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Registration

Monitoring progress, intermission, working away, preparation of thesis, questionnaires.

Research students are expected to be in residence in Cambridge pursuing their research between terms, except during periods of holiday agreed with their supervisor, normally up to 8 weeks in a 12 month period. Students who make time to take some holidays, or a break away from their studies, tend to do better.

PhD candidates may submit their theses after nine terms (three years) of research, and MLitt candidates after six terms (two years). The Student Registry and the Degree Committee expect a thesis to be a piece of work which can be produced by a capable, well-qualified and diligent research student, properly supervised and supported, within those times. It is very important that you design your project with these time-limits firmly in view. It is good both for morale and for your CV to submit your thesis within the stated times – and most PhD funding runs out after three years.

If your PhD research is suitably related to your MPhil work, you will usually be allowed to count some or all of your three MPhil terms towards the residency requirements of the PhD, if you are ready to submit your thesis before the minimum terms of study have elapsed. This means that you may submit a PhD thesis after only six more terms, if you wish. Please see the following webpage for further information:

https://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/your-course/postgraduate-study/your-student-status/allowanceexemption-research-terms

The Student Registry and the Degree Committee recognise, however, that original research is liable to unforeseen difficulties and delays, so all PhD students are allowed 4 years in which to complete and submit their thesis (3 years for the MLitt). Unless there are extenuating circumstances, which would permit a student to apply for an extension to their submission date, candidates who do not submit by these final deadlines would be asked to withdraw from the University, until such time as they are ready to submit, and apply for reinstatement .

All students accepted for the PhD are on probation for their first year. In your third term of research, the Degree Committee will decide whether to register you as a candidate for the PhD (the registration then being backdated to your date of admission). You will have a registration interview with two Faculty assessors, other than your Supervisor. Central University information on the requirements of a registration review is here:

https://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/self-evaluation

In some (rare) cases, your assessors may decide that you should be registered for the MLitt degree, instead of the PhD, at this stage. This registration interview cannot be delayed without good cause (e.g., illness). With your supervisors’ help, you start working out your plan of research, and the topic or topics of your written work, as soon as possible after you arrive.

Before registering you as a PhD candidate the Degree Committee must be satisfied (i) that you have a suitable plan of work and (ii) that you have begun to write about some part of it, in a sustained way, at a standard likely to get you the degree in a reasonable time. You are therefore required to email the following documents to your two assessors and the Postgraduate Administrator by the last day of Lent full term*:

a statement (1,000 words) of your plan of research.
a piece of recent written work (6,000-10,000 words) on some topic within this plan; and
an account of research already completed (1,000 words)

These submissions must be properly written up: rough drafts are not acceptable. The registration interview will take place shortly after the end of Lent Term, with your two assessors who will have read the submitted documents. The exact date of the review will be agreed on by the two assessors and the student. The requirements for registration are as outlined above. Students will be sent a copy of their review report once it has been approved by Degree Committee at their May meeting.

Prospective PhD candidates whose work does not show sufficient progress will be given the opportunity to submit an improved set of work by the last day of Easter full term*. A further interview will then take place with the two Faculty members writing independent reports for the Degree Committee in late June/early July*.

The Degree Committee will recommend that prospective PhD candidates whose resubmitted work is still deemed to be unsatisfactory either withdraw from the University or, less severely, be registered only as MLitt candidates. In the latter case they may later be re-registered as PhD candidates (with registration again backdated to the date of admission) if they submit sufficiently improved work at the same time in their second year (i.e. at their fifth term review).

The Degree Committee will recommend that prospective MLitt candidates whose resubmitted work is still deemed to be unsatisfactory withdraw from the University.

Monitoring progress

Your supervisor is required to report termly to the Student Registry and the Degree Committee on your progress. You will also be invited to submit self-evaluation reports on your progress on CamSIS. More information on the Feedback and progress reporting systems for postgraduate students is here:

In addition, there are the following reviews:

Fifth Term Review

This review takes place in the fifth term for a student who is registered for the PhD or MLitt. For this review you need to email the following documents to your supervisor, advisor, and Postgraduate Secretary by the last day of Lent full term*:

an account of research you have already completed (1,000 words)

These submissions must be properly written up: rough drafts are not acceptable. The review will take place shortly after the end of Lent Term, normally with the supervisor and advisor, who will report in writing to the first meeting of the Degree Committee in the Easter Term. The exact date of the review will be agreed on by the two assessors and the student. Students will then be sent a copy of their review report once it has been approved by Degree Committee at their May meeting.

In the unlikely event that your work does not show sufficient progress you will be given the opportunity to submit an improved set of work by last day of Easter full term*. A further interview will then take place with the supervisor and advisor writing independent reports for the Degree Committee in late June/early July*.

Seventh Term Review

This review takes place in the seventh term for a student who is registered for the PhD. For this review you are required to email the same three documents as are described above, again demonstrating ongoing progress, to your supervisor and advisor by the last day of Michaelmas full term*.

The review will take place shortly after the end of Michaelmas Term, normally with the supervisor and adrvisor, who will report in writing to the first meeting of the Degree Committee in the Lent Term. The exact date of the review will be agreed on by the two assessors and the student. Students will then be sent a copy of their review report once it has been approved by Degree Committee at their January meeting.

If the supervisor and advisor are not happy with a student's progress they may recommend to the Degree Committee that a student's registration be changed from PhD to MLitt. They may also recommend that candidates who are not making satisfactory progress towards completing their theses withdraw from the University. The student will be fully consulted before any such recommendation is made. Note also that students withdraw from the University for this reason (or because they have failed to submit on time), but who manage to complete their theses on their own, may apply to be reinstated in order to submit their theses for examination. Please see:

https://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/your-course/postgraduate-study/your-student-status/reinstatement

Although this monitoring may sound onerous, experience shows that most often the reviews function as useful markers of progress, and as good opportunities to take stock and to talk about useful ways forward, in a forum slightly different from that of a normal supervision.

If your work is hindered or interrupted by medical, financial or other problems you may apply for leave to intermit your research for a period of time from 2 weeks, to up to 3 terms (for full time students). Terms intermitted do not count towards the above deadlines. Consult your Supervisor and the Postgraduate Secretary if you would like to discuss this option at any point in your studies. You can also find further information here:

https://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/your-course/postgraduate-study/your-student-status/medical-intermission

Working away from Cambridge

It is possible to apply for leave to work away from Cambridge for a maximum of 3 terms at a time Some PhD students find this is useful if they wish to work with a supervisor who is external to the University of Cambridge for some of their PhD study. More information on the process of how to apply for leave to work away can be found here:

https://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/your-course/postgraduate-study/your-student-status/work-away

To support students working away from Cambridge, it is recommended that students apply to the University for free travel insurance: https://www.insurance.admin.cam.ac.uk/travel-insurance/travel-insurance-students

The Faculty has a small allocation of funding for fieldwork, that students can apply for via the Postgraduate Office. As part of this application process, students will also be required to complete a risk assessment: https://www.safety.admin.cam.ac.uk/risk-assessment

The Faculty can provide a template risk assessment – please ask the Postgraduate Secretary for further information.

Preparation of theses

PhD (MLitt) theses in philosophy must not be more than 80,000 (60,000) words long. The word count includes appendices and footnotes but excludes bibliography. See here for further information:

https://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/your-course/examinations/graduate-exam-information/submitting-and-examination/phd-msc-mlitt/word#philos

The University’s regulations require that to qualify for the award of the PhD degree, a thesis has to be in English (apart from quotations and technical formulae), to be clearly written, to take due account of previously published work on the subject, and to represent a significant contribution to learning (for example through the discovery of new knowledge, the connection of previously unrelated facts, the development of new theory, or the revision of older views). The Degree Committee of Philosophy, in its advice to examiners, adds as an informal gloss on this that an acceptable thesis should contain some material of sufficient originality to merit publication and this material should be adequate to form the basis of, for example, at least two articles (together amounting to 15,000 - 20,000 words) or of a short monograph.

