cambridge law phd thesis

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How do I find a Cambridge thesis?

Ph.D., M.Litt., M.Sc., and Divinity M.Phil. theses approved after 1970 are catalogued in iDiscover, as are M.D. and M.Chir. theses approved after May 2006. Earlier theses are listed in a card catalogue in the Manuscripts Reading Room and are gradually being added to iDiscover.

Since 1 October 2017, all PhD theses are being deposited in electronic form to the University repository Apollo . Many earlier theses are also in the repository, but if they are not yet in digital form it is possible to request access to these theses. There is more information on how to request a copy of a printed thesis further down this page.

Gaining access to electronic copies of theses

The author of a given thesis in Apollo can choose whether their thesis is available to be downloaded, available on request or unavailable. While many of the theses in Apollo are openly available for download, s ome theses in the repository are not open access because they have either been embargoed by the author or because they are unable to be made openly available for copyright or other r easo ns.   For an explanation of the different theses access levels,  see this page .

Open Access theses

Theses that have been made available Open Access can be downloaded from Apollo as a PDF file without any restrictions other than the license under which they have been made available . Just click on the document file in the thesis record to download a copy.

Embargoed theses

Theses with an embargo are shown in Apollo with a padlock icon over the PDF file are not open access but can be requested. If you wish to access the full thesis, click on the padlock icon on the PDF and you will be redirected to the repository’s ‘ Request a Copy ’ function. Requests for embargoed theses will be passed on to the author so they can choose to grant or refuse the request at their discretion.

Controlled theses

Theses under controlled access remain unpublished because they are not made available on the internet via the Apollo repository and as such, the rules for unpublished works in UK copyright law will apply to these theses. Controlled access theses are provided by the University Library in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents act 1998. Theses under controlled access are shown in Apollo with a padlock icon over the PDF file are not open access but can be requested. If you wish to access the full thesis, click on the padlock icon on the PDF and you will be redirected to the repository’s ‘ Request a Copy ’ function. For further information on copying by librarians or archivists see: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/43

If a thesis has been digitised by the Digital Content Unit's image request service in the library it will be deposited in Apollo under controlled access and can be requested via the thesis record in Apollo.

Requesting a copy of a printed thesis

Researchers can order a copy of an unpublished thesis which was deposited in print form through the Library’s  Digital Content Unit via the image request form . Copies of theses may be provided to researchers in accordance with the  law  and in a manner that is common across UK libraries.The law allows us to provide whole copies of unpublished theses to individuals as long as they sign a declaration saying that it is for non-commercial research or private study. The agreement used for access to theses at Cambridge has been drafted using the guidance by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP).

Theses are not available for borrowing or inter library loan. The copyright of theses remains with the author. The law does not allow us to provide a copy for inclusion in a general library collection or for wider distribution beyond the individual receiving the copy, without the explicit permission of the author or copyright holder. Where someone approaches us asking for a copy for their library or wider distribution, they must obtain the explicit permission of the author or copyright owner.

Please note any periods of access restriction requested by the author apply to both electronic and print copies.

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Please contact us at  [email protected]   to be added to the mailing list to receive our quarterly e-Newsletter.

The Office of Scholarly Communication sends this Newsletter to its subscribers in order to disseminate information relevant to open access, research data management, scholarly communication and open research topics. For details on how the personal information you enter here is used, please see our  privacy policy . 

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Law: theses & dissertations.

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Access to theses and dissertations from other institutions and from the University of Cambridge

This guide provides information on searching for theses of Cambridge PhDs and for theses of UK universities and universities abroad. 

For information and guidance on depositing your thesis as a cambridge phd, visit the cambridge office of scholarly communication pages on theses here ., this guide gives essential information on how to obtain theses using the british library's ethos service. .

On the last weekend of October, the British Library became the victim of a major cyber-attack. Essential digital services including the BL catalogue, website and online learning resources went dark, with research services like the EThOS collection of more than 600,000 doctoral theses suddenly unavailable. The BL state that they anticipate restoring more services in the next few weeks, but disruption to certain services is now expected to persist for several months. For the latest news on the attack and information on the restoration of services, please follow the BL blog here:  Knowledge Matters blog  and access the LibGuide page here:  British Library Outage Update - Electronic Legal Deposit - LibGuides at University of Cambridge Subject Libraries

A full list of resources for searching theses online is provided by the Cambridge A-Z, available here .

University of Cambridge theses

Finding a cambridge phd thesis online via the institutional repository.

The University's institutional repository, Apollo , holds full-text digital versions of over 11,000 Cambridge PhD theses and is a rapidly growing collection deposited by Cambridge Ph.D. graduates. Theses in Apollo can be browsed via this link . More information on how to access theses by University of Cambridge students can be found on the access to Cambridge theses webpage.   The requirement for impending PhD graduates to deposit a digital version in order to graduate means the repository will be increasing at a rate of approximately 1,000 per year from this source.   About 200 theses are added annually through requests to make theses Open Access or via requests to digitize a thesis in printed format.

Locating and obtaining a copy of a Cambridge PhD thesis (not yet available via the repository)

Theses can be searched in iDiscover .  Guidance on searching for theses in iDiscover can be found here .   Requests for consultation of printed theses, not available online, should be made at the Manuscripts Reading Room (Email:  [email protected] Telephone: +44 (0)1223 333143).   Further information on the University Library's theses, dissertations and prize essays collections can be consulted at this link .

Researchers can order a copy of an unpublished thesis which was deposited in print form either through the Library’s  Digital Content Unit via the image request form , or, if the thesis has been digitised, it may be available in the Apollo repository. Copies of theses may be provided to researchers in accordance with the  law  and in a manner that is common across UK libraries.  The law allows us to provide whole copies of unpublished theses to individuals as long as they sign a declaration saying that it is for non-commercial research or private study.

How to make your thesis available online through Cambridge's institutional repository

Are you a Cambridge alumni and wish to make your Ph.D. thesis available online? You can do this by depositing it in Apollo the University's institutional repository. Click here for further information on how to proceed.    Current Ph.D students at the University of Cambridge can find further information about the requirements to deposit theses on the Office of Scholarly Communication theses webpages.

UK Theses and Dissertations

Electronic copies of Ph.D. theses submitted at over 100 UK universities are obtainable from EThOS , a service set up to provide access to all theses from participating institutions. It achieves this by harvesting e-theses from Institutional Repositories and by digitising print theses as they are ordered by researchers using the system. Over 250,000 theses are already available in this way. Please note that it does not supply theses submitted at the universities of Cambridge or Oxford although they are listed on EThOS.

Registration with EThOS is not required to search for a thesis but is necessary to download or order one unless it is stored in the university repository rather than the British Library (in which case a link to the repository will be displayed). Many theses are available without charge on an Open Access basis but in all other cases, if you are requesting a thesis that has not yet been digitised you will be asked to meet the cost. Once a thesis has been digitised it is available for free download thereafter.

When you order a thesis it will either be immediately available for download or writing to hard copy or it will need to be digitised. If you order a thesis for digitisation, the system will manage the process and you will be informed when the thesis is available for download/preparation to hard copy.

See the Search results section of the  help page for full information on interpreting search results in EThOS.

EThOS is managed by the British Library and can be found at http://ethos.bl.uk . For more information see About EThOS .

World-wide (incl. UK) theses and dissertations

Electronic versions of non-UK theses may be available from the institution at which they were submitted, sometimes on an open access basis from the institutional repository. A good starting point for discovering freely available electronic theses and dissertations beyond the UK is the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD) , which facilitates searching across institutions. Information can also usually be found on the library web pages of the relevant institution.

