Land Economy offers a full-time and a part-time PhD programme. The department currently has over 70 PhD students at different stages of the programme, working in a range of areas.

Our department leads the field in the UK's latest Research Excellence Framework rating of Land Economy's joint submission with Architecture. 87.5% of our impact case studies, including research on the transition to a low-carbon economy, were judged to be 'world-leading'.

Further information is given on the department's website.

The aims of the PhD programme are:

• to enable students of high calibre to pursue their education at an advanced applied level, drawing on the primary disciplines of economics, planning and environmental policy, with additional specialisms in finance and law

• to provide students with opportunities both to build on and develop material which they may have studied at the undergraduate level as well as to broaden their knowledge base

• to provide opportunities for education in a multidisciplinary environment so as to advance the understanding of cognate disciplines and their applications

• to provide opportunities for learning with colleagues from different social, economic and legal systems

• to provide students with appropriate skills and experience to enable them to use information and resources critically and to equip them with the means to undertake their own research

• to provide an educational environment with a strong research ethos that brings together students from a wide variety of backgrounds and fosters an international approach to common problems.

The Italian Section in Cambridge has seven full-time faculty members available to supervise doctoral research. Their research interests span a broad range of topics in the Italian peninsula's languages, literatures, visual cultures, and history, from the medieval period to the present day.

Details of individual specialisms can be found on the Section's webpages. We have a lively group of doctoral students in the section working across periods and topics, supported by careful one-on-one supervision and mentoring, in the context of a rich research culture of seminars, symposia, conferences, lectures, and postgraduate training. Visiting scholars and students from other institutions regularly contribute to the Section's research culture. Students are also free to undertake comparative work across languages and national boundaries, supported by the wide range of expertise within the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics and Cambridge as a whole.

In British universities, the PhD (Doctorate of Philosophy) is traditionally awarded solely on the basis of a thesis, a substantial piece of writing in English that reports original research into a closely defined area of enquiry. The completion of the PhD thesis is generally expected to take three to four years, and most funding is based on this assumption. It's also possible to take a part-time route through research degrees, and the expected timeframe would be four to seven years.

During your research, the student will have the opportunity to work closely with a Supervisor who is a specialist in the candidate's research area. In addition to the Supervisor, the candidate will normally also be able to draw on the help and support of one further academic advisor and consult other academics working in related fields. The student might reasonably expect to see their Supervisor fortnightly or at least three times per term.

In addition to providing specialist supervision, the Faculty runs a programme of professional training for the benefit of all research students. The programme includes seminars and workshops on library resources, giving conference papers, publishing, applications and interviews, teaching skills, specialist linguistics training, and film-making. The School of Arts and Humanities runs a central programme covering a range of topics from PhD skills training, to language training and writing and editing skills. If you wish, you are likely to be given the opportunity to gain experience in small-group teaching from Colleges. There may also be opportunities to gain some experience in language teaching in the Faculty.

The PhD in Interdisciplinary Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (NanoDTC) aims to train the next generation of academic and industrial leaders equipped with the skills to navigate and bridge the technical realm with the broader commercial and social landscape.

The programme offers an initial six-month intensive training & PhD project selection period, which aims to prime students from competent learners to effective researchers. Students are challenged and stretched beyond their various academic backgrounds, imbuing them with ‘technical multi-lingualism' and holistic, problem-focused thinking. High-quality training in advanced nanoscience concepts & experimental skills is delivered with a strong emphasis on applied learning formats (hands-on practicals & workshops) rather than traditional lectures. Modules undertaken by students during this phase include Applied Nanoscience which comprises practicals on a broad spectrum of experimental and data analysis techniques, System Integration for Experimentalists, and two experimental research projects (Mini and Midi projects). An additional module on Innovation for Scientists will help students develop a wider perspective, including training on innovation, sustainability and responsible research.

At the six-month point, students select their interdisciplinary PhD research project, with two supervisors from two research groups in the Departments of Physics, Chemistry, Engineering, Materials or another relevant department across the University. Normally, the Midi research project would be closely linked to the PhD choice so that the students have a chance to get some experience in the prospective PhD lab before confirming their choice.

By joining the NanoDTC programme, students will benefit from being a member of a vibrant and growing ecosystem, interacting with like-minded researchers across academic departments, as well as university spinouts and companies in the Cambridge innovation network. The programme's cohort-based approach to PhD training provides opportunities for peer-to-peer learning and mutual support, a strong network for sharing information on facilities and tools for research, and fertile ground for novel research ideas.

We are seeking students who are keen to move beyond the silo of a single scientific discipline and undertake a holistic, rounded research experience within this unique environment. The programme welcomes applicants from across the physical sciences including Chemistry, Physics, Materials, Engineering and any other subject that gives applicants a good background to undertake a PhD in nanoscience and nanotechnology.

