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Postgraduate Study

Teaching

One to one supervision

PhD students should expect to meet with their principal Supervisor roughly twice, or more, per term and with their adviser on an ad hoc basis.

The University of Cambridge publishes an annual Code of Practice which sets out the University's expectations regarding supervision.

Lectures

The Faculty conducts a wide range of research seminars and lectures. Students are encouraged to attend those that are appropriate to their interests.

Small group teaching

Students are offered optional workshops on teaching skills and other transferable skills.

Taught/Research Balance
Entirely Research

Feedback

PhD students receive regular feedback from their supervisors, as well as more detailed feedback following their registration review and subsequent reviews in terms five and seven.

Assessment

Thesis / Dissertation

The PhD culminates in the production of a thesis submitted after three or four years of full-time study or five to seven years of part-time study. A PhD thesis in Philosophy must not be more than 80,000 words, including appendices and footnotes, but excluding the bibliography. An oral examination (viva) will be conducted on the subject of the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls.

Other

All students accepted for the PhD are on probation for their first year. In their third term of research (or part-time equivalent), the Degree Committee will decide whether to register a student as a candidate for the PhD. Students will have a registration interview with two Faculty assessors, other than their Supervisor. For the interview, students are required to submit a statement of their plan of research, a piece of recent written work on some topic within this plan, and an account of research already completed.

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Key Information


Michaelmas 2027
Applications open
Sep. 9, 2026
Application deadline
Dec. 8, 2026
Course starts
Oct. 1, 2027
Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.
Funding Deadlines
Course Funding Deadline
Dec. 8, 2026
Gates Cambridge US round only
Oct. 14, 2026

These deadlines apply to applications for courses starting in Michaelmas 2027, Lent 2028 and Easter 2028.

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