The DART Europe etheses portal lists several thousand full-text theses from a group of European universities.

The University Library subscribes to the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses  (PQDT) database which from August 31 2023 is accessed on the Web of Science platform.  To search this index select it from the Web of Science "Search in" drop-down list of databases (available on the Documents tab on WoS home page)

PQDT includes 2.4 million dissertation and theses citations, representing 700 leading academic institutions worldwide from 1861 to the present day. The database offers full text for most of the dissertations added since 1997 and strong retrospective full text coverage for older graduate works. Each dissertation published since July 1980 includes a 350-word abstract written by the author. Master's theses published since 1988 include 150-word abstracts.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The University Library only subscribes to the abstracting & indexing version of the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database and NOT the full text version.  A fee is payable for ordering a dissertation from this source.   To obtain the full text of a dissertation as a downloadable PDF you can submit your request via the University Library Inter-Library Loans department (see contact details below). NB this service is only available to full and current members of the University of Cambridge.

Alternatively you can pay yourself for the dissertation PDF on the PQDT platform. Link from Web of Science record display of any thesis to PQDT by clicking on "View Details on ProQuest".  On the "Preview" page you will see an option "Order a copy" top right.  This will allow you to order your own copy from ProQuest directly.

Dissertations and theses submitted at non-UK universities may also be requested on Inter-Library Loan through the Inter-Library Loans department (01223 333039 or 333080, [email protected] )

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How do I find a Cambridge thesis?

Ph.D., M.Litt., M.Sc., and Divinity M.Phil. theses approved after 1970 are catalogued in iDiscover, as are M.D. and M.Chir. theses approved after May 2006. Earlier theses are listed in a card catalogue in the Manuscripts Reading Room and are gradually being added to iDiscover.

Since 1 October 2017, all PhD theses are being deposited in electronic form to the University repository  Apollo . Many earlier theses are also in the repository, but if they are not yet in digital form it is possible to request access to these theses. There is more information on how to request a copy of a printed thesis further down this page.

Gaining access to electronic copies of a thesis

The author of a given thesis in Apollo can choose whether their thesis is available to be downloaded, available on request or unavailable. While many of the theses in Apollo are openly available for download, some theses in the repository are not open access because they have either been embargoed by the author or because they are unable to be made openly available for copyright or other reasons.

Requesting a copy of a printed thesis

Researchers can order a copy of an unpublished thesis which was deposited in print form through the Library’s  Digital Content Unit  via the  image request form . Copies of theses may be provided to researchers in accordance with the  law  and in a manner that is common across UK libraries.The law allows us to provide whole copies of unpublished theses to individuals as long as they sign a declaration saying that it is for non-commercial research or private study. The agreement used for access to theses at Cambridge has been drafted using the guidance by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP).

Theses are not available for borrowing or inter library loan. The copyright of theses remains with the author. The law does not allow us to provide a copy for inclusion in a general library collection or for wider distribution beyond the individual receiving the copy, without the explicit permission of the author or copyright holder. Where someone approaches us asking for a copy for their library or wider distribution, they must obtain the explicit permission of the author or copyright owner.

Please note any periods of access restriction requested by the author apply to both electronic and print copies.

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The Manuscripts Reading Room administers the University's collection of doctoral and higher degree theses. Before 1920, degrees were awarded on the basis of examinations or certificates of research, and little written work composed specifically for such purposes survives, other than a small collection of Advanced Student Dissertations. Revised regulations were approved, instituting the new degree of PhD, which required a written work to be deposited in the University Library. Our collection of doctoral theses thus dates from 1921, when just four arrived in the Library. Statistics illustrate a great increase in output: for the academic year 2015-2016 just over one thousand new dissertations were approved and added to our collection. There are now over 39,000 volumes.

Contact: Manuscripts Reading Room (01223 333143, [email protected] )

Cambridge theses held by CUL

A small but growing proportion of Cambridge theses are available to consult in digital form in the university repository Apollo .

See the Office of Scholarly Communication's webpages on theses .

Cambridge University Library, West Road, Cambridge CB3 9DR, UK

Email:  [email protected]

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Oliver butler :  information law in an era of public services commissioning: the implications for privacy, confidentiality and data protection, yin harn lee : copyright issues surrounding videogame modifications..

Yin Harn Lee completed her undergraduate education at the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, obtaining an LL.B. (Hons) (with Distinction). She was admitted to the Bar as an Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya in the following year, and worked as a research assistant and a tutor at the University of Malaya before graduating from the University of Cambridge with an LL.M. Her thesis related to questions of copyright in video-games and the implications for user-generated "Mods". Yin Harn is now a lecturer at the University of Sheffield

Julia Powles : The Inventive Concept and the Structure of Patent Law.

Julia’s research focussed on the role of the ‘inventive concept’ in construing inventions and determining patent scope in the United Kingdom, with comparative reference to the European patent system. Her studies were supported by a Cambridge Poynton Australia Scholarship. Julia has first class honours degrees in law and science from the University of Western Australia and the Australian National University, as well as a Bachelor of Civil Law (master’s degree) from the University of Oxford. She has clerked in the Federal Court of Australia and the Commonwealth Administrative Appeals Tribunal and practised in the information technology and intellectual property department of Minter Ellison in Sydney, while also lecturing at the University of New South Wales. Before commencing her PhD, Julia worked in the Office of the Director General at the World Intellectual Property Organization, where her work covered all aspects of intellectual property. Julia is now a researcher at Cornell Tech.

Nigel Stone:  An Empirical Analysis of the Fairness and Certainty of US and European Software Patentability

Sharon Le Gall : Reclaiming Collective Knowledge

Sharon's research explored  the ways in which issues of intellectual property, cultural property, and cultural and national identity converge in the discourse surrounding the protection of traditional knowledge. The steel pan, which is a musical instrument invented in Trinidad circa 1930 (and declared the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago), provided the focal point of the research, with references made to the developments regarding the protection of traditional knowledge associated with the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. The thesis also developed a theoretical framework for defining traditional knowledge and the collective knowledge associated with the invention and development of the steel pan. Any definition in relation to the steel pan must transcend its technical features and encompass its symbolism as a form of cultural and national identity. Features of a national regime of protection for the collective knowledge associated with the steel pan were also proposed as well as ways in which international protection may be achieved via WIPO's initiatives to develop international protection measures for traditional knowledge. Sharon now teaches at the University of the West Indies. Her PhD was converted into a book.

Chikosa Banda: Patents and Promotion of Biomedical Research into Diseases Prevalent in Developing Countries

Chikosa Banda's research for his PhD with the Centre was supported by a Wellcome Trust Studentship and was an examination of  the efficacy of intellectual property rights as a policy mechanism to accelerate medical research on neglected diseases. Malawi (Chikosa’s country of origin) provided a case study for the research. He was jointly supervised by Professor Bently and Dr Liddell.Chikosa has a background that prepared him well for this research. He worked as an Assistant Lecturer in Law in the University of Malawi: Chancellor College, and was appointed to Malawi National Experts Working Group on Access and Benefit Sharing under the Southern African Development Community Biodiversity Support Programme. With Robert Lewis-Lettington, he wrote “A Survey of Policy and Practice on the Use of Access to Medicines –TRIPS Related Flexibilities in Malawi, DFID Health Systems Resource Centre”.The research funding essential to such a project was provided by the Wellcome Trust’s scheme for research on the Ethics of Biomedical Research in Developing Countries. This enabled Chikosa to be based both in Malawi and the UK, and to visit Switzerland and other countries central to the debates. During his time in Cambridge Chikosa was awarded the status of an Honorary Cambridge Commonwealth Trust Scholar.

