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Welcome to the Cambridge University Department of Oncology for your post-graduate training. The training program for your further degree is outlined in this booklet. Most students begin their post-graduate studies at the beginning of October (Michaelmas term) and the dates for various deadlines given in this booklet make that assumption.
Welcome to the Cambridge University Department of Oncology for your post-graduate training. The training program for your further degree is outlined in this booklet. Most students begin their post-graduate studies at the beginning of October (Michaelmas term) and the dates for various deadlines given in this booklet make that assumption.
Welcome to the Cambridge University Department of Oncology for your post-graduate training. The training program for your further degree is outlined in this booklet. Most students begin their post-graduate studies at the beginning of October (Michaelmas term) and the dates for various deadlines given in this booklet make that assumption.
Produced by Dr. Hayley Woffendin and Dr. Ann Kaminski. 2
Contents
Page Introduction ............................................................. 3 The Clinical School .................................................... 4 The Graduate School of Life Sciences ......................... 4 The Degree Committee of Medical ......................... 4 & Veterinary Sciences Departmental Graduate Education Committee ................ 5 Where to get help & advice ........................................... 7 Graduate Societies .................................................... 8 Plagiarism ............................................................. 9 Supervisors ............................................................. 10 PhD course ............................................................. 11 - Course description ........................................... 11 - Talks, seminars and conferences ............................ 12 - Transferable Skills ........................................... 13 - Course Timetable ........................................... 17 Year 1 .................................................... 17 Year 2 .................................................... 23 Year 3 .................................................... 26 Year 4 .................................................... 31 - Frequently asked questions .................................. 33 MPhil course ............................................................. 36 - Course description ........................................... 36 - Talks, seminars and conferences ......................... 37 - Transferable Skills ........................................... 38 - Course Timetable ........................................... 39 - Frequently asked questions .................................. 47
3 Introduction
Welcome to the Cambridge University Department of Oncology for your post- graduate training. The training program for your further degree is outlined in this booklet.
Most students begin their post-graduate studies at the beginning of October (Michaelmas term) and the dates for various deadlines given in this handbook make that assumption. However, if you start at the beginning of the Lent or Easter terms, your deadlines will have to be adjusted accordingly, which is a relatively simple process, however, if you are in doubt contact Hayley Woffendin for guidance.
The Department is split between several buildings on or close to the Addenbrookes site, which is located on the south side of Cambridge. The Department has a multi-national character with staff and students from all over the world.
Being a Research Student is very different from being an undergraduate student or a student on a taught graduate course; probably the greatest difference is that it will be largely up to you to decide what you are going to do on a day-to- day basis. You will carry out your research under the guidance of a personal Supervisor, but you will also have the support of a Second Supervisor with whom you will meet from time to time to discuss aspects of your work and your progress.
Please do make use of all the support and help that is available to you.
We hope that studying with us will be a positive, informative and enjoyable experience and that you will achieve your goals.
Professor Sir Bruce Ponder Head of Department
Dr Anna Philpott Director of Graduate Education Dept. of Oncology ap113@cam.ac.uk Departmental website www.oncology.cam.ac.uk
4 The Clinical School and Graduate Students
As well as being a member of the Department of Oncology, you are a member of a wider body of students based at the Clinical School. The Clinical School Graduate Education Committee organises at least 3 events a year for the Clinical School graduate community and you are strongly encouraged to attend. As well as counting towards your transferable skills training (TST), care is taken to organise relevant events that will be of interest, and it is an invaluable opportunity to meet with other students on the site, to help you gain an idea of the breadth of knowledge and expertise you can draw upon. These events are usually well publicised by e-mail. In particular, the Clinical School usually organises a Summer Symposium, where students present posters and talks amongst themselves. As well as being an excellent experience, Oncology has a good record in winning cash prizes at this event, so you are strongly encouraged to contribute.
University of Cambridge Graduate School of Life Sciences
The Graduate School of Life Sciences includes both University Departments and affiliated Institutes. As all of our Graduate Students are registered for their PhDs with the University of Cambridge, they are automatically members of the School.
The aims of the Graduate School are to provide a resource for all Graduate Students. It aims to enhance the experience of all students by offering the finest environment for personal and academic development, for which it co-ordinates a broad portfolio of transferable and professional development courses.
The Graduate School covers life sciences students at the Hospital, as well as the central Departments and other outlying Institutes. The Graduate School also organises events from time to time, including a compulsory induction course in early October. In particular, a nice welcome party follows on from this in town, which you may well want to attend; it will help you gain a better idea of what is going on across Cambridge University Life Sciences as a whole.
The Degree Committee of Medical and Veterinary Sciences
This is a Committee consisting of academics who perform important tasks such as: appointment of PhD examiners, deciding on deferment of submission and, most importantly, assessing viva reports to decide if a degree can be awarded. You are likely to come in contact with the Degree Committee only via submission of various forms, e.g. in the unlikely event that you overrun your 4 years, when you want to have your Dissertation abstract approved etc. Your Supervisor should be able to guide you 5 through these processes, although all forms are available online from via your CamSIS Self Service account. Administrative questions can also be directed to Anna Philpott (Oncology Director of Graduate Education), Hayley Woffendin (Oncology Scientific Administrator & Graduate Student Administrator), Christine Fox and Ireena Dutta (MRC Cancer Cell Unit Graduate Student Administrators) and Ann Kaminski (Cambridge Research Institute Graduate Student Administrator).
Department of Oncology Graduate Education Committee
This Committee advises on all matters pertaining to Graduate Students in the Department of Oncology and ensures liaison between those responsible for graduate education in the various buildings that comprise the Department.
