Statutes and Ordinances of the University of Cambridge
CHAPTER VII
pp. 458–463
DEGREES, DIPLOMAS, AND OTHER QUALIFICATIONS

The Ordinances contained in this Chapter are Ordinances of the General Board

In this section

DEGREES IN EDUCATION

Master of Education

OLD REGULATIONS13

Candidature.

1. A candidate for the M.Ed. Examination must be approved by the Faculty Board of Education, who shall assign to each candidate a date of commencement of candidature.

2. The Faculty Board may approve as a candidate for the M.Ed. Examination any student who has satisfied the Board that by reason of previous study he or she is qualified to engage in postgraduate work in Education.

3. Applications for approval under Regulation 2 shall be sent to the Secretary of the Faculty Board so as to arrive not later than 31 March next preceding the date on which the applicant wishes his or her candidature to begin, provided that the Board shall have power to consider applications submitted after that date.

Conditions for pursuing course.

4. A candidate for the M.Ed. Examination shall pursue in the University, under the direction of a Supervisor appointed by the Faculty Board of Education, a course of study which shall extend over a period of two academical years. The Faculty Board may allow a candidate to intermit his or her course for not more than six terms, which terms shall not count for any purpose of these regulations. No student's name shall appear on the list of successful candidates for the M.Ed. Examination unless the Head of the Department of Education is satisfied that the student has diligently attended the course.

Supervisor's reports.

5. Every Supervisor shall send to the Secretary of the Faculty Board at least once in each term a written report on the work of each student who is studying for the M.Ed. Examination under his or her direction.

Notice of subjects.

6. The Faculty Board of Education shall announce not later than the end of the Easter Term each year the subjects to be covered in the course during the academical year next but one following; provided that the Board shall have the power of subsequently issuing amendments if they have due reason for doing so and if they are satisfied that no student's preparation for the examination is adversely affected.

Supplementary regulations.

7. The Faculty Board of Education shall have power to issue supplementary regulations determining the scope and manner of assessment of the examination, and shall be empowered to amend such supplementary regulations from time to time as they may think fit, due care being taken that sufficient notice is given of any change.

Examiners and Assessors.

8. The Faculty Board shall nominate for each academical year such number of Examiners and Assessors as they may deem sufficient, including a resident member of the Senate as Chairman of Examiners.

M.Ed. Examination.

9. The M.Ed. Examination shall consist, at the choice of the candidate, of either Option A or Option B, as follows:

Option A

The examination shall consist of a thesis, of not more than 30,000 words in length, excluding footnotes, tables, appendices, and bibliography, on a subject approved by the Faculty Board.

The examination shall include an oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls, save that the Examiners may, at their discretion, waive the requirement for an oral examination.

Option B

The examination shall consist of:

  1. (i)a thesis of between 15,000 and 20,000 words in length excluding footnotes, tables, appendices, and bibliography, on a subject approved by the Faculty Board;
  2. (ii)two essays each of at least 6,000 and not more than 6,500 words in length (or the equivalent thereof), on topics approved by the Faculty Board and falling within fields of study specified by the Board.

The examination shall include an oral examination on the thesis and the essays, and on the general field of knowledge within which they fall, save that the Examiners may, at their discretion, waive the requirement for an oral examination.

Class-list.

10. The names of the candidates who have satisfied the Examiners shall be arranged in alphabetical order in a single class.

Fee.

11. While studying in the University for the M.Ed. Examination, a candidate shall pay the appropriate University Composition Fee for each term of such study.

12. A student who has satisfactorily completed the course and has satisfied the Examiners in the M.Ed. Examination shall be entitled to proceed to the degree of M.Ed.

Relation to courses of research.

13. A student who has taken the M.Ed. Examination, and who is subsequently admitted as a Graduate Student registered for the degree of Ph.D., M.Sc., or M.Litt., may be permitted to seek exemption from terms of research for that degree under the provisions of Regulation 1(a) of the regulations for those degrees.

14. Notwithstanding the provision of Regulation 4, the Faculty Board of Education shall have power to permit a candidate who has attained an appropriate standard of postgraduate study to follow a course of study leading to the award of the Master of Education extending over a period of one academical year.

Master of Education

NEW REGULATIONS14

Notice (Reporter, 2011–12, p. 866)

Candidature.

1. The M.Ed. Degree (part-time course) shall be awarded for advanced study. A candidate for the M.Ed. Examination must be approved by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Education and the Board of Graduate Studies, who shall assign to each candidate a date of commencement of candidature.

2. Applications for admission as an M.Ed. student shall be sent to the Secretary of the Board of Graduate Studies.

3. The Board of Graduate Studies may approve as a candidate for the M.Ed. Examination any student who has satisfied the Board that by reason of previous study he or she is qualified to engage in graduate work in Education.

