Top Questions from the Land Economy Postgraduate Open Day

The Department of Land Economy recently participated in the first ever Cambridge Postgraduate Open Day. The University welcomed over 1,000 prospective students to the University to explore colleges, departments, libraries, and more.

We were pleased to be able to offer information to future Land Economy students. If you weren’t able to come meet us, take a look at some of the top questions we received throughout the day:

Q: Do I need to study a certain undergraduate degree in order to be eligible to apply for an MPhil in Land Economy?

A: We do not require any particular undergraduate degree and out students come from various educational backgrounds. However, we expect our applicants to have some knowledge of subjects relevant to course which they are applying for. Such knowledge may be from previous study or work experience.

Q: Can I apply if I do not have work experience?

A: Work experience is not required for MPhil and PhD applicants. However, it is considered a strong attribute when we assess applications. We welcome relevant work experience in:

• Economics, law, environmental policy, conservation, public policy and administration (for the MPhil in Environmental Policy)
• Any aspect of local economic development and planning (for the MPhil in Planning, Growth and Regeneration)
• Real estate, banking, investment, finance or related areas (for the MPhil in Real Estate Finance)

If you are interested in the MSt in Real Estate, you should note that applicants are required to have at least three years of professional experience in a relevant industry, such as finance, investment, real estate and the more general built environment professions.

Q: Can I apply for a several MPhil courses within the Department?

A: Yes, but you will need to submit a separate application form and supporting documents for each course that you are applying for.

Q: What do I need to write in the statement of interest?

A: The Admissions Panel expect applicants to explain why they are applying for this course, how it fits into their career plan and what makes them think they will be good at the course. This is your chance to put your case for yourself in one place, to highlight your qualities and your hopes for the course. Although it should not be copy and pasted from the application form, your statement of interest may include similar information.

Q: Do I need to provide GRE or GMAT Scores?

A: The GRE or GMAT tests are not required for applicants. However, some of our candidates choose to provide their GRE/GMAT results among their supporting documents. If you choose to do so, please do not send your official tests scores to the Department by post. You can just scan your results and upload them to your self-service account together with your other supporting documents.

Q: I have been in full-time employment and have not studied recently. Will the University accept references from my employer?

A: One of your references can be from your employer or another person who can testify to your academic ability. However, you will need to provide your first reference from a member of the academic staff from the most recent higher education course you have undertaken.

For more questions, please see the FAQs section of our website, FAQs about the MSt in Real Estate Finance, or the general Cambridge Graduate Admissions FAQs.

You may also like to get in touch with the International Student Team, the Disability Resource Centre, the Graduate Finance Team, or find information for applicants with families.