MSc Clinical Research

Do you want to lead breakthroughs in medical science? Perhaps you want to improve health outcomes and quality of life. Either way, Lancaster’s MSc in Clinical Research provides you with specialist training to advance your career.

The knowledge and skills you gain during the programme will prepare you for a wide range of rewarding roles, from healthcare research management to clinical trial coordinator.

Why Lancaster?

• Benefit from a unique programme of study that puts science and research at the heart of medicine and healthcare.
• Discover how to translate research into healthcare policy and practice.
• Prepare for strategic and leadership roles, learning how to promote evidence-based healthcare using cutting-edge science.
• Make your mark in the field by learning the most effective ways to communicate research to doctors, healthcare professionals, policy makers, patients and the wider public.
• Invest in high-quality training and an advanced degree to help you achieve your professional goals.
• Combine study with work commitments with our flexible study options.

Why should I study Clinical Research?

Advances in treatments, therapies and healthcare are only possible with clinical research. Research is the gateway to possibility – transforming hypotheses and ideas into robust, tried and tested treatments that can be rolled out to communities with confidence.

Clinical research helps us understand what works and what doesn’t, identifying more effective and efficient treatments while highlighting important side effects and safety considerations.

This MSc is the third in our suite of clinical research courses. We also offer the following:

• Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Research – part-time, 12 months
• Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Research – part-time, 12 months

Is this programme right for me?

We welcome applications from:

• Doctors undertaking Specialty Training programmes in NHS Trusts.
• Doctors undertaking academic attachments in local NHS Trusts as part of their F1/F2 training.
• Consultants and General Practitioners who wish to develop their career as a research leader within their own organisation or elsewhere.
• Nurses, allied health professionals and NHS support staff wishing to move into research-based roles.
• Professionals with a biological or psychological background who wish to move into healthcare research.
• Undergraduate students wishing to move into this field or take a path leading to PhD study in health.

What will I learn?

You will work with world-class researchers who are specialists in clinical research. They will share their expertise and prepare you to lead the entire healthcare research lifecycle, including:

• Identifying prioritised projects
• Securing funding
• Managing projects
• Using knowledge translation principles

With high-level training in advanced methodology, you will learn how to conduct research thoroughly, reliably and ethically. You will be able to interpret research findings and will develop important communication and presentation skills. You will learn to clearly articulate research outcomes, recommendations and implications and deliver recognisable impact.

With plenty of optional modules to choose from, you can explore a range of our team’s specialist fields, including quality improvement, drug development, infectious disease modelling or spatial statistics.

Translating research into practice

We have a firm focus on real-life application, and this programme explores in depth how research can be translated into healthcare policy and practice – where it can make a meaningful difference.

You will have the opportunity to develop and undertake a supervised, practice-based project, using your enhanced knowledge and skills to delve deeper into a topic you’re passionate about – ranging from biostatistics and epidemiology to public health, palliative care or the social and ethical aspects of health and medicine.

How will I study?

This flexible programme can be taken on a full or part-time basis, and its format enables you to fit in studying around your work and other commitments.

Taught modules are delivered through whole-day sessions of face-to-face teaching, supported by flexible online resources, discussions and collaborations using Lancaster University’s virtual learning environment.