Masters Degrees (Cancer)

This Masters in Cancer Sciences will prepare you for a career in cancer science, whether you aim to pursue a PhD or further medical studies, or seek a career in the health services sector, in the life sciences, biotechnology or pharmaceutical industries. Our programme takes a “bench to bedside” approach, enabling graduates to work within a multidisciplinary environment of world-leading scientists and cancer-specialists to address the latest challenges in cancer research.

Why this programme

-University of Glasgow is rated in the UK top five and best in Scotland for Cancer Studies. You will be taught by a multidisciplinary team of world leading cancer scientists and clinicians within the Cancer Research UK Glasgow Centre.
-This MSc in Cancer Science programme is unique in the UK as it delivers integrated teaching in molecular biology, pathology and clinical service.
-The Cancer Research UK Glasgow Centre brings together scientists and clinicians from research centres, universities and hospitals around Glasgow to deliver the very best in cancer research, drug discovery and patient care. The Centre’s world leading teams have made major advances in the understanding and treatment of many cancers. For more information, please visit: http://www.wecancentre.org/
-In the first semester, each week is focused around one of the new Hallmarks of Cancer, with the focus on the molecular/cellular biology of this hallmark. A tutorial session will enable you to discuss and integrate your learning from the week. This will enable you to understand how research into the fundamental principles of cancer cell biology can translate to advances in cancer treatment.
-The aim of this MSc in Cancer Science is to train cancer researchers who can break down the barriers that currently prevent discoveries at the bench from being translated into treatments at the bedside. By understanding the science, methodology and terminology used by scientists and clinicians from different disciplines, you will learn to communicate effectively in a multidisciplinary environment, critically evaluate a wide range of scientific data and research strategies and learn how to make a significant contribution to cancer research.

Programme structure

Semester 1: Hallmarks of Cancer

This 13 week core course aims to:
 provide you with a critical understanding of the molecular and cellular events that drive cancer development and progression
 demonstrate how an understanding of these events underpins current and future approaches to cancer diagnosis and treatment
 integrate the teaching of molecular biology, cell biology, diagnosis and treatment of cancer
 describe how all these disciplines communicate and work together in the fight against cancer
 provide you with theoretical training in fundamental molecular and cell biology techniques used in cancer research
One week of practical training is provided at the start of the course. This course is assessed through a lab notebook, group assessment, critical essay and an exam that focuses on data analysis and interpretation.

Semester 2

In the second semester, you can choose from a range of 3 week optional courses, before taking the core course “Designing a Research Project”.
• Drug Discovery
• Drug Development and Clinical trials
• Viruses and Cancer
• Diagnostic technologies and devices
• Technology transfer and commercialisation of bioscience research
• Current trends and challenges in biomedical research and health
or
• Frontiers in Cancer Sciences – 5 week optional course
• Omic technologies for the biomedical sciences: from genomics to metabolomics - – 5 week optional course
or
• Designing a research project: biomedical research methodology - 6 week optional course

Semester 3

Bioscience Research Project

In this 14 week core course you will:
 have an opportunity to perform a piece of original research to investigate a hypothesis or research questions within the area of cancer research. The project may be “wet” or “dry”, depending what projects are available
 develop practical and/or technical skills, analyse data critically and draw conclusions, and suggest avenues for future research to expand your research findings
Note: students must have a minimum of grade C in semesters 1 and 2 in order to proceed to the research project.

[[Career prospects ]]
The knowledge and transferable skills developed in this programme will be suitable for those contemplating a PhD or further medical studies; those wishing to work in the health services sector; and those interested in working in the life sciences, biotechnology or pharmaceutical industries, including contract research organisations (CROs). This programme is designed for students with undergraduate degrees in the life sciences, scientists working in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, and clinicians and other healthcare professionals.

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The course will provide a robust and wide-reaching education in fundamental and applied cancer biology, and focused training in laboratory research and associated methodology.

Why study Cancer Biology at Dundee?

The MRes Cancer Biology is a research-centred taught Masters programme providing a focused training in molecular cancer research. It covers both the fundamental and translational science of carcinogenesis, cancer biology, diagnosis and therapy.

The programme delivers outstanding research-focused teaching from internationally-renowned scientists and clinicians.

Dundee University is internationally renowned for the quality of its cancer research and has over 50 cancer research groups: current funding for cancer research is about £40 million from research councils and charities. In 2009 the university became the first Scottish university to be awarded Cancer Centre status by the CRUK.

What's so good about studying Cancer Biology at Dundee?

The MRes Cancer Biology has been developed from the innovative collaboration between the College of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing and the School of Life Sciences, and it complements the establishment of the Cancer Research UK (CRUK) Centre here in Dundee.

The Dundee Cancer Centre aims to enhance cancer research and apply discoveries to improve patient care. Key to this is training the next generation of cancer researchers.

Areas of particular strength at the University of Dundee are in surgical oncology for breast and colon cancer, radiation biology and clinical oncology, skin cancer and pharmacogenomics. Areas of strength in basic cancer biology are DNA replication, chromosome biology and the cell cycle, cell signalling and targets for drug discovery.