The MPhil in Innovation, Strategy and Organisation (ISO) is an intensive nine-month master's degree combining advanced study and research.

The MPhil ISO programme has been designed for students seeking to extend their knowledge of social science methodologies and their application to the interdisciplinary study of organisations. The MPhil ISO programme is oriented to those seeking to prepare for a career in academic research.

Advanced study and research in this degree focus on innovation and change through three interconnecting themes: innovation and work practices, innovation and strategic change, and organisation theory. One taught module is provided in each of these areas. Modules in research methods and taught electives will also be offered. The MPhil ISO programme offers a route to a PhD.

The Educational aims of this programme are:

• to give students, with relevant experience at the first-degree level, the opportunity to carry out focused research under close supervision in the fields of strategy, organisational theory and information systems relevant to innovation; and
• to give students the opportunity to acquire or develop skills and expertise relevant to their research interests.

Infection and Immunity represent an incredible challenge to global health and wealth and this programme offers exceptional training in this subject area. Recent advances in genomics and proteomics have emphasized how the pathogen:immune interface shapes the host environment and identified both host and pathogen genes implicated in disease. By studying these interactions, and the autoreactive potential of the immune response, we aim to improve our knowledge and understanding of the pathogenesis of immune and infectious disorders, and develop therapeutic strategies to benefit human health. No single student can be experienced in all these areas, but by providing rigorous training in a well-resourced scientific environment this programme will equip the next generation of scientists with the necessary skills and broad academic insight to bring novel and innovative approaches to the study of immunity and infection.

The aim of the four year PhD Programme in Immunity and Infection is to provide students with the training, cutting-edge skills and broad academic insight and expertise to bring novel and innovative approaches to the study of immune and infectious disorders. The 2019 opening of The Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease (CITIID) provides a new and unique opportunity for postgraduate student training in immunity and infection - CITIID combines clinical and scientific expertise with state-of-the-art flow cytometry, proteomic, imaging and CL3 facilities.

The Programme is offering three fully funded studentships at the Home fee rate, for projects commencing in October 2026. International students may apply to the Programme, but will need to obtain funding and should therefore also apply to the University’s funding competition, by the relevant deadline. In addition to excellent research facilities, students will have access to a wide variety of training and researcher development activities, many of which are offered through the Postgraduate School of Life Sciences and the wider University.

The aim of ISMM is to equip numerate graduates with the academic skills, personal development and industrial experience to be immediately effective in their early careers in the industry. ISMM is very different from any other academic course: it combines traditional academic teaching material with a series of industrial visits, industrial seminars, skills development and projects in the industry. ISMM is a very intensive programme that gives a direct experience of many different industries, cultures and working environments. In addition to the lectures, the industry-based projects present real challenges in genuine industrial and business environments.

ISMM will broaden students' perspectives and experiences and open doors to a wide range of industrial careers. Many firms recognise the value of the course and target our graduates. Equally, for those who want to work in a smaller company, ISMM gives the confidence to start directly in a manufacturing engineering or management role. Those with entrepreneurial flair go on to set up their own companies.

The programme is structured around taught modules, company visits and in-company projects solving live business or technical problems. An intense industrial study tour offers a broader industry context, and the individual research dissertation allows for greater depth of study in a specific area of manufacturing.

The programme aims to:

• provide Industry with highly motivated and effective potential managers capable of accelerated promotion
• provide course members with the skills and knowledge to be immediately effective in their industrial careers

This MPhil in Human-Inspired Artificial Intelligence is designed to equip the next generation of AI researchers, technologists, and leaders with the skills needed to develop human-centred, human-compatible, responsible and socially and globally beneficial AI technologies.

The course offers a foundational module in human-inspired AI and several elective modules that students can select according to their interests and learning needs. Elective modules include skills modules covering technical and computational skills. These are useful for students with preliminary technical training who wish to consolidate skills. For students with a strong computational background, they can offer the opportunity for more advanced technical and interdisciplinary methods training. Elective modules also include specialist modules that offer learning opportunities in areas such as fundamental human-level AI, social and interactive AI, cognitive AI, creative AI, health and global AI, and responsible AI. The course also includes a period of supervised research where students work individually with supervisors to produce a research dissertation.

The MPhil is directed by the Centre for Human-Inspired Artificial Intelligence (CHIA) within the Institute for Technology and Humanity (ITH). CHIA is dedicated to investigating the innovative ways in which human and machine intelligence can be combined to yield AI which is capable of contributing to social and global progress. It offers an excellent interdisciplinary environment where students can explore technical, human, ethical, applied and industrial aspects of AI.

The course aims to equip students with the skills and knowledge to contribute critically, practically and constructively to interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary research, scholarship and practice in human-inspired AI. It introduces students from diverse backgrounds to technical and research skills and specialist knowledge of AI applications and issues from a range of academic disciplines and provides them with the opportunity to carry out focused research under close supervision by domain experts at the University.