4. Applications for approval under Regulation 2 shall be sent to the Board of Graduate Studies so as to arrive not later than 30 June next preceding the date on which the applicant wishes her or his candidature to begin, provided that the Board shall have power to consider applications submitted after that date.

Conditions for pursuing course.

5. A candidate for the M.Ed. Degree (part-time course) shall be a registered Graduate Student who shall pursue in the University or similar institution approved by the Degree Committee concerned and by the Board of Graduate Studies a course of advanced study under the direction of a Supervisor appointed by the Degree Committee concerned and shall comply with any special conditions that the Degree Committee or the Board may lay down in a particular case. The course shall extend over two academical years; students are required to attend in all six terms of the year, beginning from the date announced by the Degree Committee for the start of lectures, classes, or other formal instruction.

6. The Board of Graduate Studies, on the recommendation of the Degree Committee, may allow a candidate to intermit her or his course for not more than six terms, except in exceptional circumstances, which terms shall not count for any purpose of these regulations. No student’s name shall appear on the list of successful candidates for the M.Ed. Examination unless the Degree Committee is satisfied that the student has diligently attended the course.

Supervisor's reports.

7. Every Supervisor shall send to the Degree Committee at least three times during the course a written report on the work of each student who is studying for the M.Ed. Examination under her or his direction.

Notice of subjects.

8. The Faculty Board of Education shall announce not later than the end of the Easter Term each year the subjects to be covered in the course during the academical year next but one following; provided that the Board shall have the power of subsequently issuing amendments if they have due reason for doing so and if they are satisfied that no student’s preparation for the examination is adversely affected.

Supplementary regulations.

9. The Faculty Board of Education shall have power to issue supplementary regulations determining the scope and manner of assessment of the examination, and shall be empowered to amend such supplementary regulations from time to time as they may think fit, due care being taken that sufficient notice is given of any change.

Examiners and Assessors.

10. The Degree Committee shall nominate for each academical year such number of Examiners and Assessors as they may deem sufficient, including a resident member of the Senate as Chairman of Examiners.

M.Ed. Examination.

11. The M.Ed. Examination shall consist, at the choice of the candidate, of either Option A or Option B, as follows:

Option A

The examination shall consist of a thesis, of not more than 30,000 words in length, excluding footnotes, tables, appendices, and bibliography, on a subject approved by the Degree Committee.

The examination shall include an oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls.

Option B

The examination shall consist of:

  1. (i)a thesis of not more than 20,000 words in length excluding footnotes, tables, appendices, and bibliography, on a subject approved by the Degree Committee;
  2. (ii)two essays each of at least 6,000 and not more than 6,500 words in length (or the equivalent thereof), on topics approved by the Degree Committee.

The examination shall include an oral examination on the thesis and the essays, and on the general field of knowledge within which they fall, save that the Examiners may, at their discretion, waive the requirement for an oral examination.

Fee.

12. While studying in the University for the M.Ed. Examination, a candidate shall pay the appropriate University Composition Fee for each term of such study.

13. A student who has satisfactorily completed the course and has satisfied the Degree Committee in the M.Ed. Examination shall be entitled to proceed to the degree of Master of Education.

Relation to courses of research.

14. A student who has taken the M.Ed. Examination, and who is subsequently admitted as a Graduate Student registered for the degree of Ph.D., Ed.D., M.Sc., or M.Litt., may be permitted to seek exemption from terms of research for that degree under the provisions of Regulation 1(a) of the regulations for those degrees.

15. Notwithstanding the provision of Regulation 4, the Degree Committee of Education and the Board of Graduate Studies shall have power to permit a candidate who has attained an appropriate standard of postgraduate study to follow a course of study leading to the award of the Master of Education extending over a period of one academical year.

Doctor of Education

1. In order to qualify for the degree of Doctor of Education a candidate shall be required satisfactorily to complete a course of training prescribed for that degree and provide evidence of a significant original contribution to study in the field of education.

Conditions of pursuing course.

2. Subject to clauses (a)–(c) below, a Graduate Student registered for the degree of Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) shall pursue in the University, and such other places as the Board of Graduate Studies and the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Education shall determine, a part-time course of training and research under supervision for not less than fifteen terms.

The number of terms shall begin with the term from which the student is registered as a candidate for the degree and shall be consecutive except in so far as the student may have been allowed to intermit her or his course under clause (a) below, or except in so far as the Board may have determined that he or she shall not be allowed to count any particular term towards the requirements for the Degree.

