Masters Degrees (Medical Sciences)

Our Medical Sciences MSc provides you with a broad education in medical sciences at Master's level. A major strength of the course is its clinical and translational nature. Expert scientists and clinicians from the Faculty of Medical Sciences deliver the taught modules.

The Medical Sciences MSc has a flexible modular structure that is designed to provide a broad-based training in current knowledge and research in medical sciences, medicine and dentistry. You are encouraged to tailor your course to suit your background, interests and career aspirations. This is done through selection of three taught modules in the first semester and your choice of dissertation research topic, upon which you will work full-time in the third semester. You will be supervised for your dissertation in a Research Institute or associated NHS department.

As a student on this course you will:
-Study diverse aspects of medical sciences, through structured, subject-based modules
-Acquire advanced knowledge and critical awareness in different areas of medical sciences and medicine
-Acquire knowledge and develop understanding of aspects of medical sciences research practice and of relevant legal, ethical and safety considerations
-Gain experience of hypothesis-led medical research endeavours through personal involvement in a dissertation
-Engage in research, analysis and presentation of research findings, and presentation of scientific hypotheses, data and interpretation in the context of current scientific and medical literature

Our graduates have progressed on to further postgraduate research in dentistry and medicine, and pursued careers in academia, medicine, dentistry, health sciences and the pharmaceutical industry.

The Faculty of Medical Sciences is a recognised national centre of excellence. It brings together internationally acknowledged research in clinical care, medicine, dentistry, pure science and engineering to tackle challenges in health and healthcare. Key research areas include:
-Ageing
-Stem cells
-Cancer
-Cell biology
-Genetics
-Drug development
-Medicine in society
-Neuroscience
-Oral health.

Personal tutors

You will be given a personal tutor shortly after registration. The role of your personal tutor is to support you during your time at Newcastle. Your personal tutor will discuss your academic progress, career intentions and any issues that concern you. They will also act as your academic referee. You should arrange to meet your personal tutor in the orientation and induction week, or as early as possible.

Delivery

The Medical Sciences MSc is an intensive taught course delivered by the Faculty of Medical Sciences and is based on the Newcastle University campus.

In semester one, you will follow three 20-credit subject-focused optional modules. Most modules are taught in either the morning or afternoon of one day each week. There are in-course assessments and you are expected to engage in self-directed study. Lectures, seminars, and tutorials are led by Newcastle University academics or clinicians based in associated NHS Foundation Trusts.

In semester two, you will follow additional two 20-credit subject-focused and compulsory modules.

Alongside the subject-focussed modules, you will also be enrolled in a compulsory research skills module. This explores the basic principles of good practice in relation to experimental design, statistical analysis and ethics that underlie all aspects of research in the biosciences.

In semester three, you work full-time within a research group. This experience provides an excellent opportunity to work in a professional environment. You will benefit from interactions with research students, junior and senior research scientists, established academics and healthcare professionals. In the third semester you work exclusively on your selected dissertation. You will experience
•hypothesis-led medical research and analysis
•presentation of research findings and scientific hypotheses
•data interpretation in the context of current scientific literature.

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There is a national and international need for professionals who can apply a critical and scientific approach to their forensic practice, and who want to have a broad understanding of the various interrelated disciplines of forensic medicine and science. This programme answers that need and provides theoretical and practical knowledge of the forensic medical sciences, and will train you to critically evaluate and interpret forensic medical and scientific evidence.

The unprecedented programme will cover a wide range specialist topics under the umbrella of the forensic medical sciences, coupled with the opportunity to carry out research in a specialist area.

We also offer you the opportunity to further your career prospects within your own professional specialty. This programme should be regarded as an intermediate level for pathologists and forensic medical examiners who will be expected to progress to specialist exit level exams, through their respective academic colleges.