To qualify for the award of the MLitt degree, a thesis must be clearly written, take due account of previously published work on the subject, and represent a useful contribution to learning.

Candidates may get an idea of the standards expected of PhD and MLitt theses in philosophy by reading the copies of successful theses deposited in the University Library.

The detailed procedure for submitting PhD and MLitt theses for examination, which candidates should follow carefully, is at:

https://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/your-course/examinations/graduate-exam-information/submitting-and-examination/phd-msc-mlitt/prepare

In what follows only a few salient points are picked out.

Candidates should apply for the appointment of examiners, through the Philosophy Postgraduate Secretary, when—but only when—their theses are nearly complete. (In particular, if they are going to submit their theses during the Long Vacation they should apply in good time for the late June/early July meeting of the Degree Committee*.) Together with the candidate, the supervisor should compete the form found here:

https://www.phil.cam.ac.uk/curr-students/postgraduates/Graduate-Forms

and submit this by e-mail to the Postgraduate Secretary. The candidate will also need to email the Postgraduate Secretary a one page summary of the thesis, to guide the Degree Committee in appointing suitable examiners. This abstract should be around 300 words in length – a candidate’s supervisor can provide further guidance on the expected content of the abstract.

Theses are examined independently by two examiners, one of whom will normally be from outside Cambridge. Candidates are required to submit their thesis initially via Moodle, the University’s Online Teaching Platform. The Postgraduate Secretary will provide further information on the process for softbound submission. As of 1 st October 2017, once their PhD has been approved, students are also required to submit an electronic copy of their PhD thesis to the University’s repository, Apollo. At the point of upload, students are given the choice of different access options, including the choice to make their thesis available Open Access immediately or to embargo access for an initial 12 months . The upload of the thesis can be done via the upload form in Symplectic Elements .

Once the award of the degree is approved, students should submit one hard bound copy to be deposited in the University Library. More information on the submission of electronic theses can be found on the Office of Scholarly Communication website:

http://osc.cam.ac.uk/theses

It is important that thesis examiners actually receive theses when they expect to do so; otherwise their other commitments may seriously delay the examination. In giving submission dates, candidates should therefore take care to be realistic, and not underestimate the time it takes to complete writing up, make final corrections, check references and proofs, and get their theses printed and bound.

What to expect from the viva

The examination is undertaken with two examiners, and may include an independent chair if the Degree Committee has deemed it appropriate. There are no rules for its duration, but as an approximate guide, the examination will normally take at least 90 minutes and is likely to conclude within three hours at a maximum.

The oral examination should allow:

The defence of your dissertation and the clarification of any matters raised by the examiners
the examiners to probe your knowledge in the field
the examiners to assure themselves that the work presented is your own and to clarify matters of any collaboration
the examiners to come to a definite conclusion about the outcome of the examination

What to bring with you to the viva

You can take a (marked up) copy of the thesis in with you. You may want to take a tablet or notepad and pen to make notes.
Water will be available in the room where you will be examined but you may like to take your own with you.

The default viva format is an in-person examination held in Cambridge, but students will have the option to choose an online viva if they wish. The University has provided additional information about the online viva process, which can be found here:

https://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/files/guide_to_conducting_vivas_online.pdf

Examiners write independent reports on theses for the Degree Committee, making recommendations, which may or may not be conditional on the results of the oral examination. Because it often takes a considerable time for examiners to get round to, and to complete, this assessment, candidates must expect to wait (or return) for their oral examination up to two months (but no more than four months) after submitting their theses. Examiners may allow candidates who have had to return, e.g., to America or Australasia, the option of conducting the oral examination by video conference; but they are under no obligation to do so, and candidates must not assume that they will. If a candidate would like to request adjustments to their viva on the grounds of disability, they should complete a ‘voluntary disclosure form’ and return this to the Postgraduate secretary. The form can be found here: https://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/files/voluntary_disclosure_form.pdf

An examiner who thinks that a PhD or MLitt thesis fails to reach the required standard, but could do so with suitable revision, may recommend allowing the candidate to submit a revised thesis. This can only happen once; a thesis which has already been resubmitted once cannot be submitted again.

An examiner who thinks that a PhD thesis fails to reach the standard required for that degree, but does reach the standard required for the MLitt, may recommend approving the candidate for that degree. A PhD examiner who thinks both of the above may recommend giving the candidate the alternative of submitting a revised thesis or of taking the MLitt (but not both).

If the examiners’ recommendations agree, the Degree Committee will normally accept them, unless the examination has been improperly conducted in some way, in which case new examiners may have to be appointed. If the original examiners’ recommendations disagree, the Degree Committee may resolve the disagreement by appointing a third examiner.

The University’s statement on academic misconduct, including plagiarism can be found at:

http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/plagiarism/students/statement.html

We ask PhD & MLitt students to provide their feedback at regular intervals throughout their course, in the form of a questionnaire sent from the Postgraduate Office. Usually there is one questionnaire sent at the time of each review. Feedback from students is important in helping us to improve the course, and we ask that all students complete all questionnaires.

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The PhD programme

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The PhD is awarded after three to four years of full-time research (or five to seven years of part-time study) on the basis of a dissertation of 80,000 words (exclusive of footnotes, appendices and bibliography, but subject to an overall word limit of 100,000 words exclusive of bibliography, table of contents and any other preliminary matter). Examination for the PhD involves an oral examination (viva) by two examiners.

Research students who intend to undertake PhD research are in the first instance automatically registered for a one-year research training programme leading to the Certificate of Postgraduate Study (CPGS) in Legal Studies. They are assigned a supervisory team by the Degree Committee of the Faculty, ordinarily consisting of a supervisor (who is principally responsible for directing and assisting the research) and an advisor (who provides a second point of contact for academic advice). At the end of the first year, the Degree Committee decides whether students should be registered for the PhD. This decision is taken on the basis of the student’s personal progress log, first-year dissertation of 15,000 words, viva conducted by two assessors from within the Faculty, and outline of plans for the full research project. Candidates who successfully complete the requirements of the CPGS and the first-year progress review are retrospectively registered for the PhD.

All full-time PhD students are ordinarily required to be resident in Cambridge for the duration of their research (except where given leave to work away from Cambridge for academic reasons or whilst undertaking fieldwork), and during the first year in particular must attend weekly research training sessions in the Faculty.

This overview of the PhD programme must be read in conjunction with the detailed information available under the 'Courses' section (see, in particular, the Course Directory) of the Postgraduate Admissions website . Further information on postgraduate admission to research courses in the Faculty of Law is available from [email protected] or +44 (0)1223 330039.

The Faculty of Law The David Williams Building 10 West Road Cambridge CB3 9DZ United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 1223 330033 Email: [email protected]

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Topic description and stories

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Industry placements for PhD students can be hugely beneficial for all concerned. We hear from two former students and the companies they worked for.

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AstraZeneca and the University of Cambridge today announced three new joint schemes to support more than 80 PhD scholarships and eight clinical...

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Undergraduate Study

PhD in Sociology

The PhD in Sociology offers a world-class programme of research study in sociology supervised by experts in their respective fields. The Department of Sociology at the University of Cambridge is ranked first for Sociology in the Guardian's Best Universities league table and first for Sociology in the Complete University Guide League Table 2024 . And the QS World University rankings list our departments as 2nd out of over 500 Sociology Departments across the world in 2023.

In the first year you are encouraged to take research methods courses offered by the Department and Cambridge Research Methods (CaRM) to build the methodological grounding of your individual research projects.

