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Teaching
This course is entirely research-based, so there are no taught elements. However, students are encouraged to attend the various seminars and courses run within the Institute and in the wider University. Students at the Institute will be members of the University's Postgraduate School of Life Sciences (PSLS) which offer a wide variety of core skills and professional development training. Visit the Researcher Development page on the PSLS website for more information, including the University Core Skills Training Programme, which includes sessions on Time Management, Presentation and Performance and Scientific Writing.
All students studying in the Institute will be required to undertake some essential induction training when they first start. This includes various safety inductions and facility introductory courses on Imaging, Flow Cytometry and Bioinformatics, as well as centrally-run Statistics courses.
| One to one supervision | During their PhD, students are based in a research group, supported on a day-to-day basis by their Principal Supervisor and often a senior postdoc within the research group. Discussions are held daily at the bench and weekly during lab meetings. On average, the Supervisor will meet with the students every two weeks to discuss progress. More widely, students are supported by the Institute's Postgraduate Education Committee and Postgraduate Student Committee. PhD students are also allocated an Academic Advisor for additional research-related support. 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 | All of our first-year PhD (Probationary) students are required to attend at least 50% of the Department seminars during the first two terms of study (Michaelmas and Lent); these are generally held on Monday’s (CSCI Student/PostDoc Seminars) and Wednesday’s (International Seminars). CSCI Student/PostDoc seminars are held each Monday, at which one Postgraduate student and one PostDoc present their work to other members of the Institute. First-year PhD (probationary) students at the Institute are also encouraged to attend the ‘Stem Cell Course lectures', which occur during the first 6-8 weeks of Michaelmas Term and are mostly delivered by CSCI Group Leaders, covering fundamental theory and state-of-the-art hot topics. These seminars are an essential part of the MPhil and PhD journeys and a chance to hear about the wide range of research within the Institute. Other Institute-wide seminars are generally held weekly, with talks delivered by researchers within the Institute as well as visiting speakers. All students in the Institute are expected to attend these internal and external seminars held within the Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, including the 'Research Culture and Integrity' seminar series. The Institute Postgraduate Student Committee organise further student-led seminars and events for students within the Institute. Our students are also encouraged to attend the various research seminars, talks, and workshops held across the wider Biomedical Research Campus and elsewhere within the University. |
| Small group teaching | Weekly lab meetings within the research group. |
| Journal clubs | This varies according to the research group that the student has chosen. |
| Posters and Presentations | Throughout their PhD studies, students will give research talks and poster presentations at the institute. Depending on the research group, there are often opportunities to attend and present at external conferences. All PhD students at the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute are expected to participate in the annual 'CSCI Postgraduate Symposium', where students entering their final year give an oral presentation, and all other postgraduate students are invited to present a poster. |
| Taught/Research Balance | Predominantly Research |
Feedback
All CSCI Postgraduate students attend regular lab meetings with their research group, have one-to-one meetings with their supervisor, and give seminar presentations to the Institute, after which audience feedback is given.
The CSCI Postgraduate Education Committee members are available at any time to discuss any matters arising.
Students receive termly formal feedback regarding their progress in the form of online termly reports (Postgraduate Feedback and Reporting System (PFRS)) completed by their Principal Supervisor.
Assessment
Thesis / Dissertation
The PhD in Stem Cell Biology is examined by submission of a PhD thesis and a subsequent oral examination (viva).
The thesis should not exceed 60,000 words (80,000 by special permission), excluding bibliography, figures, appendices, etc. The examination must satisfy the examiners that the candidate can design and carry out an original investigation, assess and interpret the results obtained, and place the work in the wider context of the subject.
Other
All PhD students are required to undergo a formal assessment (by written report and viva) at the end of their first year (the 'First Year Assessment'). If successful, the student moves from being 'probationary' to being registered for the PhD and can proceed with their thesis project.
The PhD in Stem Cell Biology is a predominantly research-based course; however, throughout their PhD, students will give research talks or poster presentations at Institute events.