The Master of Philosophy in Polar Studies is a one-year graduate degree which offers a unique opportunity to conduct independent research in one of the foremost institutes for Polar Studies in the world.

From 2024, the course consists of a core interdisciplinary taught element for all students, and then offers specialist focused teaching, training and research in two areas:

• Polar Social Sciences and Humanities, including northern peoples and cultures, history of science and exploration and polar governance
• Polar Natural Sciences, focusing on remote sensing of polar environments, glaciology, polar ecology, and climate change

The course also offers the opportunity to work with the uniquecollections of the Institute.

The main focus of the course is in the production of a 20,000 word dissertation, supervised by Institute staff. Many students treat this as a springboard towards a PhD degree.

Open days - 2025

Find out more about the programme at the Postgraduate Virtual Open Days 2025.

As part of the Open Days, there will be a general information for Geography postgraduates Q&A with Prof Mia Gray, Postgraduate Director at the Department of Geography (date TBC).

Sign up to the University Postgraduate Virtual Open Days

• 1. Course structure and content
• 2. Dissertation research topics
• 3. Applications
• 4. Entry requirements
• 5. Finance and funding
• 6. Resources and facilities
• 7. Published MPhil research
• 8. Assessment
• 9. Regulations

Enquiries about this course should be addressed to:

Postgraduate Office Administrator,
Department of Geography,
Downing Place,
Cambridge CB2 3EN
United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 (0)1223 333375
Fax: +44 (0)1223 333392

Email: graduate.enquiries@geog.cam.ac.uk

Graduate Enquiries contact form