The MPhil Cities Programme offers an excellent environment for interdisciplinary graduate research on cities, space and urbanism. Students come to the programme from a range of academic and professional backgrounds, sharing an interest in linking the social and physical study of urban issues. The doctoral programme includes training in research design, practice and presentation in the first year, access to relevant graduate taught courses to enhance general and project-specific skills, a range of student-led and international collaborations and initiatives, and opportunities for exchange and networking through other international partnerships. Research focuses on the academic expertise of staff within the Cities Programme, the Department of Sociology, and LSE in general, addressing the spatial, social, economic and environmental aspects of cities and urban life.