  1. (a)The Board, after considering a recommendation by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Education, may exempt from up to five terms of her or his course a student who is registered as a candidate for the Ed.D. Degree, provided that before admission as a Graduate Student he or she had been engaged
  2. either(i)in full-time or part-time research
  3. or(ii)in other work done after graduation deemed by the Degree Committee and the Board to have provided satisfactory training for the course of research in question.
  4. (b)On account of illness or other sufficient cause, the Board, after considering a recommendation by the Degree Committee, may allow a student to intermit her or his course for one or more terms. Such terms shall not count for any purpose of these regulations except as provided in Regulation 7 of the general regulations for admission as a Graduate Student.
  5. (c)On the recommendation of the Degree Committee, the Board may allow a student who has been approved for, and may have proceeded to, the M.Ed. Degree, or the M.Phil., or M.St., or M.Res. Degree in an appropriate subject to count not more than five terms towards her or his course.
Application for dispensation.

Every application for a dispensation under clauses (a)–(c) shall be made in writing to the Secretary of the Board, and shall be accompanied by a written opinion from the applicant’s Supervisor.

3. On the recommendation of the Board, the Council may grant to a Graduate Student in respect of work done in the University before matriculation, if the student’s matriculation was delayed for sufficient cause, an allowance of terms not exceeding five in number, towards the minimum of fifteen terms required to be kept under Regulation 2.

4. The Board may grant to a Graduate Student, after considering an application supported by the student’s Tutor, up to five terms of research towards satisfying the requirements of Regulation 2, on account of illness or other grave cause. For every term so allowed the student shall pay the appropriate fee as prescribed in Regulation 11 of the general regulations for admission as a Graduate Student.

Requirements.

5. In order to be registered as a candidate for the degree, a Graduate Student must have completed, to the satisfaction of the Board and the Degree Committee, such course-work, undertaken either in the University or at such other place as may have been approved for this purpose, as the Board and Degree Committee may have specified.

Supervision.

6. The course of training and research shall be conducted under such supervisory arrangements as the Board and the Degree Committee shall specify. The Board and the Degree Committee shall satisfy themselves that, during the periods when a student is working outside the University, appropriate arrangements for supervision and for reporting on the student’s progress are in place.

Ed.D. examination.

7. The examination for the degree of Ed.D. shall consist of:

  1. (a)the submission of a dissertation embodying the results of the candidate’s approved course of research, which shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of Regulations 8–10,
  2. (b)an examination, conducted orally or in writing, on the subject of the dissertation and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls, provided that in exceptional circumstances, and on the recommendation of the Degree Committee, the Board may dispense with such an examination.
Dissertation.

8. A candidate may submit her or his dissertation not earlier than the first day of the term during which he or she expects to complete the requirements of Regulation 2, provided that, and not later than the last day of the seventh year after he or she was registered, with the permission of the Board, a dissertation may be submitted later than that day. An allowance of terms made by the Council under Regulation 3 shall count in calculating the standing of a student for the purpose of this regulation.

9. In submitting their dissertations, candidates shall state, generally in a preface and specifically in notes or in a bibliography, the sources from which their information is derived, the extent to which they have availed themselves of the work of others, and the portions of the dissertation which are claimed as original. They shall also be required to declare that the dissertation submitted is not substantially the same as any that they may have submitted for a degree or diploma or similar qualification. The work, apart from quotations, shall be written in English. Candidates shall also submit a statement by those responsible for their supervision certifying the conditions under which each candidate’s work was undertaken.

10. Two copies of each candidate’s dissertation, accompanied by the statement referred to in Regulation 9 and three copies of a summary of about 300 words in length, shall be sent to the Secretary of the Board, who shall forward the copies and two copies of the summary to the Secretary of the Degree Committee. In special circumstances the Board, after consulting the Degree Committee, may allow a candidate to submit one copy only of the dissertation. The dissertation shall be referred to two Examiners, appointed by the Degree Committee. Neither of the Examiners shall have been the candidate’s Supervisor. Each Examiner shall make an independent report on the dissertation to the Degree Committee. The two Examiners shall jointly conduct the oral examination specified for the dissertation under Regulation 7(b), and shall sign a joint certificate of the result. If the Examiners do not agree in their recommendations or if for any other reason the Degree Committee or the Board need a further opinion or opinions on the merit of the work submitted, the Degree Committee may appoint an additional Examiner or additional Examiners, provided that not more than one additional Examiner shall be appointed without leave of the Board. Each additional Examiner so appointed shall make an independent report on the dissertation to the Degree Committee.

11. If a candidate fails to satisfy the Examiners in the oral examination specified for the dissertation under Regulation 7(b), the Degree Committee may permit the candidate to be re-examined by the same Examiners. Permission so given shall be communicated to the Secretary of the Board and shall not be given on more than one occasion. Each Examiner who takes part in an examination under this regulation shall be paid a fee of £42 in addition to any fees to which he or she may be entitled under Regulation 12, and may also claim travelling expenses in accordance with the provisions of that regulation.

