The Master of Surgery (MChir) by thesis is a research degree which is open to clinicians only and serves an important role in the development of the career of trainee surgeons, affording them an opportunity to carry out academic research, in a clinical (or laboratory) setting across a broad range of departments and faculties.

This degree would be attractive to surgeons who would like to pursue a clinical career but would also like to formalise research effort and experience during training. This would be well suited to all types of rotational trainee surgeons in the East of England, who rotate through Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH). Similarly, it would provide an opportunity for clinical surgical fellows, for example those attached to CUH for 2 years, to undertake translational research in Addenbrooke's and have this recognised by the University of Cambridge.

The degree also supports an interdisciplinary approach potentially involving a supervisory team drawn from different areas of the University (eg. departments within the Schools of Clinical Medicine and Biological Sciences and the Department of Engineering) as well as clinicians working within the Cambridge University Health Partnership (CUHP) or other health trusts within the East of England.

The degree is a part-time degree with a minimum period before which a thesis can be submitted of one year and a maximum period before which it must be submitted of 4 years. As students must have completed the equivalent of six terms of study to submit their thesis, it is only under exceptional circumstances that a student would plan to submit their thesis after only one year - this would be discussed with your proposed supervisor prior to making your application. Generally, students should expect to study for a minimum of two years.

The degree aims to allow engagement with research with a view to the writing of a thesis.

The thesis should not exceed 20,000 words (excluding references and notes) and must represent a significant contribution to learning, for example through the discovery of new knowledge, the connection of previously unrelated facts, the development of a new theory, or the revision of older views, and must take account of previously published work on the subject.

Most time will be spent working independently, but the department, supervisor and College will support you throughout the degree.

The Degree will allow attendance at regular seminars in your subject area and involvement in the social life of your department and College.

Central to our research strategy in the Department of Surgery is a strong clinical emphasis and a shared mission to improve the surgical management of disease through basic and translational research, together with clinical trials. Our ‘bench to bedside’ focus links laboratory work to applied clinical research and a key feature of the Department is the close integration of University and NHS surgeons.

Our main clinical themes are:

• Transplantation
• Trauma and orthopaedic surgery
• Urology
• Vascular surgery

These broad clinical themes are aligned to world class underpinning research strengths in stem cell medicine, immunology, organ perfusion, cell biology and surgical oncology.

Specific research training relevant to your own project will be given by the team in which you work.

Further training is provided within the Addenbrooke's Biomedical campus and elsewhere in the University and includes postgraduate workshops on research techniques, research seminars, and postgraduate student education seminars on generic subjects such as intellectual property rights, statistics, bioinformatics, communication skills, writing a thesis or paper, entrepreneurship.

The course introduces students to research skills and specialist knowledge. Its main aims are:

• to give students with relevant experience at a first-degree level the opportunity to carry out focused 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.

This PhD course is part of the Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) programme in Superconductivity: Enabling Transformative Technologies, led by the University of Bristol.

The CDT will create a step change in superconductivity training in the UK by using a cohort-based approach to provide a diverse new generation of researchers with the interdisciplinary and teamwork skills required to develop transformative technologies needed to engineer Net-Zero, advance healthcare, and deliver novel quantum devices.

The programme will provide the skills that are strongly needed by industry which is expanding in various directions to address the challenges outlined above. Experimental projects will train students in practical skills such as cryogenics, materials synthesis and characterisation, precision measurements, instrument development, and working at international facilities. Theoretical/computational projects will train students in advanced theoretical and computational techniques such as machine learning.

The MPhil in Strategy, Marketing, Operations and Organisational Behaviour (SMOOB) is an intensive nine-month programme that prepares you for continuation to the Cambridge Judge Business School (CJBS) PhD in the fields of strategic management, marketing, operations and technology management, or organisational behaviour.

The educational aims of the programme are to prepare students for doctoral work in the fields of strategic management, marketing, operations and technology management, or organisational behaviour at CJBS. The programme is an integral part of the CJBS PhD programme for these fields, by:

• providing teaching in research methodology, in particular in econometrics and mathematical modelling;
• providing teaching in foundational subjects, such as economics;
• providing research seminars in which students will learn about the current debates in their field of specialisation, and about the canonical literature that underpins these debates;
• providing guidance on the structuring, writing and critiquing of academic research papers;
• giving students the opportunity to experience research first-hand, either through an individual research project or a dissertation.

The Cambridge Stem Cell Institute (CSCI) is a world-leading centre for stem cell research. Its mission is to transform human health through a deep understanding of stem cell biology. Our scientists study stem cell behaviour, both normal and pathological, and use their findings to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases.

The Institute currently consists of 27 outstanding research groups working across three key research themes: Stem Cell States, Stem Cells in Disease, and Stem Cells & Therapeutics.

