The Department of Zoology has a vibrant community of around 80 postgraduate students. Postgraduate students are based in a research group but quickly become part of a wider community, with additional academic and pastoral support offered by faculty members beyond their immediate research group. We go the extra mile to ensure our postgraduate students are well-supported during their time with us by offering frequent cohort-building events and training opportunities for students, all overseen by a dedicated deputy Head of Department for Postgraduate Education.

The PhD degree requires a minimum of three years of full-time research with an individual Supervisor. At the end of their degree, students will produce a written thesis, which will be assessed by independent experts, and examined with a viva. This is the principal research degree offered in the Department of Zoology.

Students are supervised by at least one member of the academic staff who is an expert in the student's field of study. Supervisors support students in developing an independent and novel project in their field of interest. Students will learn how to review relevant literature, phrase and answer scientific questions, and report their findings to the scientific community at conferences and through peer-reviewed scientific publications. We very much encourage PhD students to get experience in undergraduate teaching, which can be either as demonstrators during practical classes or supervisors teaching small groups.

At the end of their first year of study, students are required to pass a first-year assessment based on a detailed progress report examined by viva by the student's thesis advisory committee. At the end of the second and third years, a brief report (without viva) is required to ensure satisfactory progress toward the timely completion of the PhD degree.

Most candidates taking this course start in October to take advantage of Departmental and University induction programmes, but admission in January or April is also possible.

Please note: part-time study may not always be viable and will be considered on a case-by-case basis, so please discuss this option with your proposed Supervisor before applying for this mode of study.

The overall aims of the MSt in Writing for Performance are to:

• enable students to develop high levels of expertise as writers of performance through engagement with forms of ‘embodied knowledge’, and ‘learning through doing’, within both group and individual contexts;
• facilitate students’ creative practice, and to encourage originality and experimentation with narrative structures and story-telling;
• use theory and philosophy to develop and enhance students’ creative practice through engagement with performance theory and the critical history of performance;
• identify, encourage, and consolidate the distinct and individual strengths within students’ work;
• explore, both critically and creatively, the world of dramatic writing across a range of performance genres and mediums;
• develop skills relevant to professional development for those working in creative, pedagogic, or industry contexts;
• create a safe and empathetic teaching environment that students can trust, in order that they may produce their most innovative creative work.

The overall aims of the MSt in Writing for Performance are to:

• enable students to develop high levels of expertise as writers of performance through engagement with forms of ‘embodied knowledge’, and ‘learning through doing’, within both group and individual contexts;
• facilitate students’ creative practice, and to encourage originality and experimentation with narrative structures and story-telling;
• use theory and philosophy to develop and enhance students’ creative practice through engagement with performance theory and the critical history of performance;
• identify, encourage, and consolidate the distinct and individual strengths within students’ work;
• explore, both critically and creatively, the world of dramatic writing across a range of performance genres and mediums;
• develop skills relevant to professional development for those working in creative, pedagogic, or industry contexts;
• create a safe and empathetic teaching environment that students can trust, in order that they may produce their most innovative creative work.

The MPhil in World History at the University of Cambridge compares and connects the history of regions and empires into global histories that consider convergence, divergence, and enduring historical dynamics, from c. 1500 to the late 20th century. It draws on a concentration of research in South and Central America, as well as Southeast and East Asian histories. The MPhil in World History enables students to develop strong expertise in this rich and expanding field of historical scholarship.

The MPhil in World History combines taught and research elements over a nine-month full-time programme. The taught elements include three modules, as well as training workshops and seminars, and all students will also complete a long piece of independent research (15,000–20,000 words). Students will also take language classes, a component that is required but not examined. This may be in any language offered by the Cambridge University Language Centre and may be elementary, continuing, or advanced. In this way, the MPhil in World History offers students a thorough preparation for an advanced research degree that will be highly valued in institutions across the world.

Throughout the course, students will be supervised by a dedicated member of staff, who will guide their research towards the completion of an original historical subject chosen and developed by them. In addition, students will benefit from Cambridge’s vibrant research environment, attending and participating in guest talks, workshops, and other events throughout the year.

The course is designed for those who have completed degrees in which History is the main or at least a substantial component and who want to consolidate their knowledge of world history. It is particularly appropriate for those who may wish to continue on to a PhD, at Cambridge or elsewhere, but it is also well suited for those who seek simply to explore world history at a deeper level. It is expected that this will be the normal means by which those without an appropriate master’s degree from elsewhere will prepare for doctoral study in world history at Cambridge.

The MPhil in World History attracts applicants from all corners of the world; graduate students from the World History Group, in turn, have taken up academic and academic-related positions in many continents.

The Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience (PDN) offers excellent opportunities and facilities for training in research, leading to the MPhil (Master of Philosophy) degree.

Our one-year full-time (two years part-time) MPhil research programme leads to the MPhil in Veterinary Science degree. Students also attend relevant lectures and seminars and participate in skills development training activities organised by the department and the Postgraduate School of Life Sciences. The main aims of the course are:

• to give students with relevant experience at the first-degree level the opportunity to carry out focussed research in the discipline under close supervision; and
• to give students the opportunity to acquire or develop skills and expertise relevant to their research interests.

Students usually start their project in October and submit a thesis of not more than 20,000 words by the end of August. We also accept students to start in January and April.

