The Divinity Faculty at Cambridge has a distinguished international reputation for research, teaching and for the formation of graduate students in Theology and Religious Studies.  Consistently rated as one of the top research units in the country in our subjects, it offers postgraduate training at an acknowledge world-class standard.

Specialisms

The teaching officers of the Faculty include leading experts in a wide range of fields:

• Biblical Studies;
• Ancient, Medieval and Modern Judaism;
• Patristics;
• History of Christianity;
• Christian Systematic Theology;
• Philosophy of Religion and Ethics;
• Religion and Natural Sciences;
• Religion and the Social Sciences;
• Study of World Religions (with special reference to Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism).

Each major research area is centred on a senior seminar meeting fornightly during term.  In practice these seminars are often interdisciplinary in character (such as the D Society in Philosophy of Religion and Ethics and the Hebrew, Jewish and Early Christian Studies Seminar); and a variety of other informal graduate seminars and reading groups also helps to expand the repertoire of exchange.  A number of named lectureships (the Stantons, the Hulseans etc.) regulary bring international figures from outside Cambridge to contribute to the research culture.

First-year PhD students are not registered for any degree and must undergo an examination at the end of their first year.  If they successfully pass this then they will be registered for the PhD degree.  Candidates submit a dissertation of not more than 80,000 words.  The dissertation title must be approved by the Degree Committee.  There is an oral examination on the dissertation and the general field of knowledge in which the dissertation falls.

Learning Outcomes

Candidates submit a dissertation of not more than 80,000 words.  The dissertation title must be approved by the Degree Committee.  There is an oral examination on the dissertation and the general field of knowledge in which the dissertation falls.

Supervisions are given on the dissertation.

Feedback

Feedback will be given by the supervisor in the course of supervisions and in termly CGSRS reports.  In addition, there will be a report from the assessors following the first-year examination.

Assessment

Thesis

Dissertation of not more than 80,000 words with a compulsory viva.

Other

A first-year examination for which students must submit the following:

• a summary of the scope, purpose, methodology and value of research project;
• a provisional outline of your dissertation with a timetable for the conduct and completion of the research and writing;
• a bibliography of topic and its immediate intellectual context set out in accordance with the conventions current in field of study
• a sample of written-up research of no more than 10,000 words, with appropriate footnotes and bibliographical references (included in word-count).

Students will have a meeting with two assessors to discuss the submitted work.

• Magistr (Master's Degree) at Pass level. Diploma Specialista (completed post-1991) with a minimum overall grade of good or 4/5 Bachelor's from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and other prestigious institutions with an overall grade of 4/5 Bologna Bachelor's from other institutions with an overall grade of 5/5, Excellent
• Diploma Specialista (completed post-1991) with a minimum overall grade of Excellent or 5/5 Bachelor's from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and other prestigious institutions with an overall grade of 5/5
• IELTS (Academic) 7.5
• TOEFL Internet Score 110
• £50 application fee
• First Academic Reference
• Second Academic Reference
• Transcript
• Sample of Work. Either one or two essays, or a thesis (whole or part).
• Research Proposal. Around 1,000 words.
• Personal Reference

• Global Education
• Gates Cambridge Scholarships
• Burney & Gregg Bury Studentship (Philosophy of Religion & Christian Theology)
• Crosse Studentship (Biblical Studies, Ecclesiastical History & Christian Thought)
• Kirby Laing Studentship (New Testament)
• Peregrine Maitland Studentship (Spread of Christian Religion, comparison between Christianity & other religions, the contact of Christian and other civilizations)
• Polonsky-Coexist Studentship in Jewish Studies
• Shapiro Fund (Jewish Studies)
• Theological Studies Fund Studentship