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Postgraduate Study

Course closed:

Holocene Climates is no longer accepting new applications.

Teaching

The course consists of lectures, seminars, laboratory and methods practicals, a dissertation residential, and a research dissertation. The dissertation residential consists of an intense few days of individual and group learning, focused on developing the dissertation proposal and poster, as well as oral presentations.  A 15,000-word dissertation requires students to identify, design and independently execute a small, empirically-grounded research study related to the course. Students will be supervised through the process from initial question identification through to the design and execution of research.

One to one supervision

Students will have 2 hours of small group supervision during each of Michaelmas and Lent Terms and up to 4 hours of one-on-one supervision in Easter Term for their dissertation.

Lectures

Students will receive between 4 and 6 hours of formal lectures per week during Michaelmas and Lent Terms, introducing substantive subject material (eg climate proxy characteristics, climate reconstruction methods, climate model simulations, time-series analyses, climate forcing theories, climate dynamics concepts, case studies on climate-human interactions, and more general controversies related to the Earth's climate system).

Practicals

In Michaelmas and Lent Term, students will have between 6 and 8 hours of Natural Science Laboratory and Natural Science Methods sessions.

Posters and Presentations

Students will participate in a few days of intense individual and group learning in the dissertation residential, focused on developing their dissertation proposal and presenting it orally.

Feedback

Students will receive written and oral feedback on their formative essay submitted during Michaelmas term.  They will receive written feedback on their assessed coursework essay and on their dissertation. Students will also receive written termly progress reports.

Assessment

Thesis / Dissertation

A 15,000-word dissertation; students will also be required to submit a dissertation proposal of not more than 1,200 words and deliver an oral presentation of the proposal. An oral examination of the dissertation will take place at the discretion of the examiners.

Essays

One essay of up to 4,000 words.

Written examination

One 2-hour written examination.

Key Information


11 Months full-time

Master of Philosophy

Department of Geography

Course - related enquiries

Application - related enquiries

Course on Department Website

Dates and deadlines:

Applications open
Sept. 15, 2022
Application deadline
Dec. 1, 2022
Course Starts
Oct. 1, 2023

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Course Funding Deadline
Dec. 1, 2022
Gates Cambridge US round only
Oct. 12, 2022

These deadlines apply to applications for courses starting in Michaelmas 2023, Lent 2024 and Easter 2024.


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