Teaching and Assessment

This course is taught by staff based in the College of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing and the School of Life Sciences.

The MRes will be taught full-time over one year (September to August).

How you will be taught

The course will be taught through a combination of face-to-face lectures, tutorials, discussion group work and journal clubs, self-directed study and supervised laboratory research.

What you will study

The MRes degree course is taught full-time over three semesters.

The first semester provides in-depth teaching and directed study on the molecular biology of cancer, and covers:

Basic cell and molecular biology, and introduction to cancer biology
Cell proliferation, cell signalling and cancer
Cancer cell biology
Carcinogenesis, cancer treatment and prevention
Specific training in research methodology and critical analysis

Students will also be required to take part in a journal club to further develop their critical review skills.

In semesters two and three students will be individually guided to focus on a specific cancer research topic which will be the subject of a literature review and associated laboratory research project. The research project is based in laboratories with state-of-the-art facilities, and under the leadership of world-class researchers.

How you will be assessed

Exams on the taught element of the programme will be held at the end of semester one. Essays and assignments will also contribute to the final mark, and the dissertation will be assessed through the production of a thesis and a viva exam.

Places on the course are limited, so early applications are strongly encouraged.
Apply early to avoid disappointment.
Follow us on Twitter to keep up with news from the MRes Cancer Biology @Mrescancerbiol

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The Cancer MSc reflects the depth and breadth of research interests, from basic science to translational medicine, within the UCL Cancer Institute. The programme, taught by research scientists and academic clinicians, provides students with an in-depth look at the biology behind the disease processes which lead to cancer.

Degree information

This programme offers a foundation in understanding cancer as a disease process and its associated therapies. Students learn about the approaches taken to predict, detect, monitor and treat cancer, alongside the cutting-edge research methods and techniques used to advance our understanding of this disease and design better treatment strategies.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. The programme consists of two core modules (60 credits), four specialist modules (60 credits) and a research project (60 credits). A Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits, full-time nine months) is offered. A Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits, full-time 12 weeks) is offered.

Core modules
-Basic Biology and Cancer Genetics
-Cancer Therapeutics

Specialist modules
-Behavioural Science and Cancer
-Biomarkers in Cancer
-Cancer Clinical Trials
-Haematological Malignancies and Gene Therapy

Dissertation/report
All MSc students undertake a laboratory project, clinical trials project or systems biology/informatics project, which culminates in a 10,000–12,000 word dissertation and an oral research presentation.

Teaching and learning
Students develop their knowledge and understanding of cancer through lectures, self-study, database mining, wet-lab based practicals, clinical trial evaluations, laboratory training, assigned reading and self-learning. Each taught module is assessed by an unseen written examination and/or coursework. The research project is assessed by the dissertation (75%) and oral presentation (25%).

Careers

The knowledge and skills developed will be suitable for those in an industrial or healthcare setting, as well as those individuals contemplating a PhD or medical studies in cancer.

Top career destinations for this degree:
-Research Technician, NHS Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
-Cancer and Genetics, ETH Zurich
-PhD Cancer Research, University of New South Wales (UNSW)
-Clincial Trial Project Manager, Beijing Lawke Health Laboratory Inc.
-Research Scientist, SporeGen

Employability
Skills include critical evaluation of scientific literature, experimental planning and design interpretation of data and results, presentation/public speaking skills, time management, working with a team, working independently and writing for various audiences.

Why study this degree at UCL?

UCL is one of Europe's largest and most productive centres of biomedical science, with an international reputation for leading basic, translational and clinical cancer research.

The UCL Cancer Institute brings together scientists from various disciplines to synergise multidisciplinary research into cancer, whose particular areas of expertise include: the biology of leukaemia, the infectious causes of cancer, the design of drugs that interact with DNA, antibody-directed therapies, the molecular pathology of cancer, signalling pathways in cancer, epigenetic changes in cancer, gene therapy, cancer stem cell biology, early phase clinical trials, and national and international clinical trials in solid tumours and blood cancers.

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This is the only MRes programme in the UK with a specific focus on oral cancer. It provides a robust and wide-reaching education in both fundamental and applied cancer biology, together with focused training in laboratory research and associated methodology. There is a particular focus on oral cancer, its aetiology, diagnosis and management.

Why study Oral Cancer at Dundee?

Dundee University is internationally renowned for the quality of its cancer research and has over 50 cancer research groups: current funding for cancer research is about £40 million from research councils and charities.

This course offers a Masters level postgraduate education in the knowledge and understanding of molecular aspects of cancer with a particular emphasis on oral cancer, its aetiology, diagnosis and management. We offer outstanding research-focused teaching from internationally-renowned scientists and clinicians.

The MRes Oral Cancer will also provide you with considerable experience in the design and execution of a substantive laboratory-focused research project in the field of molecular oncology.