Current members of the Committee are:
Ireena Dutta (MRC Cancer Cell Unit) Christine Fox (MRC Cancer Cell Unit) Phil Jones - (MRC Cancer Cell Unit) Ann Kaminski (Cambridge Research Institute) Gillian Murphy (University) Anna Philpott Chair (University) Vicki Sparkes (University) Hayley Woffendin Secretary (University)
Contact details for committee members:
Ireena Dutta Scientific Communications Manager & Graduate Student Administrator MRC Cancer Cell Unit Hutchison/MRC Research Centre Tel: 01223 763289 Email: id207@hutchison-mrc.cam.ac.uk
Christine Fox Group Leaders Secretary & Graduate Student Administrator MRC Cancer Cell Unit Hutchison/MRC Research Centre Tel: 01223 763292 Email: cf208@hutchison-mrc.cam.ac.uk
6 Phil Jones Director of Graduate Education MRC Cancer Cell Unit Hutchison/MRC Research Centre Tel: 01223 763379 Email: phj20@hutchison-mrc.cam.ac.uk
Ann Kaminski Scientific Administrator & Graduate Student Administrator CRUK Cambridge Research Institute Li Ka Shing CRUK Cambridge Research Institute Tel: 01223 404206 Email: ann.kaminski@cancer.org.uk
Gillian Murphy Deputy Head of Department of Oncology Li Ka Shing CRUK Cambridge Research Institute Tel: 01223 404470 Email: gm290@cam.ac.uk
Anna Philpott Director of Graduate Education Department of Oncology Hutchison/MRC Research Centre Tel: 01223 762675 Email: ap113@cam.ac.uk
Vicki Sparkes Business & Operations Manager Department of Oncology Hutchison/MRC Research Centre Tel: 01223 763262 Email: vas33@cam.ac.uk
Hayley Woffendin Scientific Administrator & Graduate Student Administrator Department of Oncology Hutchison/MRC Research Centre Tel: 01223 768673 Email: hbw21@cam.ac.uk
7 Where to get advice
Being a student can be a stressful time. You may have worries about your studies, financial concerns, or problems with relationships with your Supervisor or other members of your lab. In addition, there are always the difficulties associated with living far away from home and family and friends. Most students face at least some of these difficulties during their study period.
In these circumstances, it is best to speak to your Principal Supervisor, your Second Supervisor or College Tutor. However, if that is not desirable (and you just want a friendly shoulder to cry on) then please come and speak to Ireena Dutta or Christine Fox (MRC CCU), Ann Kaminski (CRI), Anna Philpott or Hayley Woffendin (all Oncology students). They are independent, non-judgmental and willing to offer a sympathetic ear.
If you feel your concerns are so serious that you wish to make a complaint, then please consult the Universitys Student Handbook for advice and information about the Universitys complaints procedure: http://www.cam.ac.uk/staffstudents/studenthandbook/complaints.html
For further information, help & advice
The Student Registry website provides useful information about:
Information for new and current graduate students; Information for International students, including visa applications; CamSIS and how to manage your student profile; University Policy & Guidance and code of practice; Resources, support and training; Submitting your Dissertation and examination procedures; Graduate course costs; and Student complaints & appeals procedures.
The Graduate School of Life Sciences website also provides information about:
University regulations and guidance for Degrees and programmes; Funding; Departments within the School; Research Themes database; Skills development; Contact information for key personnel within the School; and Answers to frequently asked questions.
The Hutchison/MRC Research Centre and the CRUK Cambridge Research Institute (CRI) each have Graduate Societies coordinated by a group of PhD students who organise both academic and social events. If you are based in another building but would like to take part in these events, please contact the Graduate Society reps from each institute, or Anna Philpott. And do get involved involvement in organising the graduate Society and its events counts towards your transferable skills credits.
9 Plagiarism The University of Cambridge Guidelines
Statement for graduate students In general, plagiarism can be defined as: the unacknowledged use of the work of others as if this were your own original work. Such use of unfair means will not be tolerated by the University; if detected, the penalty may be severe and may lead to failure to obtain your degree. The Golden Rule: The examiners must be in no doubt as to which parts of your Dissertation are your own original work and which are the rightful property of someone else.
Universitys plagiarism policy For further information, please consult the Universitys plagiarism policy, which is now available online at: http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/plagiarism/
These web pages provide guidance about how to conform to the academic conventions used at the University and to raise awareness of plagiarism and how to avoid it. They also set out the policies and procedures to be followed if plagiarism or collusion is suspected in work submitted for examination.
Topics covered for students include:
the University-wide statement on plagiarism; guidance from faculties and departments about local conventions; your responsibilities, why plagiarism matters, using commercial organisations and essay banks, how the University detects and disciplines plagiarism; information about referencing and study skills; FAQs; resources and sources of support. 10 Principal Supervisor and Second Supervisor
At the beginning of your studies, you should all know who your Principal Supervisor is! He/she is in charge of overseeing your research on a day- to-day basis. Occasionally (i.e. during very busy periods) your Principal Supervisor may need to delegate experimental supervision to a senior member of the research team, who is unlikely to be your Second Supervisor. This is fine as long as you liaise regularly with your Principal Supervisor and that they have a firm grasp of exactly what is going on. For those Principal Supervisors who do not monitor you on a daily basis, we would expect that you to meet semi-formally at least once a month. If you feel that your Principal Supervisor is too elusive, you should seek advice from your Second Supervisor, in the first instance.
Your Second Supervisor, generally assigned by your Principal Supervisor before you arrive, is another Group Leader or equivalent who is independent from your day-to-day research and research group, who can offer impartial advice. Some students only see their Second Supervisors at the infrequent formal meetings detailed below, although others make much more use of this invaluable resource. Second Supervisors are always available and are a useful first port of call if you are having problems that you would rather not discuss with your Principal Supervisor or, indeed, problems with your Principal Supervisor!
11 PhD course of study
On commencement of your studies, you will be engaged in solving a research problem lasting 3-4 years that will ultimately earn you a PhD degree. To successfully achieve this goal, you will need to be highly motivated, learn to balance experimental work at the bench with analysis of results, literature surveys and planning the next step. You will also need to balance a focus on your own project with informing yourself about the larger world of science through reading the scientific journals and attending seminars and conferences. The whole process will teach you not only how to perform techniques, but will also provide you with the invaluable skill of logical thinking that should serve you well in the future.
The ideal programme of study for a PhD will:
- Comprise a period of sustained in-depth study of a specific topic.
- Require the student to critically examine the background literature relevant to their specific research area.
- Provide the student with an environment that encourages originality and creativity in their research.
- Give the student an opportunity to develop skills in making and testing hypotheses, in developing new theories, and in planning and conducting experiments.
- Provide the opportunity to enlarge the students view of their broader research area, its theoretical foundations and the specific techniques used to study it.
- Provide, through constructive feedback of written work and oral presentations, an opportunity for the student to develop skills in written work, oral presentation and in publishing the results of their research in high-profile scientific journals.
- Discover something new!
12 Talks, seminars and conferences Attendance of the Lectures in Cancer Biology seminar series is compulsory for all first year graduate students and clinical fellows in the Department of Oncology. The lectures are given by senior members of the Department of Oncology, Cambridge Research Institute (CRI) and the Hutchison/MRC Research Centre, the aim being to provide all researchers with a solid background in cancer biology, covering basic biology through to translational applications.
Chalk talks are held in the Hutchison/MRC Building and provide a forum for graduate students and postdocs to present their work to the rest of the building. Graduate students based outside the Hutchison/MRC Building are also encouraged to attend. It is important you attend, both to learn what others are doing and also to lend your support to fellow students. Attendance at 80% of chalk talks will also earn you transferable skills training credits.
