Frequently Asked Questions - About the ESD MPhil course

The MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development does not cover any specific country or region. Our Faculty members have experience working and conducting research in several countries; and the lectures contain case studies from all over the world. Nonetheless, because of Cambridge’s geographic location in the UK, many of the external speakers invited on the course are from the UK as this reduces costs and travel-related emissions. Moreover, because our Faculty members receive research funding from UK Research Councils, several of their research projects are specifically focused on the sustainable development challenges faced by the UK and therefore used as examples during lectures.

There is scope in several of the course’s modules for students to choose a particular country or region as the focus of their assignment. Students are also encouraged to develop their own dissertation topics, which has flexibility on what countries or regions might form the focus. The main limitation is that in most circumstances, permission to travel for the purposes of research is generally not granted. The feasibility of project therefore relies on being able to access relevant data whilst based in the UK.  You can read more about the projects that previous students have pursued in the dissertation abstract archive.

While the MPhil offers one module on international development for engineers, the course does not focus on international development. Candidates interested in international development alone, and not in the skills and themes associated with Engineering for Sustainable Development, are invited to explore the MPhil in Development Studies offered by the Centre of Development Studies at the University of Cambridge.

During the year, you will be able to provide feedback on the course, on individual lectures and lecturers, and also more general feedback on any issue that might require the attention of the course Director and Faculty members. At the end of each term, you will also be asked to complete a feedback survey, which the Centre for Sustainable Development will use to improve the course for the next year.

All core modules and most of the elective modules are assessed exclusively by coursework (which may include both technical work and reflective essays). The assessment of the client  project includes both written work and a presentation. This means that written coursework forms a substantial part of the MPhil’s assessment. Students will be expected to prepare several essays, policy briefs, or other types of written material each term as part of the assessment. More details about assessment procedures can be found at this link: MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development | Postgraduate Study (cam.ac.uk)

All students must submit a dissertation of between 12,000 and 15,000 words. Planning for the dissertation begins in mid-November, and students will work full-time on research between April and August. There are several assessed components within the dissertation: Initial proposal; oral presentation at a dissertation conference in July; research poster; final written report. The final report carries the most weighting.

Dissertation projects vary from year to year and depending on students’ interests. In the past, MPhil candidates have explored the potential for solar irrigation in Afghanistan, options to decarbonise estates owned by UK government, or steel circularity in New Zealand. MPhil candidates are free to propose a dissertation topic based on their interest or select a dissertation topic advertised by one of our Faculty members. When candidates propose their own topic, they still need to agree on the exact scope of the project with their supervisor before the dissertation project idea is approved by the Course Director. You can read more about the projects that previous students have pursued in the dissertation abstract archive.

You will not be allowed to undertake internships during your MPhil degree . Nonetheless, as part of your dissertation project and during the course of the year, you will be able to interact with stakeholders from industry, government and civil society to identify relevant research questions to explore in your dissertation. For example, past MPhil students have collaborated with international civil society organizations to help them improve targeting of interventions focused on enhancing access to water supply and sanitation.

MPhil graduates enter a variety of fields of work. Holding this degree demonstrates your ability to engage with complex sustainable development challenges, that you have the organisation and motivation to complete a demanding programme, and that you are able to work independently and also as part of diverse teams. The top three industries students have entered in the last three years are Engineering, Consulting, and Government.

The MPhil is not a research-focused degree and there is no direct PhD enrolment option, meaning that you would have to apply again to the University of Cambridge if you wanted to pursue a PhD. While the MPhil dissertation project allows you to develop independent research skills needed to succeed in a PhD programme, the MPhil’s curriculum focuses on developing breadth rather than depth. This means that the MPhil degree will not equip you with highly advanced knowledge of specific engineering design techniques or methods; rather, it will give you the opportunity to familiarise yourself with a range of themes that any well-informed engineer should be able to engage with in a professional environment. Please visit our Key Themes in Engineering for Sustainable Development page for more information on the key themes covered in the course. Despite the course’s focus on breadth rather than depth, many MPhil candidates do end up pursuing doctoral degrees and then embarking upon successful academic careers.