The Centre of Latin American Studies (CLAS) offers a full-time and a part-time PhD programme. The Centre currently has approximately 15 PhD students at different stages of the programme, working in a range of areas.

Full-time PhD students are required to be resident in Cambridge for the duration of their degrees, with the exception of extended fieldwork trips. It is important to note that the part-time PhD at Cambridge is not a distance-learning course. Part-time students are expected to fully engage with the Faculty, to integrate into the research culture of the University and to attend the University on a regular basis for supervision, study, skills training, research seminars and workshops.

The students form a lively academic and social community, playing a full part in the Centre's activities, meeting regularly to present their latest research to each other and organizing seminars and conferences with the Centre's support.

Further information, including current and past student profiles, is available on the Centre's website.

Most of our PhD students come here to work on their thesis with leading scholars in their fields, but we are also committed to helping you develop your future career. CLAS provides specialized in-house training on a range of topics, including:

teaching undergraduates

publishing in Latin American studies

improving your academic writing

applying for academic posts

CLAS's own training provision is complemented and augmented by a very wide range of skills training sessions offered by the University, which include research skills, IT, personal development, communication skills and careers advice. Bursaries are available for those wishing to take language courses, and CLAS is currently able to offer specialist in-house training in Brazilian Portuguese. Whatever your future aspirations, you will be encouraged, if you wish, to take the opportunity to gain valuable teaching experience during your time here, in the form of small group supervisions and/or lectures.

Continuing

Students already at Cambridge applying to continue from the MPhil to the PhD should have attained, or be expecting to obtain, an overall mark of 73% per cent (with at least 75% in their dissertation).

Open Days

The Postgraduate Virtual Open Day usually takes place at the end of October. It’s a great opportunity to ask questions to admissions staff and academics, explore the Colleges virtually, and to find out more about courses, the application process and funding opportunities. Visit the Postgraduate Open Day page for more details.

See further the Postgraduate Admissions Events pages for other events relating to Postgraduate study, including study fairs, visits and international events.

Departments

This course is advertised in the following departments:

Applicants for this course should have achieved a UK Masters (Distinction). If your degree is not from the UK, please check International Qualifications to find the equivalent in your country. A master's or another research degree in a relevant subject is essential. Evidence of interest in, or commitment to, Latin America is expected. Students applying from external institutions who are studying for or already hold a master's qualification are expected to achieve the equivalent of a Distinction across their course of study – conditions will be set on a case-by-case basis according to the assessment criteria used at each institution. Students already at Cambridge applying to continue from the MPhil to the PhD should have attained, or be expecting to obtain, an overall mark of 73% per cent (with at least 75% in their dissertation). 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