If your PhD is in an area you are not familiar with, your Supervisor may suggest that you attend undergraduate lectures in that field. As a member of the University, you are entitled to attend any lectures you or your Supervisor consider appropriate (although if the class size is small, as it is for some final year lectures, it is polite to introduce yourself to the lecturer at the beginning).
13 Transferable Skills Training
All PhD students are required to undertake transferable skills training. This can vary from compulsory safety courses, voluntary courses in e.g. bioinformatics, to personal development courses. In addition, a host of other activities such as making and presenting a poster, giving a talk, attending seminars and giving journal clubs can all be counted towards your TST tally.
You are required to collect 20 credits per year, each being nominally equivalent to about half a day. On arrival, you will be asked to attend a compulsory induction session organised by the Graduate School of Life Sciences, where centrally organised TST opportunities will be explained. You should also discuss with your Supervisor, both at the beginning of the course and throughout the year, which TSTs would be most useful. Please note that you are expected to get 20 TST credits EVERY year, not just your first!
You must keep a TST log to record attendance/training opportunities that must be countersigned by your Supervisor. A copy must be bound in the back of your First, Second and Third year reports. Please note, the Department does audit these and we are required to make a return to the central University.
Credit Allocations for Transferable Skills Training Activities
Tables detailing how TST credits are allocated are given on pages 14 -16 of this handbook. In addition, further information about the range of courses organised by or for the Graduate School, as well as links to some online and external resources can be found on the Graduate School website: http://www.biomed.cam.ac.uk/gradschool/skills.html. If you are in doubt as to whether something counts as a TST (or how many credits), please ask your Supervisor or Anna Philpott.
Students should consult the tables on pages 14 -16 of this handbook to determine how many credits they should receive for participation in a particular training activity. The majority of taught courses are credited pro-rata, with one credit equivalent to approximately half a days training (e.g. attending the one-day Teaching Undergraduates course will earn you two credits); Graduate Education Committee morning or afternoon courses lasting two hours or more will usually be allotted one credit. Other activities in which the transferable skills element is only a part, such as writing your First Year Report, have fixed credits allotted to them. You can find these listed in the table.
If you have taken part in an activity for which you cannot find the credit rating, you should ask your Departmental Graduate Education Committee Chair, if it is a departmentally-based activity, or email the Graduate School office.
14
Activity Year Transferable Skills Developed Credits
Induction events Safety courses, introductory sessions on libraries, ethics, literature searching, IP, data management, presentation skills etc. 1 Various Pro-rata- or may be assigned by department First Year Report and Assessment 1 Scientific report writing. Computer skills (Word, Excel). 6 Departmental Seminar Presentation Any Communication and presentation skills. I.T. skills. 4 Poster Presentation Any Communication, oral, written and illustrative presentation skills, research skills, I.T. skills. 4 Web-page development Any Writing and uploading of web material, understanding platform compatibility, web communication skills. 4 Costed PhD Research Proposal (Wellcome 4-Yr students) 1 Project management skills, processes for funding and evaluation of research, scientific writing and communication, career management. 6 Presenting at a Journal Club (seminars with fellow research students) Any Communication, critical analysis of published data, team working. 2 Planning research project e.g. via use of Gannt charts in Biotechnology 1 Project management skills, personal effectiveness. 4 Write Scientific paper for submission Any Communication, scientific writing skills, professional development. Up to 6 Supervisor to allocate according to input Attending external Symposium/ Conference Any Networking, professional development and career management. 2 Presentation at external Symposium/ Conference Any Communication, scientific writing and presentation skills, professional development and career management. 4
15 Activity Year Transferable Skills Developed Credits
Science on Saturday (or other schools or general public targeted activity) Any Communication with general public, public understanding of science, presentation skills 3 Serving on Departmental or School committee Any Understanding organization of research/teaching institution. Teamwork. Personal effectiveness. 2 Attendance of Cancer in Biology seminar series Any Compulsory (attendance of 75% talks/year) 1
Graduate School Courses Numerous Transferable Skills Training courses are available through the Graduate School, of which a small number of examples are given below. All Graduate School courses are credited pro rata. You should consult the individual course booking page for confirmation of the number of credits allotted to a particular course.
UK-Grad residential course or Grad School equivalent 2/3 Various: personal effectiveness, team work
4,6,10 Other Graduate School courses e.g. Any Various Pro-rata - Teaching Undergraduates Teaching and assessing students - How to write your dissertation Scientific writing and dissertation planning, career development - Identifying and Commercializing Intellectual Property Recognizing, protecting and exploiting research results of commercial value - Communicating with the Public Communication with general public, working with the media, public understanding of science, presentation skills Bioinformatics course Any Bioinformatics Pro-rata CRUISE statistics course Any Statistical techniques Pro-rata
16
Other Courses
Computer courses Any I.T. skills Pro-rata Home Office licence course Any 1 credit per module Language courses Any Language skills Pro-rata Other University- provided courses, including statistics and courses run by Staff Development Any Various Pro-rata Other appropriate subject-specific science lecture courses (undergraduate or post-graduate level) Any Various (Credited for transferable skills training element only) 1 credit per 6 hours Self-taught courses Any Various, e.g. language, computing Pro-rata
College Activities
Undergraduate supervision teaching Any Small group teaching 1 credit per class hour, maximum 4 per year Presentations to mixed non-specialist audience Any Public understanding of science. Presentation & communication skills 1 credit per session, maximum 4 per year Serving on College committee Any Understanding organization of research/teaching institution. Teamwork. Personal effectiveness. 2
In addition to the above TSTs, all first year students are required to attend a compulsory induction course provided by the Graduate School of Life Sciences and both University and departmental safety courses.
17 Department of Oncology PhD Student Programme
YEAR 1
Date Supervisor PhD Student Page Oct
Inform Hayley Woffendin (and also Ann Kaminski for CRI students) of students arrival. Choose Second Supervisor. Inform about Student Log. Start of programme. Safety Course Graduate School Induction course and information pack, includes Student Log book. Allocation of student Mentor by Graduate Students Society. University Safety Course. Formal meeting with Supervisor Meeting with Second Supervisor.
Nov
Meeting with student. Send a one-page report of Preliminary Dissertation Plan to Hayley Woffendin. Log report in CGSRS. First week of Nov Non-CRI students produce a written Preliminary Dissertation Plan (please give copy to Hayley Woffendin); CRI students give presentation instead. Formal meeting with supervisor. 18
19 Apr Review number of credits obtained (plan accordingly).
Jun Write First year report (due on second Friday in July). 20 Jul Choose two examiners. Arrange 1 st year viva. Arrange date for 1 st year viva. Copy of First year report, Supervisors Summary and Student Log to: Hayley Woffendin (non-CRI students) or Ann Kaminski (CRI students only),1 st and 2 nd
Supervisors and the two examiners.