The Department also offers a programme of seminars covering transferable skills such as academic writing, presentation skills and in-depth information about how to progress the PhD and the academic career. PhD students are supported by their supervisor and an Academic Adviser.

Watch our open day video

The Programme

The course aims to provide all students with the skills they need to be professional researchers and academics. There is an organised programme of courses for first-year PhD students, which has three major components:

Basic academic and research skills, designed to provide the essential tools of academic work
The core training programme, which covers issues of social science research in general
Issues of research specific to particular disciplines or areas of interest, and research design, including the integration of methodological, theoretical and substantive issues

The standard period for PhDs is 3-4 years full-time or 5-7 years part-time. Click here for further information about part-time PhD studies .

Part-time PhD

The part-time PhD course is 5-7 years in length.

Part-time research students are expected to be in Cambridge for around 45 days per year, spread throughout the year, for lectures, supervision and other training.
International students who require a student visa to study in the UK are expected to apply for the full-time programme. This is owing to the restrictions of a part-time student visa. The University will only sponsor a student visa for the part-time option if the reason for studying part-time is due to a disability. Further information is outlined on the International Students webpages.

Meet our Candidates

What you can do with your PhD

Students who complete graduate programmes in Sociology have the opportunity to develop the analytical and writing skills to help them succeed in academia but also in careers such as health and social care, marketing and public relations, politics, and education, amongst others.

	Postgraduate applicants are required to nominate a supervisor as part of their application. Find a list of the research areas and availabilty of our supervisors here.
	Browse the essential information for applying to Sociology, including deadlines, entry requirements, the reseach proposal, nominating a supervisor, and our interview policy.
	Check the financial considerations for postgraduate study at Cambridge, including fees and funding, accomodation and living costs, as well as career opportunities.
	Find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding our postgraduate programmes, regarding applications, coronavirus guidance, course start dates, funding, references and more.

Department of Sociology: Lunchtime Seminar Series 2023-2024

Our lunchtime seminars feature leading sociologists who present and discuss the latest research and thought on contemporary topics. all are welcome, all seminars take place in the sociology seminar room at the dept of sociology on free school ....

The Department of Sociology University of Cambridge Free School Lane Cambridge CB2 3RQ

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Course length	3-4 years Full-Time \| 5-7 years Part-Time
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Academic Requirements:

The POLIS PhD programme has high academic requirements and a large number of applicants who meet them.

If you do not meet the criteria listed below, it is unlikely you will be offered a place.

Those requirements are both:

an undergraduate degree with a first class from a UK university, or a GPA of at least 3.85 from a non-UK university ( or equivalent )
a masters degree in a subject relevant to your PhD application, with a distinction-level result or GPA of at least 3.85, either completed or expected (for those still on the course)

The following must be submitted with your application*:

A detailed research proposal . This should be no more than 2,500 words (including footnotes and titles, but not including a bibliography). It should outline the subject of the intended research and thesis. It can indicate the methodology to be adopted and the sources to be used, and give a sense of how it is intended to make a contribution to existing knowledge. It should include a working title.
Full transcripts of your academic record at university.
Two referees should submit references on your behalf. These referees would normally be university academics, who would have known you for at least six months.
Evidence of competence in English: If English is not your native language, and you have not previously been a student at the University of Cambridge, you will need to submit evidence of competence in English . The language tests accepted are IELTS (at least 7.5, with 7.0 or higher in each component) and TOEFL (a minimum score of 110, with at least 25 in each component).

* Please note: if any of these are absent, the application cannot be successful.

The application portal will close at 23:59pm (midnight) UK time on the advertised deadline date.

In addition:

Please identify 2-3 potential supervisors on your application form . A list of academic staff and their area of interest can be seen here

We strongly encourage you to include information about your ranking within your academic year for both your undergraduate and masters degree.

This is provided by most universities upon your request if it is not already contained within the university transcript, and additional documents with this information can be uploaded with the transcript.

We anticipate that successful applicants will be in the top 20% of their academic years, although we recognise that in programmes with highly competitive entry standards, this condition may be relaxed.

Applicants who are unable to provide any information about their ranking in their academic year will be at a disadvantage in the application process compared with those who do. If no formal ranking is obtainable, the onus is on the applicant to ensure that their referees provide as much detailed relevant information about completed assessments to enable an estimate to be made of their ranking. Simply stating ‘1/100’ without providing data to support this claim will not be considered a meaningful ranking.

In addition to the documents listed above, you are entitled to upload a CV and a sample of written work, and to arrange for a personal referee to submit a reference on your behalf (if you are applying for a Gates scholarship).

Key deadlines

Funding and application deadlines for 2024-25 has now passed.
Funding and application deadlines for 2025-26 will open September 2024. This will close on 3rd December 2024 (Gates US round, funding will close 16th October 2024).

Please be advised that it can take up to 12 weeks for the department to consider applications

Shortlisted applicants are often invited to participate in an interview, usually with a prospective supervisor, and we may be in touch individually via your nominated email address if we seek an interview. Interviews will be held 13-17 January 2025, these will be online. Alternative dates will not be offered.

Please note that only applicants with a start date of October can be accepted onto the PhD program. Start dates cannot be deferred or changed .

What Happens Next?
Fees and Funding

"The structure of the PhD course, amazing staff, the events and workshops organised by the different centres at POLIS all provide a fertile ground for one to thrive. The diversity of research topics means you are always learning something different from your colleagues. I am grateful to be part of the POLIS family."

Edward Murambwa, PhD Student POLIS

The Department of Politics and International Studies, The Alison Richard Building, 7 West Road, Cambridge, CB3 9DP

Contact: [email protected]

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Postgraduate Admissions

Making an Application

To start the application process you must first visit the Postgraduate Admissions website where you will be able to access the Application Portal. It is important that you read through the information available on this website before submitting your application.

If you are seeking funding for your course, there are specific deadlines and eligibility criteria for each funding competition. Please check the funding webpages and the Application and Funding Deadlines for more information. You may also find it helpful to find out about funding for home students or funding for overseas students before you apply.

All postgraduate students in Cambridge are members of a College as well as of a Faculty of the University, and those applying through the Postgraduate Admission website for a place on the course will find themselves invited to list a number of Colleges in order of preference. It is a good idea to consult the prospectuses of a number of Colleges before you apply.

For applications for admission in Michaelmas Term 2024 and beyond, there is no application fee for application to the PhD; there is a £50 fee for application to the MPhil.

Applications are first considered by the Faculty and then potential supervisors are consulted. If you are applying for the PhD you may be asked to interview in person, by telephone or online at this stage. Successful applications are then offered to the Colleges of the student's choice, and may be then passed on to the second or third choice.

Admissions Requirements

Assessment of applications.

Written Work: The written work can be one long piece or several shorter essays amounting to around 5,000-7,000 words. Applicants may submit any work they like, but it is worth choosing work which is recent and which relates to your proposed area of study, if this is available. Many applicants submit their undergraduate dissertation, Masters dissertation, or similar extended piece of work. Our assessment of the critical skill, scholarly integrity, and originality of the written work carries great weight in the admission procedure.

Guidance for Referees

Candidates are required to provide references that speak to their academic record, calibre and suitability for their chosen course of postgraduate study. Candidates should direct referees to the University’s general guidance for referees .

Candidates are also advised to indicate that their referees should take especial care with their ranking of the candidate within their current cohort. This information plays a role in the assessment process so it needs to be as accurate as possible. Referees should wherever possible base this answer on exact information (e.g. class lists or essay mark rank lists). Candidates for whom a referee has not provided an exact ranking, or no ranking at all, may be disadvantaged.

If you have any queries about the admissions process please contact:

The Postgraduate Office 9 West Road Cambridge CB3 9DP United Kingdom

Tel. 01223 335076

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Entry Requirements

The Centre of Development Studies PhD programme has high academic requirements, and a large number of applicants who meet them. If you do not meet the criteria listed below, it is most unlikely you will be offered a place.

