Graduate Community

Every graduate student at Cambridge is also a member of a College. Teaching and research take place in the Faculties and Departments. Newnham offers a place to live, eat, work, relax and have a social life.

There are usually around 150 new and continuing graduate students at Newnham during any academic year. Most graduates students are taking MPhil courses or doing research for a PhD; but we also have 10-15 Clinical Veterinary or Medical students, and a small number of students in the LLM, MBA, PGCE, M.St, M.Ed, and Diploma courses. There are approximately the same numbers of Arts and Sciences students, which means there is a well balanced and diverse student body. All graduate and postgraduate students are members of the Middle Combination Room (MCR).

Newnham offers a number of facilities available to both undergraduate and graduate students, including the Buttery (cafeteria), the JCR shop (open for essentials in the evenings), music practice rooms, sports fields, a tennis court, and a multi-gym. The Old Labs building has been renovated and provides an excellent performance space. There is a separate graduate computer room with Macs and PCs, printing facilities, etc.; and the College IT Department has two computer officers who are available during the day for help and advice.

Newnham College library primarily caters for undergraduates and you will probably find that you spend most of your time in your Departmental or Faculty library. However, the library does have an extensive collection, and you will find that we have many books relevant to students on MPhil courses. There is an excellent reference section and the library is a very pleasant place in which to work. Visit the library website for details of the collection and services.

The MCR Common Room is in the former Music Room of Old Hall, one of the oldest College buildings. It has been beautifully renovated and has a television and VCR, newspapers and journals, and a small kitchen. It is used for social events and for MCR Committee meetings but can also be a peaceful place to relax at any time of day. The MCR maintains its own website.

Every Tuesday in full term there is a free graduate supper, an excellent opportunity for graduates to get to know each other and to meet informally with Graduate Tutors and College Fellows. There are frequent Formal Halls during term, to which both graduates and undergraduates may go, and there is a Subject Formal Hall once per year, to which all undergraduate and graduate students in a specific subject are invited, together with any Fellows teaching or researching in that area, and usually a distinguished guest or two.

The College has a programme of "Pudding Seminars", in which undergraduates, graduate students or senior members give a short presentation of their research. These take place on Fridays at lunchtime. There is time afterwards for questions and discussion over cake and coffee, and the idea is to provide a chance for the whole College to interact on an intellectual, yet relatively informal, level. It can also offer an excellent opportunity for graduates and others to polish up and practise a paper for a conference or job interview.

The MCR also organises a Speaker Series. These talks on a wide range of topics are given by members of the College or outside speakers two or three times each term after graduate supper in the MCR.