J ul- Sept Arrange for copy of Examiners Report to be sent to Hayley Woffendin. Highlight potential problems to Hayley Woffendin (and also Ann Kaminski for CRI students). Submit registration report in CGSRS; include statement about suitability of the student to continue for a PhD. Formal meeting with the Student (matters arising/strategy 2 nd year) 1 st year Viva. Highlight potential problems to Hayley Woffendin (and also Ann Kaminski for CRI students). Formal meeting with the Supervisor (matters arising/strategy 2 nd year). 21
22 All Year Regular meetings with student. Submit termly supervision report in CGSRS. Regular meetings with Supervisor Attend Lectures in Cancer Biology seminar series. Attend other relevant seminars, lectures and talks.
18 Late October/Early November Year 1 (Lent Term starter - February; Easter Term starter - May).
Preliminary Dissertation Plan
By the end of the first month, each student must produce a short (1-2 pages) document outlining the aims of their dissertation project and the approaches that will be initially employed to address those aims. The report should be the students own work and should highlight any issues with equipment/reagent availability etc. (i.e. is everything in place at the start of the work that will allow smooth progress?). Any foreseeable or potential problems should be highlighted and discussed at the initial meeting with Supervisor and Second Supervisor. Details of this meeting should be recorded on the form on page 19 of this handbook.
For non-CRI students, a copy of the report and record of your formal meeting with your supervisors should be sent to Hayley Woffendin at hbw21@cam.ac.uk.
Please note, CRI based students are asked to give an oral presentation of their preliminary Dissertation plan rather than producing a written report.
19 Record of Formal Meeting with Supervisors- to discuss preliminary dissertation plan
Meeting 1: November/December, Year 1 (Lent Term starter- February; Easter Term starter - May).
Date of Meeting:..
Notes or comments, made by Student or Supervisor:
Signature of Student:.
Signature of Supervisors:..
20 First Year Report
The first year report is due on second Friday in July (October for Lent Term starters; January for Easter Term starters).
On joining the University of Cambridge, all Graduate Students and Clinical Fellows are required to successfully complete an initial probationary period before they are allowed to formally continue on to a PhD. The purpose of your first year report is to provide evidence of your suitability for registration for a PhD. It should take approximately 1-2 weeks to write and will probably contribute to the Introduction, Methods and first Results chapters of your PhD Dissertation.
Format of First Year Report
Your report should be 20-40 pages of A4 (including figures). Your report should be written in standard scientific format, using double spacing and in font size 12 and should include relevant Figures and Tables. It should contain the following sections:
Title page: Title of project, Department, Principal Supervisors name and your name.
Contents: Page list of section headings, figures and tables.
Abstract: One page summary of your 1 st Year report.
Introduction: This should describe the background and rationale of your project.
Methods: This should describe in detail the experimental methods that you have used during your first year of research.
Results: This should describe the results that you have obtained so far. Please be assured that many PhD projects do not produce many results during this period and the lack of results does not preclude writing an excellent 1 st year report!
Discussion: This should discuss your results in a critical and balanced way, comparing and contrasting your findings with relevant results in the literature. You should also state how you envisage your work developing in future.
Once written, please print out 4 copies of your report and bind each with a copy of your Student Log (at the back).
Please give 3 bound copies to your Supervisor, 2 of which will be sent to your examiners. In addition, please send a copy of your report and Training Log to Hayley Woffendin (non-CRI students) or Ann Kaminski (CRI students). If you dont do this on time, your report will be marked as late. 21 Viva
Your Supervisor will have selected two suitable examiners for you, neither of whom will be your Supervisor or Second Supervisor. One examiner will be from within the University Department of Oncology, whilst the other should ideally be from outside the Department, either employed by the University or an associated Non-University Institution (NUI), such as the MRC CCU, CRUK CRI or NHS. Both examiners should have had no direct involvement in your project or the work to be examined. They should also be recognized by the academic community as having the academic standing to judge the work submitted for your first year assessment and also your PhD project in general.
You and your Supervisor are responsible for arranging your viva at a mutually convenient time; your examiners are then required to write a joint one-page report on your suitability for PhD registration. This report should be written on headed notepaper and contain the following information:
Date and venue of viva, statement of recommendation for registration or non-registration, details of any issues and recommendations raised in the viva and the signature of both examiners (alongside printed names).
You should ask your examiners to send a copy of their report to your Principal Supervisor and Hayley Woffendin at hbw21@cam.ac.uk (CRI students should also ask for a copy to be sent to Ann Kaminski at ann.kaminski@cancer.org.uk); if you fail to do this you will not be registered for your PhD.
Your Supervisor must then submit a Student Registration Report in the Cambridge Graduate Student Reporting System (CGSRS) stating whether they recommend that you be registered for the PhD degree. The Department, the Higher Degrees Committee and the Board of Graduate Studies will then sign off their recommendation in CGSRS, after which you will receive formal confirmation of registration from the Board. This will state the date from which you will be registered, i.e. from the date you began your course.
After this process has been completed, a formal meeting should be arranged between you and your Supervisor and Second Supervisor to discuss matters that have arisen from your report and your viva, and also to discuss your work plans for the coming year. Details of this meeting should be recorded on the form on page 22 of this handbook and a copy sent to Hayley Woffendin at hbw21@cam.ac.uk (CRI students should also send a copy to Ann Kaminski at ann.kaminski@cancer.org.uk).
22 Record of First Year Report Meeting with Supervisors Meeting held in September, Year 1 (Lent starter - December; Easter starter - March).
Date of Meeting:..
Any notes or comments, made by Student or Supervisor:
Signature of Student:.
Signature of Supervisor:..
23 Department of Oncology PhD Student Programme YEAR 2
Date Supervisor PhD Student Page April Review number of credits obtained (plan accordingly).
June Write Second year report (due on 2 nd Friday in July). 24 Jul- Sept Formal meeting with PhD student to discuss Second Year report (matters arising/strategy final year). Send a one-page assessment of the meeting to Hayley Woffendin (and also Ann Kaminski for CRI students). Copy of Second year report, Summary and Student Log to: - Hayley Woffendin (and also Ann Kaminski for CRI students), and - 1 st and 2 nd Supervisors (no examiners). Formal meeting with Supervisor/Second Supervisor (matters arising/strategy final year).
25 All Year Regular meetings with student. Submit termly supervision reports in CGSRS.
Regular meetings with Supervisor. Attend CRI Lunchtime seminars. Attend other lectures/seminars appropriate to research project. Give Chalk Talk if appropriate.
24 Second Year report
The second year report is due on second Friday in July (October for Lent Term starters; January for Easter Term starters).
