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Teaching
The taught element comprises two module types: core modules which trace the requirements for life’s origins from its astrophysical origins to the emergence of biospheres, providing the essential knowledge to be research-active in planetary science and life in the Universe; and advanced modules specific to the academic pathway followed, which allow for students to deepen their knowledge in an area they are competent in from their first degree. Candidates will be required to take:
- 4 core modules
- At least 2 pathway-specific advanced modules
The core modules will be taught in Michaelmas and Lent terms. They will cover the main material that all students are expected to master in planetary science and life in the universe: the origin of planets, the origin of habitable environments, the origin and detection of life, and the evolution of biospheres. These core modules will equip students with the essential knowledge to lead multidisciplinary research in this field.
The pathway-specific advanced modules will be taught in Michaelmas and Lent terms. The pathways are:
- Astrophysics,
- Earth Science,
- Chemistry,
- Biology.
The selection of optional modules offered will be updated annually to respond to changes in the research landscape. Options in each pathway will cover advanced topics that allow a deepening of students’ training from their first degrees.
The Group based project work
The students will engage in three group-based projects that will provide training in key skills for academic research and professional careers in or out of science.
The programme will also feature non-assessed content designed to broaden the students' knowledge. This may take the form of short modules on specialist topics, communication workshops, and weekly seminar series.
Funding Proposal Pitch
In Michaelmas term students will be placed in small groups to develop a funding proposal, for example an application for telescope time, a new piece of analytical instrumentation, or for an experiment to run on the international space station.
Science Communication Challenge
In the lent term students will be placed into small groups to prepare a press release and record a podcast on a recently published multi-disciplinary paper.
Habitability Research Challenge
This group-based research project will run over the whole year. The research project will centre on prospecting a planet or planetary system for habitability. This challenge draws on expertise from across PSLU disciplines.
Group research projects will be designed such that each student completes an individual research project drawing on their pathway-specific expertise that fits within the scope of the overall group research project.
| One to one supervision | Students are under the general supervision of the Course Director. Each academic pathway also has a subject lead, where students on that pathway are provided with supervisory guidance when required. The University of Cambridge publishes an annual Code of Practice which sets out the University’s expectations regarding supervision. |
|---|---|
| Seminars & classes | The course engages with seminars offered by host departments and partner institutions in the University. |
| Lectures | Students will have lectures equivalent to around 52 contact hours for core modules (on essential skill for Planetary Science and Life in the Universe) and 48 hours for optional modules (deepening their expertise in a particular pathway area). |
| Practicals | Each core module consists of 3 x 2 hour demonstration classes. |
| Small group teaching | Core course teaching will be accompanied by demonstration classes accumulating to around 24 hours teaching. |
| Literature Reviews | Literature reviews form part of the research project report. |
| Posters and Presentations | The students will give presentations on their project's as part of the project assessment. As part of the Habitability Research Challenge students will create a poster which will be showcased for feedback from the Cambridge community. |
| Taught/Research Balance | Predominantly Taught |
Feedback
Feedback on the student’s performance on their written examination, their oral presentation and their coursework results is provided by the module leader; feedback on their research project progress is provided by the relevant course organiser and the course directoror.
Postgraduate students are represented on the Department's Postgraduate Education Committee, which normally meets five times a year, and consists of one or more student representatives from each of the research groups or master’s degree programmes. The committee exists to enable discussion of any issue affecting postgraduate studies and students may approach any member of the committee to suggest items for discussion.
Assessment
Thesis / Dissertation
The group research project assessment will be a summative assessment of an individually written report, a group-written synthesis that brings the reports together, and an individual oral presentation on the whole group synthesis. The group assessment on the synthesis requires all students to understand the background and implications of all work done (no more than 3,000 words). Each student will be required to individually write a written report of not more than 5,000 words on which they will be individually assessed. Lengths include table, figures, figure legends and appendix but exclude bibliography and illustrative code snippets. The dissertation will be on a subject approved by the Degree Committee.
Essays
Funding Proposal Pitch - assessed as a group presentation to a panel and through group written assessment (no more than 2,000 words).
Science Communication Challenge - assessed as a written single press release from the group (no more than 600 words) and a group podcast.