The programme will equip the next generation of researchers and leaders in AI by:

• providing an overview of current interdisciplinary research and challenges in the development of human-inspired AI.

• providing the critical tools to engage with the forefront of the academic knowledge, methods and applications in this area.

• developing the skills and abilities to identify, address and approach practical interdisciplinary research challenges.

• supporting students to construct a thorough understanding of the technical, ethical, human and human aspects of AI.

• developing the ability and initiative to identify, address and approach relevant challenges across sectors and society.

This PhD in Human-Inspired Artificial Intelligence will train the next generation of AI researchers, technologists, and leaders in the development of human-centred, human-compatible, responsible and socially and globally beneficial AI technologies. The course offers research training in areas such as fundamental human-level AI, social and interactive AI, cognitive AI, creative AI, health and global AI, and responsible AI. Students will be educated in an interdisciplinary environment where they can get access to expertise not only in the technical but also human, ethical, applied and industrial aspects of AI.

This programme is distinct from other PhD programmes in that it takes a strongly interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary approach to technical AI. It will be based at the Centre for Human-Inspired Artificial Intelligence (CHIA) within the Institute for Technology and Humanity (ITH) where PhD students will have access to both a large community of scholars and students tackling similar questions and to the active research events programme that constitutes a key part of CHIA’s work. The course addresses the broader need for experts equipped to develop more responsible and human-centred AI as academia, industry, government and non-profit sectors increasingly recruit AI specialists and is a logical next step for students moving through AI-related master’s programmes and wishing to specialise in human-inspired AI. The interdisciplinary nature of human-inspired AI means that the programme will also involve working closely also with other units of the University, including co-supervision arrangements, access to research seminars, and access to facilities.

The PhD in Human-Inspired AI aims to equip students with the skills and knowledge to contribute critically and constructively to research in human-inspired AI. It introduces students from diverse backgrounds to research skills and specialist knowledge from a range of academic disciplines and provides them with the opportunity to carry out focused research under close supervision by domain experts at the University.

The programme will train the next generation of researchers and leaders in AI by:

• providing them with educational infrastructure and interdisciplinary research environment and world-leading training in human-inspired AI,

• providing them with the critical tools to engage with the forefront of academic knowledge, methods and applications in this area,

• developing the advanced skills and abilities to identify, approach and address practical interdisciplinary research challenges,

• supporting students to develop a broad and deep understanding of the technical, ethical, applied and human aspects of AI,

• developing the ability and initiative to identify, address and approach relevant and complex challenges across sectors and society.

• The course will benefit

• students wanting to engage with human-inspired AI by enabling them to hone critical, methodological and technical skills, develop new approaches and test them out, and specialise,

• students locating themselves in other home disciplines who wish to develop advanced projects including CHIAs approaches and orientations,

• students entering into or returning to careers in academia, tech industry, and other sectors by giving them the advanced skills, critical perspectives, and methodological insights to pursue these pathways.

The MPhil in Human Evolutionary Studies is a demanding interdisciplinary programme of study and research that enables students to obtain in-depth knowledge across human evolutionary studies and specialist research training over a relatively short time frame. The aims of the course are to:

provide students with the opportunity to study substantive issues and debates in human evolutionary studies;

give students the opportunity to learn aspects of current research in human evolutionary studies through lectures, seminars and discussions from an international team of researchers with expertise and strengths in these areas;

enable students to acquire the critical thinking and intellectual skills necessary for undertaking independent research in some aspect of human evolutionary studies;

create an intellectual environment and platform that encourages students to learn from each other, particularly in seminar discussions, and one in which students benefit from the lived and learnt experiences and knowledge from peers from across the world;

prepare students for research at doctoral level and equip them to be future leaders in evolutionary approaches to the understanding of humans today.

· The purpose of this course is to enable access to postgraduate study in history of art and visual culture on a part-time basis;

· The audience for whom it is intended are those who are progressing from undergraduate level study and/ or those intending to go on to doctoral level research or careers in the arts or heritage sectors;

· The course covers both theory and methods in parallel, offering a grounding in the approaches to studying visual culture as well as a practical approach to carrying out one’s own study within it.

The MSt takes place over two years, running typically from October of the first year to June of the second.

The taught elements of the syllabus, Year 1, are offered in three intensive study blocks, each of which is examined by an assessed essay to be submitted at the end of each term .

In Year 2, the focus is on the dissertation. You will work independently on your chosen topic under the supervision of an expert in your chosen field. You will have five supervisions between May 2027 and May 2028 (you can agree with your supervisor whether these will be face-to-face or online). There will also be three day-schools across the academic year, where you give a short presentation on your research to date. There will also be some research training in dissertation research and writing.

Successful completion of the MSt at a high grade may allow students to progress to a PhD either at the University of Cambridge or another institution.