Programme outline
Core modules:

Clinical Aspects of Forensic Medicine (two modules)
Forensic Pathology (two modules)
Module Options:

Legal and Ethical Issues Relevant to Forensic Medicine and Science
Forensic Toxicology I and II
Forensic Identification I and II.
Research project

Laboratory-based or a critical dissertation (four modules)

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During the MSc (Research) you will undertake a nine month research project, with a three month write up of your dissertation.

In the course of your year of research we will train you in how to design, conduct, analyse and write up a medical sciences-related research project. You supervisor will be drawn from our academic staff. Depending on the project this may also involve partners from a local NHS trust.

You will learn to design, conduct and report independent and original research, to critically evaluate relevant literature, to develop problem solving skills, to analyse research data, to communicate the results of research, to understand scholarly conventions in the discipline area, and to have respect for intellectual integrity and the ethics of research.

Recent projects include:
• The role of osteoarthritic cytokines in ochronotic arthropathy
• Localisation of the stem cell population in the cornea
• Ethical decision making in organ donation
• How do students’ social networks evolve during their time at medical school?

Previous graduates have presented their work at international academic conferences and had their work published in leading academic journals.

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Healthcare professionals wishing to extend their understanding of issues relating to quality, information and safety are encouraged to apply for this specialised pathway. Teaching is delivered by specialists in their field and a student advisor supports students in selecting modules and in reviewing their personal development plan and career goals.

Degree information

Students explore various facets of healthcare quality with an emphasis on the role of information evidence, regulation and safe practice. They develop insights into the challenges of managing high-quality service delivery change, and confidence to tackle the complex job of improving patient care. Implicit in the selection of modules is the acquisition of skills and knowledge relevant to a student’s day-to-day professional life.

Students undertake modules to the value of 60 credits.

The programme consists of one core module (15 credits), and three optional modules (45 credits).

Core modules
-Healthcare Quality and Evidence Based Practice

Optional modules - choose three from the following:
-Healthcare Associated Infection Prevention, Control and Organisational Aspects
-Information Law and Governance
-Leadership and Professional Development
-Legal and Regulatory Aspects of Healthcare Associated Infection Control
-Litigation, Complaints and Concerns: Raising Clinical Standards
-Patient Safety and Clinical Risk
-Quality Improvement in Healthcare
-Research Methods in Healthcare

Teaching and learning
Some modules are taught by full distance learnnig. Other modules are delivered through blended learning, combining formal contact time with academic staff, research fellows and guest speakers, and interactive online study using the virtual learning environment. The amount and timing of campous attendance varies between modules - see module library for details. Assessment varies according to the modules selected but is primarily via coursework.

Careers

The programme offers practitioners a focused education and training, which chimes with the NHS's commitment to incorporate elements of clinical governance, quality assurance, health informatics, and change management into continuing professional development curricula for both clinicians and managers.

Employability
Increasingly employers are advertising posts with job titles which include the terms 'patient safety', 'risk', 'quality' and 'clinical governance'. This award is aimed at clinical professionals who have taken on a new role in their organisation with a remit for safety and quality or who are seeking to shift their career in this direction. The skills and knowledge acquired from this certificate will assist students in furthering their career in this expanding field.

Why study this degree at UCL?

This new specialised Health and Medical Sciences pathway focuses on key topics relating to quality, information and safety, and equips students with the professional skills needed in modern healthcare settings.

The programme offers the opportunity to study at a time and place convenient to your own circumstances making it feasible to combine study and full-time work.

It provides access to a range of modules relating to quality, governance, information and safety, as well as opportunities to interact with a range of senior academics and professional experts drawn from across UCL and beyond.

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It is recognised by the Research Councils, universities and employers that a gap has opened up between the skills possessed by new medical graduates and the skills normally expected on entry to a research degree or an industrial research career. The MRes in Medical Sciences has been specifically designed to bridge this gap.

The purpose of the MRes is to provide a master's level programme that will equip students from the medical and dental sciences with the skills and knowledge they need to pursue a research based career in academic medicine. It focuses on medical research rather than biological science research.

Students interrupt their clinical training after Year 3 or 4 to undertake the programme.

Applications are also welcome from other eligible candidates.

