Faculty of Classics - University of Cambridge

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Applying for the MPhil

The M.Phil. course begins in October each year. The final deadline for all applicants not seeking funding is 20 January, but those applying for specific sources of funding (e.g. from the Gates Trust) must submit their application by the relevant deadline (this year’s deadlines are listed on the Graduate Applications Front Page).

 Normally the minimum standard for admission as an M.Phil. student is a first-class or high 2.1 degree (i.e. a 2.1 with evidence of some first-class achievement) from a British university, or the equivalent from an overseas university. The qualification need not be entirely in classical subjects, but you will need to have some proven expertise relevant to your preferred area of specialisation.

Applicants from outside Cambridge

If you are applying from outside Cambridge , please supply, on a separate sheet if necessary, detailed information about your previous attainments in Classics (including Greek and Latin language) and in other relevant subjects; this is particualrly important if your qualification is not entirely in Classcial subjects, but is also of more general interest.

Those applying from outside Cambridge should also submit samples of their work in relevant areas. The Faculty has no rigid requirements for the written work to be submitted in support of an application, though we typically receive two essays of up to 5,000 words each, or a single piece of up to 10,000 words. Ideally, this work should have been written recently and be on a subject related to that which you propose to work on in Cambridge .  It is obviously a great help if the work is written in (or translated into) English. (If you want these returned, please say so clearly.)

If you are applying from inside Cambridge you DO NOT need to provide EITHER information about your attainments in Classics OR samples of written work.  Please ignore the request for this information on your self-service page.

For all applicants it will greatly improve your chances of acceptance if you specify on your application what your particular area of interest is in the classical world, and include a statement of proposed research. This should explain what specific aspects of the subject you wish to study and how that might fit within the framework of the M.Phil. course.  It does not need to be very detailed, and we are well aware that interests change and projects develop, but a rough outline of the areas, the themes and questions, you wish to explore is essential.

We are frequently asked whether a knowledge of Greek and Latin is indispensable for admission to the M.Phil. course.  The answer depends in part on the area in which an individual student wishes to specialise.  While it may be feasible successfully to take the M.Phil. in Classical Archaeology without knowledge of the ancient languages, for example, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to tackle a literary topic without expertise in Latin and/or Greek. Candidates who have already studied some Latin and/or Greek, but need to develop their knowledge of the languages, may pursue them further.  Scrutiny of applications always involves careful consideration of whether a candidate's linguistic proficiency is appropriate for the topics they are intending to study; for this reason, it is helpful if candidates lay out in some detail in their application the extent of their knowledge of ancient (and modern) languages. At the same time we would also take into account other relevant expertise, such as (for example) knowledge of philosophy other than that of the ancient world, or archaeology other than Classical Archaeology.

Applicants based in the UK will generally be invited for an interview in Cambridge.  We arrange a telephone interview for most other applicants.

Applications are made, electronically, through the Board of Graduate Studies   

http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/gradstud/prospec/apply/