Elena Cooper : The Relationship between Art and Law in the History of Photographic Copyright 1850-1911

Elena's research examined the history of artistic copyright law.

Patrick Masiyakurima : The Justifications for Protecting Unpublished Works by Copyright Law

Patrick’s thesis considered the topic of copyright in unpublished works from historical, legal and normative perspectives and it was provoked by criticisms of the strength of protection that is conferred on unpublished works. The thesis raised several key arguments.

• The jurisdictional bases for restraining unauthorised first publication evolved from protecting the manuscript as a chattel to property rights in unpublished expressions and later to breach of confidence and breach of an implied contract not to publish.
• Common law copyright protection was abrogated in 1911 owing to the 1908 Revision of the Berne Convention, dissatisfaction with domestic copyright laws and problems with imperial copyright.
• The unpublished status of a work retains considerable significance in contemporary British copyright law especially in the areas of the exceptions to copyright infringement, the term of copyright protection, the extent of copyright protection and the remedies for copyright infringement.
• Copyright in unpublished works is justified because it would be too costly to differentiate “published” from “unpublished works”. Distinguishing published from unpublished works is especially difficult given the numerous problems surrounding publication on the Internet. Therefore, in general, the protection available to “published” and “unpublished” works ought to be the same
• The range of materials and interests that are encompassed by legal protection of unpublished works suggests that some unpublished works could be protected by the action for breach of confidence, the right to privacy, and the moral right of divulgation.

It was also argued that where appropriate, legal protection of unpublished works ought to be balanced with countervailing public interests including freedom of expression. The appropriate balance between copyright in unpublished works and the public interest can be achieved by interpreting the exceptions to copyright infringement purposively. It is hoped that aspects of the thesis will be published as a series of research articles or a monograph. Patrick’s research was very generously funded by the University of Cambridge through a Domestic Research Scholarship. Patrick is a lecturer in law at the University of Aberdeen.

Sun Thathong: Searching for Harmony in an Age of Fragmentation: A Critical Reappraisal of the Protection of Traditional Knowledge under International Law

Sun was an Cambridge Overseas Trust Scholar and a recipient of the Underwood Scholarship from Trinity Hall. His research explores the protection of traditional knowledge under international law, focusing on the interaction among four relevant international legal regimes, namely international intellectual property law, international environmental law, international cultural heritage law and international human rights law. It scrutinises the fragmentation of international law in this field, looking particularly at the diverse ways “traditional knowledge” is being conceptualised under different regimes and the effects this may have on the protection of traditional knowledge under international law as a whole. Sun holds an LL.B. from Durham University and an LL.M. (International Law) from the University of Cambridge. Before commencing his PhD, he worked as a Second Secretary at the Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thailand, where he was part of the legal team giving international legal advice to the Royal Thai Government on issues relating to crime prevention and criminal justice.

Petroula Vantsiouri : A Comparative Stand Towards the Intended and Unintended Consequences of Anticircumvention Regulation and Technological Protection Measures in the European Union and in the United States

Petroula's research interests lie in intellectual property law and information law. Her doctoral thesis takes a comparative stand towards the intended and unintended consequences of anticircumvention regulation in the European Union and in the United States, as they are applied in different sectors, namely broadcasting, software and other copyright works. She holds an LL.M. from Harvard Law School, a Postgraduate Specialization Diploma and a law degree from the University of Thessaloniki, Greece. Petroula has also worked as a practicing lawyer, a trainee for the Office of Harmonization in the Internal Market and as a research assistant. She is a licensed member of the New York State Bar Association (US) as well as of the Thessaloniki Bar Association (Greece).

Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Law (CIPIL) The Faculty of Law 10 West Road Cambridge CB3 9DZ United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 1223 330047 Email: [email protected]

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6 courses offered in the Faculty of Law

Corporate law - mcl - closed.

The MCL is an academically rigorous master's programme taught by the Cambridge Law Faculty's team of corporate lawyers, widely recognised as one of the strongest in the corporate law field.  The MCL offers students the opportunity to engage in a detailed study of the legal and regulatory framework within which companies are governed and financed.  In so doing it combines practical insights with an academic approach.  The MCL, therefore, constitutes an ideal graduate programme both for those intending to enter or progress within corporate practice and for those who are planning a career in academia.

More Information

International Law - PGDip - Closed

The Postgraduate Diploma in International Law may be awarded by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Law to a candidate who, after one year of independent research in Cambridge on an approved topic within the field of international law, submits for examination a thesis not exceeding 30,000 words inclusive of footnotes but exclusive of appendices and bibliography. Students are assigned a supervisor by the Faculty's Degree Committee. There is no coursework or formal teaching although students are encouraged to attend the weekly (term-time) classes provided by the Faculty's Research Training and Development Programme. The course can also be taken on a part-time basis over two years.

Law - LLM - Closed

The LLM is a nine-month taught master’s degree with a potential dissertation element of 25 per cent.  It offers highly qualified and academically outstanding students the opportunity to pursue their legal studies at an advanced level in an intellectually challenging and supportive environment.  The Cambridge programme has rich historical traditions and attracts common law and civil law students of the highest calibre from approximately 50 jurisdictions.  It is intended for those wishing to pursue further legal studies after completing their first degree in law.  Applicants include both recent graduates considering an academic career or intending to practise law and those already in practice seeking to broaden their intellectual horizons. 

Law - PhD - Closed

The PhD in Law may be awarded after three to four years of full-time study or five to seven years of part-time study (including a probationary period) of supervised independent research on the basis of a thesis not exceeding 100,000 words exclusive of bibliography, table of contents and any other preliminary matter.  Students are appointed a principal supervisor by the Faculty's Degree Committee as well as an adviser to act as a source of advice on matters relating to a student's research and research environment.  If the project is interdisciplinary, a second supervisor may be appointed. It is a requirement of the first year of study that students attend, in term-time only, the research training classes provided by the Faculty's Research Training and Development Programme.  

Law - MLitt - Closed

The MLitt degree may be awarded after two years of supervised independent research (or a proportionally longer period if undertaken on a part-time basis) and following examination of a thesis not exceeding 60,000 words inclusive of footnotes but exclusive of appendices, bibliography, table of contents and any other preliminary matter. Candidates for the MLitt are registered in the first instance for the Certificate of Postgraduate Study in Legal Studies which provides training in legal research and must attend, during term-time only, the weekly classes provided by the Faculty's Research Training and Development Programme that offer instruction on research techniques and advice on matters such as getting work published and obtaining academic jobs.

Legal Studies - PGDip - Closed

The Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Studies may be awarded by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Law to a candidate who, after one year of independent research in Cambridge on an approved topic within the field of law, submits for examination a thesis not exceeding 30,000 words inclusive of footnotes but exclusive of appendices and bibliography.

Students are assigned a supervisor by the Faculty's Degree Committee. There is no coursework or formal teaching although students are encouraged to attend the weekly classes provided by the Faculty's Research Training and Development Programme. The course can also be taken on a part-time basis over two years.

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The doctoral thesis should contain material of sufficient originality to merit publication. The original material should be adequate to form a substantial basis of a monograph or at least two journal articles. The thesis should demonstrate the candidate's command of the relevant literature.