The Institute offers this Masters (MPhil) programme to students under the supervision of a Principal Investigator ('Principal Supervisor') during their research project. During the MPhil, students are based in a research group, supported by their Principal Supervisor and associated laboratory staff.

We welcome applications from individuals wanting to work towards a Masters (MPhil) in any of the labs belonging to the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute (CSCI) - a list of CSCI Principal Investigators can be found on the website.

Successful applicants must meet the University's minimum academic admissions criteria.

The Masters course introduces students to research skills and specialist knowledge. Its main aims are:

to give students with relevant experience at a first-degree level, the opportunity to carry out focused research on stem cell biology under close supervision

to give students the opportunity to acquire or develop skills and expertise relevant to their research interests

The Cambridge Stem Cell Institute (CSCI) is a world-leading centre for stem cell research. Its mission is to transform human health through a deep understanding of stem cell biology. Our scientists study stem cell behaviour, both normal and pathological, and use their findings to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases.

The Institute currently consists of 27 outstanding research groups working across three key research themes: Stem Cell States, Stem Cells in Disease, and Stem Cells & Therapeutics.

Specialist postgraduate training in Stem Cell Biology and Medicine is essential to produce a stream of highly skilled and innovative investigators equipped with a deep understanding of stem cell science and its significance for future medicine.

Our overarching goal is to produce well-trained and rounded PhD postgraduates who have generated significant and original research findings and are fully prepared for an ambitious and challenging career, whether continuing in stem cell science or moving to another profession.

The Institute offers this PhD programme of research under the individual supervision of a Principal Investigator. During their PhD, students are based in a research group, supported by their Principal Supervisor, and a Postgraduate Education Committee and Postgraduate Student Committee.

Students write a thesis assessed via an oral examination (viva).

The PhD introduces students to research skills and specialist knowledge. Its main aims are:

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

The Spanish and Portuguese Section offers undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in Spanish, Portuguese, and Catalan. It is unique in its commitment to exploring the trans-historical and cross-cultural interrelations between all these language areas and their corresponding cultural formations. The research interests of its academic staff thus span a wide range of areas including Medieval and Golden Age Spanish cultures and their consolidation in dialogue with the diverse cultures and faith systems of Africa and the 'New World'; the literature, art and cinema of Portugal, Brazil and Lusophone Africa; the literature of modern Spain and its relationship with the Enlightenment, colonialism, and modernity; the cinema of the Ibero-American world from early silent film through to its avant-garde, indigenous, popular, and transnational dimensions today; and the culture of Catalonia from its rebirth in the Renaixença, through its resistance to Franquismo in literature and film, to its vibrant contemporary artistic, architectural and cinematographic expressions.

The Section also has one of the largest contingents of Latin American specialists in the United Kingdom, whose interests span the poetry, chronicles, and indigenous cultural production of the colonial period; the formation of national cultures in post-independence Spanish America and Brazil; the experimental literatures of the Spanish American 'Boom'; and the literature, cinema, and visual art produced in the interlocking contexts of post-dictatorship, mass urbanisation, narcotráfico and neo-liberal globalisation. The intellectual vitality of the Section is further evidenced by a dynamic research culture of public lectures, section seminars, postgraduate workshops and conferences, all of which add to a close-knit system of graduate supervision and mentoring that encourages both individual and collective endeavour within the Section.

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 Spanish and Portuguese Section and the Centre of Latin American Studies are pleased to share the details of a Consortium in Latin American Cultural Studies for PhD students. This new flexible arrangement will foster a greater exchange of ideas between students and scholars in the Section and the Centre and provide more opportunities for them to access relevant training, funding and other resources. For further information, please visit the Latin American Cultural Studies Consortium page on the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages website.

The Department of Sociology at the University of Cambridge is a world-class centre for teaching and research in Sociology. It has a proud tradition of research grounded in engagement with contemporary real-world issues.

Our Department is ranked first for Sociology in the Complete University Guide League Table 2025 with a 100% score, and second for Sociology in the Guardian's Best Universities league table 2025.

The Times Higher Education World University ranking 2025 rates our department second overall in the UK for the Social Sciences. The QS World University rankings list our department as sixth of 375 sociology departments across the world in 2025.  

The MPhil in Sociology of Media and Culture pathway provides students with the opportunity to study the nature and transformation of media, culture and technology at an advanced level. The programme gives students a firm grounding in the theoretical and empirical analysis of media, culture and technology, and enables them to study particular media, culture and technology in-depth, examining their transformations over time and their impact on other aspects of social and political life.