Throughout the course, you can also take part in journal clubs to develop your critical analytical skills. In addition, you will be given comprehensive training in academic writing and presentation skills.

What's so good about studying Oral Cancer at Dundee?

The MRes Oral Cancer has been developed from the innovative collaboration between the College of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing and the School of Life Sciences, and it complements the establishment of the Cancer Research UK (CRUK) Centre here in Dundee.

The Dundee Cancer Centre aims to enhance cancer research and apply discoveries to improve patient care. Key to this is training the next generation of cancer researchers.

How you will be taught

The course will be taught through a combination of face-to-face lectures, tutorials, discussion group work and journal clubs, self-directed study and supervised laboratory research.

What you will study

Semester one will provide in-depth teaching and directed study on the molecular biology of cancer, with a particular emphasis on oral cancer, and comprises five compulsory modules plus a mandatory course introduction/orientation:

Module 1: Cell Proliferation and Cancer
Module 1a: Research Techniques
Module 2: Cell Signalling and Cancer
Module 3: Cancer Cell Biology
Module 4: Oral Cancer: Aetiology, Diagnosis and Management

Following the successful completion of the taught modules 1-4, students will be guided to focus on a specific research project, which, after completion of a series of practical classes and a relevant literature review, will be carried out in semester 2 and throughout the remainder of the year.

How you will be assessed

Modules 1-4 will be assessed by examination (60%) and coursework (40%). The research project will be assessed by coursework and oral examination (100%).

Careers

The course is aimed primarily at early career dentists and has been designed to prepare participants for clinical academic research careers. Upon graduating, participants will be ideally positioned to continue to postgraduate study, at PhD level.

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Research training at the computational/clinical translational science interface

If you're looking for a career in the fight against cancer - this is the course for you. This full-time MRes offers two research projects to give your future career in cancer biology a boost. With two streams on offer – Cancer Biology, and Cancer Informatics – we have the options available for you to choose the best way for you to use your life-sciences degree to meet your objective. We will provide you with a broad-training in research as well as theoretical and practical skills to help you take the next step in your career.

Streams

There are two streams available:

•Cancer Biology - http://www.imperial.ac.uk/medicine/study/postgraduate/masters-programmes/mres-cancer-biology/
•Cancer Informatics - http://www.imperial.ac.uk/medicine/study/postgraduate/masters-programmes/mres-cancer-biology-cancer-informatics/

Is this programme for you?

You will engage with both theoretical and practical elements. The theoretical elements will include why particular methods are used, assumptions they are based on and understanding the technical limitations and quality control of different data types. The practical elements will include data handling and the computational method employed for each data type.

When you enter your projects, you will perform novel bioinformatics-based research, accumulate experimental findings and exercise critical scientific thought in the interpretation of those findings. The research projects may also include a smaller component of wet-lab experiments to provide some validation of the findings from the bioinformatics research.

You will need to be an independent person, who is looking for a challenge. If you're not afraid of hard work, then we would welcome an application from you.

Application

Decisions on applications are made in batches, with the following deadlines for each batch:
•09:00 GMT (UTC) Tuesday, 31 January 2017
•09:00 BST (UTC+1) Wednesday, 26 April 2017
•09:00 BST (UTC+1) Monday, 31 July 2017

You will receive notification of a conditional offer or rejection in the weeks following these deadlines. If you do not hear from us, it is because you have been placed on the waiting list. We withhold the right to close application early, so ensure that you submit your application sooner, rather than later.

Please note that we are unable to consider your application without at least one academic reference from your most recent institution.

Programme structure

The course comprises an initial four/five week taught component in which the cellular and molecular basis of cancer biology are covered, plus an introduction to the clinical and pathological aspects of carcinogenesis. This information is contained within the lectures which will partly be on the lecturer's own research, making use of the excellent researchers we have within Imperial College London. Within this period will also be a series of workshops covering key transferable skills such as oral presentation of scientific data and grant writing. This is shared with the Cancer Biology stream.

While the Cancer Biology stream move into their first project, you will receive three weeks of specialist training in informatics which is comprised of lectures and workshops. You will then complete an initial assignment before beginning your first research placement of roughly 16 weeks, and then a second project of roughly 20 weeks. These will be within the recently created Imperial College Cancer Research UK Centre, the Faculty of Medicine at the Hammersmith Hospital campus of Imperial College, and other collaborating institutes across London (e.g. Institute of Clinical Sciences, The Francis Crick Institute).

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Access advanced technology and approaches being used in cancer biology

If you're looking for a career in the fight against cancer - this is the course for you. This full-time MRes offers two research projects to give your future career in cancer biology a boost. With two streams on offer – Cancer Biology, and Cancer Informatics – we have the options available for you to choose the best way for you to use your life-sciences degree to meet your objective. We will provide you with a broad-training in research as well as theoretical and practical skills to help you take the next step in your career.

Streams

There are two streams available:

•Cancer Biology - http://www.imperial.ac.uk/medicine/study/postgraduate/masters-programmes/mres-cancer-biology/
•Cancer Informatics - http://www.imperial.ac.uk/medicine/study/postgraduate/masters-programmes/mres-cancer-biology-cancer-informatics/

Is this programme for you?