The thesis should be a coherent piece of work, rather than several disparate pieces of research juxtaposed together. It may include published work, provided it is part of a connected argument and it is in the same format as the rest of the thesis. The thesis may also include appendices which are relevant to the material contained in the thesis but do not form part of the connected argument (e.g. primary source materials that are not readily accessible, questionnaire responses, statistical tables, descriptions of objects or analytical bibliographies).

It is important that you indicate clearly the sources from which you have obtained your information and the extent to which you have made use of the work of others. You are required to include a declaration that it is entirely your own work and that it is not substantially the same as any work you have submitted for another qualification. You should also include a declaration of the length of your thesis, which should be no more than 80,000 words, including footnotes but excluding the bibliography. There are no set expectations for the minimum length. If you need an extension to the word limit, or wish to submit an appendix that does not count towards the word limit, you will need to apply to the Degree Committee for permission, using the form available on CamSIS.

You should write the thesis in English. Quotations from other languages should usually be given in translation with the original text, where appropriate, given in a footnote or appendix.

The thesis should be in typescript on one side only of A4 paper in portrait format. The text should be adequately spaced, with a font size no smaller than 11 point for the main text and 10 point for footnotes. You must include a title page giving your full name, your College, the full title of the thesis and the degree for which it is submitted. A one-page abstract should also be included.

Please note that the form in which your thesis is presented, and the care with which it has been prepared and illustrated, are in themselves evidence of your capabilities and will receive consideration as such. You are strongly advised to check carefully for typing errors, spelling mistakes and poor use of English. Correcting such errors may be a condition of approval for the degree.

In planning your thesis you should take account of the criteria for recommending award of the PhD set out in the Guide to Examiners:

• The thesis is 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.
• The work is of a quality in whole or in part of a standard to merit publication (whether or not subsequently published).
• The thesis provides evidence of the acquisition of knowledge and a detailed understanding of applicable techniques for research and advanced academic enquiry.
• It is of a quality and quantity to reflect three years of full-time postgraduate study or five years of part-time study.

Collaborative research

Inclusion in the thesis of work carried out in collaboration is unusual and requires the approval of the Degree Committee and Student Registry. If you have been given leave to work in collaboration with others you should indicate clearly which parts of your thesis relate to this work and should state the names of those with whom you have collaborated and the extent to which they have assisted you.

Human participants

If you are planning to collect data from human participants, or use data collected from human participants, you will need to plan well in advance to ensure that you have obtained ethical approval before starting work on your project and have given consideration to how you are going to handle the information you collect.

Working with human participants: ethical approval and data protection

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University of cambridge: law, doctor of philosophy - phd, full-time, 3 years starts oct 2024.

The PhD in Law may be awarded after three to four years of full-time study or five to seven years of part-time study (including a probationary period) of supervised independent research on the basis of a thesis not exceeding 100,000 words exclusive of bibliography, table of contents and any other preliminary matter. Students are appointed a principal supervisor by the Faculty's Degree Committee as well as an adviser as the second point of contact for academic advice. If the project is interdisciplinary, a second supervisor may be appointed. It is a requirement of the first year of study that students attend, in term-time only, the research training classes provided by the Faculty's Research Training and Development Programme. While individual arrangements may vary considerably, PhD students may normally expect to receive one-to-one supervision once a month during the early stages of their research. Meetings may be less frequent thereafter.

A PhD thesis must take due account of previously published work on the subject and must represent a significant contribution to learning, through, for example, the discovery of new knowledge, the connection of previously unrelated facts, the development of new theory or the revision of older views. A PhD research proposal of between 2,000 and 3,000 words in length should be submitted at the time of application for consideration and approval by the Faculty's Degree Committee. Candidates are initially registered for the Certificate of Postgraduate Study in Legal Studies and are required to attend the classes provided by the Faculty's Research Training and Development Programme, which aims to provide an introduction to advanced research techniques and methods in law and cognate disciplines.

Towards the end of May of their first year (or second year if registered part-time), candidates are required to submit three items for a progress review: a personal progress log, a 15,000-word thesis, and a short explanation of the proposed topic of the PhD. The work is formally assessed (normally by two teaching members of the Faculty) and students must attend an oral examination.

After this examination, the assessors' reports, along with a recommendation from the supervisor(s), are considered by the Faculty's Degree Committee whose members then decide whether the candidate be upgraded to doctoral status. The PhD registration date is normally backdated so as to include the period spent working on the Certificate.

Part-Time, 5 years starts Oct 2024

Full-time, 3 years started oct 2023, part-time, 5 years started oct 2023, full-time, 2 years starts oct 2024.

The MLitt in Law may be awarded after two years of supervised research (or a proportionally longer period if undertaken on a part-time basis) and following examination of a thesis not exceeding 60,000 words inclusive of footnotes but exclusive of appendices, bibliography, table of contents and any other preliminary matter. An MLitt thesis must take due account of previously published work on the subject and must represent a useful contribution to learning. Candidates for the MLitt are registered in the first instance for the Certificate of Postgraduate Study in Legal Studies which provides training in legal research.

It is a requirement of the Certificate that candidates attend the weekly classes (during term time only) provided by the Faculty's Research Training and Development Programme that offers instruction on research techniques and advice on matters such as getting work published and obtaining academic jobs. Candidates are required to submit, normally towards the end of May of their first year (or at a proportionally later date for part-time candidates), three items for a progress review: a personal progress log, a 15,000-word thesis, and a short explanation of the proposed topic of the MLitt. The work is formally assessed (normally by two teaching members of the Faculty) and candidates must attend an oral examination.

After this examination, the assessors' reports, along with a recommendation from the supervisor(s), are considered by the Faculty's Degree Committee whose members then decide whether to register the candidate for the MLitt Degree. The MLitt registration date is normally backdated so as to include the period of time working on the Certificate.

Part-Time, 3 years starts Oct 2024

Full-time, 2 years started oct 2023, part-time, 3 years started oct 2023.

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The optional dissertation seminar

Undergraduates in their final year may write a dissertation in place of one of their five papers. This currently involves writing a 12,000 word dissertation – which typically works out as about twenty to thirty pages. This may sound a daunting prospect, but every year, students find that after they have read and thought about a topic which interests them all year, the difficulty is not coming up with 12,000 words but keeping down to the word limit!

Students preparing a dissertation work within a supportive seminar group structure. Students will have personal contact with a member of academic staff (one of the seminar leaders) who provides them with guidance about reading and on the structure and content of their work, reading and commenting upon a partial draft. The seminar group structure also allows the opportunity to give a work-in-progress presentation to the group on their own research, receiving feedback from the seminar leaders as well as from other students.

The seminar options are intended to be broad umbrellas, giving students scope to choose, from within an expansive field, any topic which particularly sparks their interest.

Most undergraduates who choose the dissertation option find it one of the most rewarding elements of their Law degree, because they get to study in depth some aspect of the law which they themselves have selected. It is also enormously valuable in educational terms, giving students experience not only in producing a sustained piece of legal writing, but also in researching a topic independently. After all, when you start work at a law firm, you won’t be handed a reading list!

Abi, 3rd year Law student

Abi talks about the her experiences of studying a seminar subject and writing a dissertation as part of her undergraduate Law degree at Cambridge.

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Word limits and requirements of your Degree Committee

Candidates should write as concisely as is possible, with clear and adequate exposition. Each Degree Committee has prescribed the limits of length and stylistic requirements as given below. On submission of the thesis you must include a statement of length confirming that it does not exceed the word limit for your Degree Committee.

