Postgraduates
Cuth’s JCR (Junior Common Room) is the student body of Cuth’s. The JCR runs, and is responsible for, our social events, sports, societies, welfare support, volunteering opportunities, facilities and representing the views of Cuth’s Students. Within this we have the Postgraduate and Mature Student’s Committee (PGM Comm) which organises events and ensures that the voice of Postgraduate and Mature Students are heard in the JCR. In Cuth’s it operates as the equivalent of an MCR which exist in most of the other colleges in Durham. PGM Comm will organise events which are aimed at you specifically as Postgrad and Mature Students, however by having a joint common all the events, sports, societies, and opportunities that the wider JCR organise are also open to you.
Throughout the year, PGM Comm organises a number of casual social events including meals out, nights in brooks bar, quizzes etc. We also host academic events which usually involve a couple of people talking about their research or presenting their papers in a casual setting which can provide useful practice if you are planning on going to conferences. Our biggest event of the year is our Inter-MCR Formal. Every college will host an Inter-MCR formal throughout the year which is open to all Postgrads and Mature Students. Most of the formals will have a theme; at Cuth’s we are known for our Murder Mystery formal which has been a tradition for several years and has proven to be very popular.
If you have any questions about anything to do with Postgrad life at Cuth’s, please contact the Postgraduate and Mature Student’s Committee President at pgm-president@cuths.com
To keep up to date with Postgraduate events in Cuth’s by joining our Social Media.
Postgraduate Committee
Postgraduate Committee is one of many committees in Cuth’s. Its role is to organise social and academic events for the Postgrad community within Cuth’s.
We have a number of positions for those wanting to get involved in Cuth’s which are either elected in our JCR meetings or available via application.

- Postgraduate and Mature Student’s Committee President
The Postgraduate and Mature Students’ President role is essentially the equivalent of an MCR President in the other colleges. This means you organise events for the Postgraduate and Mature Student community in Cuth’s as well as represent them in a number of spaces including the JCR, College and the wider University. This position is elected.
- Vice President of Postgraduate Committee
The VP assists the PGM President to ensure that there are events put on out throughout the year and ensuring the Postgraduate voice is heard within Cuth’s JCR.
- PGM Treasurer
The Treasurers’ role is to oversee the budget for the committee. This position is elected.
- PGM Social Secretary This role involves working with the rest of PGM Comm to run the social calendar for Cuth’s Postgrad and Mature Students. This position is available via application.
- PGM Academic Rep This role involves working with the rest of PGM Comm to run the social calendar for Cuth’s Postgrad and Mature Students. This position is available via application.
- PGM International Rep
They represent the views of International Students’ to the committee, as well as representing Postgrads on International Committee. This position is available via application.
- Mature Student’s Rep
They work with PGM Comm to represent Mature Students and organise events specifically for Mature Students. This position is available via application.
- Postgrad Rep
They work with the rest of PGM comm in the organisation of events and represent Postgrad students. This position is available via application. - Fourth Year Rep
They work with PGM comm in the organisation of events and represent Fourth Year students. This position is available via application.
- PG Welfare Rep
The PG Welfare Rep is in charge of sign posting Welfare Support available for Postgrad Students’ and raising any issues or campaign ideas to Welfare. This position is elected.
- PGCE Rep
They work with the rest of PGM Comm to represent the views of PGCE students and ensure PGCE students remain informed of what is happening within college. This position is available via application.
- General Committee Member x 2
his role is flexible in what it does so if you have any ideas which PGM Comm currently does not have a rep for (ie. Postgrad PoC Rep, Postgrad Students’ with Disabilities Rep) or you have a particular strength (ie. publicity and social media) this role could be perfect for you. This position is available via application.
Getting Involved
Getting involved with anything regarding the JCR can be very rewarding and a great way to get to get to know the wider Cuth’s community. You can get involved in variety of ways, from simply attending our events and getting involved in Cuth’s Postgraduate Community, or you can join the committee which will allow you to directly influence and organise the type of events that Postgrad Committee puts on throughout the year.
To get involved in Postgraduate Committee, all positions apart from PGM Chair, are Method II elections which means they are run in our JCR elections and will involve a hust of 1 minute, questions and then people will vote for the candidate they wish to take that position. If you have any questions about the roles you can email the current PGM President at pgm-president@cuths.com or if you want to run for a position you can email our SRO, who runs the elections, at sro@cuths.com.

Outside Cuth's
Inter-MCR Formals
Inter-MCR Formals are a great opportunity for Postgrads to experience formals at other colleges. They are open to anyone from another MCR, or equivalent, so for Cuth’s this is any postgrad, mature or a fourth Year Student. Most of the formals will have a theme. In the past Cuth’s has hosted a popular murder mystery formal.
Research Institutes
Durham has nine research institutes which host events and may interest your own research interests.
- Biophysical Sciences Institute
- Durham Energy Institute
- Institute for Computational Cosmology
- Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology
- Institute for Data Science
- Institute of Advance Study
- Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience
- Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies
- Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing
- Institute for Medical Humanities
You can find out more information about these institutes here: durham.ac.uk/research/institute
Borrowing Books
- Taught postgraduates can borrow up to 30 items – standard loan is 3 months
- Research postgraduates can borrow 40 items with standard loans of 6 months
Libraries around the University
- Bill Bryson Library – The Main University Library which is located on the Mountjoy site (otherwise known as the science site), which is located at the bottom of the hill.
- Business School Library – has specialist resources for Business Students
- Palace Green Library – hold specials and local collections.
Work Spaces for PG
There are workspaces all over the Durham University for all students to work at including the main libraries, the DSU, some departments and in the colleges. However, there are some spaces that as PG students you will have access to that undergraduates won’t have access to.The Bill Bryson Library has a dedicated study room for postgraduate research students on Level 4. Other spaces will often be department specific and may involve you applying for a desk which you can have for the year so keep an eye out for emails regarding this in the beginning of term and contact your department if you have any queries about this.