Statutes and Ordinances of the University of Cambridge
CHAPTER VII
pp. 554–555
DEGREES, DIPLOMAS, AND OTHER QUALIFICATIONS

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

DOCTOR OF SCIENCE AND DOCTOR OF LETTERS

1. In order to qualify for the degree of Doctor of Science or Doctor of Letters a candidate shall be required to give proof of distinction by some original contribution to the advancement of science or of learning.

Standing of candidates.

2. Any person may be a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Science or Doctor of Letters who is a graduate of the University and who

  1. either(a)is of not less than eight years’ standing from admission to his or her first degree of the University,
  2. or(b)is of not less than eight years’ standing from admission to his or her first degree of some other university and has been admitted (i) to some office in the University or to a Headship or a Fellowship of a College, and (ii) to the degree of Master of Arts under Statute B II 2 or to a degree of the University by incorporation.
Method of application.

3. A candidate for the degree shall apply in writing to the Secretary of the Board of Graduate Studies, specifying the published works on which his or her claim to the degree is based, providing a summary in not more than 500 words of the field of research covered by these works, and naming the Faculty or other approved institution within whose scope the works fall. A candidate shall send with the application a fee of £582 for the Chest, and two copies of each of the works specified, provided that the Board of Graduate Studies may, subject to the concurrence of the Degree Committee concerned, allow a candidate to submit only one copy. All the works submitted shall, apart from quotations, be written in English unless in a particular case the Degree Committee concerned have allowed a candidate to submit material in some other language.

Preliminary consideration.

4. Each application shall be forwarded by the Secretary of the Board of Graduate Studies to the Degree Committee concerned, who shall give preliminary consideration to the application and shall determine whether the works submitted constitute prima facie a qualification for the degree; the Committee may appoint an Assessor to assist them in the matter.

5. If the Committee decide that the works submitted do not constitute prima facie a qualification for the degree, a resolution of the Committee to that effect, with the names of those present and voting on either side, shall be communicated to the Secretary of the Board of Graduate Studies, who shall communicate the decision to the candidate. In such a case £510 out of the fee of £582 paid by the candidate under Regulation 3 shall be returned.

References.

6. If the Committee decide that the works submitted do constitute prima facie a qualification for the degree, they shall appoint not less than two persons to act as Referees. Each Referee shall submit an independent written report on the works specified in the candidate's application; these reports shall be treated as confidential documents.

7. If after considering the reports of the Referees the Degree Committee are satisfied that the candidate's work is of the requisite standard for the degree, a resolution of the Committee to that effect, with the names of those present and voting on either side, shall be communicated to the Board of Graduate Studies together with the reports of the Referees.

Approval for degree.

8. If the Board of Graduate Studies after receiving such a communication resolve that the degree should be conferred, the Secretary of the Board of Graduate Studies shall publish the name of the candidate as approved for the degree of Doctor of Science or Doctor of Letters, as the case may be. Such a resolution shall not be valid unless passed with the concurrence of the votes, cast at a meeting, of five members of the Board.

9. If after considering the reports of the Referees the Degree Committee are of the opinion that the candidate's work is not of the requisite standard for the degree, a resolution of the Committee to that effect, with the names of those present and voting on either side, shall be communicated to the Board of Graduate Studies together with the reports of the Referees. The Secretary of the Board shall communicate this decision to the candidate.

Candidate not to be present.

10. No candidate for a degree shall be present at the deliberations either of the Committee or of the Board of Graduate Studies respecting his or her own case.

Payments.

11. Each Referee shall receive a fee of £175. An Assessor appointed under Regulation 4 shall receive a fee of £42. If an Assessor is subsequently appointed a Referee the fee of £42 shall form part of the fee of £175 due to him or her as a Referee. The Board of Graduate Studies may approve the payment of reasonable expenses incurred by Referees in the execution of their duties.

12. No fee shall be payable on admission to the degree.