You will perform novel laboratory-based research, accumulate experimental findings and exercise critical scientific thought in the interpretation of those findings.

The course comprises both theoretical and practical elements, embracing cutting-edge developments in the field. You will experience some of the most technologically advanced approaches currently being applied to the broad field of cancer research.

As the taught component of the MRes is short, you will be expected to have sufficient lab experience in order to be able you to hit the ground running when you enter the lab.

You will need to be an independent person, who is looking for a challenge. If you're not afraid of hard work then we would welcome an application from you!

Application

Decisions on applications are made in batches, with the following deadlines for each batch:
•09:00 GMT (UTC) Tuesday, 31 January 2017
•09:00 BST (UTC+1) Wednesday, 26 April 2017
•09:00 BST (UTC+1) Monday, 31 July 2017

You will receive notification of a conditional offer or rejection in the weeks following these deadlines. If you do not hear from us, it is because you have been placed on the waiting list. We withhold the right to close application early, so ensure that you submit your application sooner, rather than later.

Please note that we are unable to consider your application without at least one academic reference from your most recent institution.

Programme structure

The course comprises an initial four/five week taught component in which the cellular and molecular basis of cancer biology are covered, plus an introduction to the clinical and pathological aspects of carcinogenesis. This information is contained within the lectures which will partly be on the lecturer's own research, making use of the excellent researchers we have within Imperial College London. Within this period will also be a series of workshops covering key transferable skills such as oral presentation of scientific data and grant writing.

This is followed by two separate research placements of roughly 20 weeks each within the recently created Imperial College Cancer Research UK Centre, the Faculty of Medicine at the Hammersmith Hospital campus of Imperial College, and other collaborating institutes across London (e.g. Institute of Clinical Sciences, The Francis Crick Institute).

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If you want to pursue a research career in academia or industry, our MSc Cancer Biology will provide you with the essential advanced skills and knowledge for a role in biopharma, healthcare or cancer research. We offer many opportunities for you to explore medically relevant research in the School of Biological Sciences including hospital-based sessions through our collaboration with local cancer specialists and clinicians.

An important and exciting part of your programme is an extensive independent research project, based in one of our academic research groups using advanced laboratories facilities and bioinformatics tools. There are also opportunities for research projects to take place within an industrial or clinical setting.

Throughout the course, you develop your knowledge in the essential areas of molecular and cellular biology which complement your specialist modules in cancer biology. You gain expertise in areas including:
-Specific cancer types (including breast, prostate, pancreatic and colon cancer)
-Clinical aspects of cancer
-Emerging trends in cancer research

You are also trained in modern research methods and approaches which will develop your skills in complex biological data analysis and specific techniques in cancer research.

Within our School of Biological Sciences, two-thirds of our research is rated “world-leading” or “internationally excellent” (REF 2014), and you will learn from and work alongside our expert staff as you undertake your own research.

Our expert staff

We have a very strong research team in the area of cancer biology, who are well placed to deliver the specialist teaching on this course.

The team includes the course leader Professor Elena Klenova (molecular oncology and cancer biomarkers), Dr Ralf Zwacka (apoptotic and survival signalling in cancer), Dr Greg Brooke (steroid hormone receptor signalling in cancer), Dr Metodi Metodiev (clinical proteomics and bioinformatics), Dr Pradeepa Madapura (cancer epigenetics), Dr Vladimir Teif (computational and systems biology), Professor Nelson Fernandez (tumour immunology) and Dr Filippo Prischi (structural biology and biophysics of novel drug targets).

External experts also input to your teaching, including guest speakers from hospitals and research institutions, who deliver classes both on-campus and within the hospital environment.

As one of the largest schools at Essex, we offer a lively, friendly and supportive environment with research-led study and high-quality teaching, and you benefit from our academics’ wide range of expertise and research.

The University of Essex has a Women's Network to support female staff and students and was awarded the Athena SWAN Institutional Bronze Award in November 2013 in recognition of its continuing work to support women in STEM.

Specialist facilities

Recent investment has provided modern facilities for functional genomics, computational biology and imaging biological systems. On our course you have the opportunity to:
-Study in an open and friendly department, with shared staff-student social spaces
-Carry out your research project in shared lab space, alongside PhD students and researchers engaged in cutting-edge cancer research
-Learn to use state-of-the-art research facilities, including an advanced microscopy suite, proteomics laboratory, cell culture, bioinformatics and genomics facilities, modern molecular biology laboratories, and protein structure analysis

Your future

Graduates who are skilled in the research methods embedded into your course are in demand from the biotechnology and biomedical research industries in this area of the UK and beyond.

Many of our Masters students progress to study for a PhD, and there are many opportunities within our school leading to a career in science.

We work with our University’s Employability and Careers Centre to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities.