This report is shorter than the first year report and is required for appraising your progress at this significant stage in your PhD programme. This report is much less formal than the first year assessment and does not require a viva with examiners external to your research group. It will be used by your supervisor (and second supervisor if you wish) to assess the progress of your project and to make recommendations regarding, for example, the focus of the work to ensure completion in a timely manner. You should also take this opportunity to discuss future career plans.
Details of your second year report meeting should be recorded on the form on page 25 of this handbook and a copy sent to Hayley Woffendin at hbw21@cam.ac.uk (CRI students should also send a copy to Ann Kaminski at ann.kaminski@cancer.org.uk).
Format of Second Year Report
Your report should be 10-15 A4 pages and should be written in standard scientific format, using double spacing and font size 12 and organised in a similar way as the first year report.
There is no need to repeat information that was in your first year report, unless necessary for understanding of the Second year report. However, you should include a copy of your student log for the period of your second year.
25 Record of Second Year Report Meeting with Supervisors Meeting held in September, Year 2 (Lent starter - December; Easter starter - March).
Date of Meeting:..
Any notes or comments, made by Student or Supervisor:
Signature of Student:.
Signature of Supervisor:..
26 Department of Oncology PhD Student Programme
YEAR 3
Date Supervisor PhD Student Page April Formal meeting with PhD student to discuss time frame for completion and structure of the Dissertation.
Review number of credits obtained (plan accordingly). Dissertation Plan - a 5-page third year report stating what will be included in the Dissertation and what still remains to be done. Send a copy to: Hayley Woffendin (and also Ann Kaminski for CRI students), Supervisor and Second Supervisor. Formal meeting with Supervisor/Second Supervisor to discuss time frame for completion and structure of the Dissertation.
27
28
May- Sept On receipt of the Appointment of Examiners Student Application Form, the Higher Degrees Office will ask you to complete a Nomination of Examiners Form. This should be signed by Gill Murphy, who will return it to the Higher Degrees Office. This should be done asap, as the process of appointing examiners may be subjected to unexpected delays. Send Appointment of Examiners Student Application Form to Degree Office 2 months before due to submit. Remind Supervisor to appoint examiners and obtain their agreement to examine you. Final Submission of the Dissertation; when submit inform Hayley Woffendin (CRI students also inform Ann Kaminski). If submission will be delayed beyond your submission deadline, inform Hayley Woffendin (CRI students also inform Ann Kaminski). Note, you do not need to apply to the Degree Committee for a formal extension of registration unless submission will be after 30 th
September of your 4 th year.
All Year Regular meetings with student Submit termly supervision reports in CGSRS. Regular meetings with Supervisor Attend Lunchtime seminars Give Chalk Talk if appropriate.
27 Third Year Report
In April of your third year (July for Lent Term starters; October for Easter Term starters).
This report constitutes a short dissertation plan and will provide the overall skeleton of your dissertation.
It should outline the structure and content of the Introduction and also describe the contents of each chapter including figures and brief figure legends.
Students are also asked to detail the work that remains to be done to allow them to complete their PhD.
As soon as your report is complete, you should arrange to discuss it with your Supervisor and Second Supervisor to talk about your progress and the time period required to complete your PhD.
Details of your third year report meeting should be recorded on the form on page 28 of this handbook. Please send a copy of your report and record of your meeting with your Supervisor and Second Supervisor to Hayley Woffendin at hbw21@cam.ac.uk (CRI students should also send a copy to Ann Kaminski at ann.kaminski@cancer.org.uk).
28 Third Year Report Meeting with Supervisor Meeting held in April, Year 3 (July - Lent Term starters; October - Easter Term starters).
Date of Meeting:..
Any notes or comments, made by Student or Supervisor:
Signature of Student:.
Signature of Supervisor:..
29
Submission of Dissertation
The minimum time to submission is no earlier than the first day of the 9th term. The final deadline for submission of the dissertation for all full-time PhD students is the last day of your 12 th term of study.
If, the end of your 12 th term is approaching and you know you are not going to be able to submit in time, you should discuss this with your Supervisor and then apply to the Degree Committee in good time for an extension to your deadline. I f you do not take action by the end of your 12 th term, to either submit or apply for an extension, the Degree Committee may take you off the register at this point.
Information about how to submit your thesis, how to arrange for appointment of your examiners and how to apply for a deferral of submission can be found on the Student Registry website http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/students/studentregistry/current/graduate/ gradprofile.html.
When you submit your Dissertation please inform Hayley Woffendin (and Ann Kaminski if you are a CRI student).
Procedure for appointment of Examiners
Information about submitting a dissertation can be found:
on your CamSIS self service account, on the Student Registry website: http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/students/studentregistry/exams/sub mission/phd/ and on the Graduate School of Life Sciences website: http://www.biomed.cam.ac.uk/gradschool/degrees/appointment_ex aminers.html. Please note, you are required to comply with the Graduate School of Life Sciences procedure for appointment of examiners, which is as follows: 1. About 8 weeks before submission, you are required to complete an Appointment of examiners student Application form, which can be downloaded from the Graduate School of Life Sciences website: http://www.biomed.cam.ac.uk/gradschool/degrees/appointment_ex aminers.html.
Once completed, you should send the form, together with 2 copies of your abstract, to the Degree Committee for Clinical Medicine & Veterinary Medicine at: Higher Degrees Office, School of Clinical Medicine, Box 111, Addenbrookes Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0SP, or email to: degree_committee@medschl.cam.ac.uk.
30 2. This triggers the Clinical Medicine & Veterinary Medicine Higher Degrees Office to send a formal letter to our Departmental Head of Graduate Student Affairs, along with a Nomination of examiners form. The Higher Degrees Office also sends an email to your supervisor alerting that they need to send the names and full contact details of two examiners to our Departmental Head of Graduate Student Affairs (at no point should this form go to the student).
3. Our Departmental Head of Graduate Student Affairs completes and signs the Nomination of examiners form and returns it to the Higher Degrees Office for Degree Committee approval.
4. The names of the two examiners and the dissertation title (obtained from the abstract sent by you) are then listed on a document (Reported Action document) for consideration by the Degree Committee for Clinical Medicine & Veterinary Medicine.
5. The Higher Degrees Office will then arrange the viva.
Examiners eligibility criteria
PhD dissertations are examined by oral examination (viva) by two examiners, one internal and one external:
Internal examiner:
Must be employed by the University or one of our approved Non-University Institutions (e.g. MRC CCU, NHS, CRUK). Must have had no direct involvement with the student or the work being examined. If they meet the above 2 requirements, the examiner can be from the Department of Oncology, but not from the students research group.
External examiner:
Must be from outside the University and its approved NUIs. Must have no recent close connection with the University. Must not have any collaboration with the student.
