This MPhil is a full-time course that introduces students to the skills needed in philosophical research. Students work with supervisors to write two research essays: the first of up to 4,000 words, the second of up to 8,000 words; and a dissertation of up to 12,000 words. Students also participate as a group in a collaborative weekly seminar, run during the first (Michaelmas) and second (Lent) terms, in which they learn presentation and discussion skills by presenting their own research and discussing presentations by other students.

The main aims of the MPhil are:

• to give students with relevant experience at 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

• To provide students with specialist knowledge and understanding of philosophical ideas and concepts at the frontiers of philosophical debate and research;
• to enable students to acquire and develop the skills necessary to conduct critical analysis and evaluation at the highest levels; and
• to develop the student’s ability to analyse and evaluate different methods for conducting independent and collaborative research.

The PhD course offers close supervision and extensive training and is the standard entrance to the academic profession. The Faculty welcomes applications for this degree in a wide range of philosophical areas. The PhD culminates in the production of a thesis of up to 80,000 words to be submitted between three and four years from the commencement of study for full-time study. The PhD may also be done part-time, in which case the deadline for completion will be a minimum of five and a maximum of seven years. An oral examination will be conducted on the subject of the thesis and the general field of knowledge within which it falls.

The PhD degree is awarded for an extended thesis that makes a substantial original contribution to learning.

During this three-year research programme (which does not include a one-year master’s degree), students undertake a period of supervised research and are expected to submit a thesis for examination within their fourth year at the latest. Students also attend relevant lectures and seminars and participate in skills development activities.

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

• to give students with relevant experience the opportunity to carry out focused research in the discipline under supervision; and
• to give students the opportunity to acquire or develop skills and expertise relevant to their research interests.

In addition to the research training provided within the Department, as part of the Postgraduate School of Life Sciences students, will have access to courses to widen their experience and to enable them to acquire generic skills.

Students are based in a research group and undertake a research project under the supervision of a principal investigator. A wide range of generic and specific skill courses are available. Students attend induction and safety training run by the Department.

There is no examined coursework but student progression is dependent upon the first-year assessment process where students are required to submit a first-year report and undertake a viva voce examination. Students are only registered for the PhD upon satisfactory performance in the first-year assessment.

In their second year, students present their work as a poster at the Departmental Annual Symposium. Third year students are expected to present their work as part of the Postgraduate Seminar Series and students approaching submission are asked if they would like to present in the Department-wide Valedictory Seminar Series.

Assessment for the PhD is by a written thesis and an oral examination.

The course will equip its postgraduates with a wide range of skills and knowledge. They will receive training in research and the ability to conduct independent research. They will have gained research experience through having planned, executed and evaluated an original investigative piece of work through a major thesis. They will develop the ability to critically appraise scientific literature and to present research data at conferences and seminars. They will cultivate their intellectual skills and develop transferable skills.

This MPhil offers a 10-month programme of advanced study and research into the natural and anthropogenic causes of past, present and future climate variability. The course is intended for students with a strong first degree in in Physical Geography, Earth Science or related fields.

The curriculum will:

• enable students to acquire a critical and well-informed understanding of the accepted and contested academic understanding of climate change through Earth's history;

• provide a comprehensive background of climate variability on different time scales, in order to reconcile climate model simulations from a quantitative perspective;

• give students the opportunity to acquire advanced subject expertise, and transferable skills, relevant to their research interests and career goals;

• equip students for dealing with complex social, political and scientific issues, in the presence of incomplete data, and communicate their positions to specialist and non-specialist audiences;

• provide the prerequisite exposure and familiarity with the many physical tools and techniques used in climate science and palaeoclimatology to prepare students for either pursuit of a Doctoral degree or professional position.

Doctoral studies are carried out by science postgraduates, medical students combining clinical training with the PhD, and clinically qualified doctors undertaking scientific training. Each student conducts their PhD project under the direction of their principal Supervisor, with additional teaching and guidance provided by their wider supervisory team.