Full information on potential supervisors and research projects can be found on the Postgraduate Education page on the department website. Candidates are required to contact potential supervisors in advance of applying. General enquiries concerning postgraduate opportunities within the Department of PDN can also be directed to postgradinfo@pdn.cam.ac.uk. Initial enquiries should be made as early as possible.

The Department of Veterinary Medicine houses a wide range of skilled staff, facilities and equipment, and has a wide clinical patient group to support students' research. It also has strong ties with world-class groups elsewhere in the University and its surrounding Research Institutes.

We have particular Research strengths in Disease Dynamics, Infection and Immunity, and Systems Pathology. We offer a wide range of potential research subjects, including clinical studies, laboratory work, field work and computational biology.

Our one-year full-time (two years part-time) MPhil research programme leads to the MPhil in Veterinary Science degree. Students are based in a research group and undertake research on a topic agreed with the Supervisor. There is no examined coursework but students can take part in a wide range of both knowledge-base and working skills training. Students will be expected to take training courses in specialist areas as appropriate. An examination is entirely based on the thesis presented at the end of the programme.

The programme's main aims are:

• to give students with relevant experience at a first-degree level the opportunity to carry out focussed research in the discipline under close supervision; and
• to give students the opportunity to acquire or develop skills and expertise relevant to their research interests.

There are a significant number of veterinarians carrying out research of a high standard in the course of their professional work for whom this degree provides an opportunity to present their work and obtain a formal degree. Eligibility is restricted, as the candidate must have either a University of Cambridge degree and an approved veterinary degree or hold an appointment at the Cambridge Veterinary School in addition to an approved veterinary degree.

Research projects undertaken for the degree should be designed to build on candidates' veterinary expertise and professional experience. The standard of work expected and the level of originality demanded is high, and the examinations procedure ensures that work is genuinely of doctoral standard. Examination of the VetMD consists of the submission of a thesis of the research work and an oral examination on the subject of the thesis and the general field of knowledge within which it falls.

The Department of Veterinary Medicine houses a wide range of skilled staff, facilities and equipment and has a wide clinical patient group to support students' research. It also has strong ties with world-class groups elsewhere in the University and its surrounding Research Institutes.

We have particular Research strengths in Disease Dynamics, Infection and Immunity, and Systems Pathology. We offer a wide range of potential research subjects, including clinical studies, laboratory work, field work and computational biology.

The PhD degree by research is carried out over a minimum of three and a maximum of four years (full-time), including a probationary period of one year. Each student is assigned a primary Supervisor, who will then assign an advisor or supervisory team to assist the student under their supervision.

Many research projects are carried out primarily within the department, but some of your studies may occur elsewhere or abroad. Depending on the funder, some courses include lab rotations in the first year. All students are expected to participate in the Postgraduate School of Life Science's Researcher Development Programme.

At the end of their first year of study, students are required to complete a satisfactory first-year report and assessment. A short report is also expected at the end of the second year, and students are expected to participate in departmental events such as Seminars, Journal clubs and Research Days. The final examination is by submission and a viva voce examination of a thesis.

This 10-month MPhil will consist of taught and research elements focusing on key areas of research excellence of the Department of Medicine: translational immunology, pandemic preparedness, cardiovascular and respiratory research, and acute and emergency care. Core taught elements will cover transferable skills; patient and public involvement, engagement and participation in research; and interfacing with the pharmaceutical industry.

The key educational objectives of the course are to:

1. Provide postgraduate-level knowledge and expertise in translational medical research, understanding how this leads to generating discovery research outputs with direct therapeutic applications and impacts on clinical practice and patient wellbeing.
2. Train students on the clinical and translational aspects of biomedical research, with particular emphasis on clinical trials, bench to bedside research, the patient-physician interface, the academic-pharmaceutical interface, and research involving the NHS.
3. Provide transferable knowledge and expertise in the design, analysis and critical appraisal of biomedical research as well as communication and team building in a research environment.
4. Develop skills in planning, conducting, and delivering a research project.

The MPhil in Translating Medical Device & Advanced Therapy Research is aimed at individuals who are interested in the development and implementation of medical devices and/or advanced therapy interventions. The course would benefit individuals in clinical practice, academia or industry who require the knowledge to translate research in complex interventions through the clinical validation and implementation pathway.

The taught course is delivered by experts in their field, including lectures, small group workshops and online learning. There is a particular focus on case studies of successful development and implementation of medical devices and/or cell and gene therapy research. The course will cover:

Pre-clinical development and prototyping

Innovation and team building

Regulatory and ethical frameworks

Conducting clinical trials in Medical Devices and Advanced Therapies

Statistical analyses for clinical trials

Critcal appraisal

Scale up and implementation strategy

Enterprise and commercialisation

Conducting inclusive and patient/clinician-relevant research

The course has the following aims:

1. For participants to acquire broad knowledge and expertise in medical devices and advanced therapeutics, with knowledge relevant to every stage of development from initial proof of concept work to commercialisation;

2. To establish participants abilities to map out the stages required to bring a new device or advanced therapy to market, and the knowledge to build a team with the skills to complete this;

3. For participants to acquire transferable knowledge and expertise in the design, analysis and critical appraisal of research as well as communication and team building in a research environment;

4. For participants to develop skills in planning, conducting and delivering a research project.