The Disease Mechanisms and Therapeutics MSc is a dynamic master’s programme, allowing you to gain hands-on experience as you delve into present-day medical understanding and try to create real advances in disease treatment and prevention.
You’ll choose a specialist biomedical area and will learn about the molecular mechanisms leading to major human diseases and their current treatments. You will also work towards identifying medical advancements and possible innovative therapeutic approaches using technological developments.
The specialist areas to choose from include cancer biology and therapy; genomic technologies; vaccine and immunisation; or radiation, toxicology and pollution.
You’ll identify areas where there are knowledge gaps in current medical understanding. Throughout the course you will be encouraged to address these gaps by looking at existing research and literature and conducting your own research.
At Brunel we recognise that strong practical skills in all fields of biomedical sciences are important to employers. For this reason we have a large practical element to the course. You’ll gain experience of different modern laboratory techniques and consider the legislative and ethical aspects linked to the discipline. You’ll learn computational skills and be trained on critical analyses of the molecular problems leading to human disease and to identify intervention opportunities. In addition, you’ll receive training in statistics and bioinformatics which are fundamental to the biomedicine sector.
In our 'Scientific Communication' module you’ll learn how to disseminate medical information to a range of audiences. Your writing skills will be developed to target a diverse range of audiences, from medical practitioners through to the general public. You will learn to write your research findings in an academic style and a journalistic style - skills which will be invaluable in a range of biomedical careers.
Dean’s International Scholarship: This course is eligible for a £2,000 fee waiver, per academic year, subject to availability. This Scholarship is for full-time international students only.
Enrollment Cycles
September 2024
Entry Requirements
UK entry requirements
A 2.2 (or above) UK Honours degree in the field of Biosciences.
Other qualifications including equivalent internationally recognised qualification or relevant experience from health professionals (e.g. doctors, nurses, MLSOs) will be assessed on an individual basis and a request for completion of an online biological test in molecular and cell biology may be required.
Applicants with a third class honours degree or other lower qualifications will be considered if supported by science A-levels (or equivalent) and relevant work experience. Such applicants may be required to attend an interview.
EU and International entry requirements
If you require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK, you must prove knowledge of the English language so that we can issue you a Certificate of Acceptance for Study (CAS). To do this, you will need an IELTS for UKVI or Trinity SELT test pass gained from a test centre approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and on the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) list. This must have been taken and passed within two years from the date the CAS is made.
English language requirements
IELTS: 6.5 (min 6 in all areas)
Pearson: 59 (59 in all subscores)
BrunELT: 63% (min 58% in all areas)
TOEFL: 92 (min 20 in all)
This biomedical sciences postgraduate course has been tailored to provide you with specialist knowledge of molecular biology and its impact on biomedicine. Particular attention is placed on innovative therapeutic potential and on statistics and computational biology.
This course can be studied 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, starting in September.
Year 1 Compulsory
BB5706 - Cell and Receptors of the Immune System
BB5709 - Cell Signalling in Health and Disease
BB5708 - Gene Regulation and Epigenetic
BB5705 - Lab Safety, Research Techniques and Ethics