Example structure

-Advanced Cancer Biology
-Practical Skills in Cancer Research
-Gene Technology and Synthetic Biology
-Protein Technologies
-Professional Skills and the Business of Molecular Medicine
-Cancer Biology (optional)
-Research Project: MSc Cancer Biology
-Genomics (optional)
-Cell Signalling (optional)
-Molecular Medicine and Biotechnology (optional)
-Human Molecular Genetics (optional)
-Molecular and Developmental Immunology (optional)
-Creating and Growing a New Business Venture (optional)
-Rational Drug Design (optional)

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This programme aims to provide you with a clear understanding of the scientific basis underlying the principles and practice of treating cancer.

This will be underpinned by a thorough knowledge of cancer biology and pathology and research methodologies.

This knowledge will provide an excellent grounding in the development, use and evaluation of cancer therapies, which will enhance career prospects in many areas of early phase clinical trials and clinical drug development in the cancer setting.

Compulsory Modules

• Ablative Therapies
• Cancer Biology
• Cancer Pharmacology
• Cancer Prevention & Screening
• Drug Development
• Molecular Diagnostic & Therapeutics
• Molecular Targeted Therapies and Immunotherapy for Blood Cancer
• Research Methods
• Site Specific Tumour Treatment

Elective Modules

• Genomic Approaches to Human Diseases
• Paediatric & Adolescent Oncology
• Pathology of Cancer

Core Module for MSc

• Dissertation.

Barts Cancer Institute is a Cancer Research UK Centre of Excellence and one of the leading cancer institutes in the country.
Based in the heart of London, our programmes are all taught by experts in the field.

Find out more about the BCI at http://www.bci.qmul.ac.uk/study-with-us

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This programme aims to provide you with a clear understanding of molecular and cellular biology that is fundamental to cancer biology and cancer research.

You will learn how research in this area has advanced the treatment and diagnoses of cancer, and gain knowledge of how new therapies are developed, evaluated and implemented.

You will gain a thorough knowledge of research methodologies and laboratory techniques, which you will fully utilise in the laboratory research project stage. The valuable research experience you will gain from working with leading cancer experts, will give you a solid foundation upon which a future career in scientific research can be built.

Compulsory Modules

• Biological Therapies
• Cancer Biology
• Cancer Pharmacology
• Drug Development
• Genomic Approaches to Human Diseases
• Molecular Diagnostic & Therapeutics
• Pathology of Cancer
• Research Lab Skills
• Research Methods

Elective Modules

• Cancer Prevention & Screening
• Paediatric & Adolescent Oncology

Core Module for MSc

• Lab project


Barts Cancer Institute is a Cancer Research UK Centre of Excellence and one of the leading cancer institutes in the country.
Based in the heart of London, our programmes are all taught by experts in the field.

To find out more about BCI visit http://www.bci.qmul.ac.uk/study-with-us

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This MSc course offers an innovative interdisciplinary perspective on the study of cancer.

Three core modules encompass biological and social sciences. These equip you to apply key theories and concepts critically, and to develop the skills required to engage in debates about the impact of cancer on the individual, the family and society.

A wide range of additional modules offers the opportunity to examine aspects of cancer in greater detail from different perspectives, ranging from professional practice to historical perspectives, from epidemiological and medical research to biotechnology.

See the website http://www.brookes.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/cancer-studies/

Why choose this course?

- Our lecturers maintain excellent practice links in their specialist areas locally, regionally and nationally.

- You will have access to state-of-the-art clinical skills simulation suites and resources.

- The department hosts the prestigious HRH Prince Sultan Chair in Cancer Care and the Cancer Care research group.

- In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014, 98% of our research in Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy was rated as internationally recognised, with 82% being world leading or internationally excellent.

- You will be undertaking advanced study in Oxford, which has a new Cancer Centre and a range of expert practitioners working in the cancer field.

- "Students on this course will gain important insights into the nature of cancer research and its broader implications." Sir Paul Nurse

Teaching and learning

You will be given opportunities to be involved in all aspects of your programme - its management and delivery.

Different students will bring varied experiences and cultures and will be encouraged to share these with each other. You will be expected to take responsibility for your own learning and also to contribute to the learning of your fellow students.

The programme includes a taught element, informed by relevant national and international research and evidence-based literature, designed to be a starting point for critical reading and reflection. Mutual support between students enhances the learning experience and will be strongly encouraged.

In order to make the most of the range of experience, skills and knowledge within the group, a variety of teaching and learning strategies will be employed.
- Lectures introduce you to new areas of study and provide the context for further independent reading and practical work.

- Group activities (eg seminars, workshops, presentations) are used as a means of sharing knowledge and experience, developing critical skills, and emphasising the inter-disciplinary nature of the course.

- Presentation skills are developed through student-led seminars, presentations to your fellow students for some of the assessments.

Studying on this course will give you in-depth knowledge of cancer from the molecular level to the personal, social, societal and international levels. In doing so, you will draw on knowledge from life sciences, psychology, sociology, history, and the health care professions. This means that the course requires a flexible mind and a willingness to see familiar subjects in challenging new ways.
This course does not provide a specialised clinical training in medicine or any other health profession, but it does provide professionals with an opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the nature of cancer.

