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Teaching
The structure of this research programme is a period of supervised research followed by the submission of a thesis; it is not expected that students will take taught modules as a course requirement.
Students will be able to attend the ITTP Summer School, a week-long training event in toxicology, the Toxicology Unit’s research seminars, and core skills training courses.
| One to one supervision | Each student will have a supervisor who must be at MRC Investigator level. The supervisor will ensure the student is clear about what is required from them. In addition, the student will have an advisor. This advisor is not part of the supervisor's research team. Still, the advisor typically works in areas sufficiently close to the student's research project to be able to give impartial guidance on research project work and progression. In addition, the advisor will provide an important opportunity for students to discuss their work in the wider environment, which will aid the monitoring of their progress and will help to improve their scientific discussion skills with peers. 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 | The MRC Toxicology Unit runs a weekly seminar programme that hosts external and internal speakers. Students also have the opportunity to attend seminars hosted in other departments within the Postgraduate School of Life Sciences (PSLS) and the wider University of Cambridge. Visit the PSLS website for more information. |
| Journal clubs | Each research team or research theme within the Unit operates a twice-monthly journal club. |
| Literature Reviews | A literature review is an essential part of the final thesis. |
Feedback
Students will have a monthly formal meeting with their supervisor, after which they will receive written feedback. The students should keep a record of these meetings in their Development Log.
As required, regular informal meetings will be held between supervisor, student, and advisor, during which informal feedback will be provided.
Upon completion of the MPhil, the students will receive feedback from their oral viva and be asked to complete a course evaluation form. The form will be reviewed by the Unit's Postgraduate Education Committee, which will include a student representative.
Assessment
Thesis / Dissertation
The examination for the MPhil degree consists of a thesis of not more than 20,000 words in length, exclusive of tables, footnotes, bibliography, and appendices. The assessment also includes an oral examination of the thesis and the general field of knowledge within which it falls.