These limits and requirements are strictly observed by the Postgraduate Committee and the Degree Committees and, unless approval to exceed the prescribed limit has been obtained beforehand (see: Extending the Word Limit below), a thesis that exceeds the limit may not be examined until its length complies with the prescribed limit.

Extending the Word Limit

Thesis word limits are set by Degree Committees. If candidates need to increase their word limits they will need to apply for permission.

Information on how to apply (via self-service account) is available on the ‘ Applying for a change in your student status’  page. If following your viva, you are required to make corrections to your thesis which will mean you need to increase your word-limit, you need to apply for permission in the same way.

Requirements of the Degree Committees

Archaeology and anthropology, architecture and history of art, asian and middle eastern studies, business and management, clinical medicine and clinical veterinary medicine, computer laboratory, earth sciences and geography, scott polar institute, engineering, history and philosophy of science, land economy, mathematics, modern and medieval languages and linguistics, physics and chemistry, politics and international studies, archaeology and social anthropology.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words (approx. 350 pages) for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MSc or MLitt degree. These limits include all text, figures, tables and photographs, but exclude the bibliography, cited references and appendices. More detailed specifications should be obtained from the Division concerned. Permission to exceed these limits will be granted only after a special application to the Degree Committee. The application must explain in detail the reasons why an extension is being sought and the nature of the additional material, and must be supported by a reasoned case from the supervisor containing a recommendation that a candidate should be allowed to exceed the word limit by a specified number of words. Such permission will be granted only under exceptional circumstances. If candidates need to apply for permission to exceed the word limit, they should do so in good time before the date on which a candidate proposes to submit the thesis, by application made to the Graduate Committee.

Biological Anthropology:

Students may choose between two alternative thesis formats for their work:

either in the form of a thesis of not more than 80,000 words in length for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MSc or MLitt degree. The limits include all text, in-text citations, figures, tables, captions and footnotes but exclude bibliography and appendices; or

in the form of a collection of at least three research articles for the PhD degree and two research articles for the MSc or MLitt degree, formatted as an integrated piece of research, with a table of contents, one or more chapters that outline the scope and provide an in-depth review of the subject of study, a concluding chapter discussing the findings and contribution to the field, and a consolidated bibliography. The articles may be in preparation, submitted for publication or already published, and the combined work should not exceed 80,000 words in length for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MSc or MLitt degree. The word limits include all text, in-text citations, figures, tables, captions, and footnotes but exclude bibliography and appendices containing supplementary information associated with the articles. More information on the inclusion of material published, in press or in preparation in a PhD thesis may be found in the Department’s PhD submission guidelines.

Architecture:

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words for the PhD and 60,000 words for the MSc or MLitt degree. Footnotes, references and text within tables are to be counted within the word-limit, but captions, appendices and bibliographies are excluded. Appendices should be confined to such items as catalogues, original texts, translations of texts, transcriptions of interview, or tables.

History of Art:

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words for the PhD and 60,000 words for the MLitt degree. To include: footnotes, table of contents and list of illustrations, but excluding acknowledgements and the bibliography. Appendices (of no determined word length) may be permitted subject to the approval of the candidate's Supervisor (in consultation with the Degree Committee); for example, where a catalogue of works or the transcription of extensive primary source material is germane to the work. Permission to include such appendices must be requested from the candidate's Supervisor well in advance of the submission of the final thesis. NB: Permission for extensions to the word limit for most other purposes is likely to be refused.

The thesis is for the PhD degree not to exceed 80,000 words exclusive of footnotes, appendices and bibliography but subject to an overall word limit of 100,000 words exclusive of bibliography. For the MLitt degree not to exceed 60,000 words inclusive of footnotes but exclusive of bibliography and appendices.

The thesis for the PhD is not to exceed 60,000 words in length (80,000 by special permission), exclusive of tables, footnotes, bibliography, and appendices. Double-spaced or one-and-a-half spaced. Single or double-sided printing.

The thesis for the MPhil in Biological Science is not to exceed 20,000 words in length, exclusive of tables, footnotes, bibliography, and appendices. Double-spaced or one-and-a-half spaced. Single or double-sided printing.

For the PhD Degree the thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words, EXCLUDING bibliography, but including tables, tables of contents, footnotes and appendices. It is normally expected to exceed 40,000 words unless prior permission is obtained from the Degree Committee. Each page of statistical tables, charts or diagrams shall be regarded as equivalent to a page of text of the same size. The Degree Committee do not consider applications to extend this word limit.

For the Doctor of Business (BusD) the thesis will be approximately 200 pages (a maximum length of 80,000 words, EXCLUDING bibliography, but including tables, tables of contents, footnotes and appendices).

For the MSc Degree the thesis is not to exceed 40,000 words, EXCLUDING bibliography, but including tables, tables of contents, footnotes and appendices.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words including footnotes, references, and appendices but excluding bibliography; a page of statistics shall be regarded as the equivalent of 150 words. Only under exceptional circumstances will permission be granted to exceed this limit. Candidates must submit with the thesis a signed statement giving the length of the thesis.

For the PhD degree, not to exceed 60,000 words (or 80,000 by special permission of the Degree Committee), and for the MSc degree, not to exceed 40,000 words. These limits exclude figures, photographs, tables, appendices and bibliography. Lines to be double or one-and-a-half spaced; pages to be double or single sided.

The thesis is not to exceed, without the prior permission of the Degree Committee, 60,000 words including tables, footnotes and equations, but excluding appendices, bibliography, photographs and diagrams. Any thesis which without prior permission of the Degree Committee exceeds the permitted limit will be referred back to the candidate before being forwarded to the examiners.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words for the PhD degree and the MLitt degree, including footnotes, references and appendices but excluding bibliography. Candidates must submit with the thesis a signed statement giving the length of the thesis. Only under exceptional circumstances will permission be granted to exceed this limit for the inclusion of an appendix of a substantial quantity of text which is necessary for the understanding of the thesis (e.g. texts in translation, transcription of extensive primary source material). Permission must be sought at least three months before submission of the thesis and be supported by a letter from the supervisor certifying that such exemption from the prescribed limit of length is absolutely necessary.

The thesis is not to exceed, without the prior permission of the Degree Committee, 80,000 words for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MSc or MLitt degree, including the summary/abstract.  The table of contents, photographs, diagrams, figure captions, appendices, bibliography and acknowledgements to not count towards the word limit. Footnotes are not included in the word limit where they are a necessary part of the referencing system used.

Earth Sciences:

The thesis is not to exceed, without the prior permission of the Degree Committee, 275 numbered pages of which not more than 225 pages are text, appendices, illustrations and bibliography. A page of text is A4 one-and-a-half-spaced normal size type. The additional 50 pages may comprise tables of data and/or computer programmes reduced in size.

If a candidate's work falls within the social sciences, candidates are expected to observe the limit described in the Department of Geography above; if, however, a candidate's work falls within the natural sciences, a candidate should observe the limit described in the Department of Earth Sciences.

Applications for the limit of length of the thesis to be exceeded must be early — certainly no later than the time when the application for the appointment of examiners and the approval of the title of the thesis is made. Any thesis which, without the prior permission of the Degree Committee, exceeds the permitted limit of length will be referred back to the candidate before being forwarded to the examiners.