A UK Masters Degree in a relevant subject with a Merit overall or a GPA of at least 3.6/4.0 (usually 67% overall) or equivalent from a non-UK University.
A high 2.1 Undergraduate Degree from a UK university or equivalent GPA of at least 3.6/4.0 (usually 67% overall) or equivalent from a non-UK University.
Applicants must also have a good research project that falls within the research interests of one the Centre's lecturers who is available for supervision.

If your degree is not from the UK, please consult the Postgraduate Admissions International Qualifications page to ascertain the international equivalent in your country.

F or those whose first language is not English and who have not previously studied for a degree in an English language university within the last 2 years , evidence of proficiency in English is required. This consists of an IELTS score of 7.5 (with a minimum of 7.0 in each individual component) or a TOEFL score of 110 (with 25 in each element). Conditional offers can be made without these results, at the initial application level, but these will need to be obtained and proof provided for a firm offer to be extended and all requirements met for a formal matriculation.
Find out if you will have a Language Requirement .

Naming a Supervisor on your Application

Supervisors can be named from the Centre of Development Studies. Your research topic must come within their area of expertise and there must a strong link to Development Studies. Applicants should contact an available supervisor to discuss their proposal before applying. Academics currently available for PhD supervision are listed here: https://www.devstudies.cam.ac.uk/ourpeople/phd-supervisors

In exceptional circumstances , applicants may name a supervisor from another department, if the research proposal and the proposed supervisor both have a strong link to Development Studies. In these cases, before submitting the application the proposed supervisor should confirm their willingness to supervise the candidate and contact the PhD Director to outline why the PhD would be best undertaken in the Centre of Development Studies rather than their own department.

In all cases, following appropriate research on the most relevant choice, a suitable and available supervisor and a proposed research title must be included in the correct place on the application . (This is found on the first page of the Application Form, in the "Research" section, "Proposed Supervisor" and "Proposed title of Research").

*Please note that applications will be rejected should they fail to propose an available supervisor and/or a research title.*

Applications are considered by the Admissions Committee on a rolling basis once applications open in September.

If at any point before, during or after applying you have a question, Postgraduate Admissions run a very comprehensive FAQ page

Please use the Postgraduate Admissions contact form if you can't find an answer to your question: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/contact-form

All applications are made through the Postgraduate Admissions Department Self-Service website.

When you have completed the necessary preparation and you are ready to begin your online application, you should take note of the following important information before you create your application:

There is an application charge per application. You can make the payment by providing your card details when you submit the online application.
Your application is not complete without the required supporting documentation.

Uploading Supporting Documentation

Applications will not be considered by the Department until all the documents are uploaded, as Postgraduate Admissions only send them to us once all the documents are present. Incomplete applications will not be considered for funding, even if you apply in time. We do not chase applicants for missing documents.

It is the responsibility of applicants to ensure that all documents forming part of their application are correct and complete at the point of submission of the application . The department will not permit changes or additions to these documents after application. Additionally, the Admissions Committee will not review any documents which are not listed on the PAO website as required for the MPhil or PhD in Development Studies.

Incomplete/inactive applications (i.e. those which have been missing documents for a considerable length of time) will be withdrawn by Postgraduate Admissions, and will therefore never reach the Department.

Required Documentation

1. First Academic Reference and Second Academic Reference

Please see this website for information on who to nominate as your referees, and how they submit their references.

All applicants will require two academic references, including continuing students.

2. Personal Reference This is only required if you are applying for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship.

3. Transcripts

Please see this website for information on how to upload your transcripts.

4. Evidence of Competence in English if English is not your first language

You can use this website to find out if you will have a Language Requirement .
This website has information about the accepted tests and how to upload them.

You do not have to have a language test certificate when you apply. Whilst this is preferable, this can be uploaded during any part of the application process - and if an offer is made, can be included as one of the conditions of admission.

The same form should also be used when you wish to request a language test waiver - there is an option on the form for this purpose.

5. Research Proposal with Title

An outline (three or four pages) of the proposed research topic, indicating: the background and aims of the research and the methodology and data to be applied (if relevant). This is in addition to information provided on the application form.

6. Writing sample (not more than 5,000 words)

This could be a published article or an essay from the student's Bachelor or Master programme, where possible relevant to Development Studies.

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Doctorate (PhD, EdD, EngD, PhD by Special Regulations)

Doctoral degrees are awarded to those who have demonstrated all of the criteria below:

a significant contribution to the field of study through the creation and interpretation of new knowledge, connection of previously unrelated facts or the development of new theory or revision of older views;
submission of work of a quality in whole or in part of a standard to merit publication (whether or not subsequently published);
provides evidence of the acquisition of knowledge and a detailed understanding of applicable techniques for research and advanced academic enquiry;
is of a quality and quantity to reflect three years of full-time postgraduate study/five years part-time postgraduate study.

Master of Science/Master of Letters

The Master of Science or Master of Letters degrees are awarded to those who have demonstrated all of the criteria below:

provides evidence of a useful contribution to the field of study;
systematic understanding of knowledge and critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights in the field of study
includes critical evaluation of current methodologies and wider research in the area of study;
provides evidence of an understanding of applicable techniques for research and advanced academic enquiry;
submission of work of a quality and quantity expected for two years of full-time postgraduate research and study

Master of Philosophy

The Master of Philosophy degree is awarded to those who have demonstrated all of the criteria below:

understanding of knowledge and critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights in the field of study;
submission of work of a quality and quantity expected for one year of full-time postgraduate research and study

Form of work

All students are expected to submit a thesis. Content of a thesis may differ by subject, but it is expected to include critical review, reworking of existing material providing the provenance of such material is clearly identified, and the results of the original investigation carried out during the course. In some cases it may also include submission of compositions or recorded work (e.g for a degree in Music).

A thesis may contain previously published material as an integral part of the thesis. This material should be set in the context of an overall thesis (as part of a connected argument) with suitable introductory and concluding passages to link the published material to the rest of the work. Although permissible, it is not expected that a thesis submitted for the awards of MSc, MLitt or MPhil will include published works.

The amount of previously published material to include is up to each candidate, however included publications must refer to research carried out as part of a candidate’s degree and the thesis must keep within the word limits specified by the relevant Degree Committee .

Candidates for the PhD by Special Regulations and, with the approval of the relevant Degree Committee, candidates for the PhD (by general regulations) and the EdD may submit a thesis consisting of a number of previously published papers. In these cases the thesis must also contain a substantial introductory summary statement summarising rationale; placing the work in the context of the wider field of study; clarifying the extent to which works represent a consistent body of research, and the original contribution to knowledge they make; and providing clear detail on the exact contribution of the student to each included paper. It would not be necessary for any published work to be re-written prior to inclusion in a thesis. The amount of published material to include is up to each candidate, however with the exception of candidates for the PhD by Special Regulations the included publications must refer to research carried out as part of a candidate’s degree. All candidates must also keep within the word limits specified by the relevant Degree Committee .

Works will be considered as ‘published’ if they are traceable in ordinary catalogue and copies are obtainable at the time of application or were at some previous time by members of the public through normal channels.

The thesis must also be submitted in the approved format .

Assessment

The examination shall consist of submission of a thesis embodying the results of the candidate’s approved course of research, and examination on the general field of knowledge within which it falls.

Examiners will assess on the extent to which the thesis:

is clearly written;
fulfils the requirements for the degree.

The oral examination should 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 in the general field;
the Examiners to assure themselves that the work presented is the candidate’s own and to clarify matters of any collaboration; and
the Examiners to come to a definite conclusion about the outcome of the examination.

