Course Content
Applications
Virtual Open Day
FAQs
Course Content
The MPhil in Global Risk and Resilience is a one year taught Master’s course which is designed to provide students with a thorough grounding in Global Catastrophic and Existential Risk, how this can be managed and mitigated, and its relationship with transformative sociotechnological trends. It aims to:
- Provide students with a rigorous understanding of the emerging transdisciplinary field of ERS, with a focus both on training future researchers in its methods and approaches and producing a cohort of well-informed partners in relevant positions across policy and industry to help mitigate global risk;
- Develop students’ ability to critically engage with a wide range of interdisciplinary research on risk drivers, multipliers, and mitigation challenges, the core skills required to study unprecedented and extreme future risk, and the opportunity to put these to work in both a focused individual study of specific global challenges and a participatory foresight exercise;
- Introduce students to a variety of mitigation opportunities and challenges, focusing on the reality of policymaking in relevant areas (such as AI, biosecurity, climate change, and nuclear policy) and the different impact strategies and theories of change that can influence these.
- Establish and promote standards of rigorous and responsible research in this area, highlighting both the need for high quality research and the pitfalls of irresponsible practices, drawing on a rich history of research, policy, and activism.
- Equip students to apply insights from this area of research to related disciplines such as Science and Technology Studies, Disaster Studies, Philosophy, Economics, International Relations, Biosecurity, and AI and for risk or technology focused careers across government, industry, and civil society.
Applications
Applications are now open for the academic year commencing October 2025.
Virtual Open Day
Monday 4th November 2024, 10:00 - 10:45 am GMT
The Postgraduate Virtual Open Day for the MPhil in Global Risk and Resilience was on 4th November 2024.
See further the Postgraduate Admissions Events pages for other events relating to Postgraduate study, including study fairs, visits and international events.
The Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER) runs online webinars for applicants throughout the year. Please see the CSER website for information on how to register for these events.
If you have any questions about the MPhil, please contact the team on education@cser.cam.ac.uk.
FAQs
- Is the MPhil available through remote or distance learning?
No, this course is only available in person, either part time or full time in Cambridge, UK.
- What is the course structure for part time students?
Part time students will take Modules 1 and 2 in their first year, and modules 3 and 4 in their second year. This will require weekly attendance in Cambridge during term time in their first year and no more than twice a week during their second year.
- Do I need a specific background to study this MPhil?
For this masters' programme, you do not need to come from a specific academic background. It is an interdisciplinary course, and we encourage anyone who has an interest and passion for the topic to apply. As long as you are able to demonstrate and explain how your previous academic degree(s) have prepared you for this MPhil and your interest in the subject, all academic backgrounds will be considered. You can find examples of CSER researchers' diverse backgrounds and disciplines here.
- Do my references have to be academic ones, or will professional ones be accepted?
It is preferred that students provide academic references or a combination of academic and professional as they are needed to assess your academic skill and that they are suited for the programme and University. More information about this can be found here.
- What is considered a suitable writing sample?
Your writing sample doesn’t need to be a university paper, but it should be written in an academic style to demonstrate your writing skills and academic proficiency.
- Where can I find out about scholarships?
For any scholarship or funding queries, you can access the university funding site here.
- How does the college system work?
Cambridge is a collegiate university, meaning students are members of both a department and a College. Colleges typically provide library and IT facilities, accommodation, welfare support, and sports and social events. Colleges are often considered a home, while departments are seen as more work-focused environments. More about Colleges and the University systems can be found here.