Statutes and Ordinances of the University of Cambridge
CHAPTER VII
pp. 549–554
DEGREES, DIPLOMAS, AND OTHER QUALIFICATIONS

The provisions contained in this Chapter are Regulations of the General Board

In this section

MASTER OF RESEARCH

GENERAL REGULATIONS

1. The M.Res. Degree shall be awarded for training in research. A subject of such study, together with the programme aims, learning outcomes, and syllabus for the course, and the special regulations for the examination and any subsequent amendments thereof, shall be approved by the General Board on the recommendation of the Faculty Board or other body concerned, after consultation with the appropriate Degree Committee.

2. The scheme of examination for the M.Res. Degree shall consist of written work or other exercises and the submission of a thesis (which terms shall include one or more equivalent pieces of extended research work such as an appraisal or a report), as prescribed in the appropriate special regulations for the subject as appended to these regulations. Any such prescribed scheme may require candidates also to take written papers in accordance with arrangements made by the Board of Graduate Studies on the recommendation of the appropriate Degree Committee. The examination for the Degree shall be held before the end of the course, except as provided under Regulation 7, and at such time or times as may be determined by the Degree Committee concerned, subject in the case of written papers to the approval of the Board of Examinations. Each written paper shall be of three hours’ duration unless prescribed otherwise in the regulations that apply to the examination concerned.

3. No student shall be a candidate for the M.Res. Degree on more than one occasion or for the M.Res. Degree and for another University examination in the same term.

4. A candidate for the M.Res. Degree shall be a registered Graduate Student who, subject to the provisions of Regulation 5, shall pursue a course of training in research 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 one academical year. Students are required to attend in all three terms of the year, beginning from the date announced by the Degree Committee for the start of lectures, classes, or other formal instruction.

5. The Board of Graduate Studies, after considering a recommendation by the Degree Committee concerned,

  1. (a)may allow a candidate for the M.Res. Degree to spend up to one term working under supervision outside the University under conditions approved by the Degree Committee;
  2. (b)may allow a candidate for the M.Res. Degree on account of illness or other sufficient cause to intermit his or her course of study for one or more terms, which 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.

Every application for dispensation under sub-paragraphs (a)–(b) shall be made to the Secretary of the Board of Graduate Studies and shall be accompanied by an opinion from the applicant’s Supervisor.

6. Details of each candidate’s examination entry (including the candidate’s choice of written papers or other exercises, as appropriate, and the proposed subject of the thesis and subsequent corrections thereof), shall be submitted by the candidate to the Secretary of the Degree Committee concerned, and by the latter to the Secretary of the Board of Graduate Studies, who shall transmit them to the Registrary in accordance with the following timetable:

Entries to be

submitted

Details of

written papers etc.

Corrections

Title of

thesis etc.

By candidates to

 Secretaries of Degree

 Committees

By end of Full

 Michaelmas Term

 

By division of

 Lent Term

By Secretaries of Degree

 Committees to Board of

 Graduate Studies

By end of

 Michaelmas Term

By end of third week

 of Full Lent Term

By end of Lent Term

By Board of Graduate

 Studies to Registrary

By end of first week of

 Full Lent Term

By division of Lent

 Term

 

Lists of candidates for each examination shall be circulated by the Registrary to Colleges as follows:

List of entries:

By the end of the second week of Full Lent Term.

Final list of entries:

Not less than four weeks before the beginning of the examination concerned.

7. Each candidate shall submit two copies of the thesis in accordance with detailed arrangements approved by the Board, so as to arrive by a date which shall be determined by the Degree Committee, and which shall not be later than the last day of August in the academical year of the course, provided that a candidate may be permitted to submit her or his thesis at such later date as may be determined by the Degree Committee. In special circumstances the Degree Committee may allow a candidate to submit only one copy of the thesis. The Examiners and the Degree Committee may take into consideration any work published by the candidate which is submitted with the thesis.

8. In submitting a thesis a candidate shall state, generally in a preface and specifically in notes or in a bibliography, the sources from which information has been derived, the extent to which use has been made of the work of others, and the portions of the thesis which are claimed as original. A thesis shall not be accepted if it is substantially the same as one that the candidate has submitted, or is concurrently submitting, for any other degree, diploma, or similar qualification at any university or similar institution, but a thesis which the candidate has submitted or is concurrently submitting for some other purpose may be accepted. In submitting a thesis the candidate shall declare for what purpose, if any, other than for the M.Res. Degree, the whole or part of it has already been or is concurrently being submitted. The thesis, apart from quotations, shall be written in English.