For MPhil programmes where the supplementary programme regulations state requirements for the examination, these shall be supplementary to the guidance detailed above.

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Applying within funding deadlines

If you would like to be considered for Cambridge University financial support and scholarships, you must make sure your application is submitted by the December University funding deadline ( https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/pcchpdpch/fin... ).

To apply for an MPhil or PhD in Chemistry use the University of Cambridge online Applicant Portal . To complete the submission you will need to have details of your referees, academic transcripts, CV, and an English language proficiency documentation (if required) ready to upload, this year you will also need to complete and upload a quick questionnaire to your application.

The first task before completing your online application is to identify one or more prospective supervisors whose research area interests you. If you do not indicate a prospective supervisor(s) your application will be severely delayed. To see who is accepting students please look at the tables on either the PhD or MPhil pages.

We encourage you to correspond with potential supervisors early and well in advance of submitting your application. The Postgraduate Admissions Open Day is a good opportunity to make connections by registering your interest with research groups in the department. Our experience is that most successful applications come from people who have researched what they want to study and with whom. Although success in the application process cannot be guaranteed, a well-researched, focused and thoroughly written application is the expectation.

Applications that are incomplete, lacking one or more academic references by the University deadline will not be considered.

Application Timeline

The Department will be conducting interviews by panels of at least two academic members of staff of shortlisted applicants. Most of these interviews will take place in January, but some groups (particularly Synthesis Research Interest Group) may schedule interviews in December. Successful applicants will be made offers and entered for the funding competition by mid-February.

There are several categories of outcomes you could fall into following your application submission. Please make a note of the dates below before contacting admissions regarding the status of your application:

Shortlisted scholarship eligible candidates interviewed for competition – January.
Entered into scholarship competition – your offer will be processed at Departmental level and you will be informed that you have been entered into the scholarship competition by mid-February. Candidates who require an offer for specific external funding should inform the graduate office of this before mid-February
Interviewed but not entered into scholarship competition – your application may be on hold until the outcome of the scholarship competition is known (this can be up to the end of June) in order to gauge available places. During this time, you may be offered a place if other funding becomes available – this should be discussed directly with your prospective supervisor . If you are able to self-fund, please indicate this on your application.
Not interviewed for scholarship competition - Your application will be considered with the gathered field for supervisor’s own funding. You will either receive a rejection or your application may be kept on hold until the outcome of the scholarship competition is known.

If you have not heard anything by April, please get in touch [email protected]

Applying after funding deadlines

Applicants who do not wish to apply for funding may apply until 16 May 2024 for PhD and 31 January 2024 for MPhil. We suggest that you apply at least 14 days before these deadlines in order that we can process your applications in a timely fashion.

To avoid disappointment, it is strongly recommended that you contact your preferred supervisor in advance of submitting an application to see whether they are still willing to consider applications as places are limited and may already have been filled.

What constitutes a "good" application?

Before applying, please carefully review the information available on our website.

In your application:

Supervisors - Familiarise yourself with the work conducted by or department/faculty/ and the research interests and projects of potential supervisors. This will help you identify the academic staff whose expertise aligns with your own research interests.
Research Experience - demonstrate your familiarity with related academic work in the field and how your relevant experience and aptitude makes you suited to independent research.
Research Interests - Identify and describe a novel research direction, considering why it is both interesting and relevant to pursue research in that particular area. Write clearly and concisely. Structure this section with headings such as introduction, proposed research etc. This is your chance to demonstrate your knowledge of the subject you want to research, and highlight your ideas for your PhD or MPhil.

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ESRC DTP Innovation Fellowships

We are looking for students with demonstrable academic potential, from all backgrounds, with an appetite for research and an aspiration towards a career in the humanities and social sciences.

How do I apply?

If you are interested in applying for a PhD place at Cambridge in the ESRC DTP, you should first contact one of our participating DTP Departments to discuss your interest in a studentship and to find out more about the supervision and training on offer.

Further information about the application process

You cannot apply directly to the ESRC DTP – you must be nominated by your Department once they have accepted you for admission to study.

All DTP applicants follow the University’s standard admission process. This is done via the Postgraduate Admissions Portal

When making your application, please ensure you indicate that you wish to be considered for funding.

If you are made an offer of admission, your Department will decide whether to nominate you for an ESRC DTP studentship.

Departments will consider all eligible applicants who have applied for admission by the appropriate funding deadline and have indicated they wish to be considered for ESRC funding;

Departments may nominate up to five candidates. Nominations are based on a fully-rounded assessment of your academic abilities, prior training, background and suitability for study at Cambridge;

If you are nominated by your department, you will be asked to complete a DTP nomination form which includes details of your prior training.

All nominations are reviewed by the DTP Management Executive Group.

DTP studentships are awarded on a competitive basis.

The DTP notifies each department of the outcome of its nominations. The department will then let you know if you have been successful or not.

Formal studentship offer letters are issued by the Student Registry in March.

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Applications to the cambridge biosciences dtp open in september/october with a december deadline. the dates for the next academic year will be announced soon., this is a fully funded programme, so an offer of a place will include full funding of your stipend (currently £19,237 for the academic year 2024-2025) as well as university fees., you can apply for a standard , targeted or icase studentship only or you can apply to different types of studentships in the same application . you will be able to indicate your choice in the application form. the programme is also open to international students (eu and non-eu)., apply for a standard studentship.

In a Standard studentship, students apply to a BBSRC Research Priority, not a specific project. After completing 2 rotations in different departments, they can select their PhD project. This studentship also includes a 3-month professional internship in an organisation of their choice as part of their PhD. We would recommend undertaking the internship between the second and third year of the PhD. However, the timing should be discussed and agreed with the supervisor and the host organisation. There is no need to contact a supervisor before submitting an application. However, we advise you to look through the Research Topics pages where supervisors are listed and although not required, you should feel free to contact them about potential projects in their lab. You can also contact supervisors listed on the websites of our affiliated departments and institutes to ask whether they will be likely to offer a rotation/PhD project.

Read more about the Standard studentship, including programme structure, Professional Internships, training and networking.

Before you apply

Check your eligibility

Applicants for this course should have achieved a UK Good II.i Honours Degree.
If your degree is not from the UK, please check International Qualifications to find the equivalent in your country.

Read more information about the eligibility criteria.

You will need to apply through the University’s Applicant Portal. The course is listed as the BBSRC DTP PhD in Biological Sciences .

Completing the application form:

Please indicate the main BBSRC research priority you wish to apply to.
Add 'Standard' in the ‘Project Title’ box.
You need to provide 2 academic and/or professional references.
You can submit your application before references have been submitted, however, applications must be complete and referees must submit their references by the deadline. If your application (including supporting documents) is not submitted by the relevant deadline, it will be withdrawn.

Read more information about References on the Postgraduate Study website .

After you apply

Applications are considered together as a gathered field after the closing date in December. Successful applicants will be notified in January and invited to attend an online interview in early February
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an online interview workshop a week before the interviews. A link will be sent in due course
This course is taking part in the University’s Contextual Admissions Pilot, a new selection procedure designed to promote contextualised understanding and to minimise bias. Find out more about Contextual Admissions .

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Apply for a Targeted studentship

In Targeted studentships, applicants select up to two options from a list of available projects. Students complete two rotations: one in the lab associated with the project applied for and another one will be carried out in a different lab, which is still chosen based on its relevance to the targeted project. This broader experience helps students gain a more comprehensive understanding of their research area. Students will also undertake a 3-month professional internship in an organisation of their choice as part of their PhD journey. Students must contact the supervisor(s) before submitting an application to discuss the project(s).

Read more about the Targeted studentship, including programme structure, Professional Internships, training and networking.

Check the list of available Targeted projects and contact supervisor(s)

You may select up to 2 different Targeted projects as part of your application.
You must contact the supervisor(s) before submitting your application to discuss the project.