This programme has both taught and research components and is suitable for those with little or no previous research experience.

Teaching and learning

The course is structured and has both taught and research components. Laboratory experience is gained through both taught modules and most students gain additional laboratory experience within their research placement.

Taught modules include a research skills unit, tutorials focusing on critical appraisal and research publications, practical skills in biomedicine and a clinical masterclass unit which focuses on clinical research skills such as study design, ethics and academic career pathways.

Your research placement is spent with a single research group over the year, which has the advantage of allowing you to become an integrated part of the team and increases the depth and complexity of your research. The first 10 weeks are spent undertaking a literature review and writing a research proposal. This is followed by 6 months laboratory time, ending with submission of a final dissertation.

Each student will be allocated a personal supervisor within their research group and also attend a series of one to one meetings with the course director or deputy to ensure learning goals are being achieved.

Coursework and assessment

You will be assessed through presentations, written reports and a final report.

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Research profile

The Masters in Medical Sciences programme is the only one of its kind in the UK and is proven to give graduates the competitive edge in the job market. It’s designed for high-calibre medicine graduates who want to explore and benefit from medical research, perhaps with a view to pursuing a PhD or a career in research.

We offer you the opportunity to undertake a research project in a laboratory or department relevant to your speciality. The choice of research projects carried out is wide and ranges from bench research to clinical research.

Examples of completed projects are:

• Therapeutic Hypothermia Decreases Intracranial Pressure in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury
• Renal Function in the 11β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1 Null Mouse
• Immune cell populations in the mouse lung during RSV infection
• Salt Appetite in Stable Heart Disease and Healthy Volunteers

You will need to secure a supervisor and project before starting the degree.

Programme structure

The programme begins with a month of teaching, providing you with an overview of the whole range of techniques used in medical research.

In the first two weeks you will attend lectures on subjects ranging from stem cell biology to ethics and clinical trials. You will also receive statistics training and practical workshops in cell biology and molecular medicine. You will be taught practical techniques, including basic tissue culture, how to do PCRs and run Western Blots.

Around 20 per cent of the course will consist of taught classes and seminars. The rest is spent in your host department.

To consider your research interests and opportunities we advise you to visit Edinburgh’s Clinical Academic Training Centre (ECAT) or speak to the Programme Director.

• Read more about the programme structure
• Clinical Academic Training Centre

Career opportunities

Around a quarter of our students continue on to a PhD. Those who choose to return to clinical practice go back with a broader experience of research than is afforded by the undergraduate clinical medicine curriculum.

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Acquiring quantitative skills in biology is of paramount importance for the next generation of professional scientists working in industry and academia.

Key benefits

- Possibility to carry our research projects in biophysics at King’s or with our partner the National University of Singapore (NUS).

- Broad range of research topics to choose from.

- Pharmaceutical and biotechnology laboratories increasingly employ individuals with up-to-date biophysics expertise.

Visit the website: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught-courses/molecular-biophysics-mres.aspx

Course detail

- Description -

The MRes (Master of Research) in Molecular Biophysics at King's College London offers an integrated training programme ideally suited to learn biophysical techniques crucially important to meet this challenge. We deliver an excellent foundation for students wishing to pursue careers in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, medical research, scientific administration within research councils or scientific publishing.

- Course purpose -

Our programme is designed for outstanding graduates in the life and physical sciences (Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Physics) who want to apply their knowledge to biological problems at the research level.

- Course format and assessment -

Taught modules cover biophysics and molecular biology techniques with elements of bioinformatics. We offer a wide selection of research projects to prepare students for a PhD degree. Students have also the exciting option of carrying out their research project at the National University of Singapore (NUS), with which we have partnered to move forward outstanding science.
MRC Advanced Course Master's studentships are available providing tuition fees and a stipend. All UK and specific EU applicants who meet the MRC’s eligibility requirement for these studentships will automatically be considered for these awards. For EU students, the programme carries 90 ECTS credits.