9. Every Supervisor shall send to the Secretary of the Board of Graduate Studies reports on the work of each candidate under his or her charge, in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 8 of the general regulations for admission as a Graduate Student.

10. The Degree Committee concerned shall appoint such number of Examiners and Assessors as they shall deem sufficient to conduct the examination for the M.Res. Degree and to report on the performance of a candidate. The Examiners and Assessors shall undertake such duties as the Degree Committee may decide.

(a) The Degree Committee shall appoint an External Examiner and a Senior Examiner; not later than the end of the Michaelmas Term the Secretary of the Degree Committee shall communicate to the Secretary of the Board of Graduate Studies the name of these Examiners and the names of the other Examiners and Assessors.

(b) Each candidate’s thesis shall be referred to two Examiners each of whom shall make an independent report thereon. The special regulations for the examination may provide for an oral examination on the thesis and, if so specified, on the other parts of the examination. When the oral examination relates to the thesis both Examiners of the thesis shall be among the Examiners present at the oral examination. The Degree Committee in exceptional circumstances may permit the Examiners to conduct the oral examination by video-conference or other remote means. The Examiners participating in the oral examination shall sign a joint certificate of the result, including any marks assigned thereto, of that examination. If the Examiners do not agree in their recommendation, or if for any other reason the Degree Committee need a further opinion or opinions on the merit of the thesis submitted, the Degree Committee may appoint additional Examiners, provided that not more than one additional Examiner may be appointed without the leave of the Board of Graduate Studies. Each additional Examiner so appointed shall make an independent report on the thesis to the Degree Committee.

11. If the Degree Committee at a meeting held to consider the reports of the Examiners, approve the candidate’s marks in the written papers or other exercises, the thesis submitted, and her or his performance in the oral examination (where held) as of the requisite standard for the M.Res. Degree and are of the opinion that the degree should be conferred, the Degree Committee shall communicate their resolution to the candidate and to the Secretary of the Board of Graduate Studies who shall publish a notice of the candidate’s approval for the award of the degree of Master of Research.

12. If the Degree Committee, after consideration of a candidate’s marks and the reports of the Examiners in the prescribed examination, are of the opinion that the candidate’s work is not of the requisite standard for the degree, the Degree Committee shall communicate their resolution to the candidate and to the Secretary of the Board of Graduate Studies. After such a resolution has been made the student concerned shall not be eligible to take the examination for the degree again.

13. Payment of travelling expenses and a subsistence allowance may be claimed by Examiners in accordance with Regulation 11 of the regulations for the Ph.D., M.Sc., and M.Litt. Degrees.

14. A Graduate Student whose course of study for the M.Res. Degree has included any term needed for the B.A. Degree and who elects to proceed to the B.A. Degree shall not be entitled to proceed to the M.Res. Degree.

SPECIAL REGULATIONS

Biological Science

The scheme of examination for the one-year course of study in Biological Science for the degree of Master of Research shall consist of a portfolio of research reports, of not more than 20,000 words in total, exclusive of tables, footnotes, bibliography, and appendices, on a theme and of a form approved and published annually in the Easter Term before the commencement of the course by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Biology. The Degree Committee shall, at the same time, specify any other exercises which form part of the examination for candidates in particular subjects. The examination shall include an oral examination on the work submitted by the candidate and on the general field of knowledge within which such work falls. The portfolio shall provide evidence to satisfy the Examiners that a candidate can design and carry out an original investigation, assess and interpret the results obtained, and place the work in the wider perspective of the subject.

Future Infrastructure and Built Environment

Notices (Reporter, 2013–14, pp. 306 and 781)

1. The scheme of examination for the one-year course of study in Future Infrastructure and Built Environment for the degree of Master of Research shall consist of:

  1. (a)six modules selected from a list of mandatory and optional modules published by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Engineering not later than the end of the Easter Term of the academical year preceding that in which the examination is to be held; each module shall be examined either by a written paper, or by course-work, or by a combination of the two;
  2. (b)three reports – one of up to 2,000 words; one of up to 3,000 words; one of up to 5,000 words – on projects approved by the Degree Committee; words counts are inclusive of diagrams and footnotes, but exclude bibliography and appendices;
  3. (c)a thesis, of no more than 12,000 words in length, including diagrams and footnotes, but excluding bibliography and appendices, on a subject approved by the Degree Committee; its assessment shall include an oral presentation of the project work on which the thesis is based.