Completing the application form

In the 'Statement of interest' please include the project code(s) and a statement of your interest in each project you have selected.
Applications are considered together as a gathered field after the closing date in December. Successful applicants will be notified in January and invited to attend an online interview in early February.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an online interview workshop. A link will be sent in due course.

Apply for an iCASE studentship

iCASE studentships offer a PhD in a University department with an internship with an industrial partner connected with the PhD project. Students select their preferred option from a list of available projects , which will include a minimum of 3 months internship with the industrial partner. Students must contact the supervisor(s) before applying.

Read more about the iCASE studentship, including programme structure, industrial partners, training and networking,

Check the list of available iCase projects and contact supervisor(s)

You may select up to 2 different iCASE projects as part of your application.
You need to provide 2 academic and/or professional references. Read more information about References on the Postgraduate Study website .

Apply for different types of studentships in one application

You don’t need to make a separate application if you would like to apply for different types of studentships (i.e. Standard, Targeted, iCASE). Please indicate your choice in the application (in the 'Project Title' box).

Check the list of available iCASE and Targeted projects and contact the supervisor(s)

You may select up to 2 different iCASE projects as part of your application
You must contact the supervisor(s) before submitting your application to discuss the project(s)
If you are interested in being considered for Targeted and iCASE projects, please insert the project codes in the 'Project Title' box in order of preference. You can choose up to 2 projects from the list available.
You can apply for a Standard studentship and 2 projects. If you want to do this, please insert the project codes and 'Standard' in the 'Project Title' box in order of preference.
In the 'Statement of interest' box, please include the project code(s) and a statement of your interest in each project you have selected.

International students (EU and non-EU) are eligible for all Research Council-funded postgraduate studentships, and the Cambridge Biosciences DTP will be able to offer a limited number of studentships to international students.

The Cambridge Biosciences DTP will cover the costs of student visas and health surcharge for any international BBSRC DTP students recruited and will also provide funding to cover both fees and a stipend to support living costs.

Information provided by: [email protected]

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Are you ready to become a University of Louisville graduate student? UofL is dedicated to helping you succeed!

Applying to the University of Louisville’s Graduate School takes six simple steps:

Know Your Program Requirements
Confirm Your Type of Application
Submit Your Graduate School Application
Submit Required Documents
Check Your Application Status
Connect with Your Director of Graduate Studies

Before Submitting Your Application

All candidates for admission to the University of Louisville graduate programs must complete the online Graduate Application . This includes students applying to begin a graduate program, transferring graduate programs, changing from non-degree to degree-seeking status, or adding a certificate program to an existing degree program. While applications for most programs are reviewed on a rolling basis, we recommend applicants consult their prospective departments or DGS for clarification on admissions deadlines and program-specific requirements, prior to completing the application.

Application Types

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Degree (New, Transfer, Dual Degree)

New Student: Applicant that is a senior or recent graduate, or who is applying to a different graduate program.

Transfer Student: Applicant of the same program from a different school.

Dual-Degree: Applicant pursuing two separate degrees simultaneously.

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Non-Degree and Certificate

Non-Degree: Applicant holding a bachelor's degree who does not desire to seek an advanced degree but wishes to take graduate course work. Please note that not all programs will admit students to non-degree status.

Certificate: Applicant holding a bachelor's degree (or other advanced degree) that wishes to pursue outlined certificate coursework.

Re-Admission

Readmit: Applicant that has previously attended UofL, had 2+ years since their last date of enrollment, and is planning to return to the same graduate program.

Applicant will need to contact their department to confirm eligibility for re-admission.

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Soaring Scholar

Applicant that is a current UofL undergraduate student beginning their final 30 credit hours and wishing to fast-track their graduate education.

Learn more about becoming a Soaring Scholar today!

Other Applications for Admission

Students applying to the following degree programs are required to submit their application and all required materials through a different system than the Graduate School’s application:


	MSN, DNP, Nursing PhD
	Communicative Disorders (MS), Audiology (DAU)
	Health Administration (MS), Health Administration (MS)-ONLINE
	All MPH programs (regardless of concentration)

You will not need to complete a secondary application through the Graduate School application system if you have applied to one of the above programs. Applicants will be notified via email when the application has been moved to UofL’s application portal.

Understanding Your Admissions Status Portal Checklist

Throughout your admissions process, your Admissions Status Portal Checklist is here to help ensure that you have submitted all required documents for your application to the University of Louisville.

Learn more about your portal checklist today!

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Advance your career in an inspiring coastal environment—or from wherever you are. We offer flexible graduate programs in a variety of disciplines, from business and tech to education and social work.

If you’re interested in pursuing a graduate degree or certificate at Cal State Monterey Bay, this page outlines everything you need to know about the application process.

Important Dates and Deadlines for Applicants

Spring 2025.


Master of Instructional Science & Technology (MIST) - Blended	8/1/2024	10/31/2024	10/31/2024
Master of Instructional Science & Technology (MIST) - Online	8/1/2024	10/31/2024	10/31/2024
Master of Business Administration (MBA)	6/1/2024	11/15/24	11/22/24
Instructional Science & Technology - Blended Certificate	8/1/2024	10/31/2024	10/31/2024
Instructional Science & Technology - Online Certificate	8/1/2024	10/31/2024	10/31/2024

Steps to Apply

Applicants must meet both Cal State University Monterey Bay’s official admission requirements and the individual graduate, credential, or certificate program’s specific admission requirements.

At the time of enrollment, an applicant must meet either the Undergraduate Degree requirements or Post-baccalaureate Degree requirements outlined below.

Undergraduate Degree Requirements

Submitted official documents and transcripts to the CSUMB Office of Admissions from all colleges and universities attended, and
Be in good standing at the last school attended, and
Completed a four-year college course of study and hold an acceptable baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution, and
Earned a cumulative baccalaureate degree grade point average of at least a 2.50 or a grade point average of at least 2.50 in the last 60 semester units (90 quarter units) attempted, and
Meet all program-specific admission requirements.

Post-baccalaureate Degree Requirements

Hold an acceptable post-baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution.
Earned a cumulative post-baccalaureate degree grade point average of at least a 2.50 or a grade point average of at least 2.50 in the last 60 semester units (90 quarter units) attempted, and

Each graduate degree and certificate program has its own set of admission criteria. Please take a moment to review information for your area of interest.

Find Your Graduate Program

To apply to CSUMB, you’ll first need to register for an account with The California State University centralized admissions website, Cal State Apply. Once your account is created, you can immediately begin your application for admission.

Create or Update Your Cal State Apply Account

Begin your application through Cal State Apply; the website will guide you through the steps. Don’t worry; you can save your work and come back later.

You’ll start by selecting the term you wish to apply for, and then you’ll be able to select your campus and desired program.

To get started, you should have the following information on hand:

Social security number
Citizenship status
Annual income
Credit/debit card or PayPal account for $70 application fee

Download the Cal State Graduate Admission Guide

Go to Cal State Apply

In addition to your application, you may be required to submit additional materials, such as official high school and college transcripts, letters of recommendation, a resume/CV, or an admission essay.

Be sure to check your program-specific requirements for guidance.

Be sure to complete the online application and get in any supplemental materials by the deadline for your desired term.

Once you submit your application through Cal State Apply, you will also receive instructions on how to access your CSUMB dashboard.

You’ll be able to check the status of your application at your CSUMB dashboard, as well as see a checklist of next steps. You will also receive updates and reminders about the process.

Please check with your program of interest for more details about when to expect your admission decision. Decisions are often released on a rolling basis.

Students admitted to Cal State Monterey Bay will receive information about next steps, including financial aid options, housing (if applicable), and orientation.

Why Cal State Monterey Bay?

