MRes Clinical Science
Key Details
- Attendance
- Full Time
- Award
- Degree of Master of Research
- Course Length
- 1 year
- Course Start Date
- September 2025
Course Overview
Our MRes Clinical Science is your chance to experience the reality of cutting-edge clinical research. You’ll develop a broader, more considered approach to a specific area of medical research, gaining expertise in the intellectual and practical skills of scientific research in the process. And you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the underlying theories, and greater comprehension of the importance of critical review in the practice of evidence-based medicine. You’ll have a thorough understanding of the diversity and breadth of medicine, the benefits of research, and the value every health professional can add by contributing to the advancement of collective medical knowledge.
Driven by the research interests of our students, our programme is incredibly diverse. You choose the project that you want to work on, and we provide close expert mentoring and the learning to help you develop advanced research skills.
Whether you want to explore the design and deployment of new drugs, or you have a desire to optimise the delivery of primary care, we can accommodate you. And the research skills you’ll acquire will be entirely transferrable, so your project doesn’t have to fall within a discipline you aspire to working in.
Our Master’s course in Clinical Science is designed to enable careers for practicing clinicians to develop capability, confidence and independence when investigating a specialist area of research. We believe that an interested student is a motivated student, so we accommodate the full spectrum of clinical scientific research, letting you select and define the question you wish to pursue.
The experience of conducting your own research is enjoyable, liberating, fulfilling and useful, and the skills you learn will provide you with a research base to build a career upon for the foreseeable future. Developing advanced research skills creates a greater depth of understanding in clinicians (whether doctors, nurses, dentists, vets, psychologists, radiologists, therapists, technologists or medical professional) and has a hugely positive impact on their practice.
Study and Modules
Structure
The majority of your time with us will be spent on the signature 100-credit dissertation module. Expertly mentored but chosen by – and personalised to you, this module begins on the day you arrive with us and ends with the submission of your dissertation. It’s an incredible opportunity to learn how to undertake and deliver research of a publishable standard. Along the way you'll be supported by a series of tutorials for the research project in which you'll cover aspects from planning your research to, to analysis and problem solving to writing up and publishing so that when it comes time to write your research up for dissertation or publication you're well prepared to do so.
To support your dissertation, you’ll also have the opportunity to take four research skill modules. They’ll reinforce your learning and optimise the outcome of your clinical research, while arming you with skills that you can use in your professional career. When you complete the course, you'll be familiar with skills like formulating research questions from a synthesis of the field Resolving research questions using qualitative and quantitative methodologies and doing appropriately, ethically whether within a health system like the NHS or in a laboratory environment.
Moreover, you'll have gained experience of communicating your findings through a range of formats to fellow researchers and to the public.
If you’d like to find more about our wealth of research activity, please visit our online Research Directory, and please get in touch via med.imd@uea.ac.uk if you would like more in-depth information.
Compulsory Modules
Optional A Modules
(Credits: 20)Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
Teaching
Several research skills modules (some compulsory and some selected by you) will be taught by experts in the field and delivered through a variety of methods and formats are provided in support of the year-long mentor led dissertation module in which you’ll conduct your research. These research skills modules include lectures, seminars, tutorials and workshops.
Independent study
Most of the learning on the MRes degree is guided but experiential. This is to say that clinical research as a subject is broad and diverse and there are few universal paradigms to be gleaned didactically. The MRes degree has been designed to encourage autonomy and independence in not only defining your preferred area of study, but also in locating relevant resources and evaluating information. You'll have access to expert mentoring, and this will enable you to access the necessary training in the skills required to answer your research question. The emphasis is though, very much placed on your own pursuit of your research objectives.
Assessment
You'll need to submit coursework for the majority of the taught modules, however only one of the modules involves a written test. You'll need to achieve a pass in all modules.
The dissertation module, which represents the majority of your Master’s, is comprised of three elements: a review of the literature, a research paper, and piece of reflection.
Entry Requirements
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
- Typical UK Entry Requirements
Degree classification
Bachelors degree - 2.2
Degree Subject
Medicine, Biomedicine, Health, Psychology or Life Science related degrees
- Additional Entry Requirements
This course is open to medical students wanting to intercalate after the 3rd or 4th year of their UK Medical, Dental or Veterinary degree.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in September each year.
- Typical International Entry Requirements
Degree classification
UK Bachelors degree - 2.2 or equivalent
Degree Subject
Medicine, Biomedicine, Health, Psychology or Life Science related degrees
- Additional Entry Requirements
This course is open to medical students wanting to intercalate after the 3rd or 4th year of their UK Medical, Dental or Veterinary degree.
- English Foreign Language
Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):
-
IELTS: 6.0 (with min 6.0 in Writing & Speaking and 5.5 in Listening & Reading)
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.
If you do not meet the English language requirements for this course, INTO UEA offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the required English skills.
-
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.
Fees and Funding
Tuition fees for the Academic Year 2025/26 are:
-
UK Students: £10,675
-
International Students: £22,700
We estimate living expenses at £1,136 per month.
Further Information on tuition fees can be found here.
Scholarships and Bursaries
The University of East Anglia offers a range of Scholarships; please click the link for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
Please see Additional Course Fees for details of course-related costs.
How to Apply
How to apply
Applications for Postgraduate Taught programmes at the University of East Anglia should be made directly to the University.
To apply please use our online application form.
Further information
If you would like to discuss your individual circumstances prior to applying, please do contact us:
Postgraduate Admissions Office
Tel: +44 (0)1603 591515
Email: admissions@uea.ac.uk
International candidates are also encouraged to access the International Students section of our website.
Employability
After the Course
The majority of our students use the MRes as building blocks for a research-orientated career – be it in medicine, nursing, health, psychology, biomedicine, academia or pharmaceuticals. Many also go on to further study, with a PhD either at UEA or another institution.
Careers
Examples of careers that you could enter include:
- Hospital Consultant
- Specialist secondary care General Practitioner
- GP Biomedical Scientist (PhD)
- Clinical Psychologist (ClinPsyD)
- Veterinarian Dentist Nurse
- Physiotherapist Pharmaceuticals
- Biotechnology Research Administration
Discover more on our Careers webpages.