There are four elements to the pathway:

1. A core course of eight 2-3 hour sessions in the first term (Michaelmas) and a one-hour Field Review Essay preparation session in the second (Lent), covering some of the major theoretical contributions to the study of the media and culture and some key substantive topics. Part time students must attend these sessions in their first year of study but may wish to attend additional sessions in their second year. There are also substantive topics which vary from year to year depending on the availability of academic staff.
2. Students will receive training in the craft of sociology and in research skills, including sessions on: research ethics, turning a literature review into research questions, critical reading and academic writing, and Talking History. Students will also have the opportunity to take courses and attend lectures on many other aspects of research method and design. They will then select these courses in discussion with their Supervisor.
3. Eight to ten hours of optional seminars during the second term (Lent). Part-time students can attend these sessions in either their first or second year of study.
4. Dissertation: all students will write a dissertation on a topic of their choice that allows for theoretically informed empirical analysis of some aspect of media, culture and technology and their impact. The choice of dissertation topic is made in consultation with your Supervisor, who can advise you on the suitability and feasibility of your proposed research and on research design. A dissertation workshop provides the opportunity to present aspects of your dissertation work and to receive constructive feedback from academics and fellow students.

The Department of Sociology at the University of Cambridge is a world-class centre for teaching and research in Sociology. It has a proud tradition of research grounded in engagement with contemporary real-world issues.

Our Department is ranked first for Sociology in the Complete University Guide League Table 2025 with a 100% score, and second for Sociology in the Guardian's Best Universities league table 2025.

The Times Higher Education World University ranking 2025 rates our department second overall in the UK for the Social Sciences. The QS World University rankings list our department as sixth of 375 sociology departments across the world in 2025.  

The MPhil in Sociology provides students with a firm grounding in theoretical and empirical analysis, which are at the core of understanding the workings of social inequality.

The Sociology of Marginality and Exclusion pathway, within the MPhil in Sociology, provides students with the opportunity to study the logics and processes of marginality and exclusion at an advanced level. This pathway aims to integrate the consideration of themes in social theory with the study of substantive topics, as well as give a thorough grounding in research methods.

There are four elements to the pathway:

1. A core course comprising eight 2-3 hour lectures in the first term (Michaelmas) and a one-hour Field Review Essay preparation session in the second (Lent), covering some of the major theoretical contributions to the sociological study of marginality and exclusion and some key substantive topics. Part time students must attend these sessions in their first year of study but may wish to attend additional sessions in their second year. There are also substantive topics which vary from year to year, but will address the dimensions of marginalization in relation to the production and reproduction of social life as well as the exercise of power.
2. Students will receive training in the craft of sociology and in research skills, including sessions on: research ethics, turning a literature review into research questions, critical reading and academic writing, and Talking History. Students will also have the opportunity to take courses and attend lectures on many other aspects of research method and design. They will then select these courses in discussion with their Supervisor.
3. Eight to ten hours of optional seminars during the second term (Lent). Part-time students can attend these sessions in either their first or second year of study.
4. Dissertation: all students will write a dissertation on a topic of their choice that allows for theoretically informed empirical analysis of some aspect of marginality and exclusion in contemporary societies. The choice of dissertation topic is made in consultation with your Supervisor, who can advise you on the suitability and feasibility of your proposed research and on research design. A dissertation workshop provides the opportunity to present aspects of your dissertation work and to receive constructive feedback from academics and fellow students.

Our Department is ranked first for Sociology in the Complete University Guide League Table 2025 with a 100% score, and second for Sociology in the Guardian's Best Universities league table 2025.

The Times Higher Education World University ranking 2025 rates our department second overall in the UK for the Social Sciences. The QS World University rankings list our department as sixth of 375 sociology departments across the world in 2025.  

This pathway provides students with the opportunity to study the major themes and debates of Political and Economic Sociology at an advanced level. This pathway aims to integrate the consideration of political and economic debates with the study of substantive topics, as well as give a thorough grounding in research methods.

There are four elements to the pathway:

1. A core course of eight 2-3 hour sessions in the first term (Michaelmas) and a one-hour Field Review Essay preparation session in the second (Lent), covering some of the major theoretical contributions to the study of political and economic sociology and some key substantive topics. Part time students must attend these sessions in their first year of study but may wish to attend additional sessions in their second year. Both core and optional topics vary from year to year.
2. Students will receive training in the craft of sociology and in research skills, including sessions on: research ethics, turning a literature review into research questions, critical reading and academic writing, and Talking History. Students will also have the opportunity to take courses and attend lectures on many other aspects of research method and design. They will then select these courses in discussion with their Supervisor.
3. Eight to ten hours of optional seminars during the second term (Lent). Part-time students can attend these sessions in either their first or second year of study.
4. Dissertation: all students will write a dissertation on a topic of their choice that allows for theoretically informed empirical analysis of some aspect of political and economic sociology. The choice of dissertation topic is made in consultation with your Supervisor, who can advise you on the suitability and feasibility of your proposed research and on research design. A dissertation workshop provides the opportunity to present aspects of your dissertation work and to receive constructive feedback from academics and fellow students.