Approach to assessment

Assessment is designed to ensure that you develop and demonstrate the required knowledge and skills to successfully complete your programme. Types of assessments within your programme are varied and appropriate for individual module and programme learning outcomes and content, the academic standard expected and different learning styles.

Assessment is mainly by essay writing, helping you to develop high levels of critical analysis, original thinking and clarity of expression.

Assessments are used to give you an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge as well as the critical and reflective analysis required for professional practice. You will be given the opportunity to submit draft work for feedback and formative assessment.

Endorsements

Sir Paul Nurse (Nobel Laureate and former chief executive of Cancer Research UK)

"Students on this course will gain important insights into the nature of cancer research and its broader implications. As the influence of science on society continues to grow, such insights are as important to scientists as they are to the wider public."

Jon Snow (Journalist, broadcaster and former Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University)

"Cancer and how it is dealt with needs to be seen in its wider social and political context. Oxford Brookes University provides a great environment in which students can engage with these issues."

Attendance pattern

Most modules on the programme involve attendance in the classroom once a week over a 12-week semester period.

How this course helps you develop

You will be given opportunities to develop your academic abilities at master's level, including critical reading and writing skills, digital literacy, communication and teamwork skills. Your contact with other students from different disciplines will provide you with networks that may be of value to you in the development of your future career.

Careers

You will be provided with additional knowledge and expertise to enable you to pursue your chosen career, whether this is in the biological, social sciences or humanities.

Free language courses for students - the Open Module

Free language courses are available to full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students on many of our courses, and can be taken as a credit on some courses.

Please note that the free language courses are not available if you are:
- studying at a Brookes partner college
- studying on any of our teacher education courses or postgraduate education courses.

Research highlights

Cancer research is a key focus and the department hosts the prestigious HRH Prince Sultan Chair in Cancer Care. This is a very exciting addition to our portfolio, as it enables us to play a leading role in research development and education to improve the experience of patients undergoing cancer treatment and palliative care.

In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014, 98% of our research in Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy was rated as internationally recognised, with 82% being world leading or internationally excellent. The university has been careful to nurture emerging research strengths, and the international standing achieved by subjects allied to health demonstrates significant progress since 2008.

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This is an exciting time to be involved in cancer therapeutics. Based upon a greater understanding of the molecular aspects of cancer, new opportunities for therapeutic intervention have emerged that are effectively 'target orientated'. These new therapeutics are quite distinct from the classical chemotherapeutic agents and they offer the prospect of truly selective cancer therapies that are tailored towards the individual patient's tumour. Cancer pharmacology plays a key role in drug development. In both the laboratory and the clinic, cancer pharmacology has had to adapt to the changing face of drug development by establishing experimental models and target orientated approaches.

The programme is designed to provide you with a 'state-of-the-art' course in modern cancer pharmacology that meets the demand of employers and provides an expert view of the available cancer medicines and the development of new cancer therapies.

It promotes advanced scholarship within specialised areas at the same time as the development of key transferable skills (in IT, communication, and time management) and research techniques. The taught component of the course provides the in depth knowledge and skills necessary to work in cancer research, and is delivered across 2 semesters through lectures, workshops, practicals and 1-to-1 tutorials with ICT staff. You will then join one of our research teams to complete the MSc research project.

Why Bradford?

-The course is hosted by the Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, which has an international reputation as a centre of excellence in Cancer Pharmacology
-It benefits from the multidisciplinary team of researchers in the field of anti-cancer drug design, synthesis, screening and pharmacology both at the University and through our extensive links with experts at other universities and industry
-You will also benefit from working in excellent research laboratories in a research-focused environment

Modules

-Molecular Basis of Cancer and Cancer Therapy
-Preclinical Models for Drug Evaluation
-Cancer Pharmacology
-Experimental Design
-Research and Analytical Methods
-Critical Appraisal of a Current Topic in Cancer Pharmacology
-Research Project (ICT)

Career support and prospects

The University is committed to helping students develop and enhance employability and this is an integral part of many programmes. Specialist support is available throughout the course from Career and Employability Services including help to find part-time work while studying, placements, vacation work and graduate vacancies. Students are encouraged to access this support at an early stage and to use the extensive resources on the Careers website.

Discussing options with specialist advisers helps to clarify plans through exploring options and refining skills of job-hunting. In most of our programmes there is direct input by Career Development Advisers into the curriculum or through specially arranged workshops.

Many students go on to study for PhDs either at Bradford or elsewhere. Recent graduates are studying at Dundee, Newcastle and Glasgow universities, and at medical schools in the UK and abroad.

Those in employment are in R&D, clinical research and teaching roles.

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Coventry University offers a postgraduate certificate in Teenage/Young Adult Cancer Care through e-learning. The course is delivered through close working with Teenage Cancer Trust - the leading UK charity in this field - professional organisations and clinical experts from across the multi-disciplinary team, including young people with cancer themselves.