The thesis is not to exceed, without the prior permission of the Degree Committee, 60,000 words including tables, footnotes, bibliography and appendices. The Degree Committee points out that some of the best thesis extend to only half this length. Each page of statistical tables, charts or diagrams shall be regarded as equivalent to a page of text of the same size.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words for the PhD and EdD degrees and 60,000 words for the MSc and MLitt degrees, in all cases excluding appendices, footnotes, reference list or bibliography. Only in the most exceptional circumstances will permission be given to exceed the stated limits. In such cases, you must make an application to the Degree Committee as early as possible -and no later than three months before it is proposed to submit the thesis, having regard to the dates of the Degree Committee meetings. Your application should (a) explain in detail the reasons why you are seeking the extension and (b) be accompanied by a full supporting statement from your supervisor showing that the extension is absolutely necessary in the interests of the total presentation of the subject.

For the PhD degree, not to exceed, without prior permission of the Degree Committee, 65,000 words, including appendices, footnotes, tables and equations not to contain more than 150 figures, but excluding the bibliography. A candidate must submit with their thesis a statement signed by the candidate themself giving the length of the thesis and the number of figures. Any thesis which, without the prior permission of the Degree Committee, exceeds the permitted limit will be referred back to the candidate before being forwarded to the examiners.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words or go below 60,000 words for the PhD degree and not to exceed 60,000 words or go below 45,000 words for the MLitt degree, both including all notes and appendices but excluding the bibliography. A candidate must add to the preface of the thesis the following signed statement: 'The thesis does not exceed the regulation length, including footnotes, references and appendices but excluding the bibliography.'

In exceptional cases (when, for example, a candidate's thesis largely consists of an edition of a text) the Degree Committee may grant permission to exceed these limits but in such instances (a) a candidate must apply to exceed the length at least three months before the date on which a candidate proposes to submit their thesis and (b) the application must be supported by a letter from a candidate's supervisor certifying that such exemption from the prescribed limit of length is absolutely necessary.

It is a requirement of the Degree Committee for the Faculty of English that thesis must conform to either the MHRA Style Book or the MLA Handbook for the Writers of Research papers, available from major bookshops. There is one proviso, however, to the use of these manuals: the Faculty does not normally recommend that students use the author/date form of citation and recommends that footnotes rather than endnotes be used. Bibliographies and references in thesis presented by candidates in ASNaC should conform with either of the above or to the practice specified in Cambridge Studies in Anglo-Saxon England.

Thesis presented by candidates in the Research Centre for English and Applied Linguistics must follow as closely as possible the printed style of the journal Applied Linguistics and referencing and spelling conventions should be consistent.

A signed declaration of the style-sheet used (and the edition, if relevant) must be made in the preliminary pages of the thesis.

PhD theses MUST NOT exceed 80,000 words, and will normally be near that length.

A minimum word length exists for PhD theses: 70,000 words (50,000 for MLitt theses)

The word limit includes appendices and the contents page but excludes the abstract, acknowledgments, footnotes, references, notes on transliteration, bibliography, abbreviations and glossary.  The Contents Page should be included in the word limit. Statistical tables should be counted as 150 words per table. Maps, illustrations and other pictorial images count as 0 words. Graphs, if they are the only representation of the data being presented, are to be counted as 150 words. However, if graphs are used as an illustration of statistical data that is also presented elsewhere within the thesis (as a table for instance), then the graphs count as 0 words.

Only under exceptional circumstances will permission be granted to exceed this limit. Applications for permission are made via CamSIS self-service pages. Applications must be made at least four months before the thesis is bound. Exceptions are granted when a compelling intellectual case is made.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MLitt degree, in all cases including footnotes and appendices but excluding bibliography. Permission to submit a thesis falling outside these limits, or to submit an appendix which does not count towards the word limit, must be obtained in advance from the Degree Committee.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MSc or MLitt degree, both including footnotes, references and appendices but excluding bibliographies. One A4 page consisting largely of statistics, symbols or figures shall be regarded as the equivalent of 250 words. A candidate must add to the preface of their thesis the following signed statement: 'This thesis does not exceed the regulation length, including footnotes, references and appendices.'

For the PhD degree the thesis is not to exceed 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). Figures, tables, images etc should be counted as the equivalent of 200 words for each A4 page, or part of an A4 page, that they occupy. For the MLitt degree the thesis is not to exceed 60,000 words inclusive of footnotes but exclusive of bibliography, appendices, table of contents and any other preliminary matter. Figures, tables, images etc should be counted as the equivalent of 200 words for each A4 page, or part of an A4 page, that they occupy.

Criminology:

For the PhD degree submission of a thesis between 55,000 and 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). Figures, tables, images etc should be counted as the equivalent of 200 words for each A4 page, or part of an A4 page, that they occupy. For the MLitt degree the thesis is not to exceed 60,000 words inclusive of footnotes but exclusive of bibliography, appendices, table of contents and any other preliminary matter. Figures, tables, images etc should be counted as the equivalent of 200 words for each A4 page, or part of an A4 page, that they occupy.

There is no standard format for the thesis in Mathematics.  Candidates should discuss the format appropriate to their topic with their supervisor.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MLitt degree, including footnotes and appendices but excluding the abstract, any acknowledgements, contents page(s), abbreviations, notes on transliteration, figures, tables and bibliography. Brief labels accompanying illustrations, figures and tables are also excluded from the word count. The Degree Committee point out that some very successful doctoral theses have been submitted which extend to no more than three-quarters of the maximum permitted length.

In linguistics, where examples are cited in a language other than Modern English, only the examples themselves will be taken into account for the purposes of the word limit. Any English translations and associated linguistic glosses will be excluded from the word count.

In theses written under the aegis of any of the language sections, all sources in the language(s) of the primary area(s) of research of the thesis will normally be in the original language. An English translation should be provided only where reading the original language is likely to fall outside the expertise of the examiners. Where such an English translation is given it will not be included in the word count. In fields where the normal practice is to quote in English in the main text, candidates should follow that practice. If the original text needs to be supplied, it should be placed in a footnote. These fields include, but are not limited to, general linguistics and film and screen studies.

Since appendices are included in the word limit, in some fields it may be necessary to apply to exceed the limit in order to include primary data or other materials which should be available to the examiners. Only under the most exceptional circumstances will permission be granted to exceed the limit in other cases. In all cases (a) a candidate must apply to exceed the prescribed maximum length at least three months before the date on which a candidate proposes to submit their thesis and (b) the application must be accompanied by a full supporting statement from the candidate's supervisor showing that such exemption from the prescribed limit of length is absolutely necessary.

It is a requirement within all language sections of MMLL, and also for Film, that dissertations must conform with the advice concerning abbreviations, quotations, footnotes, references etc published in the Style Book of the Modern Humanities Research Association (Notes for Authors and Editors). For linguistics, dissertations must conform with one of the widely accepted style formats in their field of research, for example the style format of the Journal of Linguistics (Linguistic Association of Great Britain), or of Language Linguistic Society of America) or the APA format (American Psychology Association). If in doubt, linguistics students should discuss this with their supervisor and the PhD Coordinator.

The thesis is not to exceed 80,000 words for the PhD degree and 60,000 words for the MLitt degree, both excluding notes, appendices, and bibliographies, musical transcriptions and examples, unless a candidate make a special case for greater length to the satisfaction of the Degree Committee. Candidates whose work is practice-based may include as part of the doctoral submission either a portfolio of substantial musical compositions, or one or more recordings of their own musical performance(s).

