How to apply to the MPhil in Latin American Studies
All applications for the MPhil are made online through the University's Postgraduate Admissions Office (PAO), where you can find detailed admissions information.
MPhil in Latin American Studies (Part-time)
The MPhil course may be taken on a part-time basis over two years. Students following the taught course take the Core Course and two optional modules in the first year, and a further two optional modules in the second year, and prepare their dissertation over the full course. Please note that the part-time course is 21 months in length, and dissertations are therefore due for submission at the end of the Easter term in the second year (around the end of June).
If you are considering applying for the MPhil course on a part-time basis, you are strongly advised to contact the MPhil Director well ahead of the application deadline to discuss your application.
Please note the following:
- The University's agreed expectation is that Part-time research students are expected to be in Cambridge for around 45 days per year, spread throughout the year, for supervision and training.
- International students who require a student visa to study in the UK are expected to apply for the full-time programme. This is owing to the restrictions of a part-time student visa. The University will only sponsor a student visa for the part-time option if the reason for studying part-time is due to a disability. Further information is outlined on the International Students webpages.
MPhil in Latin American Studies (via Thesis only)
It is possible, although unusual, to take a thesis route through the MPhil. This means that you would not follow the taught course, but prepare a single 30,000-word thesis over the nine months, with the guidance of a supervisor. This route is generally taken only by students who already have a Masters degree, or who have pursued a career for a number of years before applying for the MPhil, and have a clear project in mind. If you are interested in taking the MPhil via this route, you should contact the MPhil Director before the start of the course, and ideally before application.
What happens once you have submitted your application?
When your application is complete and all documents have been uploaded onto the self-service system, it is passed to the Centre of Latin American Studies. We assess your application on the basis of your academic record, your references, and the research potential demonstrated by the sample of written work and your thesis proposal. We also check that suitable supervision is available. Ultimate responsibility for identifying a suitable thesis supervisor for each successful applicant lies with the Centre. However, you may, if you wish, identify on the application form a member of academic staff you would particularly like to work with. Those seeking funding from the AHRC or Gates may need to attend a short interview, either in person or over the phone/skype. This is also the case for applicants who have had a long break from academic study.
If you are accepted, you will receive a formal notification from Postgraduate Admissions. A more personal welcome letter will be sent out to you by the Centre over the summer months.
When will you hear the result of your application?
Applications are considered as they are received, on a rolling basis and usually take up to 8 weeks to be processed.
The majority of the places available on the course will be allocated to those who apply before the University’s deadline in early December (for those who wish to be considered for funding), with fewer places available for the later admissions rounds, so you are advised to submit your application as early in the admissions cycle as you can.
If you have any admissions enquiries that cannot be answered by the information on these pages or the Postgraduate Admission Office's website (and/or their FAQ pages), please contact the Centre Administrator, who will be happy to answer your queries.
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