Payments to Examiners.

12. Each Examiner shall receive a fee from the Chest. Such a fee shall be £135 if the Examiner takes part in the oral examination specified for the dissertation under Regulation 7(b), or £100 if the Examiner does not so take part, either because the Board, on the recommendation of the Degree Committee, have dispensed with the oral examination or for any other reason. Examiners may claim travelling expenses, on terms and conditions specified by the Board if their place of residence is more than ten miles from Great St Mary’s Church or if an oral examination or a consultation between the Examiners is for good reason held outside Cambridge. The Board may also approve payment of other reasonable expenses incurred by an Examiner in connection with the execution of her or his duties. A subsistence allowance may be claimed by Examiners at rates determined from time to time by the Finance Committee of the Council, provided that payment may be made only in respect of a day or a night on which the Examiner’s absence from her or his normal place of residence in connection with the execution of her or his duties is necessary. The travelling expenses of a candidate who is required to travel to an oral examination outside Cambridge may be paid in whole or in part, at rates determined by the Board; such a candidate may also claim a subsistence allowance at rates determined from time to time by the Finance Committee, under the same conditions as apply to the Examiners.

Approval for Ed.D. Degree.

13. If, after considering the reports of the Examiners, the Degree Committee are satisfied that the candidate’s work is of the requisite standard for the degree, a recommendation of the Committee to that effect, with the names of those present and voting on either side, shall be communicated to the Board, together with the reports of the Examiners. If the Board, after receiving such communication, at a meeting at which not less than five members are present, resolve that the candidate be approved for the Ed.D. Degree, the Secretary of the Board shall publish a notice of the candidate’s approval for the award of the Degree.

Revised dissertation.

14. If, after considering the reports of the Examiners, the Degree Committee consider that the candidate’s dissertation is not of the requisite standard for the degree, the Board may, at a meeting at which no less than five members are present, permit the candidate to submit a revised dissertation, but they shall not do so unless the Degree Committee have expressly recommended that such permission be given. The communication conveying such a recommendation by a Degree Committee shall contain the names of those present and voting on either side, and shall be accompanied by the reports of the Examiners. A candidate shall not be allowed to submit a revised dissertation on more than one occasion.

Approval for M.Litt. Degree in lieu.

15. If, after considering the reports of the Examiners, the Degree Committee consider that the candidate’s work is not of the standard requisite for the Ed.D. Degree, but that it is of the standard requisite for the M.Litt. Degree, their recommendation to that effect, with the names of those present and voting on either side, shall be communicated to the Board, together with the reports of the Examiners. If after receiving such communication the Board decide, at a meeting at which not less than five members are present, that the candidate could properly be approved for the award of the lower degree, the Secretary of the Board shall ask the candidate whether he or she is willing to be approved for the award of the M.Litt. Degree. Subject to the candidate’s agreement being received by the Secretary not later than the last day of the term following the term or vacation in which the decision on her or his candidature was made, the Board shall approve the candidate for the award of that degree and the Secretary shall publish a notice of such approval. The Board may, in exceptional circumstances, which they shall themselves determine, accept a candidate’s agreement at a later date.

Deciding authority.

16. The Board shall be the deciding authority on all recommendations communicated to them by Degree Committees that candidates be approved for the award of the Ed.D. or M.Litt. Degree or that they be allowed to submit revised dissertations. The Board shall not approve a candidate for the award of a degree unless the Degree Committee have recommended the award of that degree; before refusing an award so recommended they shall give a representative appointed by the Degree Committee an opportunity of explaining the Committee’s reasons for their recommendation.

Unsuccessful candidate to be informed.

17. If after considering the reports of the Examiners the Degree Committee resolve that a candidate’s work is not of the requisite standard for any degree, and if they do not recommend that the candidate be allowed to submit a revised dissertation, their resolution to that effect, with the names of those present and voting on either side, shall be communicated to the Board, together with the reports of the Examiners. The Secretary of the Board shall communicate this decision to the candidate.

Copy of dissertation for Library.

18. Before being admitted to a degree, a student shall deposit with the Secretary of the Board one copy of her or his dissertation and two copies of the summary, in a form approved by the Board. The Secretary shall deposit the copy of the dissertation together with one copy of the summary in the University Library, where they shall be available for consultation and for the making of copies for inter-library loan purposes, unless the Board determine that they shall, for a period specified by the Board, be available only to the author or to those who have the author’s written permission to consult the material. The summary shall be available for copying and publication at the discretion of the Board.

Footnotes

  1. 13. These regulations apply to students admitted prior to 1 October 2013.a
  2. 14. These regulations apply to students admitted from 1 October 2013.a