Both examiners must be recognised by the academic community as having the academic standing to judge the work submitted for a PhD degree. If you are unsure, check whether they have examined a Cambridge PhD before, or have good experience of examining PhDs within the UK system generally.
Your supervisor must be able to justify the nomination of both examiners on the basis of:
the examiners academic reputations, 31 the examiners familiarity with the subject matter, and the examiners experience of examining PhDs. YEAR 4 (as required)
Continued meetings with Supervisor and submit your Dissertation as soon as possible!
NB: Your PhD dissertation MUST be submitted within 4 years of your start date and this includes writing-up time!
If, by the time the end of the fourth year is approaching you know you are not going to be able to submit on time, you should discuss this with your Supervisor and then apply to the Degree Committee in good time for an extension to your registration deadline. If you do not take action by the end of your fourth year, to either submit or apply for an extension, the Degree Committee will take you off the register at this point. Note that, unless your studentship comes with 4 years of funding, there is no guarantee that a stipend will be available beyond the end of the third year. Also, please be aware that you will need to consider the potential implications of applying for a deferral of submission of your thesis if you require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK. You will also need to check the financial consequences of deferring with your sponsor, who you should consult about putting your award into abeyance.
When you submit your dissertation please inform Hayley Woffendin (and Ann Kaminski if you are a CRI student).
Why you need to try to finish by the end of the fourth year
If you cant finish within four years and have no good reason for an extension you will be taken off the register until your dissertation is completed. Coming off the register means that you lose student status, i.e.:
you no longer retain the right to use University or College facilities, you become liable to pay certain sorts of tax and repay student loans and your student visa lapses.
So it is very much in your interest to try to finish by the end of the fourth year.
Grounds for an extension into the fifth year
If you are overrunning for reasons beyond your control (e.g. you have been delayed in your research or have suffered illness or other severe difficulties), or are very close to submission (within a few weeks) you may 32 be granted an extension.
You need to apply in the usual way, through your CamSIS self-service account, AHEAD of your deadline. Remember that if you are ill for a prolonged period, or suffer bereavement or other trauma such that you cannot work for some weeks, you should consider intermitting for a term this time does NOT count towards your four years. Apply at the time you are ill/hindered do not wait till you need an extension. You will need a doctors letter or equivalent to support your claim.
The Degree Committee will consider each application for an extension on its own merits and inform the Board of Graduate Studies of the outcome. However, if you are taken off the register for overrunning, this is not the end so far as your dissertation is concerned you can continue to write up while off the register and apply to be reinstated when the dissertation is ready to submit for examination.
33
Frequently asked questions about the submission of PhD Dissertation?
1. When do I need to submit? For all PhD students there is a standard registration period of up to 12 terms (4 years), or up to the completion of the examination, whichever is sooner. This means that those who reach the end of their fourth year of the PhD and have neither intermitted not secured permission to extend their studies will be taken off the register automatically.
2. How do I count my terms? Include all terms from the date of starting on the PhD course. All courses start on one of these dates: 1 October, 4 January, 10 April, and there are THREE terms per year. Discount any terms for which you have actually been granted permission to intermit or come off the register.
3. Does the 4 year submission deadline mean the PhD is effectively a 4-year course? No. The minimum requirement for the PhD is three years (full-time) study. The 4 year deadline is the MAXIMUM time limit for submitting your dissertation.
4. I have a 4-year PhD studentship do I still have to submit by the end of the fourth year? Yes! Even if you have four years of funding, the deadline is still the end of the fourth year.
5. Am I allowed to continue to do experiments in my fourth year and if I do, will I have to pay bench fees? If you are on a three-year PhD programme, you are supposed to have finished all your experiments before the end of the three years. The 34 University gets no more fees to support your fourth year. If you have a four-year studentship, however, then you could continue experiments for a bit longer, subject to the agreement of your department, but you still have to finish writing up within the fourth year. If you continue with experiments beyond the end of the fee-paying period, then charges would be at the discretion of the Head of Department.
6. How long will I be liable to pay fees? All students will pay University Composition Fees (UCF) for a minimum of three full years (9 terms) unless:
(i) they complete the thesis and submit it before the end of the third year and have permission to submit early,
(ii) they are part of a formal bilateral scholarship program (eg NIH) for which a different fee agreement has been approved by The Board of Graduate Studies,
(iii) they are registered on a four-year programme for which four years of fees have been allocated by the sponsor,
(iv) they are students at a Non-University Institutions who have permission to work away from Cambridge (e.g. to carry out a term of study in another lab) are not expected to pay a fee for such a term.
After your 9th term (3 years) you will normally be automatically exempt from payment of the UCF because you should have finished most or all of your experiments. After this time you enter a 12 month 'writing up' period and. The Board of Graduate Studies will notify you by e-mail when you are made exempt. Your College Accounts office is also informed of your fee liability each term by the Board of Graduate Studies. However, your faculty may request the continued payment of fees beyond the minimum period if you are making substantial use of University facilities, beyond the minimum period.
7. Will I get a warning before the deadline? Yes, two! 1) The Board of Graduate Studies (BGS) will email you as you enter your fourth year of study to advise you that your deadline is 12 months away. 2) At the end of your 11th term, BGS will email you again with a further warning of the deadline and remind you how to apply for an extension beyond four years, if needed.
8. How will the department help me to meet my deadline? BGS will notify your department, supervisor, College and Degree Committee when you enter your final year. The department will monitor your progress and will also get the final warning and will want to know how you plan to complete in time.
35
9. What if I will not be able to submit on time? If you overrun even by one day, you will be taken off the student register. Late submission also counts as a black mark against the departments 4- year submission record and will affect the Departments future funding. If you know you cannot submit on time, you must contact the Degree Committee and your student administrator at least one month before the last day of your 4th year for their advice on how you should proceed.
The Degree Committee will view sympathetically any application to defer submission if there is evidence of a good reason for the overrun and the thesis is nearly ready to submit. An extension of up to a term may be granted at any one time. The Degree Committee may also allow you to intermit (for medical or non-medical reasons) if you are ill, bereaved or otherwise unable to work for a period of months. Intermission is granted for a minimum period of one term, with a maximum of three periods (i.e. 3 terms) of intermission allowed during your PhD course. It is vital that you explore the possibility of intermission immediately and not when you have run out of time, as it is difficult to grant students a period of intermission in retrospect.
10. What happens if I am taken off the register? Students taken off the register will lose their student status, i.e.
will no longer retain the right to use University or College facilities, will become liable to pay certain taxes and repay student loans and their student visa will no longer be valid.
You will need to apply to be reinstated when your thesis is ready to submit and you will normally be given a month after reinstatement to deliver the thesis to The Board of Graduate Studies.