The first semester consists of a taught course in Advanced Biophysical Techniques which is assessed by examination in January; the examination counts for 80% of the assessment for this course and the in course practicals 20% [this module counts for 8.33% of the total Mark]. Also in the first semester students take Advanced Bioscience research laboratory techniques covering biochemistry and molecular biology techniques, assessed by write-ups [this module counts for 16.67 % of the total Mark]. Starting in January and continuing till the start of August is the Research project [this module counts for 75% of the total Mark] chosen from a range of research topics available within the research laboratories of the Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics and groups in Chemical Biology and the Biophysics grouping in the Franklin-Wilkins building. This is written up as dissertation (75%), presented as a seminar (15%) and examined as a viva (10%).

Career prospects

PhD studies, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, cancer research, medicine, scientific administration within research councils and scientific publishing.

How to apply: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/taught-courses.aspx

About Postgraduate Study at King’s College London:

To study for a postgraduate degree at King’s College London is to study at the city’s most central university and at one of the top 20 universities worldwide (2015/16 QS World Rankings). Graduates will benefit from close connections with the UK’s professional, political, legal, commercial, scientific and cultural life, while the excellent reputation of our MA and MRes programmes ensures our postgraduate alumni are highly sought after by some of the world’s most prestigious employers. We provide graduates with skills that are highly valued in business, government, academia and the professions.

Scholarships & Funding:

All current PGT offer-holders and new PGT applicants are welcome to apply for the scholarships. For more information and to learn how to apply visit: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/pg/funding/sources

Free language tuition with the Modern Language Centre:

If you are studying for any postgraduate taught degree at King’s you can take a module from a choice of over 25 languages without any additional cost. Visit: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/mlc

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The MSc by thesis is ideal for you if you want to get involved in postgraduate research, and obtain the skills to progress to a PhD or MD.

About the MSc by thesis

The MSc by thesis gives you an opportunity to conduct an independent research project.

You can work in a wide range of areas. Our current students are researching topics as diverse as interstitial lung disease, cystic fibrosis, care of the newborn infant, and the development of new methods for analysing cell-to-cell interactions in tissue using a micro-fluidic based approach.

Throughout your degree, you will be supervised by a leading expert in the field and supported by a Thesis Advisory Panel.

Part-time or full-time?

The HYMS MSc by thesis is offered either full-time (one year) or part-time (two years).

If you have fewer than about 35 hours a week to devote to your studies, you should consider studying part-time. Part-time study is at least 17.5 hours per week.

Postgraduate Training Scheme

As a MSc student at HYMS, you will also take part in our Postgraduate Training Scheme (PGTS), which provides you with extra opportunities to develop both specialist and transferable skills.

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Recent years breakthrough discoveries in health sciences have generally been achieved by effective cooperation between interdisciplinary research teams, which included members from medicine, basic sciences and engineering. Such a cooperation provides a broad visionary approach and strong scientific basis for a better understanding of the health related problems and allows the development of novel technologies to improve the quality of life.
Koç University Biomedical Sciences and Engineering (BMSE) MS and PhD programs have been developed with this philosophy in mind and offer unique, truly interdisciplinary graduate education and leading edge research opportunities for students with different disciplines, which include basic sciences (chemistry, physics and biological sciences) engineering (chemical, mechanical and electrical engineering), medicine and related health sciences programs and provide them with the vision, knowledge and tools to become the future leaders.

Current faculty projects and research interests:

• Computational and Quantative Biology
• Biometric Materials and Islet Cell Bioengineering
• Robıtics and Mechanics
• Computational Biology and Bioinformatics
• Molecular biochemistry
• Computational Systems
• Biofluids and Cardiovascular Mechanics
• Polymer Science and Technology
• Mitochondrial Biogenesis
• Cell Biology
• Microphotonics
• Optofluidic and Nano-Optics

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MSc by research

Duration: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time (there is usually no viva examination)

Ideal for those seeking research training for progressing to a PhD. For professionals working in a clinical setting, this degree can provide the support you need to:
-Undertake research that will improve your health care practice.
-Understand your patients' needs better, improve their health outcomes and your decision-making, change care pathways and improve service organisation.
-Enable others to learn from you.