This collaborative working ensures that contemporary clinical practice is strongly embedded in what we do and supports the strategic development of the workforce and services for this niche group of patients.

The Postgraduate Certificate (60 M level credits) comprises three modules (20M level credits each) all of which are mandatory. These are:
-The Developing Teenager/Young Adult with Cancer - M58CPD (Term 1)
-Caring for the Teenager/Young Adult with Cancer - M57CPD (Term 2)
-Independent Study - M05HLS (Term 3)

This is aimed at all of the multidisciplinary team who are involved with teenage cancer care and encourages students to work together online, to develop specialist knowledge and learn how the various roles combine to offer evidenced-based teenage cancer care. Through the presented materials, students will examine the complex social and political nature of health and social care impacting teenagers with cancer and help shape their professional development.

WHY CHOOSE THIS COURSE?

-The course will update you on current developments in practice and theory on the care of Teenagers/Young Adults with cancer
-It will enhance your own professional development and professional portfolio
-It will demonstrate compliance with Manual for Cancer Services: Teenagers and Young Adults Measures (NCAT 2011)
-You can bring new knowledge and ideas into the workplace, inspiring local changes in practice and contributing to service improvement
-It will provide you with a platform to network with fellow colleagues in the field of Teenage Cancer Care

WHAT WILL I LEARN?

-The development of TYA from a biological and psychosocial perspective
-TYA Cancers-aetiology and demography
-Legal and ethical issues
-Policies and organisations of health services/care delivery
-Assessment of care needs of the TYA with cancer. Palliative and end of life care. Survivorship and late effects
-Response to life-changing experience - body image, self esteem, hope and expectations, life goals, changes in development (physical/hormonal/emotional and mental health), education and employment. External support systems, eg charities, youth groups
-Family systems – peer relationships, social/community networks
-Communication with the Teenager/Young Adult with Cancer and their families
-An opportunity to explore the literature on a student selected topic
-Opportunity to present work to peers in a mock conference setting

HOW WILL THIS COURSE ENHANCE MY CAREER PROSPECTS?

Successful completion of this course will demonstrate higher order thinking skills and knowledge acquisition in the subject of caring for Teenagers and Young Adults with cancer.

Students will be awarded with a postgraduate qualification from a highly regarded UK University.

Students will possess an award in Teenage Cancer Care that it nationally and internationally renowned.

Successful completion of this course will enhance career prospects and enhance knowledge to work as a health care professional in palliative, acute or longer-term care, particularly in teenage cancer care.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR AN INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

Whilst there is no practice element to this course, the online environment provides a platform for discussion between students from across the world.

GLOBAL LEADERS PROGRAMME

To prepare students for the challenges of the global employment market and to strengthen and develop their broader personal and professional skills Coventry University has developed a unique Global Leaders Programme.

The objectives of the programme, in which postgraduate and eligible undergraduate students can participate, is to provide practical career workshops and enable participants to experience different business cultures.

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This programme aims to provide you with a clear understanding of the scientific basis underlying the principles and practice of clinical oncology and the development, evaluation and implementation of new treatments.

This will be underpinned by a thorough knowledge of cancer biology and pathology, drug development and research methodologies.

This knowledge will provide you with a good grounding in oncology within a clinical setting which will enhance prospects for those wanting to pursue a clinical academic career.

Compulsory Modules

• Ablative Therapies
• Cancer Biology
• Cancer Pharmacology
• Cancer Prevention & Screening
• Drug Development
• Genomic Approaches to Human Diseases
• Imaging
• Paediatric & Adolescent Oncology
• Pathology of Cancer
• Research Methods
• Site Specific Tumour Treatment

Elective Modules

• Biological Therapies
• Molecular Targeted Therapies and Immunotherapy for Blood Cancer

Core Module for MSc

• Dissertation

Barts Cancer Institute is a Cancer Research UK Centre of Excellence and one of the leading cancer institutes in the country.
Based in the heart of London, all our programmes are taught by experts in the field.

To find out more about BCI visit http://www.bci.qmul.ac.uk/study-with-us

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This full-time MSc course is designed to provide graduates with advanced knowledge, understanding and skills in the rapidly advancing field of Cancer Biology and Therapeutics.

The course offers advanced teaching in the cellular aspects of cancer biology together with the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer development and progression. It provides in-depth training in cancer therapeutics, encompassing biomarkers and diagnosis, therapeutic targets, drug discovery and clinical trials and chemo/radio therapy, as well as aiming to develop your theoretical and practical research skills. This postgraduate programme offers a balanced combination of theory and practice that would serve as preparation for doctoral research or as a self-contained advanced qualification in its own right.

Graduates from this course should gain a breadth and depth of cancer-focused training that will make them highly attractive candidates to start or continue a career within the healthcare sector and research establishments.

The course offers research skills training and a laboratory-based research project that can provide you with the skills required to develop research hypotheses and critically evaluate translational approaches with respect to the development of contemporary cancer therapeutics.

