Teaching

The MPhil by thesis only is primarily guided by direct supervision, but students are encouraged to participate in the Core Course and in one or two optional modules offered on the taught MPhil course, as appropriate.

One to one supervision	10 to 12 hours of individual supervision per year. The University of Cambridge publishes an annual Code of Practice which sets out the University’s expectations regarding supervision.
Seminars & classes	Up to 24 hours per year, depending on the number of optional modules the student wishes to take.
Lectures	Approx. 30 hours of lectures per year for the Core Course.
Small group teaching	See "Seminars and Classes" (our seminars are all small groups)
Taught/Research Balance	Entirely Research

Placements

Not applicable, although students may wish to carry out some research or fieldwork towards their thesis in Latin America during the Easter vacation period, depending upon your research topic. Fieldwork is expensive, however, and although some funding sources are available to offer small travel grants (typically up to £600), students should expect to incur some costs themselves.

Feedback

Students will receive formal termly progress reports from their principal supervisor on their thesis writing and research, with more regular feedback provided on an ongoing basis via email or in face-to-face meetings.

All students are also invited to present their work at the MPhil Research Day, held in the third term, and to receive verbal feedback from their cohort and members of teaching staff present.

Assessment

Thesis / Dissertation

Each candidate for the MPhil is required to submit an original thesis on an approved topic. On application, students are asked to submit a thesis proposal (500 words). If their application is successful, they will be assigned a provisional thesis supervisor as part of the admissions process. In some cases, further study may lead to a change of topic and even to a change of supervisor, if appropriate. The provisional title for the thesis must be agreed between candidate and supervisor by the end of the Lent term (mid-March). Theses submitted for the MPhil in Latin American Studies (by thesis only) must not exceed 30,000 words, including footnotes, inline citations and tables but excluding bibliography and appendices; it must be written in English.

The thesis counts for 100 per cent of the overall mark awarded for the degree.

The viva (oral examination) is conducted by the two Examiners, who will engage the student in discussion on the topic of their thesis. If both Examiners are external to the University, an independent Chair will also be appointed. The Chair does not normally ask questions during the examination. In addition to chairing the meeting, their role is to ensure that the examination process conforms to the regulations. The viva is expected to last between 30 and 45 minutes. The purpose of the examination is to allow:

• the candidate to defend his or her thesis and clarify any matters raised by the Examiners
• the Examiners to probe the candidate’s knowledge of the general field
• the Examiners to assure themselves that the work presented is the candidate’s own and to clarify matters of any collaboration
• the Examiners to come to a definite conclusion about the outcome of the examination.

Other

The examination shall include an oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls. The thesis shall provide evidence to satisfy the Examiners that the candidate can design and carry out investigations, assess and interpret the results obtained, and place the work in the wider perspective of the subject.