Located on the central California coast, our inspiring location opens you up to a wealth of opportunities. We’re proud to be recognized as one of the top schools for social mobility in the West.

Additional Admissions Resources

Find your program.

Cal State Monterey Bay offers a variety of master’s and certificate programs to help you advance your potential.

Explore Financial Aid Options

Graduate students may be eligible for financial aid programs, such as grants, scholarships, loans, and teaching assistantships.

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Cambridge is an outstanding place to work on Anglophone literature. Students and scholars benefit from world-class libraries, and from each other. The PhD cohort is diverse and large in number. No particular area or approach is preferred. Faculty members who act as supervisors and advisors for doctoral theses work on a great variety of topics and in varied ways. Proposals of all kinds are therefore welcome: from little-known as well as canonical authors, innovative and interdisciplinary perspectives, and more traditional thematic, theoretical, cultural, and literary-historical perspectives. Regular postgraduate training sessions offer guidance at every stage of the process - from first-year assessment to learning to teach to applying for jobs. In addition to the formal training, there are excellent opportunities for the sorts of enriching conversations and collaborations that emerge informally, between fellow PhDs, MPhils, and Faculty members. Some of these take place under the auspices of the student-run Graduate Research Forum. Regular Research Seminars focus on particular periods and fields (for instance, Medieval, Nineteenth Century, Postcolonial and Related Literatures); these combine internal and invited speakers, and encourage discussions and relationships between the entire research community. The Faculty also puts on occasional conferences on all manner of topics; like the research seminars, many of the most successful and exciting ones are conceived of and run by PhD students.

MPhil students in English Studies who wish to continue to the PhD must apply for admission through the University's admission processes, taking funding and application deadlines into consideration. Readmission is not automatic and each application is considered on its own merits. The expected standard for continuation is an overall mark of at least 70 in the MPhil course, including at least 70 for the dissertation. Other conditions may be imposed.

The University hosts and attends fairs and events throughout the year, in the UK and across the world. We also offer online events to help you explore your options:

Discover Cambridge: Master’s and PhD study webinars - these Spring events provide practical information about applying for postgraduate study.

Postgraduate Virtual Open Days - taking place in November each year, the Open Days focus on subject and course information.

For more information about upcoming events visit our events pages .

Key Information

3-4 years full-time, 4-7 years part-time, study mode : research, doctor of philosophy, faculty of english, course - related enquiries, application - related enquiries, course on department website, dates and deadlines:, michaelmas 2025.

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Easter 2026

Funding deadlines.

These deadlines apply to applications for courses starting in Michaelmas 2025, Lent 2026 and Easter 2026.

Similar Courses

English Studies MPhil
Literature, Culture and Thought (Taught) MPhil
Literature, Culture and Thought (Research) MPhil
Asian and Middle Eastern Studies by Research (Korean Studies) MPhil
Asian and Middle Eastern Studies by Research (Japanese Studies) MPhil

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Senior Scientist, Chemistry (BS or MS)

About the role.

Internal Job Title – Senior Scientist I

Position Location: Cambridge, MA, onsite

The Chemical Genetics group in Cambridge, MA, is seeking a highly motivated, curious, and innovative scientist to boost our endeavor in the discovery, development, and characterization of small molecules affecting defined phenotypes with the goal of uncovering and validating novel therapeutics and drug targets. We are a highly collaborative and global group of chemists and biologists dynamically exploring the interface of chemistry and biology in initiating, leading, and progressing team-oriented projects in early drug discovery. This group is part of the larger Discovery Sciences (DSc) department that encompasses the full-spectrum of sophisticated capabilities needed to succeed in a state-of-the-art drug discovery biopharma laboratory. This position will collaborate closely with research teams within DSc, as well as across diverse Disease Areas.

Your key responsibilities:

Applying your chemistry expertise to prosecute on hits from biochemical or phenotypic screens
Small molecule design, multi-step synthesis and optimization, including exploration of structure activity relationships and synthesis of chemical probes for addressing impactful biological and conceptual questions.
Frequent oral data communication/presentation across a spectrum of skillsets and levels, engagement of internal and external partners and collaborators.
Organizational skills for design, tracking, and communication experiments and data.

Essential requirements:

A B.S. or M.S. degree in Chemistry and 5+ years experience in academia or industry, with demonstrated ability in one or more of the following: synthetic organic chemistry, drug discovery, chemical biology, chemical probe design. This is not a PhD-level position.
Proficiency in broad array of chemical synthesis techniques, chemical probe design and development, characterization and purification of new molecular entities/modalities. Experience with common spectroscopy (NMR, IR, UV, MS), analytical techniques and chromatography purification systems is required
A comprehensive knowledge of modern organic synthetic methods; medicinal chemistry, chemical biology knowledge is a plus
Track record of innovation, efficient hypothesis testing, and execution of outside-the-box approaches to tackle challenging scientific problems.
Ability to design, perform, analyze, and interpret data to propose next steps in both experimental and project design and overall strategy.
Highly self-motivated, fast learner, flexible, innovative and fearless.
Thrives in an interdisciplinary, team-oriented and collaborative environments.

Why Novartis: Our purpose is to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people’s lives and our vision is to become the most valued and trusted medicines company in the world. How can we achieve this? With our people. It is our associates that drive us each day to reach our ambitions. Be a part of this mission and join us! Learn more here: https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture

You’ll receive: You can find everything you need to know about our benefits and rewards in the Novartis Life Handbook: https://www.novartis.com/careers/benefits-rewards

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion / EEO: The Novartis Group of Companies are Equal Opportunity Employers and take pride in maintaining a diverse environment. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. We are committed to building diverse teams, representative of the patients and communities we serve, and we strive to create an inclusive workplace that cultivates bold innovation through collaboration and empowers our people to unleash their full potential.

Novartis Compensation and Benefit Summary: The pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between $97,600 to $146,400/year; however, while salary ranges are effective from 1/1/24 through 12/31/24, fluctuations in the job market may necessitate adjustments to pay ranges during this period. Further, final pay determinations will depend on various factors, including, but not limited to geographical location, experience level, knowledge, skills, and abilities. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, including a sign-on bonus, restricted stock units, and discretionary awards in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits (including 401(k) eligibility and various paid time off benefits, such as vacation, sick time, and parental leave), dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

Join our Novartis Network: If this role is not suitable to your experience or career goals but you wish to stay connected to hear more about Novartis and our career opportunities, join the Novartis Network here: https://talentnetwork.novartis.com/network

Why Novartis: Helping people with disease and their families takes more than innovative science. It takes a community of smart, passionate people like you. Collaborating, supporting and inspiring each other. Combining to achieve breakthroughs that change patients’ lives. Ready to create a brighter future together? https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture

Join our Novartis Network: Not the right Novartis role for you? Sign up to our talent community to stay connected and learn about suitable career opportunities as soon as they come up: https://talentnetwork.novartis.com/network

Benefits and Rewards: Read our handbook to learn about all the ways we’ll help you thrive personally and professionally: https://www.novartis.com/careers/benefits-rewards

EEO Statement:

The Novartis Group of Companies are Equal Opportunity Employers who are focused on building and advancing a culture of inclusion that values and celebrates individual differences, uniqueness, backgrounds and perspectives. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace that reflects the world around us and connects us to the patients, customers and communities we serve.

Accessibility & Reasonable Accommodations

The Novartis Group of Companies are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or to perform the essential functions of a position, please send an e-mail to [email protected] or call +1(877)395-2339 and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.

A female Novartis scientist wearing a white lab coat and glasses, smiles in front of laboratory equipment.

