MPhil in Medical Science (Psychiatry)

University of Cambridge

The Department of Psychiatry is an internationally leading centre for research and teaching in psychiatry, with particular focus on the determinants of mental health conditions, their treatments and the promotion of mental health through innovative translational research. The Department’s senior staff support several research groups, covering various aspects of mental health and disorder throughout the life course. The MPhil degree offered by the Department of Psychiatry is a 12-month full-time programme and involves minimal formal teaching; students are integrated into the research culture of the Department and the institute in which they are based. Each student conducts their MPhil project under the direction of their principal supervisor, with additional teaching and guidance provided by an adviser, to increase access to staff members and accommodate a diversity of viewpoints. The subject of the research project is determined during the application process and is influenced by the research interests of the student’s supervisor, i.e. students should apply to study with a group leader whose area of research most appeals to them. To broaden their knowledge of their chosen field, students are strongly encouraged to attend relevant seminars, lectures and training courses. We also require our students to attend their research group’s research-in-progress/laboratory meetings, at which they are expected to present their ongoing work. Course objectives The structure of the MPhil course enables the students to significantly develop their analytical and research skills and is intended as preparation for further research. The MPhil programme provides: a period of a sustained in-depth study of a specific topic; an environment that encourages the student’s originality and creativity in their research; skills to enable the student to critically examine the background literature relevant to their specific research area; the opportunity to develop skills in making and testing hypotheses, in developing new theories, and in planning and conducting experiments; the opportunity to expand the student’s knowledge of their research area, including its theoretical foundations and the specific techniques, used to study it; the opportunity to gain knowledge of the broader field of research in psychiatry; and an environment in which to develop skills in written work, oral presentation and publishing the results of their research in high-profile scientific journals, through constructive feedback on written work and oral presentations. The course introduces students to research skills and specialist knowledge. Its main aims are: to give students with relevant experience at a first-degree level the opportunity to carry out focused research in the discipline under close supervision; and to give students the opportunity to acquire or develop skills and expertise relevant to their research interests. At the end of the course, the examination for the MPhil degree involves the submission of a written thesis, followed by an oral examination based on both the thesis and a broader knowledge of the chosen area of research.