36
Master of Philosophy (MPhil) course of study
The MPhil programme offered by the Department of Oncology is a laboratory based supervised course lasting for 12 months. During this time, you must complete a research project, which is then submitted as a written Dissertation of less than 20,000 words in length, on a subject approved by the Degree Committee for the Faculties of Clinical Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. You will then undergo an oral examination based on both your Dissertation and a broader knowledge of your chosen area of research.
To successfully achieve your goal of obtaining an MPhil degree, you will need to be highly motivated, learn to balance experimental work at the bench with analysis of results, literature surveys and planning the next step. You will also need to balance a focus on your own project with informing yourself about the larger world of science through reading the scientific journals and attending seminars and conferences. The whole process will teach you not only how to perform techniques, but will also provide you with the invaluable skill of logical thinking that should serve you well in the future.
The ideal programme of study for a Masters degree will:
- Comprise a period of sustained in-depth study of a specific topic.
- Require the student to critically examine the background literature relevant to their specific research area.
- Provide the student with an environment that encourages originality and creativity in their research.
- Give the student an opportunity to develop skills in making and testing hypotheses, in developing new theories, and in planning and conducting experiments.
- Provide the opportunity to enlarge the students view of their broader research area, its theoretical foundations and the specific techniques used to study it.
- Provide, through constructive feedback of written work and oral presentations, an opportunity for the student to develop skills in written work, oral presentation and in publishing the results of their research in high-profile scientific journals.
37 Talks, seminars and conferences Attendance of the Lectures in Cancer Biology seminar series is compulsory for all first year graduate students and clinical fellows in the Department of Oncology. The lectures are given by senior members of the Department of Oncology, Cambridge Research Institute (CRI) and the Hutchison/MRC Research Centre, the aim being to provide all researchers with a solid background in cancer biology, covering basic biology through to translational applications.
Chalk talks are held in the Hutchison/MRC Building and provide a forum for graduate students and postdocs to present their work to the rest of the building. Graduate students based outside the Hutchison/MRC Building are also encouraged to attend. It is important you attend, both to learn what others are doing and also to lend your support to fellow students. Attendance at 80% of chalk talks will also earn you transferable skills training credits.
If your MPhil is in an area you are not familiar with, your Supervisor may suggest that you attend undergraduate lectures in that field. As a member of the University, you are entitled to attend any lectures you or your Supervisor consider appropriate (although if the class size is small, as it is for some final year lectures, it is polite to introduce yourself to the lecturer at the beginning).
38 Transferable Skills Training
Transferable skills training is optional for MPhil students, but we strongly encourage them to collect 20 credits during their course, each credit being nominally equivalent to about half a day of training. Credits can vary from compulsory safety courses, voluntary courses in e.g. bioinformatics, to personal development courses. In addition, a host of other activities such as making and presenting a poster, giving a talk, attending seminars and giving journal clubs can all be counted towards your TST tally.
On arrival, you will be asked to attend a compulsory induction session organised by the Graduate School of Life Sciences, where centrally organised TST opportunities will be explained. You should also discuss with your Supervisor, both at the beginning of the course and throughout the year, which TSTs would be most useful.
You must keep a TST log to record attendance/training opportunities that must be countersigned by your Supervisor. Please note, the Department does audit these and we are required to make a return to the central University.
Credit Allocations for Transferable Skills Training Activities
Tables detailing how TST credits are allocated are given on pages 14 -16 of this handbook. In addition, further information about the range of courses organised by or for the Graduate School, as well as links to some online and external resources can be found on the following web page http://www.biomed.cam.ac.uk/gradschool/skills.html.
Students should consult the tables on pages 14-16 of this handbook to determine how many credits they should receive for participation in a particular training activity. The majority of taught courses are credited pro-rata, with one credit equivalent to approximately half a days training (e.g. attending the one-day Teaching Undergraduates course will earn you two credits); Graduate Education Committee morning or afternoon courses lasting two hours or more will usually be allotted one credit. Other activities in which the transferable skills element is only a part have fixed credits allotted to them. You can find these listed in the table.
If you have taken part in an activity for which you cannot find the credit rating, you should ask your Departmental Graduate Education Committee Chair, if it is a departmentally-based activity, or email the Graduate School office.
39 Department of Oncology MPhil Student Programme YEAR 1
Date Supervisor MPhil Student Page Oct
Inform Hayley Woffendin and Ann Kaminski (CRI students only) of students arrival. Choose Second Supervisor. Inform about Student Log. Start of programme. Allocation of student Mentor by Graduate Students Society. University Safety Course. Formal meeting with Supervisor Meeting with Second Supervisor.
Nov
Meeting with student. Send a one-page report of Preliminary Dissertation Plan to Hayley Woffendin and Ann Kaminski (CRI students only). Log report in CGSRS. First week of Nov Non-CRI students produce a written Preliminary Dissertation Plan (please give copy to Hayley Woffendin); CRI students give presentation instead. Formal meeting with supervisor. 40
41 April Formal meeting with MPhil student to discuss time frame for completion and structure of the Dissertation.
Dissertation Plan - a 5-page report giving structure and content of Dissertation, stating what will be included and what still remains to be done. Send a copy to: Hayley Woffendin and Ann Kaminski (CRI students only), Supervisor and Second Supervisor Formal meeting with Supervisor/Second Supervisor to discuss time frame for completion and structure of the Dissertation. 42
43 May- Sept On receipt of the Appointment of Examiners Student Application Form, the Higher Degrees Office will ask you to complete a Nomination of Examiners Form. This should be signed by Gill Murphy, who will return it to the Higher Degrees Office. This should be done asap, as the process of appointing examiners may be subjected to unexpected delays. Send Appointment of Examiners Student Application Form to Degree Office 2 months before due to submit. Remind Supervisor to appoint examiners and obtain their agreement to examine you. On submission of the Dissertation inform Hayley Woffendin and Ann Kaminski (CRI students only). If submission will be delayed beyond your submission deadline, inform Hayley Woffendin and Ann Kaminski (CRI students only). 44 All Year Regular meetings with student Submit termly supervision reports in CGSRS. Regular meetings with Supervisor Attend Lectures in Cancer Biology seminar series. Attend other relevant seminars, lectures and talks.
40 Preliminary Dissertation Plan
By the end of the first month, each student must produce a short (1-2 pages) document outlining the aims of their dissertation project and the approaches that will be initially employed to address those aims. The report should be the students own work and should highlight any issues with equipment/reagent availability etc. (i.e. is everything in place at the start of the work that will allow smooth progress?). Any foreseeable or potential problems should be highlighted and discussed at the initial meeting with Supervisor and Second Supervisor. Details of this meeting should be recorded on the form on page 41 of this handbook.
