MPhil in Ethics of AI, Data and Algorithms

Apply using the Applicant Portal

The Apply Now button on the right will take you to the Applicant Portal. There, you can create and submit your application and supporting documents, and you can also request your references.

An application is only complete when:

1. you have submitted your application and supporting documents via the Applicant Portal
2. you have paid the application fee if applicable. For further information on application fees, and which courses require an application fee, see here.
3. your referees have provided their references.

If you miss the deadlines specified in this section, you will not be able to submit your application.

We strongly recommend that students (even self-funded) submit their application by the funding deadline.  If places are still available beyond this deadline, self-funded applicants may apply until the application deadline.

Selection Process

Applicants who apply for US Gates funding by the October funding deadline may normally expect to receive an admissions decision in December. All other applicants who apply by the funding deadline may normally expect to receive a decision before the end of February, and the majority of offers are made in February and March.  Applications submitted after the funding deadline may normally expect to receive a decision by the end of May. Occasionally, applicants may not receive a decision within the normal timeframe due to being placed on a reserve list. If this is the case, then the Faculty will be in touch to let applicants know. Normally the latest date for decisions to be communicated is the end of June.

Further information on How To Apply

Things You'll Need

In order to apply for this course you'll need to think about getting a few things ready before you apply.

• Two academic references  
• Transcript  
• CV/resume
• Evidence of competence in English  
  If required - you can check using our tool
• Ethics of AI, Data and Algorithms - Sample of work
  In total, two separate pieces of work each between 2,500 and 5,000 words are required. (Please note that one longer piece is not acceptable.) They should be as closely related as possible to the ethics of AI, data and algorithms (but we are aware that you might not have written extensively directly on this before).
• Ethics of AI, Data and Algorithms - statement of purpose
  The statement of purpose (around 600 words) should indicate your interest and passion for the area of ethics of AI, data and algorithms (ADA). This could include: what motivates you to explore issues in this area; the experience you have had in academic, professional and/or personal settings with the ethics of ADA; academic literature or thinkers in this field that you found particularly interesting or provocative; the kinds of research questions you are excited to pursue; how the MPhil would fit into your longer term goals; evidence of your ability to undertake work of this kind at this level. This will help us understand your motivations for taking the MPhil and how well prepared you are for postgraduate-level research.
• Research proposal (M)
  The proposal (500 word maximum) should outline a problem, question, issue, example or framework you wish to explore in the area of ethics of ADA for one of the essays or the dissertation. This should include how you propose to go about addressing your chosen topic. Note that this proposal is not intended to be a binding commitment, as we recognise students' interests may evolve and change over the duration of the course. However, the proposal should clearly indicate your ability to select an appropriate and compelling issue and plan out an approach that would allow you to address it within the relevant constraints of the MPhil programme.
• Ethics of AI, Data and Algorithms MPhil – Eligibility
  Does your degree contain elements directly related to the ethics of AI, data and algorithms? If yes, please specify; if no, please explain what experience you have of the study of the ethics of AI, data and algorithms. Do you have or expect to obtain a First (or the international equivalent as specified at https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/international/international-qua...)? If you answered no, please explain in less than 100 words why your application should be considered. If your undergraduate degree is not a First (or equivalent), state your overall average mark and any relevant dissertation marks.

Gates Cambridge Scholarships

If you wish to be considered for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship you will also need to provide the following:

• Gates Cambridge Reference  
• Research Proposal (PhD applicants only)

See Gates Cambridge for more information.

How to Find a Supervisor

Students are not allocated a single supervisor for the whole degree.  Rather, the course leaders will help them find one supervisor for each essay.  This will happen during the course.  Applicants are not required or expected to approach potential supervisors.  However, they can get a sense of who they might be able to work with by looking at the Education Team, Senior Research Fellows and Research Fellows sections of our website: http://lcfi.ac.uk/people/