2. The Degree Committee shall have the power to give notice of additional modules not later than the end of the Michaelmas Term of the academical year of the examination.

3. The examination may include, at the discretion of the Examiners, an oral examination on the reports and on the general field of knowledge within which they fall, and on the other work submitted by the candidate under Regulation 1.

Gas Turbine Aerodynamics

Notices (Reporter, 2013–14, pp. 306 and 781)

1. The scheme of examination for the one-year course of study in Gas Turbine Aerodynamics for the degree of Master of Research shall consist of:

  1. (a)six modules selected from a list of mandatory and optional modules published by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Engineering not later than the end of the Easter Term of the academical year preceding that in which the examination is to be held;
  2. (b)three reports, each of not more than 4,000 words in length, including diagrams and footnotes, but excluding bibliography and appendices, on projects approved by the Degree Committee;
  3. (c)two industry courses to be assessed in such manner as the Degree Committee shall determine. The Degree Committee shall announce the form of assessment not later than the end of the Michaelmas Term of the academical year in which the examination takes place;
  4. (d)a thesis, of no more than 12,000 words in length, including diagrams and footnotes, but excluding bibliography and appendices, on a subject approved by the Degree Committee; its assessment shall include an oral presentation of the project work on which the thesis is based.

2. Students who have taken papers from Part IIb of the Engineering Tripos prior to starting the course may, with the permission of the Degree Committee, substitute one elective module under Regulation 1(a) above for a technical report on an extension of one of those papers.

3. The Degree Committee shall have the power to give notice of additional modules not later than the end of the Michaelmas Term of the academical year of the examination.

4. The examination may include, at the discretion of the Examiners, an oral examination on the reports and on the general field of knowledge within which they fall, and on the other work submitted by the candidate under Regulation 1.

Graphene Technology

Notices (Reporter, 2013–14, pp. 305 and 781)

1. The scheme of examination for the one-year course of study in Graphene Technology for the degree of Master of Research shall consist of:

  1. (a)six modules, assessed by written examination, given on a list of mandatory modules published by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Engineering not later than the end of the Easter Term of the academical year preceding that in which the examination is to be held;
  2. (b)research skills sessions of such number, and to be assessed in such manner, as the Degree Committee shall determine. The Degree Committee shall announce the form of assessment not later than the end of the Michaelmas Term of the academical year in which the examination takes place;
  3. (c)two reports, each of not more than 12,000 words in length, including diagrams and footnotes, but excluding bibliography and appendices, on projects approved by the Degree Committee.

2. The Degree Committee shall have the power to give notice of additional modules not later than the end of the Michaelmas Term of the academical year of the examination.

3. The examination may include, at the discretion of the Examiners, an oral examination on the reports and on the general field of knowledge within which they fall, and on the other work submitted by the candidate under Regulation 1.

Integrated Photonic and Electronic Systems

Amended by Notice (Reporter, 2013–14, p. 465)

1. The scheme of examination for the one-year course of study in Integrated Photonic and Electronic Systems for the degree of Master of Research shall consist of:

  1. (a)at least five modules selected from a list of mandatory and optional modules published by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Engineering not later than the end of the Easter Term of the academical year preceding that in which the examination is to be held;
  2. (b)two reports, each of not more than 12,000 words in length, including diagrams and footnotes, but excluding bibliography and appendices on projects approved by the Degree Committee.

2. In publishing the list of modules and additional modules the Degree Committee shall announce the form of examination for each module, which shall be either a written paper, or one or more pieces of course-work or other exercises, or a combination of these, and shall specify the duration of any written paper and the limit to be placed on the length of any piece of course-work or other exercise. The Degree Committee shall have the power to give notice of additional optional modules not later than the end of the Michaelmas Term of the academical year of the examination.

3. The examination may include, at the discretion of the Examiners, an oral examination on the reports and on the general field of knowledge within which they fall, and on the other work submitted by the candidate under Regulation 1.