The PhD course provides:

• a period of a sustained, in-depth study of a specific topic
• an environment that encourages originality and creativity in research
• skills to enable a student to critically examine the background literature relevant to their specific research area
• the opportunity to develop skills in making and testing hypotheses, developing new theories, and planning and conducting experiments
• the opportunity to expand a student's knowledge of a research area, including its theoretical foundations and the specific techniques used to study it
• the opportunity to gain knowledge of the broader field of paediatric research
• an environment in which to develop skills in written work, oral presentation and publishing research results in high-profile scientific journals through constructive feedback

Postgraduate training is very different from undergraduate study. It is based on individual needs and abilities, is designed to help you to think clearly, originally and practically, and to prepare you for leadership in science.

Most research groups have weekly or fortnightly meetings in which all members discuss each other's work. You will be required to attend seminars and have the opportunity to attend scientific meetings. These bring you into direct contact with prominent and active scientists in your field from around the world. You will also give scientific talks yourself. You will be expected to attend courses, either directly related to your research or those that teach you related skills, such as how to write a scientific paper, use databases, interact with the media, and so on. Many of these courses are run by the Postgraduate School of Life Sciences, but Paediatrics has its own series of seminars.

Cambridge is an amazing place in which to learn how to do cutting-edge research and benefit from interaction with visiting speakers and collaborators from all over the world.

The PhD in Oncology is a research based course offered over 3 to 4 years full-time, or over 4 to 7 years part-time. It is designed to produce postgraduates with rigorous research and analytical skills, who are exceptionally well equipped to go on to doctoral study, postgraduate research, or employment in industry and the public sector.

Students undertake a bespoke research project, which is agreed with their Principal Supervisor during the application process.

PhD students are initially on probation, with progression to the PhD being dependent on passing a formal First Year Assessment (FYA); this involves submission of a written progress report which is then assessed by oral examination conducted by two assessors. Full-time PhD students are on probation during their first year and must pass their FYA before they enter their second year of study. Part-time students are on probation for their first two years and must pass their FYA before they enter their third year of study.

Both full-time and part-time students are also required to produce regular written progress reports throughout the course of their degree.

At the end of their course, students produce a thesis of 60,000 words maximum, followed by an oral examination based on both their thesis and a broader knowledge of their chosen area of research.

Most research training is provided within the structure of the student’s research group and informal opportunities to develop research skills are available through mentoring by other members of staff and fellow students. All students are encouraged to attend scientific meetings, seminars and postgraduate courses relevant to their area of interest. They are also expected to participate in journal clubs and lab meetings and to take advantage of the numerous and varied training opportunities offered by the University.

Each student is assigned a Principal Supervisor who oversees their research project and an Adviser who provides additional support. Our Postgraduate Administrator acts as the first point of contact for any student with a query or difficulty not directly related to their scientific work. All student matters in the department are overseen by our Director of Postgraduate Education and the Cancer Biology Postgraduate Education Committee.

The PhD course provides students with:

• a period of sustained in-depth study of a specific topic.
• an environment that encourages originality and creativity in their research.
• skills to enable them to critically examine the background literature relevant to their specific research area.
• the opportunity to develop skills in making and testing hypotheses, in developing new theories, and in planning and conducting experiments.
• the opportunity to expand their knowledge of their research area, including its theoretical foundations and the specific techniques used to study it.
• the opportunity to gain knowledge of the broader field of cancer research.
• an environment in which to develop skills in written work, oral presentation and publishing the results of their research in high-profile scientific journals, through constructive feedback of written work and oral presentations.

The Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology has two broad areas of research activity. The first covers the use of large population sample and data sets to identify key predictive features associated with human pregnancy, such as intrauterine growth restriction, preterm labour and perinatal death.

The second major area focuses on the cellular and molecular aspects of the growth of the placenta and its interaction with the endometrium. This includes a detailed investigation of the immune dialogue occurring between the fetal and maternal compartments. Genetic and epigenetic modulation of placental function is also a key area within this field. Modern genomic methods are utilised in both human samples and in genetically manipulated animal models.

This interdisciplinary work involves complex teams of molecular and cellular biologists, anatomists, mathematicians, bioinformaticians, statisticians and clinician-scientists.

The aim of the PhD is to carry out a research project which contributes new knowledge to the field.

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

• to give students with relevant experience at 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.