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Teaching
This PhD 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 Department of Haematology and Cambridge Stem Cell Institute. Students within the department 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, i.e., the University Core Skills Training Programme, which includes sessions on Time Management, Presentation and Performance and Scientific Writing.
All students studying in the department will be required to undertake some essential training when they first start. This includes various safety inductions, facility introductory courses on Imaging and Bioinformatics, and 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 on a daily basis at the bench and weekly during lab meetings. On average, supervisors meet with the students every two weeks to discuss progress. More widely, students are supported by the Department 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 students are encouraged to attend the various research seminars, talks and workshops held across the Biomedical Research Campus and elsewhere in the University. First-year Postgraduate students within the Department are invited to attend the 'Stem Cell Discussion Course', which occurs weekly during term time. Student/PostDoc seminars are held each Monday, at which one Postgraduate student and one PostDoc present their work to other members of the department. MPhil students present their seminar towards the end of their course. These student seminars are an important part of the MPhil and PhD journeys and a chance to hear about the wider range of research being carried out within the department and wider CSCI. Other department-wide seminars are generally held weekly, with talks delivered by researchers with the department as well as visiting speakers. All students 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 Postgraduate Student Committee organise further student-led seminars and events for students within the Institute. |
| 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, students will give research talks and poster presentations within the department and the buildings in which the group sits. |
Feedback
All Department of Hematology Postgraduate students will attend regular lab meetings with their research group, have one-to-one meetings with their Supervisor and give a seminar presentation to the department, after which audience feedback is given.
The Department of Haemtology 'Postgraduate Education Committee' members are available at any time to discuss any matters arising.
Students receive formal feedback regarding their progress in the form of termly online reports (Postgraduate Feedback and Reporting System (PFRS)) from their Principal Supervisor.
Assessment
Thesis / Dissertation
The PhD in Haematology is examined via submission of a PhD thesis and a subsequent oral examination (viva).
The thesis is not to exceed 60,000 words (80,000 by special permission) excluding figures, photographs, tables, appendices and bibliography. 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 formal assessment (by written report and viva) at the end of their first year (the 'First Year Assessment'), which they must pass. If successful, the student moves from being 'probationary' to being registered for the PhD and can proceed with their thesis project.
The PhD in Haematology is a research-based course; however, throughout their PhD, students will give research talks or poster presentations at Department-wide events.