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Teaching
The course is exclusively by research. The project and Supervisor are determined during the application process. Prospective students must identify a potential Supervisor (or supervisors) in the department and discuss their potential project with their intended Supervisor(s) before applying. Supervisors and their research areas are listed on the Department of Genetics website on the Research Groups page.
All students in this programme will be members of the University's Postgraduate School of Life Sciences (PSLS), which offers a wide variety of core skills and professional development training. Visit the Researcher Development page on the PSLS website for more information.
| One to one supervision | Students can expect to have regular group meetings with their Supervisor and with other group members, as well as individual meetings with their Supervisor. The regularity with which postgraduate students meet with their Supervisor varies throughout the year, but meetings are likely to be more frequent to start with, and during the planning stages and the writing-up phase. All students should have the opportunity to seek formal feedback from their Supervisor, and Supervisors are expected to give such feedback. The University of Cambridge publishes an annual Code of Practice which sets out the University's expectations regarding supervision. |
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| Seminars & classes | Two departmental seminars per week. |
| Posters and Presentations | Students have an opportunity to participate in the annual Research in Genetics Day with a poster session. Students also have an opportunity to present their research orally to the department before their viva examination; however, this presentation is not a formal component of the viva or the assessment. |
| Taught/Research Balance | Predominantly Research |
Feedback
Students will receive regular oral feedback and advice from their Supervisor about performance and research direction throughout the course. They can expect to receive termly formal feedback reports from their Supervisor via the online feedback and reporting system and are encouraged to comment on these reports. In addition, students will receive formal feedback on their proposed project by an independent advisor at six weeks and around the end of their first and second years. Students are also expected to attend regular meetings with their advisor.
Assessment
Thesis / Dissertation
The examination for the PhD degree consists of a thesis of not more than 60,000 words in length, exclusive of tables, footnotes, bibliography, and appendices. The assessment also includes an oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls. Students also have an opportunity to present their research orally to the department before their viva examination; however, this presentation is not a formal component of the viva or the assessment.