Course description

Our MSc Oncology research course will enable you to develop the skills and knowledge you need to prepare for a career in cancer research.

Cancer is a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Approximately 300,000 people develop the disease each year in the UK.

Understanding the basis of tumourigenesis and developing new therapies are high priority areas for investment, especially since the economic burden of cancer is increasing. The field of oncology encompasses a wide variety of biological and physical sciences.

You will learn from renowned basic, translational and clinical scientists at the Manchester Cancer Research Centre, the Cancer Research UK (CRUK) Manchester Institute and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, with a focus on developing practical research skills.

Our course covers the clinical and research aspects of cancer care, and you will have access to an exceptionally wide range of research projects in basic cancer biology, translational areas and clinical cancer care and imaging.

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

PhD with integrated master's

If you're planning to undertake a PhD after your master's, our Integrated PhD programme will enable you to combine your postgraduate taught course with a related PhD project in biology, medicine or health.

Aims

Our MSc course aims to provide postgraduate level training that will equip you with the specialist knowledge and research skills to pursue a research career in the fields of medical and clinical oncology.

You will gain an understanding of the scientific basis of cancer and its treatments, as well as the skills needed to evaluate the potential efficacy of new treatments.

This course also offers the potential to:

gain hands-on research experience;
work with world-renowned experts;
use state-of-the-art research equipment;
be taught by speakers at the forefront of national and international cancer research;
undertake laboratory or clinical-based research projects at the Christie Hospital site, the largest cancer centre in Europe with some of the UK's leading cancer researchers;
enhance your research skills and gain confidence in your research abilities.

Teaching and learning

Our MSc is structured around a 2:1 split between laboratory/clinical-based research projects and taught elements.

Laboratory and clinical research experience is gained through two research placements, one lasting approximately ten weeks (October to December) and the second lasting approximately 25 weeks (January to August).

You may choose to carry out one project for both placements, which most students do, or separate projects for each placement.

Most research placements are based at the Christie site, either within the hospital, the Manchester Cancer Research Centre or CRUK Manchester Institute premises. Projects are also available on the Central Manchester University Hospitals and University Hospital of South Manchester sites.

A list of available projects will be provided to offer holders in September.

Career opportunities

Our MSc is ideal for high calibre graduates, students and professionals wishing to undertake directly channelled research training in the clinical and medical oncology field.

If you are a medical student, the MSc will help you to decide whether to pursue a medical career in oncology or in clinical academia.

For biomedical science graduates, the MSc offers the research experience increasingly needed for successful application to a PhD programme in cancer research.

Our previous students have used the knowledge gained from the course to pursue careers in academia, the pharmaceutical industry, clinical trials management and medicine.