertation supervisor.
Human Evolutionary Studies MPhil students are also expected to attend the Biological Anthropology Seminars Series that takes place weekly during term.
The University of Cambridge publishes an annual Code of Practice which sets out the University’s expectations regarding teaching and examination of MPhil degrees.
| One to one supervision |
Students have small-group teaching sessions on topics related to the lecture courses. These provide students the opportunity to read in-depth around topics other than the subject of their dissertation, develop their writing skills, and receive feedback. Students are also appointed a dissertation supervisor, to help with the choice of topic, advise, and monitor the progress of the student’s research throughout the year. These meetings provide the student with an opportunity to seek academic information and advice and are a forum to monitor students' progress. Students can normally expect to have around 6-8 supervision meetings with their dissertation supervisor depending on the nature of their course and dissertation. |
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| Seminars & classes |
Students attend a series of weekly MPhil seminars which include a mix of discussion sessions centred around subjects in the field of human evolutionary studies as well as training in a range of academic skills such as science communication and research design. Typically students can expect two hours of these seminars per week in Michaelmas and Lent terms. Additionally, the core modules include three seminars in the second half of Lent Term. Students are also strongly encouraged to attend the weekly Biological Anthropology seminar series, which invites prominent scholars from around the world to present their research. |
| Lectures |
Students are expected to attend lectures in core modules covering a range of subdisciplines in evolutionary anthropology with a particular focus on human and primate behaviour; palaeoanthropology and hominin evolution; comparative human biology, genetics, and health. Students also take a module in data science and methods for statistical inference. They are also encouraged to attend specialist one-term long modules that relate to their areas of interest. The specialist modules available vary year by year and delve deeper into particular subjects areas, which may include evolutionary medicine, palaeolithic archaeology, social cognition and behaviour, Neanderthals, evolutionary genetics, quantitative modelling, and advanced primatology. Students are expected to attend 8 hours of lectures per week for the compulsory core modules and can spend as many hours as they wish auditing other specialist lectures. |
| Practicals |
Students are encouraged to attend any practicals associated with courses that would enhance their methodological and technical skills. Among other activities, practicals may give students the opportunity to handle casts of fossil specimens. Students should approach the relevant course coordinator for permission to attend any practicals associated with courses that they are not formally enrolled in, as these sessions may have restricted-size classes. |
| Small group teaching |
The course includes small-group sessions to discuss and develop ideas from the lecture courses. For these sessions students are often asked to prepare non-assessed essays for which they will receive feedback in order to develop their writing and synthesising skills. |
| Journal clubs |
Journal clubs are normally student-driven and organised around particular interest groups. Students are encouraged to organise them, and to invite other students and researchers to participate. |
| Posters and Presentations |
To develop their science communication skills, students are expected to give two presentations on their dissertation progress, one in the form of a poster, and the other as a short powerpoint presentation. |
| Taught/Research Balance |
Equal Taught/Research
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Feedback
Students can expect to receive termly online progress reports. Supervisors or module coordinators may provide additional written or oral feedback on assessed work.
Students are invited to group meetings throughout the year to discuss progress and concerns in order to address issues as and when they arise.
Assessment
Thesis / Dissertation
The dissertation is an extended piece of independent, original research. Students work with their supervisor to formulate a dissertation project, carry out research and write it up. Students may choose between two alternative formats for their dissertation:
either in the form of a thesis of not more than 20,000 words in length, or
in the form of a research article. It is not compulsory for the article to be submitted for publication in an academic journal, this should be decided in conjunction with the supervisor. Depending on the content and length of the article, students may be required to submit supplementary work such as a literature review or additional analyses.The combined work should not exceed 20,000 words.
An oral examination (viva) is not normally required, but examiners reserve the right to hold one if they judge it necessary to make a recommendation.
Other
Assessment will be through a range of formats which may include coursework, written and oral examinations, posters, presentations and projects.