For non-CRI students, a copy of the report and record of your formal meeting with your supervisors should be sent to Hayley Woffendin at hbw21@cam.ac.uk.
Please note, CRI based students are asked to give an oral presentation of their preliminary Dissertation plan rather than producing a written report.
41 Record of Formal Meeting with Supervisors- to discuss preliminary dissertation plan
Meeting 1: November/December, Year 1 (February - Lent starters; May - Easter starters).
Date of Meeting:..
Notes or comments, made by Student or Supervisor:
Signature of Student:.
Signature of Supervisors:..
42 Final Dissertation Plan
Three months before your final submission date you should produce a final dissertation plan.
This short dissertation plan and will provide the overall skeleton of your dissertation.
It should outline the structure and content of the Introduction and also describe the contents of each chapter including figures and brief figure legends.
Students are also asked to detail the work that remains to be done to allow them to complete their MPhil.
As soon as your plan is complete, you should arrange to discuss it with your Supervisor and Second Supervisor to talk about your progress and the time period required to complete your MPhil.
Details of your third year report meeting should be recorded on the form on page 43 of this handbook. Please send a copy of your report and record of your meeting with your Supervisor and Second Supervisor to Hayley Woffendin at hbw21@cam.ac.uk (CRI students should also send a copy to Ann Kaminski at ann.kaminski@cancer.org.uk).
43 Final Dissertation Plan Meeting with Supervisor Meeting held 3 months before submission deadline
Date of Meeting:..
Any notes or comments, made by Student or Supervisor:
Signature of Student:.
Signature of Supervisor:..
44 Submission of dissertation
The minimum time to submission is no earlier than the first day of the 6th term. The final deadline for submission of the dissertation for all full-time MPhil students is the last day of your 12 months of study.
If, the end of your 12 months is approaching and you know you are not going to be able to submit in time, you should discuss this with your Supervisor and then apply to the Degree Committee in good time for an extension to your registration deadline. I f you do not take action by the end of your 12 months, to either submit or apply for an extension, the Degree Committee will take you off the register at this point.
Note, please be aware that you will need to consider the potential implications of applying for a deferral of submission of your thesis if you require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK. You will also need to check the financial consequences of deferring with your sponsor, who you should consult about putting your award into abeyance.
Information about how to submit your thesis, how to arrange for appointment of your examiners and how to apply for a deferral of submission can be found on the Student Registry website http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/students/studentregistry/current/graduate/ gradprofile.html.
When you submit your Dissertation please inform Hayley Woffendin at hbw21@cam.ac.uk (CRI students should also inform Ann Kaminski at ann.kaminski@cancer.org.uk).
Procedure for appointment of Examiners
Information about submitting a dissertation can be found:
on your CamSIS self service account, on the Student Registry website: http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/students/studentregistry/exams/sub mission/phd/ and on the Graduate School of Life Sciences website: http://www.biomed.cam.ac.uk/gradschool/degrees/appointment_ex aminers.html. Please note, you are required to comply with the Graduate School of Life Sciences procedure for appointment of examiners, which is as follows: 1. About 8 weeks before submission, you are required to complete an Appointment of examiners student Application form, which can be downloaded from the Graduate School of Life Sciences website: http://www.biomed.cam.ac.uk/gradschool/degrees/appointment_ex aminers.html. 45
Once completed, you should send the form, together with 2 copies of your abstract, to the Degree Committee for Clinical Medicine & Veterinary Medicine at: Higher Degrees Office, School of Clinical Medicine, Box 111, Addenbrookes Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0SP, or email to: degree_committee@medschl.cam.ac.uk.
2. This triggers the Clinical Medicine & Veterinary Medicine Higher Degrees Office to send a formal letter to our Departmental Head of Graduate Student Affairs, along with a Nomination of examiners form. The Higher Degrees Office also sends an email to your supervisor alerting that they need to send the names and full contact details of two examiners to our Departmental Head of Graduate Student Affairs (at no point should this form go to the student).
3. Our Departmental Head of Graduate Student Affairs completes and signs the Nomination of examiners form and returns it to the Higher Degrees Office for Degree Committee approval.
4. The names of the two examiners and the dissertation title (obtained from the abstract sent by you) are then listed on a document (Reported Action document) for consideration by the Degree Committee for Clinical Medicine & Veterinary Medicine.
5. The Higher Degrees Office will then arrange the viva.
Examiners eligibility criteria
PhD dissertations are examined by oral examination (viva) by two examiners, one internal and one external:
Internal examiner:
Must be employed by the University or one of our approved Non-University Institutions (e.g. MRC CCU, NHS, CRUK). Must have had no direct involvement with the student or the work being examined. If they meet the above 2 requirements, the examiner can be from the Department of Oncology, but not from the students research group.
External examiner:
Must be from outside the University and its approved NUIs. Must have no recent close connection with the University. Must not have any collaboration with the student.
Both examiners must be recognised by the academic community as having the academic standing to judge the work submitted for a PhD 46 degree. If you are unsure, check whether they have examined a Cambridge PhD before, or have good experience of examining PhDs within the UK system generally.
Your supervisor must be able to justify the nomination of both examiners on the basis of:
the examiners academic reputations, the examiners familiarity with the subject matter, and the examiners experience of examining PhDs.
47 Frequently asked questions about the submission of MPhil Dissertation?
1. How do I count my terms? Include all terms from the date of starting on the MPhil course. All courses start on one of these dates: 1 October, 4 January, 10 April, and there are THREE terms per year. Discount any terms for which you have actually been granted permission to intermit or come off the register.
2. Will I get a warning before the deadline? Yes, the Board of Graduate Studies (BGS) will email you to advise you that your deadline is approaching.
3. How will the department help me to meet my deadline? BGS will also notify your department, supervisor, College and Degree Committee when you are due to submit your dissertation. The Department will monitor your progress and will want to know how you plan to complete in time.
4. What if Im nearly ready to submit when the final day arrives (but not quite)? If you overrun even by one day, this will be a black mark against the departments submission record. Try not to get into this situation - if its that close, and you plan ahead, you can meet the deadline. If it does happen, the Degree Committee will make decisions on a case-by-case basis about whether to take you off the register.
5. Can I apply for an extension to my period of registration? You may apply to the Degree Committee for an extension, which will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
6. What happens if I am taken off the register? Students taken off the register will lose their student status, i.e.
will no longer retain the right to use University or College facilities, will become liable to pay certain taxes and repay student loans and their student visa will no longer be valid.
You will need to apply to be reinstated when your thesis is ready to submit and you will normally be given a month after reinstatement to deliver the thesis to The Board of Graduate Studies.