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Teaching
| One to one supervision | Each PhD student has a supervisor and an adviser. Students meet their supervisor and adviser several times a term and are expected to submit written work to them at regular intervals. Consistent review and attentive feedback are integral to the supervisory relationship. 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 Department offers a range of research seminars, readings groups and workshops throughout each term, with opportunities for PhD students to present and discuss work in progress. The postgraduate training programme provides advice about academic skills and career development. |
| Lectures | Students are encouraged to attend any undergraduate lectures in the Department or elsewhere in the University that are relevant to their interests. |
Feedback
Students can expect to receive an online feedback report each term.
Assessment
Thesis / Dissertation
The doctoral thesis should contain material of sufficient originality to merit publication. The word limit is 80,000 excluding the bibliography. An oral examination ("viva") is compulsory.
Other
A formal registration exercise, centred on a written submission of approximately 10,000 words, must be completed before the end of the student's third term of full-time study (or sixth term of part-time study). Successful completion of the registration exercise is a precondition for progressing to the second year of study.
Annual reviews, also centred on a written submission of approximately 10,000 words, are held at the end of the second and third years.