If you enjoy the research and make excellent progress, it is possible to convert to studying for a PhD.

Other admission requirements

-Candidates should submit their full CV.
-Candidates should submit 3 - 8 publications for consideration.
-Submission should include further contextual information regarding the publications, including, but not limited to, the profile of journals that articles have been published in, the number of citations, and their significance to the field.

Consideration process

-The relevant Divisional Academic Lead for Research Degrees will initially consider the submission. The Academic Lead will appoint an Academic Advisor (supervisor) to provide guidance to the candidate on the presentation of the published work.
-The Academic Advisor (supervisor) will assess the papers and use their judgement to decide whether an interview is required. If an interview is necessary, the Academic Advisor and Academic Lead should form part of the interview panel. The Academic Advisor and Academic Lead will decide whether to accept the student.
-Be accompanied by a statement by the proposed Academic Advisor, outlining the candidate's suitability for admission to a PhD programme and any further relevant details regarding the candidate including their employment (current or past), area of expertise and profile within their discipline/field of research.
-The submission will then be considered by the Chair of the Graduate Studies Committee of the Board of the Faculty of Medicine. If the Chair of the relevant Faculty Board is of the view that the Works are of the appropriate standard, they will make a recommendation to the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies that the candidate be admitted to the PhD.
-An offer can only be made once the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies has given his/her approval following consideration of the aforementioned recommendation.

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Your MPhil will give you the opportunity to conduct a substantial independent research project, leading to an original contribution to knowledge in your chosen field.

You can work in a wide range of areas. Our current students are researching topics as diverse as the molecular mechanisms of cardiovascular disease, the role of doctors' consciences in clinical practice, and how dietary stresses and strains affect skull shape.

Throughout your studies, you will be supervised by a leading expert in the field and supported by a specialist Thesis Advisory Panel.

Full-time or part-time?

The HYMS MPhil is offered either full-time (three years) or part-time (six years).

If you have fewer than about 35 hours a week to devote to your studies, you should consider studying part-time. Part-time study is at least 17.5 hours per week.

Postgraduate Training Scheme

As a MPhil student at HYMS, you will also take part in our Postgraduate Training Scheme, which provides you with extra opportunities to develop both specialist and transferable skills.

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The Medical Science graduate program encompasses a broad range of topics including specializations ranging from cancer biology to critical care.

The majority of students apply for and are successful in receiving national, provincial, and university awards and scholarships during their training programs.

Many of the program graduates have the research skills and abilities to succeed in independent scientific careers in academic and non-academic settings. As a result, MDSC graduates have been successful in obtaining postdoctoral positions leading to faculty positions at leading universities in Canada and abroad.

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The Graduate and Postgraduate education mission of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine is to be an international leader in the training of animal health researchers and postgraduate veterinarians who will advance animal and public health as well as the veterinary profession.

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Research in biotechnology at Newcastle spans the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FMS) and the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering (SAgE). We invite proposals for MPhil and PhD projects in biotechnology across the fields of medical sciences, biological, agricultural and environmental sciences, and marine science and technology.

We offer MPhil supervision in the following research areas:

Medical sciences

In medical sciences our research focuses on translational medicine, from drug discovery and development to effective product commercialisation and process optimisation. Our key areas are:
-The development of drugs for the treatment of cancer and psychiatric disorders
-Novel antibiotic innovation
-Design and development of integrated electrochemical and bio-microelectromechanical (bio-MEMS) sensors for application to point-of-care diagnosis of disease processes and sensor technologies for real-time, high content intracellular analysis using polymer-based nanosensor systems

Biological, agricultural and environmental sciences

In biological, agricultural and environmental sciences our research focuses on:
-The search and discovery of commercially significant natural products
-The production of crops with novel traits
-The fundamental role played by micro-organisms in the turnover of pollutants and the production of high value novel compounds, including pharmaceuticals and pesticides.

