PhD students are part of an exceptionally lively interdisciplinary community, with unparalleled opportunities to learn from and exchange ideas with staff, postdoctoral researchers and visitors here and across the University, and to use the outstanding facilities.

Before a student can be admitted, a member of the Department's teaching staff, approved by the Degree Committee, needs to agree to supervise the PhD. The supervisor is responsible for guiding the student's studies throughout his or her years at Cambridge, including by giving regular and detailed feedback on written work. In addition, each student is assigned an advisor by the end of the first term who then continues as part of the supervisory team throughout the PhD.

Students are encouraged to attend the research seminars, workshops and reading groups that make the Department a hive of intellectual activity. The Department also offers graduate training workshops, which focus on key research, presentation, publication and employment skills.

Continuing

Students admitted for the MPhil in History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine or the MPhil in Health, Medicine and Society can apply to continue as PhD students. The usual preconditions for continuing to the PhD are an overall first-class mark in the MPhil, agreement of the PhD proposal with a potential supervisor and satisfactory performance in an interview.