Master of Philosophy in Environmental Change and Management

1. The Social Sciences Board shall elect for the supervision of the course a Standing Committee. The Course Director will be responsible to the Standing Committee.

2. During the first year, candidates for the MPhil will:

• (a) follow a course of instruction for three terms in the MSc in Environmental Change and Management under the aegis of the School of Geography and the Environment. They will be assessed in all aspects of the MSc programme, with the exception of the dissertation.

• (b) develop a thesis topic, the title and proposal for which will be submitted for approval to the Course Director by the end of Hilary Term of the first year, together with the name and approval of a person who has agreed to act as their supervisor during the preparation of the dissertation, on the date specified by the department. Candidates registered for the MSc in Environmental Change and Management may request a transfer to the MPhil degree by submitting an application by the deadline stipulated by the Standing Committee.

3. Examinations at the end of the first year will serve to qualify for entry into the second year of the MPhil course. Candidates who fail one or more papers at the end of the first year will be required to resit and pass the failed paper or papers, normally when next offered the following year, before being permitted to proceed with the degree.

4. In the second year, candidates for the MPhil will:

• (a) offer a thesis of not more than 30,000 words accompanied by an abstract not exceeding 300 words. The maximum word count shall include footnotes, but exclude appendices, references and the abstract. The detailed format and specification of the dissertation shall be approved by the Standing Committee, and be published in the course handbook.  The thesis must be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform no later than noon on the first weekday of September at the end of the second year. The submission must be accompanied by a declaration indicating that it is the candidate's own work. 

• (b) submit one extended essay based on new work set as part of the assessment of the appropriate SoGE MSc elective module not taken in the first year of study. Essays based on an elective taken during Michaelmas Term shall be submitted by noon on Friday of Week 0 of Hilary Term. Essays based on an elective taken during Hilary Term, shall be submitted by noon on Friday of Week 0 of Trinity Term. These essays must be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform by the dates indicated above and must be accompanied by a declaration indicating that it is the candidate's own work. Approval for the topic of the essay must have been obtained from the elective leader prior to submission.

5. Arrangements for reassessment shall be as follows:

Candidates who fail to satisfy the examiners on the thesis and/or the extended essay may resubmit the thesis and/or the extended essay on not more than one occasion, which shall normally be within one year of the original failure.

6. Viva voce examination: Candidates must present themselves for viva voce examination when required to do so by the examiners.