Research Masters Route to PhD

The Psychometrics Centre supervises PhD students at its home in the Cambridge University Judge Business School (CJBS). Applicants cannot apply directly to PhD but must take one of two Masters first.

If an applicant does not already have a Masters that teaches quantitative research methods, then students should apply for the MPhil in Strategy, Marketing and Operations on the Organisational Behaviour specialisation. The SMO MPhil gives a broad grounding in methods used in business school research. Candidates are interviewed for PhD during the MPhil.

If an applicant already has a quantitative research methods Masters, they may apply for the MRes in Management Studies on the Organisational Behaviour pathway. MRes students continue to PhD subject to performance on the programme.

For both Masters, students should indicate that they wish to do their research under the supervision of Dr. David Stillwell. David's research agenda reflects major new developments in the field of psychometrics, including:

  • the use of neural networks and machine learning to inform the creation of truly predictive assessments

  • applications of artificial intelligence, neural networks and data mining in test interpretation

  • the development and evaluation of web-based testing environments.

  • the impact of new technologies on testing in organisational, clinical and educational settings

Entry requirements

Successful applications will need to demonstrate:

  • An interest in studying a topic related to business on the Organisational Behaviour track that uses psychometric or big data methodology

  • A quantitative background, e.g. psychometrics, data science, statistics

  • Other MPhil SMO and MRes Management Studies requirements are on the CJBS website.

Funding

The Cambridge Trusts and the Gates Cambridge Trust provide scholarships to both home and overseas MPhil and PhD students studying at the University of Cambridge.  These scholarships are competitive. We can advise on applying for many Bursaries and Scholarships available within the University. International students can apply for a Gates Cambridge Scholarship.

How to apply

First, take a look at the CJBS website for the relevant Masters degree as explained above. If you are interested in applying, then send an email to Dr David Stillwell attaching a CV and a brief description of your research interest. He will be able to advise you on eligibility and answer any questions you may have.