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Teaching
| One to one supervision | Students might reasonably expect to see their supervisor fortnightly or at least three times a term. Supervisors normally take care to provide written comments on written work, and to give constructive criticism; but students should not expect actual marks. There is no need for written work to be provided for every meeting: general discussion and planning are vital too. The length of a supervision can vary, depending on the stage a student is at and on the nature of the written work, if any, to be discussed. As a rule, however, such meetings last between 30 and 60 minutes. Generally, a student could expect 10-12 hours of supervisions over the course of each academic year. For part-time students this is 6-7 hours. 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 | Students are encouraged to attend the Section's postgraduate research seminars, as well as other relevant research seminars taking place across the wider University. |
| Lectures | Attending lectures is optional but students are encouraged to take advantage of lectures offered across the university which are relevant to their research. |
Feedback
Feedback on progress is provided through regular meetings with the supervisor. Termly supervision reports are written and are made available to the student online. Yearly progress interviews are held for which written work is submitted.
Assessment
Thesis / Dissertation
There is a normal word limit for the thesis of 80,000 words (including footnotes and appendices but excluding bibliography). The thesis should represent a significant contribution to learning through the discovery of new knowledge or through the connection of previously unrelated facts, or the development of new theory, revision of older views or some combination of these. In writing the thesis you are expected to take account of previously published work on the subject and the thesis should be clearly and accurately written, paying due attention to English style and grammar. Candidates for the PhD in Cambridge are guided by a supervisor, though they will normally also discuss their work with an advisor and a number of other experts in their field.
Following the submission of the thesis, an oral (viva) examination is held.
Other
Regular progress interviews constitute a system for the formal monitoring by the Degree Committee of the progress of all students working towards a PhD.
Postgraduate students are admitted in the first instance for a probationary period during which they are not registered as a candidate for the PhD degree. The registration interview in the third term (or fifth term for part-time candidates) is the context in which formal registration as a candidate for the PhD is formally considered. Satisfactory progress is a condition for being registered as a doctoral student.