Medical Science

The scheme of examination for the one-year course of study in Medical Science for the degree of Master of Research shall consist of a portfolio of research reports, of not more than 20,000 words in total, exclusive of tables, footnotes, bibliography, and appendices, on a theme and of a form approved and published annually in the Easter Term before the commencement of the course by the Degree Committee for the Faculties of Clinical Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. The examination shall include an oral examination on the work submitted by the candidate and on the general field of knowledge within which such work falls. The portfolio shall provide evidence to satisfy the Examiners that a candidate can design and carry out an original investigation, assess and interpret the results obtained, and place the work in the wider perspective of the subject.

Physical Sciences

Notice (Reporter, 2013–14, p. 253)

1. The scheme of examination for the one-year course of study for the Degree of Master of Research in Physical Sciences shall consist of a portfolio of research reports of not more than 20,000 words in total, exclusive of tables, footnotes, bibliography, and appendices, on a theme approved by the Degree Committee for the Faculty concerned and specified in the schedule to these regulations.

2. The Degree Committee shall publish before the end of the Easter Term before the commencement of the course requirements for the form of the portfolio of research reports, and any other exercises which shall form part of the examination for candidates in the theme concerned. The Degree Committee may publish amendments to these requirements not later than the first day of the Michaelmas Term.

3. The examination shall include an oral examination on the work submitted by the candidate and on the general field of knowledge within which such work falls.

4. The portfolio shall provide evidence to satisfy the Examiners that a candidate can design and carry out an original investigation, assess and interpret the results obtained, and place the work in the wider perspective of the subject.

SCHEDULE

        Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Sensor Technologies and Applications

Notice (Reporter, 2013–14, p. 666)

1. The scheme of examination for the one-year course of study in Sensor Technologies and Applications for the degree of Master of Research shall consist of:

  1. (a)at least six modules selected from a list of mandatory and optional modules published by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Engineering not later than the end of the Easter Term of the academical year preceding that in which the examination is to be held; and
  2. (b)two reports, each of not more than 7,000 words in length, including diagrams and footnotes but excluding bibliography and appendices, on projects approved by the Degree Committee.

2. In publishing the list of modules and additional modules the Degree Committee shall announce the form of examination for each module, which shall be either a written paper, or one or more pieces of course-work or other exercises, or a combination of these, and shall specify the duration of any written paper and the limit to be placed on the length of any piece of course-work or other exercise. The Degree Committee shall have the power to give notice of additional optional modules not later than the end of the Michaelmas Term of the academical year of the examination.

3. The examination may include, at the discretion of the Examiners, an oral examination on the reports and on the general field of knowledge within which they fall, and on the other work submitted by the candidate under Regulation 1.

Social Anthropology

1. The scheme of examination for the one-year course of study in Social Anthropology for the degree of Master of Research shall consist of:

  1. (a)two essays, each of not more than 4,000 words in length, on subjects of Social Anthropology chosen by the candidate, subject to the approval of the Head of the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, from a list announced by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Human, Social, and Political Science;
  2. (b)one essay of not more than 4,000 words in length and one work-book of assessment of materials on research methods on topics announced by the Degree Committee;
  3. (c)a thesis of not more than 15,000 words in length, including footnotes, but excluding tables, appendices, and bibliography, on a subject approved by the Degree Committee.

2. The examination may include, at the discretion of the Examiners, an oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls.

Ultra Precision Engineering

Amended by Notice (Reporter, 2013–14, p. 465)

1. The scheme of examination for the one-year course of study in Ultra Precision Engineering for the degree of Master of Research shall consist of:

  1. (a)at least five modules selected from a list of mandatory and optional modules published by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Engineering not later than the end of the Easter Term of the academical year preceding that in which the examination is to be held;
  2. (b)two reports, each of not more than 10,000 words in length, including diagrams and footnotes, but excluding bibliography and appendices, on projects approved by the Degree Committee.

2. In publishing the list of modules and additional modules the Degree Committee shall announce the form of examination for each module, which shall be either a written paper, or one or more pieces of course-work or other exercises, or a combination of these, and shall specify the duration of any written paper and the limit to be placed on the length of any piece of course-work or other exercise. The Degree Committee shall have the power to give notice of additional optional modules not later than the end of the Michaelmas Term of the academical year of the examination.

3. The examination may include, at the discretion of the Examiners, an oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls, and on the other work submitted by the candidate under Regulation 1.