Distinctive features

• A broad ranging course that covers basic molecular cancer cell biology through to translational research and therapeutics.

• A course developed in collaboration with researchers, academics and clinicians and delivered by leading academic cancer researchers at Cardiff University.

• Key lectures and case study workshops delivered by practising oncologists and cancer surgeons.

• Opportunity to study at Cardiff University, one of the UK’s major teaching and research universities.

• Opportunity to undertake a research project in one of the internationally recognized cancer research groups at Cardiff.

• Close academic support from an experienced personal tutor.
Opportunity to join a vibrant postgraduate community studying at Cardiff.

Structure

This is a full-time course over one academic year. You will study 180 credits: 120 of taught material, followed by a 60 credit project.

Core modules:

Data Handling and Statistics
Cellular and Molecular Biology of Cancer
Translational Oncology and Therapeutics
Academic Research Skills
Research Methodology
Research Project

Teaching

The programme will provide advanced teaching in the cellular aspects of cancer biology together with the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer development and progression. In-depth training will be provided in the area of cancer therapeutics, encompassing biomarkers and diagnosis, therapeutic targets, drug discovery and clinical trials and chemo/radio therapy, in addition to developing the student’s theoretical and practical research skills.

Assessment

Assessment for the course will comprise a combination of exams, written essays, posters, laboratory coursework and case studies.

Career Prospects

Graduates from this course should gain a breadth and depth of cancer-focused training that could make them highly attractive candidates to start or continue a career within the healthcare sector and research establishments.

Potential employment opportunities include PhD student, research technician, medical laboratory science officer, clinical trials co-ordinator, and medical writer.

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The area of cancer immunotherapy considers how to use conventional therapies including surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Whilst these treatment have served well and new drugs will continue to be designed, clinical trials over the last five years have shown that boosting the body’s immune system, whose main task is to deal with invading pathogens, can help our immune system to destroy tumour cells. Many of the new immunotherapies may be tested in combination with more conventional treatments or tested alone, but investigators and oncologists now believe immunotherapy, initially combined with pharmacological treatments, will soon provide curative therapies and certainly give many patients a new lease of life.

More about this course

Worldwide the incidence of cancer is increasing, and is expected to reach 22 million new cases per year by 2030. In addition to treatments such as radiotherapy and surgery, chemotherapy has a vital role to play in prolonging the lives of patients.

The aims of the Cancer Immunotherapy MSc are to:
-Provide an in-depth understanding of the molecular targets at which the different classes of anticancer drugs are aimed, and of how drug therapies are evolving
-Review the biology of cancer with respect to genetics, pathological considerations, and the molecular changes within cells which are associated with the progression of the disease
-Enhance intellectual and practical skills necessary for the collection, analysis, interpretation and understanding of scientific data
-Deliver a programme of advanced study to equip students for a future career in anti-cancer drug and immunotherapy development
-Cover new areas in immunotherapy (some of which may enhance existing pharmacological therapies including: History of immunotherapy and review of immune system; Monoclonal antibodies in cancer therapy and prevention; DNA vaccines against cancer; Adoptive T cell therapy; Dendritic cell vaccines; Antibodies that stimulate immunity; Adjuvant development for vaccines; Epigenetics and cancer: improving immunotherapy; Immuno-chemotherapy: integration of therapies; Exosomes and Microvesicles (EMVs) in cancer therapy and diagnosis; Dendritic cell vaccine development and Pox virus cancer vaccine vectors; Microbial causes of cancer and vaccination

Students will have access to highly qualified researchers and teachers in pharmacology and immunology, including those at the Cellular and Molecular Immunology Research Centre. Skills gained from research projects are therefore likely to be highly marketable in industry, academia and in the NHS. Students will be encouraged to join the British Society of Immunology and the International Society of Extracellular Vesicles.

Assessment is a combination of coursework, which includes tests and essays, the research project and its oral defence and examination.

Modular structure

The modules listed below are for the academic year 2016/17 and represent the course modules at this time. Modules and module details (including, but not limited to, location and time) are subject to change over time.

Year 1 modules include:
-Advanced Immunology (core, 20 credits)
-Cancer Immunotherapy (core, 20 credits)
-Cancer Pharmacology (core, 20 credits)
-Cancer: Diagnosis and Therapy (core, 20 credits)
-Molecular Oncology (core, 20 credits)
-Research Project (core, 60 credits)
-Scientific Frameworks for Research (core, 20 credits)

After the course

Students will have many opportunities to work in industry. There are established industries working hard to develop cancer immunotherapies including Bristol-Myers Squibbs, MERCK, AstraZeneca and Roche. There are also an innumerate number of start-up companies appearing including Omnis Pharma, UNUM Therapeutics and Alpine Immune Sciences.

Students will also have ample opportunity for future postgraduate study either within the School of Human Sciences and the Cellular and Molecular Immunology Centre at the MPhil/PhD level or beyond, even with some of our research partners within the UK, Europe and beyond.

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