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Teaching
The course is entirely research-based, so there are no taught elements (lectures etc.) All students are encouraged to attend weekly student seminars which helps in understanding all the different research currently taking place in the Department.
| One to one supervision | You will be assigned a principal supervisor, whom you should expect to see on a regular basis. The department will also appoint a second supervisor whom you will meet less regularly. Typically the second supervisor provides expertise in a related field. The University of Cambridge publishes an annual Code of Practice which sets out the University’s expectations regarding supervision. The supervisor will provide written feedback to the student each term with progress reports submitted online. The feedback will relate to the progress the student has made and include a specific comment on their research project. This will be discussed with the student in advance of the submission of the report to the University. |
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| Seminars & classes | There is a weekly seminar programme that is given by all postgraduate students in the department. MPhil students get to present their work towards the end of their course. They receive formal feedback on their presentation from the course director. The student seminars are an important part of the PhD/MPhil journey and a chance to hear about other research that is going on in the Department as there is a wide range of research being carried out. The Department also has Thursday seminars which are open to the Department, these are generally weekly, but may vary depending on availability of speakers. |
| Lectures | No lectures given, but postgraduate students can attend undergraduate lectures that may be beneficial to their research. |
| Journal clubs | There is a student lead journal club that is run by the student rep as well as student open meetings where only students attend to discuss topics and a chance to interact with their peers. |
| Posters and Presentations | Each group has lab meetings where you can present. Depending on research groups there could be opportunities to go to conferences to present, this will vary within each group. |
Feedback
All students attend regular laboratory meetings with their research group, have one-on-one meetings with their supervisor and co-supervisor, and give a seminar to the department which is scored by the audience.
The Education team meets with all students annually to review progress. In addition, the Education team are available at any time to receive feedback from students or meet them to discuss any matters arising. The principal supervisor will write an online progress report at the end of each term, and these can be accessed by the student.
Assessment
Thesis / Dissertation
The MPhil in Medical Science is examined by thesis and oral examination (viva). The thesis must be no longer than 20,000 words in length, exclusive of tables, footnotes, bibliography, and appendices, and 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 perspective of the subject.
The examination shall include an oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls.