Teaching

The MRes course is a mix of core and elective modules (some offered by other departments), group activities, presentations, project reports and an MRes dissertation. The taught and research training elements are aimed at providing research practice training at the first-year PhD level, and occur in the Michaelmas and Lent terms. Written examinations will take place at the start of the Easter term, after which work on the MRes dissertation starts.

Students will also gain extensive transferable skills and benefit from professional development training, including sessions with professionals, and will participate in the entrepreneurial programme, EnterpriseTECH. They will also work in small groups with a CDT industry partner on a mini-project module.

Successful MRes students will then proceed to a three-year programme of supervised doctoral research, during which time they will continue to be supported by the CDT. They will maintain participation in CDT seminars, conferences and outreach activities, and participate in the CDT industry days and events.

The numbers given below reflect the MRes year only, unless otherwise specified.

One to one supervision	Students can expect at least four one-hour supervisions during the MRes dissertation project. PhD students can expect to attend at least eight hour-long individual meetings with their supervisor every calendar year. This is in addition to daily contact with the research group in which they are placed. The University of Cambridge publishes an annual Code of Practice for Master's Students which sets out the University’s expectations regarding supervision during the MRes year. Expectations for the PhD are set out in a separate Code of Practice for Research Students.
Seminars & classes	The MRes core modules are taught in a seminar or workshop format. One of the core modules is taught through a 16-hour seminar programme. The third core module comprises four 3-hour workshops. The Roadmap Project includes six 2-hour workshops. (Total: 40 hours in the MRes year.)
Lectures	One of the core modules, and all of the elective modules, are taught in a traditional lecture format; teaching for each of these modules is through a 16-hour lecture programme. (Total: 48 hours in the MRes year.) MRes students will also attend a 4-day intensive lecture series at the start of the EnterpriseTECH programme.
Practicals	Students may have the opportunity to attend a number of site visits and study tours throughout the year.
Small group teaching	40 hours per year (research and transferable skills workshops). Students will be split into groups for the EnterpriseTECH programme, with each group being assigned a supervisor. During the course of the programme, the supervisor will typically hold 3 supervisions with the group either in person or online.
Literature Reviews	Students will undertake literature reviews as part of the Roadmap Project and MRes dissertation. They may also be required to undertake literature reviews as part of a coursework for core and elective modules.
Posters and Presentations	There will be a number of poster sessions associated with the MRes project work. There is also an annual FIBE CDT conference at which students may have the opportunity to make a poster presentation. As part of the EnterpriseTECH course and the mini-project, students will be required to give group project presentations and to answer questions on them.
Taught/Research Balance	Predominantly Research

Placements

With University permission, there may be opportunities from the third year of the course (second year of the PhD element) for students to undertake an industrial or academic placement/secondment.

Feedback

Students can expect to receive termly online reports from the course director during the MRes year, and from their principal supervisor during the PhD. They will receive comments on items of coursework, and will have access to a University supervisor for their MRes dissertation.

Students will have an opportunity to submit an online self-evaluation report during Michaelmas term.

All students will also have personal access to the relevant academic and support staff.

Assessment

Thesis / Dissertation

A major part of the MRes assessment is a dissertation of up to 12,000 words. Students will be required to give a presentation on their research prior to submission.

The doctoral thesis should be submitted by the end of the fourth year (the third year of the PhD element) and must not exceed 65,000 words. A compulsory viva voce examination will follow thesis submission.

Essays

During the MRes programme, all students will be required to complete the following: several written assignments of up to 5000 words in total as part of the Roadmap Project, to engage in a group project (as part of the EnterpriseTECH module) which will be assessed partly through written assignments, to complete an individual mini-project report of up to 3,000 words and to write a coursework essay. Additionally, some of the taught modules will be assessed through coursework, and others through a combination of coursework and written examination. Some modules will require the submission of coursework for which no formal mark will be awarded.

Written examination

Some of the taught MRes modules will be assessed through written and/or oral examination, and others by a combination of coursework and written and/or oral examination.

Other

The assessment of MRes elective modules may also include an oral or poster display component.

At the end of the second year of the programme (the first year of the PhD element), students will be required to submit a report of 10,000 to 15,000 words and have an oral assessment as part of the normal requirements for probationary PhD students.