Marine science and technology

Our work has led to pioneering advancements in developing novel antibiotics and omega-3 oils from plankton. We also explore the industrial applications of marine organisms such as the development of environmentally friendly antifouling coatings.

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Medical Life Sciences is an English-taught two-year Master’s programme in molecular disease research and bridges the gap between the sciences and medical studies. You will get to know clinical research from scratch; you will learn how to investigate diseases/disease mechanisms both in ancient and contemporary populations, how to translate research results into prevention, diagnosis and therapies of diseases.
From the basics of medical science to lab experiments for the Master’s thesis, individual scientific training takes first priority. Experimental work in state-of-the-art research labs is essential in Medical Life Sciences; clinical internships, data analysis, lectures, seminars and electives complement the Medical Life Sciences curriculum.
Evolutionary biology will train you in thinking from cause to consequence. Molecular paleopathology and ancient DNA research tell you a lot about disease through human history. These insights help to fight disease today, which is why evolutionary medicine is becoming a cutting-edge research field. Whether you want to focus on ancient populations and paleopathology or on specific disease indications nowadays, here you get the tools and skills to do both.
To lay the foundation for working in medical research, Medical Life Sciences includes courses on clinical manifestations of diseases, molecular pathology and immunology. Hands-on courses in molecular biology, bioinformatics, clinical cell biology, medical statistics, and human genetics broaden your knowledge and make the interfaces between medicine and the sciences visible. You will learn how to acquire knowledge, verify and use it.. That biomedicine has many facets to discover is the great thing that keeps students fascinated and well-equipped for finding a job in academia or the industry.

Focus Areas

From the second semester, you additionally specialise in one of the following focus areas:

INFLAMMATION takes you deep into the molecular mechanisms of chronic inflammatory diseases, the causal network between inflammatory processes and disease, genetics and environment. New research results for prevention, diagnosis and therapy will be presented and discussed. An internship in specialised clinics helps to see how “bed to bench side”, i.e. translational medicine, works.

EVOLUTIONARY MEDICINE looks at how interrelations between humans and their environment have led to current disease susceptibility. Why do we suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity? Is our lifestyle making us sick? Why are certain genetic variants maintained in populations despite their disease risk? Evolutionary medicine focuses on bridging the gap between evolutionary biology and medicine by considering the evolutionary origins of common diseases to help find new biomedical approaches for preventing and treating them.

ONCOLOGY delves deep into molecular research on malignant diseases, the interplay of genetics and environment, cell biology of tumours, and many other aspects. You will achieve a better understanding of unresolved problems and opportunities of current research approaches.

LONGEVITY focuses on molecular mechanisms that seem to counteract the detrimental effect of ageing. The disease resilience and metabolic stability of extraordinarily fit people well over 90 years of age are of special interest. This research is complemented by experiments on model organisms. You will also look at the molecular pathways of ageing, and which role genes and the environment play. How the intricate web of counteracting effects triggering ageing and/or longevity works stands as the central focus of this area.

Scientists and clinicians will make you familiar with these topics in lectures and seminars. You will discuss different research approaches, perspectives and the latest developments in medical research. Lab practicals in state-of-the-art research labs, a lab project, and the experimental Master's thesis will provide ample opportunity to be involved in real-time research projects.

Electives

To widen your perspective, you choose one of three electives designed to complement the focus areas. The schedules are designed so that you can take part in more than one elective if places are available. Tracing Disease through Time looks at disease etiology by analysing biomolecules, diets and pathogens in archaeological specimens. You may opt for Epidemiology to immerse yourself in epidemiological approaches with special emphasis on cardiovascular diseases, one of the greatest health threats in modern societies. Another option is Molecular Imaging, which gives you insight into the world of high-tech imaging in medical research.

Additional electives such as Neurology, Tissue Engineering or Epithelial Barrier Functions and Soft Skills courses such as Project Management, Career Orientation and English Scientific Writing are integrated into the curriculum.

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