MPhil in Political Thought and Intellectual History

The MPhil in Political Thought and Intellectual History is aimed at students interested in both the theory and history of political thought (including those wider intellectual idioms which provide the context for its development). It also welcomes students whose previous study had a more specialised historical or theoretical (or philosophical) bent, provided that while doing this course, they are willing to engage with both approaches to research.

The MPhil in Political Thought and Intellectual History attracts students from all over the world, and its training provides an ideal foundation for doctoral research not only in the United Kingdom but around the world.

The MPhil in Political Thought and Intellectual History combines taught and research elements over a nine-month full-time programme, though priority is given to pursuing the individual student's research in a dissertation of 15,000-20,000 words. Classes are provided in core methodology and the reading of selected texts and in an option course on selected concepts: these are intended to be 'exemplary', offering opportunities to explore different methods used in the field, different approaches to reading texts, and a variety of political concepts.

The MPhil in Political Thought and Intellectual History offers students a rounded and flexible master's programme that provides them with an introduction to all three of the fields contained within its scope (History of Political Thought, Political Theory, Intellectual History), while allowing them to specialise in their own area of particular interest. It offers a thorough training in the key techniques of higher-level academic study and research. It is an inter-faculty programme linking History, Politics, and Classics. The teaching staff and examiners, as do students on the course, have diverse disciplinary backgrounds.

Throughout the course, students will be supervised by a dedicated member of staff, who will guide their research towards the completion of an original historical subject chosen and developed by them. In addition, students will benefit from Cambridge's vibrant research environment, attending and participating in seminars, guest talks, workshops and other events throughout the year.

Learning Outcomes

Students on the MPhil in Political Thought and Intellectual History will be provided with an in-depth study of some of the key areas of research in political thought and intellectual history. All students will have a Supervisor who will guide them through the course requirements and, most crucially, the dissertation.

In this manner, all students are provided with the historiographical knowledge and analytical skills necessary to understand and evaluate existing research and to pursue research in their own fields of intellectual interest. Through individual supervisions and group classes, students are introduced to the more specialised and intensive nature of research required at a postgraduate level.

By the end of the programme, students will have acquired:

• an enhanced understanding of the history of political thought as well as an appreciation of the broader theoretical approaches and intellectual idioms that inform its study
• the analytical capacity to pursue independent study of primary texts in the history of political thought and to evaluate the findings of secondary commentators
• the ability to situate their own research findings within the context of previous and current interpretative scholarly debates in the field of political thought and intellectual history

Continuing

The Faculty's MPhil programmes provide excellent preparation for doctoral study, and many of our MPhil students choose to stay at Cambridge to pursue a PhD.

Students wishing to continue to the PhD are normally expected to achieve an overall average of 70 in their MPhil with marks of at least 70 in their dissertation.

Admission to the PhD is always subject to the availability of a suitable Supervisor.

Open Days

The University hosts and attends fairs and events throughout the year, in the UK and across the world. We also offer online events to help you explore your options:

• Discover Cambridge: Master’s and PhD study webinars - these Spring events provide practical information about applying for postgraduate study.

• Postgraduate Virtual Open Days - taking place in November each year, the Open Days focus on subject and course information.

For more information about upcoming events visit our events pages.

Applicants for this course should have achieved a UK High II.i Honours Degree. If your degree is not from the UK, please check International Qualifications to find the equivalent in your country. Applicants should normally hold at least a high upper second-class degree from a UK University (usually 67%) or international equivalent as set by the University Postgraduate Admissions Office (see the International Qualifications page on the Postgraduate Admissions website for international equivalencies). Please be aware that this is the minimum criterion for academic results and that attaining this minimum does not assure admission to the MPhil. Admissions are fiercely competitive, and students who simply meet the minimum standard are often not accepted. Candidates will normally be expected to have taken a substantial number of history courses at a university level and to have a sound background in the period covered by the course. Most applicants are completing or have completed degrees in history or a cognate discipline. University Minimum Academic Requirements Language Requirement

Listening: 7.0, Writing: 7.0, Reading: 7.0, Speaking: 7.0, Total: 7.5, Listening: 25, Writing: 25, Reading: 25, Speaking: 25, Total: 110