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The MPhil in European, Latin American and Comparative Literatures and Cultures (ELAC) MPhil by thesis is classified as a research master's course. It is designed for students who can already demonstrate an advanced level of familiarity with relevant research methods and topics within their field and readiness for advanced independent research. Applicants will need to provide an outline proposal of a research project for their thesis. They will also need to have identified a prospective supervisor in advance.
Students taking the MPhil by thesis will follow some elements of the MPhil by Advanced Study, but a formal assessment is by a 30,000-word thesis alone, submitted at the end of the course.
Applicants may find it useful to look at staff research interests within the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics (MMLL) to find out more about potential supervisors in their fields of interest.
Full-time students
Full-time MPhil by thesis students will normally attend the Core Course in Michaelmas Term (which is attended by students on the MPhil by Advanced Study). There is the option of attending MPhil by Advanced Study modules in the Lent term, subject to the approval of the Course Director and relevant module leaders. 'By Thesis' students do not submit essays for seminars or modules.
Schedule for full-time students:
-Early October: course starts
Michaelmas (autumn) Term: Core Course lectures and two mini-seminars
-End of Michaelmas (autumn) Term: Submission of a developed thesis proposal
-Lent (winter) Term: Students take two modules (optional)
-Beginning of Lent (winter) Term: Submission of first 5000 words (precise content to be agreed with supervisor)
-End of Lent (spring) Term: Short informal oral presentations and discussion
-Early June: Submission of the thesis. Around two to three weeks later there is an oral examination (viva) on the thesis.
Part-time students
Part-time students taking the course over the period of two academic years, will be required to attend the Core Course lectures and one Core Course seminar in their first term. Students attend one Module in the Lent term of the first year. 'By Thesis' students do not submit essays for lectures, seminars or modules. The rest of their first year and all of their second year is devoted to the thesis. The thesis will be submitted in early June of the second year.
Schedule for part-time students:
Early October, year 1: course starts
Michaelmas (autumn) Term, year 1: Core Course lectures and 1 mini-seminar
Lent (winter) Term, year 1: Students take one module (optional)
End of Lent (winter) Term, year 1: Submission of a developed thesis proposal
Early June of year 1: Submission of first 5000 words (precise content to be agreed with supervisor)
End of Lent (winter) Term, year 2: Short informal oral presentations and discussion
Early June of year 2: Submission of the thesis. Around two to three weeks later there is an oral examination (viva) on the thesis.
| One to one supervision | Students following the MPhil by thesis will normally have discussed their proposed research in advance with a staff member specialising in the relevant subject area, and this person or an equivalent will be appointed as a supervisor throughout the year. For equity, there are norms for the amount of supervision each student can expect to receive. It is expected that a student will be capable of largely independent work. The following supervision is provided: • Seven hours of supervision throughout the course The University of Cambridge publishes an annual Code of Practice which sets out the University’s expectations regarding supervision. |
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| Seminars & classes | Full-time students: 16 hours of core course mini-seminars in the Michaelmas term Up to 18 hours of module seminars in the Lent term (optional) Part-time students: 8 hours of core course mini-seminars in the Michaelmas term of year 1 Up to 9 hours of module seminars in the Lent term of year 1 (optional) |
| Lectures | Full time students: 16 hours of lecture classes in the Michaelmas term Part-time students: 16 hours of lecture classes in the Michaelmas term of year 1 |
Feedback
In the Michaelmas, Lent and Easter terms, reports are written by the supervisor and made available to the student online. Feedback on the thesis is provided after it has been examined in the form of written assessors' reports.
Assessment
Thesis / Dissertation
The research presented in a 30,000-word thesis, including footnotes, but excluding appendices and bibliography, will be evaluated independently by two examiners. An oral examination (viva) will be held in all cases.
The examination process is very similar to that of the PhD, and consists of two parts: scrutiny of the thesis by one internal and one external examiner, and a viva involving both examiners and the candidate. Some candidates may be asked to carry out corrections to their thesis which may mean graduating in October rather than in July.
Students receive the overall outcome of pass/fail. No mark is awarded for the MPhil By Thesis (i.e., students cannot graduate 'with distinction').