PhD (MLitt) theses in Philosophy must not be more than 80,000 (60,000) words, including appendices and footnotes but excluding bibliography.

Institute of Astronomy, Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy, Department of Physics:

The thesis is not to exceed, without prior permission of the Degree Committee, 60,000 words, including summary/abstract, tables, footnotes and appendices, but excluding table of contents, photographs, diagrams, figure captions, list of figures/diagrams, list of abbreviations/acronyms, bibliography and acknowledgements.

Department of Chemistry:

The thesis is not to exceed, without prior permission of the Degree Committee, 60,000 words, including summary/abstract, tables, and footnotes, but excluding table of contents, photographs, diagrams, figure captions, list of figures/diagrams, list of abbreviations/acronyms, bibliography, appendices and acknowledgements. Appendices are relevant to the material contained within the thesis but do not form part of the connected argument. Specifically, they may include derivations, code and spectra, as well as experimental information (compound name, structure, method of formation and data) for non-key molecules made during the PhD studies.

Applicable to the PhDs in Politics & International Studies, Latin American Studies, Multi-disciplinary Studies and Development Studies for all submissions from candidates admitted prior to and including October 2017.

A PhD thesis must not exceed 80,000 words, and will normally be near that length. The word limit includes appendices but excludes footnotes, references and bibliography. Footnotes should not exceed 20% of the thesis. Discursive footnotes are generally discouraged, and under no circumstances should footnotes be used to include material that would normally be in the main text, and thus to circumvent the word limits. Statistical tables should be counted as 150 words per table. Only under exceptional circumstances, and after prior application, will the Degree Committee allow a student to exceed these limits. A candidate must submit, with the thesis, a statement signed by her or himself attesting to the length of the thesis. Any thesis that exceeds the limit will be referred back to candidate for revision before being forwarded to the examiners.

Applicable to the PhDs in Politics & International Studies, Latin American Studies, Multi-disciplinary Studies and Development Studies for all submissions from candidates admitted after October 2017.

A PhD thesis must not exceed 80,000 words, including footnotes. The word limit includes appendices but excludes the bibliography. Discursive footnotes are generally discouraged, and under no circumstances should footnotes be used to include material that would normally be in the main text. Statistical tables should be counted as 150 words per table. Only under exceptional circumstances, and after prior application, will the Degree Committee allow a student to exceed these limits. A candidate must submit, with the thesis, a statement signed by her or himself attesting to the length of the thesis. Any thesis that exceeds the limit will be referred back to candidate for revision before being forwarded to the examiners.

Only applicable to students registered for the degree prior to 1 August 2012; all other students should consult the guidance of the Faculty of Biological Sciences.

Applicable to the PhD in Psychology (former SDP students only) for all submissions made before 30 November 2013

A PhD thesis must not exceed 80,000 words, and will normally be near that length. The word limit includes appendices but excludes footnotes, references and bibliography. Footnotes should not exceed 20% of the thesis. Discursive footnotes are generally discouraged, and under no circumstances should footnotes be used to include material that would normally be in the main text, and thus to circumvent the word limits. Statistical tables should be counted as 150 words per table. Only under exceptional circumstances, and after prior application, will the Degree Committee allow a student to exceed these limits. A candidate must submit, with the thesis, a statement signed by her or himself attesting to the length of the thesis. Any thesis that exceeds the limit will be referred back to candidate for revision before being forwarded to the examiners.

Applicable to the PhD in Psychology (former SDP students only) for all submissions from 30 November 2013

A PhD thesis must not exceed 80,000 words, and will normally be near that length. The word limit includes appendices but excludes footnotes, references and bibliography. Footnotes should not exceed 20% of the thesis. Discursive footnotes are generally discouraged, and under no circumstances should footnotes be used to include material that would normally be in the main text, and thus to circumvent the word limits. Statistical tables should be counted as 150 words per table. Only under exceptional circumstances, and after prior application, will the Degree Committee allow a student to exceed these limits. Applications should be made in good time before the date on which a candidate proposes to submit the thesis, made to the Graduate Committee. A candidate must submit, with the thesis, a statement signed by her or himself attesting to the length of the thesis. Any thesis that exceeds the limit will be referred back to candidate for revision before being forwarded to the examiners.

A PhD thesis must not exceed 80,000 words, and will normally be over 60,000 words. This word limit includes footnotes and endnotes, but excludes appendices and reference list / bibliography. Figures, tables, images etc should be counted as the equivalent of 150 words for each page, or part of a page, that they occupy. Other media may form part of the thesis by prior arrangement with the Degree Committee. Students may apply to the Degree Committee for permission to exceed the word limit, but such applications are granted only rarely. Candidates must submit, with the thesis, a signed statement attesting to the length of the thesis.

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PhD in Criminology

• MPhil Courses

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Admissions Enquiries

For further details about the PhD course please contact the Graduate Administrators : Ms Charlotte Dove and Mrs Faith Payne

The PhD in Criminology is an advanced research degree, awarded on the basis of the preparation and presentation of a substantial piece of independent and original academic research. Cambridge doctoral students in criminology are supervised by leading scholars in their chosen fields, and student publications have been internationally recognised.

The Institute of Criminology has a worldwide reputation for excellence in both teaching and research. PhD candidates benefit from close links with the Institute's six dedicated research centres, providing them with unrivaled opportunities and the support to develop as independent researchers, while being part of an integrated community of criminologists working at different levels and through multidisciplinary approaches. The Cambridge PhD is a structured, yet flexible course of study, which supports individual development for becoming a professional researcher. It will help students develop the core skills needed by an arts, humanities or social sciences professional researcher of the future, which are valued by both academic and non-academic employers. By the end of the programme, candidates will have acquired the skills, experience and knowledge to undertake postdoctoral work (research and teaching) or another related professions.

PhD in Criminology Course

Training, support and development programme .

The Institute runs a comprehensive training, support and development programme for its PhD students. Frequent seminars are designed to develop research skills, technique and thinking.

While you are likely to be starting the PhD course with a background of suitable research training which you undertook before admission, e.g. through your Masters or MPhil degree, during your time at Cambridge you can broaden this as much as you wish with the number of different opportunities available.

You are advised to discuss your training needs with your supervisor and record any training undertaken. 

PhD candidates are strongly encouraged to take advantage of these training opportunities and the many interdepartmental workshops offered within the Institute and the University more widely.

Researcher Development Programme

The School of Arts and Humanities organises a Researcher Development Programme covering a range of topics from PhD skills training, to language training and writing and editing skills.

Social Sciences Research Methods Programme (SSRMP)

The Social Sciences Research Methods Programme is an interdisciplinary initiative offering high-quality research methods training to postgraduate students. The courses offered by the SSRMC cover skills relevant across the social sciences in a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods, from basic training to advanced statistical analysis.​

Seminars and Events

The Institute of Criminology holds weekly seminars and events, and candidates for the PhD are strongly encouraged to participate in the wider research culture of the Institute. These include the 'Brown Bag' seminars (aimed at criminologists at all levels of career progression within the Institute: PhD students, post-doctoral fellows and University teaching officers), Institute Guest Speaker seminars (usually Thursday evenings during term time), and MPhil teaching seminars.

Personal and Professional Development

The University's Skills Portal provides information on the transferable skills PhD students may wish to cultivate and enhance, and lists training opportunities available across the University, together with links to useful resources outside the University.

Careers Service

The Careers Service provides information and resources on jobs and opportunities within different sectors, advice on making applications and interviews, appointments with careers advisors, as well as career panels, skills sessions and events. Its services are available to all alumni for life.

