Preparing to submit an MPhil thesis

If you are holding an offer to continue to further postgraduate study you are strongly advised to plan your submission timetable carefully. Allow sufficient time for your examination to take place and your degree to be approved before the start date of your next course.

1. Notice of intention to submit

At least two months before you intend to submit your thesis you need to inform the Degree Committee of your proposed title, expected submission date, and provide a short summary. Your submission date should be on or before your submission deadline. You will also have the opportunity to state your preference for an in-person viva (default) or viva by video conference at this stage.The intention to submit form initiates the Examiner appointment process and will open the submission portal to you, so it is very important that you remember to do this.

Your intention to submit notice will be normally be acknowledged within 4 working days. The acknowledgement includes a link to the Moodle course to which you will submit your thesis. The Degree Committee Office will then approach your supervisor for nominations of potential examiners.

If you do not give any/sufficient notice before submitting your thesis your examination will be delayed.

Online form: Intention to submit a research thesis

2. Examination access arrangements (optional)

Should you wish to make a voluntary disclosure of any disability/chronic illness that might affect the conduct of your viva please complete and email the disclosure form to the Degree Committee Office before you submit. We invite you to do this up to two months in advance to allow us time to consult with the DRC and make appropriate access arrangements. Please download the form, complete and sign it, then email back to us in the Degree Committee office.

Form for download:  https://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/files/voluntary_disclosure_form.pdf 

3. Confidential Research (optional)

If your research is confidential (e.g. you are sponsored by industry and they claim rights over your findings), you may apply for a confidentiality agreement to be put in place for the examination. Contact the Degree Committee Office at least one month before you intend to submit your thesis.

4. Complete your thesis

Word limit: Be aware of the word limit and what is/is not included. Candidates are often confused as to how to include equations and formulas in the word count. We recommend you count them as as having the same number of words that text occupying the same area would have, using an average of 13 words per line or 350 words per page (at the 1.5 line spacing).

Format: The MPhil thesis is submitted electronically in A4 portrait format. There is no requirement for a hardbound copy at any stage in the examination for the MPhil. You are strongly advised to check your thesis carefully prior to submission for typing errors, spelling mistakes and poor English. Number the pages consecutively and ensure work is fully referenced. Remember, the Examiners must be left in no doubt as to which parts of your submitted work are your own original work and which are not.

Electronic copy: Please remember the electronic version of the MPhil thesis you submit is the only document that can be examined. You should not attempt to send any additional documents to your Examiners as they cannot be taken into consideration. If the Examiner makes the request to you directly to supply a paper copy, please contact the Degree Committee Office.

Compulsory inclusions: the Cambridge Students website details what must be included in the thesis, and in what order. It also details the additional documents required along with your thesis.

Statement of Length and Declaration Form: Must be downloaded, completed and signed to confirm that you are the original author of the work and have kept to the word limits. You may access the form from the "What is needed to submit?" section of the Cambridge Students website.

Ukraine: If your progress was impacted by the situation in Ukraine, please see Research Impact Statement and extension information on our Coronavirus pages. The guidance only refers to COVID-19 but now also applies to the situation in Ukraine.