Teaching

There is no formal teaching for the course as assessment is by research only.  PhD students are however encouraged to attend any lectures, seminars or talks which may be relevant to their area of research.

Feedback

Students can expect to receive feedback throughout the course from their supervisory team in addition to a termly report outlining their progress from an online system. The Department also holds regular informal sessions for PhD students to allow them to discuss progress and any concerns with academic staff.

PhD student representatives sit on a number of Departmental committees and are encouraged to involve themselves in the life of the department.

Assessment

Thesis / Dissertation

PhD students are required to submit a thesis of up to 80,000 words. This work will represent a significant and novel contribution to the fields of Archaeology, Assyriology, Egyptology or Heritage Studies. After submission an oral examination (viva) is required.

Essays

All PhD students are required to keep a PhD Progress Log. The log is intended to record personal development and any training received. It is also used to keep note of personal and administrative milestones as they are achieved.

Doctoral students at Cambridge are not initially registered as PhD students. Academic progress is monitored over the course of the first year of study as students develop their projects and test their methodology. The proposed
PhD project is presented through a First-Year Report, which will be reviewed in a First-Year Interview during the second term of study (usually the Lent Term of the first year) and in a Pilot Project and Project Outline submitted after 11 months of study (usually at the end of August of the first year). A brief written submission outlining progress is required in March of the third year (or after eight terms) and at the beginning of the 10th and 12th terms of study (usually October and April) if the student has not completed in their fourth year.