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COMMENTS

Doctor of Philosophy
A Cambridge PhD is intellectually demanding and you will need to have a high level of attainment and motivation to pursue this programme of advanced study and research. In most faculties a candidate is expected to have completed one year of postgraduate study, normally on a research preparation masters course, prior to starting a PhD.
Applying to Cambridge
Register for the Applicant Portal. Applications to Cambridge are made through the Applicant Portal. Once you have selected your course in the Course Directory, click the 'Apply Now' button to be directed to the Applicant Portal to start your application. You can save your application at any stage and return to it later to complete.
How do I apply?
Making an application. Go to the Course Directory and find the course you wish to apply for. Click the 'Apply Now' button on the course page (this will open the Applicant Portal). Register for an account or log in to the Applicant Portal. Once you're logged in, you can: create an application. request and track your references.
Higher doctorates
An application for a Higher Doctorate can be made by: A graduate of the University of Cambridge of not less than eight years standing from admission to his/her first degree (to qualify as a graduate, a candidate must have a degree - qualifications such as diplomas and certificates are not degrees). A person who has been admitted:
PhD Course Information
Working away from Cambridge. It is possible to apply for leave to work away from Cambridge for a maximum of 3 terms at a time Some PhD students find this is useful if they wish to work with a supervisor who is external to the University of Cambridge for some of their PhD study. More information on the process of how to apply for leave to work ...
The PhD programme
The Faculty of Law The David Williams Building 10 West Road Cambridge CB3 9DZ United Kingdom. Telephone: +44 1223 330033 Email: [email protected]. Finance overview Funding How to apply The PhD is awarded after three to four years of full-time research (or five to seven years of part-time study) on the basis of a dissertation of 80,000 ...
PhD in Chemistry
PhD in Chemistry. Entry requirement: 2.1 Masters degree or equivalent. Please check international qualifications equivalence guidelines here. Coming to Cambridge for a PhD in Chemistry means you will be joining a community of over 50 academics, 350 PhD students and more than 200 postdoctoral researchers. The research opportunities are vast and ...
PhD
Applying; Events and open days; Fees and finance; Postgraduate. Postgraduate courses; How to apply; ... Industry placements for PhD students can be hugely beneficial for all concerned. We hear from two former students and the companies they worked for. ... The University of Cambridge has received new government and industrial funding to support ...
The PhD
Part-time PhD. The part-time PhD course is 5-7 years in length. Part-time research students are expected to be in Cambridge for around 45 days per year, spread throughout the year, for lectures, supervision and other training. International students who require a student visa to study in the UK are expected to apply for the full-time programme.
PhD in Education Programme : Faculty of Education
PhD Programme Structure. The first year builds community amongst doctoral students and provides sessions designed to inspire multi-disciplinary discussions. At the end of the first year students submit a registration report with their detailed research plans, and attend a registration viva. Upon passing the viva, students are formally ...
Application procedure
Step 1 - Identify a potential supervisor/supervisors. Prospective PhD and MPhil students must nominate a prospective supervisor on their application. It is essential that applicants contact a prospective supervisor, and receive their support to apply, before submitting their application.
Postgraduate Study
Book your place now for the 2024 Virtual Postgraduate Open Days 1 of 4. Watch our short guide to postgraduate study at Cambridge. 2 of 4. Advice from our students and things to consider before applying. 3 of 4. Students discuss their experiences of applying and studying here. 4 of 4.
PhD under Special Regulations
An application can be made by: A graduate of the University of Cambridge, of not less than six years standing from admission to their first degree (to qualify as a graduate, a candidate must have a degree - qualifications such as diplomas and certificates are not degrees); and who. EITHER (a) is of not less than six years' standing from ...
How to Apply
The following must be submitted with your application*: A detailed research proposal. This should be no more than 2,500 words (including footnotes and titles, but not including a bibliography). It should outline the subject of the intended research and thesis. It can indicate the methodology to be adopted and the sources to be used, and give a ...
Faculty of English
Applications are first considered by the Faculty and then potential supervisors are consulted. If you are applying for the PhD you may be asked to interview in person, by telephone or online at this stage. Successful applications are then offered to the Colleges of the student's choice, and may be then passed on to the second or third choice.
How to Apply
This is in addition to information provided on the application form. 6. Writing sample (not more than 5,000 words) This could be a published article or an essay from the student's Bachelor or Master programme, where possible relevant to Development Studies. Entry Requirements The Centre of Development Studies PhD programme has high academic ...
Requirements for research degrees
Requirements for research degrees. Doctorate (PhD, EdD, EngD, PhD by Special Regulations) Doctoral degrees are awarded to those who have demonstrated all of the criteria below: is of a quality and quantity to reflect three years of full-time postgraduate study/five years part-time postgraduate study. Master of Science/Master of Letters.
How to apply
To apply for an MPhil or PhD in Chemistry use the University of Cambridge online Applicant Portal. To complete the submission you will need to have details of your referees, academic transcripts, CV, and an English language proficiency documentation (if required) ready to upload, this year you will also need to complete and upload a quick ...
Cambridge ESRC: How to Apply
How do I apply? If you are interested in applying for a PhD place at Cambridge in the ESRC DTP, you should first contact one of our participating DTP Departments to discuss your interest in a studentship and to find out more about the supervision and training on offer. Further information about the application process
Entry requirements
Academic. Postgraduate study at the University of Cambridge is intense and very intellectually demanding, so the University has high academic entry requirements. You are normally expected to hold or to have achieved by the start of your course: minimum of a good upper second class (good 2:1) honours degree from a UK university or an equivalent ...
How to apply
Applying. You will need to apply through the University's Applicant Portal. The course is listed as the BBSRC DTP PhD in Biological Sciences. Completing the application form. In the 'Statement of interest' please include the project code (s) and a statement of your interest in each project you have selected.
How to Apply
A Personalized Education to Empower Your Future . Discover the stunning beauty of Cal State Monterey Bay, where coastal life meets a vibrant, inclusive campus community. Immerse yourself in a transformative educational journey and open doors to a lifetime of possibilities and rewards.
How to Apply
All candidates for admission to the University of Louisville graduate programs must complete the online Graduate Application. This includes students applying to begin a graduate program, transferring graduate programs, changing from non-degree to degree-seeking status, or adding a certificate program to an existing degree program.
Application deadlines
Course deadline. Funding deadline. You must apply by whichever deadline comes first. This will depend on the course you have chosen and your funding status. If your application (including supporting documents) is not submitted by the relevant deadline, it will be withdrawn. All application deadlines are 23:59pm (midnight) UK time on the stated ...
Graduate
We offer flexible graduate programs in a variety of disciplines, from business and tech to education and social work. If you're interested in pursuing a graduate degree or certificate at Cal State Monterey Bay, this page outlines everything you need to know about the application process. Important Dates and Deadlines for Applicants Spring 2025
PhD in English
Continuing. MPhil students in English Studies who wish to continue to the PhD must apply for admission through the University's admission processes, taking funding and application deadlines into consideration. Readmission is not automatic and each application is considered on its own merits. The expected standard for continuation is an overall ...
Senior Scientist, Chemistry (BS or MS)
Internal Job Title - Senior Scientist IPosition Location: Cambridge, MA, onsiteThe Chemical Genetics group in Cambridge, MA, is seeking a highly motivated, curious, and innovative scientist to boost our endeavor in the discovery, development, and characterization of small molecules affecting defined phenotypes with the goal of uncovering and validating novel therapeutics and drug targets. We ...


Course length	3-4 years Full-Time \| 5-7 years Part-Time
Number of students admitted 2023	40 Full-Time \| 6 Part-Time
	11 Home \| 35 Overseas

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The unschooled anthropologist working with Q'eqchi' weavers

Cambridge receives new funding to support PhD students in science and engineering

Postgraduate Open Day 2017 - meet our postgrads

Step inside the mind of the young Stephen Hawking as his PhD thesis goes online for first time

Astrazeneca and Cambridge announce new joint PhD and clinical research scholarships

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