Language Centre

The Language Centre supports the teaching and learning of languages throughout the University and is an excellent resource for academic purposes, whether you need to improve your language skills to help with your research or before undertaking fieldwork.

Supervisors and Research Topics

If you are confident that your proposed research is a good fit with your nominated supervisor, we recommend that you contact them in advance. If no potential supervisor is expressly stated in your application, the Admissions Panel will try to match applicants with willing supervisors based on academic interests and area of expertise, but there is no guarantee that this will always be possible.

If you have any questions about whether your topic is a good fit with your potential supervisor’s interests, you may email them, attaching both a CV with details of the degrees you have taken and the marks you have obtained, and a brief research proposal (1-2 pages max).

• Include in the main text of your message a short statement about your background (what you have studied so far, your degree result or grade average, any relevant experience) and research interests.
• Indicate why you wish to work with that member of staff, in particular (not just Cambridge in general), and what you can bring to the research group. Demonstrate your awareness of their research and how it aligns with your research interests.
• It is helpful to include information on your funding situation and plans.
• There is no need to attach references or transcripts.

Please be aware that our PhD supervisors receive large numbers of enquiries, and therefore cannot give detailed feedback on your proposal.

Postgraduate PhD applicants are required to nominate a supervisor as part of their application. 

Please consult the list below to see which members of staff are available to supervise PhD students starting in October 2023. Availability depends on several factors, including sabbatical leave arrangements, contractual arrangements, and the number of students already being supervised by each member of staff. Each listing includes a few words outlining research/supervision interests. When choosing your nominated supervisor, it is important that there is some overlap with your own research interests or approach. You can find more detailed information by clicking through to supervisors’ research profiles. If you have any questions about whether your topic is a good fit with your potential supervisor’s interests, you may email them, attaching both a CV with details of the degrees you have taken and the marks you have obtained, and a brief research proposal (1-2 pages max). Also:

Please note: No preference will be given to applicants who have made informal contact before applying. Please be aware that our PhD supervisors receive large numbers of enquiries, and therefore cannot give detailed feedback on your proposal.

The application portal for 2024/25 is now live.

Academic requirements, new admissions.

We expect (full-time and part-time) PhD applicants from outside the University of Cambridge to have a  Master's degree, with a distinction or close to distinction or equivalent, preferably in a social science discipline although applicants from other disciplines will also be considered.

Continuing from MPhil to PhD (current Cambridge students)

Both the Institute's MPhil courses provide excellent preparation for doctoral study, and many of our MPhil students choose to stay at Cambridge to pursue a Cambridge PhD. However, we do recommend that current MPhil students considering applying to study for a PhD should complete the MPhil in Criminological Research.  Continuation from the MPhil course is subject to a MPhil student achieving at least 74% overall. 

How to Apply

Full-time and part-time applications for the PhD in Criminology must be made through the University's Postgraduate Admissions Office Applicant Portal . Only applicants have access to their application(s) on the application portal. The Institute is not able view (or amend) an application until it is complete.  Please note the following:

Completing your online Application Form (Full-time and Part-time applicants)

When will i receive a decision.

• Full-time and part-time PhD applications are considered on a rolling basis (as they are received) up until each Term's application deadline.
• We aim to assess and make a decision for all applications within eight weeks of receiving a complete application form (which includes two academic references).  As part of the decision making process, you may be invited to attend an interview with your prospective supervisor and another members of the admissions panel. Interviews maybe conducted in person, or via Zoom / Teams. [ Part-time applications : If the department decides to make you an offer the applicant will also be interviewed by their proposed supervsior to establish a five-year research plan, which will set out your attendance requirements for training and seminars, frequency of supervisions and progress stages.]

Admission Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The Postgraduate Admissions Office has a comprehensive list of Frequently Asked Questions relating to the applications process. Please refer to these while making your application and throughout the process of applying.

Funding your Studies

If you wish to be considered for University based funding you must submit your PhD application in full by 4 January 2024, or 11 October 2023 if you are a USA citizen resident in the USA and wish to be considered for Gates funding .

Full details on course fees can be found at the Postgraduate Admissions website.

When considering applying for a course consider the living costs as well as the course fees required during your time here. The  finance overview  will help you calculate your costs.

There are many funding opportunities at Cambridge from a wide variety of sources including the Cambridge Trusts, Gates Cambridge, Colleges, Research Councils and central University funds. Eligibility for the funds can be based on what course you are studying, your country of origin, or other criteria.

The Postgraduate Admissions Website has detailed information about these funding opportunities . This includes information about eligibility, how to apply and application deadlines.

There is also a  funding search tool  which will help you identify possibly funding opportunities.

You are also advised to do your own research on other funding sources, including the Colleges. Competition for funding is high so we strongly advise that you apply for as many funding opportunities as possible, to maximise the chance of success. On our funding page we have highlighted some funding opportunities where our students have achieved success in previous years.

Institute of Criminology Sidgwick Avenue Cambridge CB3 9DA T: +44 (0)1223 335360 F: +44 (0)1223 335356 E: [email protected]

Contact: [email protected]

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PhD theses (HPS)

We hold bound copies of all PhD theses completed by students in the Department of History and Philosophy of Science in the University of Cambridge since at least the mid 1980s. These are available from the staff desk (you will be asked to sign a copyright declaration form). They can be read in the library, but may not be copied or borrowed.

All our PhD theses are catalogued on iDiscover : find them by searching for author name and title keywords in the same way as for a printed book. Alternatively, select the Whipple as the holding library and search for "dissertation" to get a more comprehensive list. 

In addition, the following lists give you a quick overview of the PhD theses we hold, in alphabetical and chronological order:

• HPS PhD theses (alphabetical)
• HPS PhD theses (chronological)

If the thesis you are looking for is not held here at the Whipple it's possible it was submitted to a different department or faculty in the University. Cambridge University Library holds hard copies of all PhD theses in all subjects approved by the University of Cambridge since 1921. These can be consulted in person in the Manuscripts Room .

How can I obtain a copy of a Cambridge PhD thesis?

Unfortunately we are not able to provide copies of PhD theses, either in hard copy or digital, from the Whipple. However, our colleagues in the Digital Content Unit at the University Library may be able to help; visit their website for further information about their image ordering service and to access the online request form.

Other HPS theses

The Library has a small collection of PhD and Masters-level theses and dissertations on a variety of HPS topics from other universities, acquired by donation. These are not catalogued on iDiscover, but are listed separately. Please ask staff for details.

MPhil and Part III dissertations

We have a large - but not comprehensive - collection of MPhil dissertations completed in the Department of History and Philosophy of Science since the late 1990s. These are catalogued on iDiscover , and are available for use in the Library only. Please ask at the staff desk for further details.

The following lists give you a quick overview of the MPhil and Part III dissertations we hold:

MPhil History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine

• Alphabetical list
• Chronological list

MPhil Health, Medicine and Society

Part iii history and philosophy of science.

• Alphabetical List
• Chronological List

Sample Part II, Part III and MPhil coursework

We also have a selection of sample work submitted for Part II, Part III and MPhil exams in recent years, which is available to consult in the Library. This includes Part II Primary Source Essays and Dissertations, Part III Research Papers, and MPhil Essays. The samples include a range of historical and philosophical approaches and are intended to provide good examples of each type of work. Please ask at the staff desk for further details.

Monday - Friday

09:15 - 19:00, quick links.

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