Clinical Research

MSc

  • Entry year 2025
  • Duration Full time 1 year, Part time 2 - 3 years
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Overview

Why Lancaster?

  • Benefit from a unique programme of study that puts science and research at the heart of medicine and healthcare.
  • Prepare for strategic and leadership roles, learning how to promote evidence-based healthcare using cutting-edge science.
  • Explore the most effective ways to communicate research to doctors, healthcare professionals, patients, and the wider public – and make an impact.

Why 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.

Is a master’s in Clinical Research for me?

If you want to be behind breakthroughs in medical science, drive progress and ultimately improve health outcomes and quality of life, an MSc in Clinical Research will set you on the right path.

Available over one-year full time, or two- or three-years part time, this flexible programme enables you to study around your work and other commitments, supporting a healthy work-life balance.

It provides high-level training in advanced methodology, preparing you to conduct research thoroughly, reliably and ethically. You’ll learn how to interpret research findings and build important communication and presentation skills so you can make your case. With a focus on real-life application, you’ll look at how research can be translated into healthcare policy and practice – where it can make a real difference.

With plenty of optional modules to choose from, you can explore a range of specialities, including quality improvement, drug development, infectious disease modelling or spatial statistics.

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

During the programme, you’ll 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, from biostatistics and epidemiology to public health, to palliative care or social and ethical aspects of health and medicine.

Where will Clinical Research take me?

With an advanced understanding of the theory and practice of research in a healthcare setting and an astute awareness of research design, analysis and dissemination, you’ll graduate with the critical skills to undertake research as part of a broad range of roles.

You might choose to focus on healthcare intensive research in a clinical setting or lab, or use your research skills to inform service improvement, policy or communications. You could go on to clinical research leadership roles as a research or project manager, research nurse or clinical trial coordinator for the NHS, pharmaceuticals, industry or charities. You’ll also be perfectly prepped to move into academic research with a healthcare-related PhD.

Entry requirements

Academic Requirements

2:1 Hons degree (UK or equivalent) in a relevant subject including medicine, nursing, psychology, biological sciences or related subjects. Applicants with relevant professional experience and without a first degree should contact the Course Director.

We may also consider non-standard applicants. Please contact us for information.

If you have studied outside of the UK, we would advise you to check our list of international qualifications before submitting your application.

English Language Requirements

We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.

We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 6.5, and a minimum of 5.5 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications.

Contact: Admissions Team +44 (0) 1524 592032 or email pgadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk

Pre-master’s programmes

Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored pre-master’s pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University master’s degrees. Visit the INTO Lancaster University website for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.

Course structure

You will study a range of modules as part of your course, some examples of which are listed below.

Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, but changes may be necessary, for example as a result of student feedback, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes, and new research. Not all optional modules are available every year.

Core

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Fees and funding

The Clinical Research programme is designed for professionals working in healthcare settings who are interested in building a research career. The programme offers a flexible pathway through study, with a tiered exit structure allowing students to exit with a PG Certificate, PG Diploma, or MSc over three years. The MSc can also be studied full time over one year, or part time over two years.

The full MSc Clinical Research programme (180 credits) is £14,140 for home students and £30,310 for international students commencing in 2025.

Home students can also choose from two study programme pathways:

• Part time/ 24 month route: (90 credits per year for two years; £7,070 per annum at 2025/26 prices).

• Part time tiered exit/36 month route: (60 credits per year for three years; £4,710 per annum at 2025/26 prices).

For most home students, it is likely they would complete the Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits) in their first year, progressing on to the Postgraduate Diploma (a further 60 credits) in their second year, and the Master's (60 credit Dissertation) in their third year.

General fees and funding information

Additional fees and funding information accordion

Scholarships and bursaries

You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status and course. You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.

Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.

If you're considering postgraduate research you should look at our funded PhD opportunities.

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We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.

Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries.

Who should apply?

The Clinical Research programme is designed for professionals working in healthcare settings who are interested in building a research career.

The programme offers a flexible pathway through study, with a tiered exit structure allowing students to exit with a PG Certificate, PG Diploma, or MSc over three years.

The MSc can also be studied full time over one year, or part time over two years.

Lancaster Medical School

Lancaster Medical School is an emerging school offering high quality teaching, research and expertise addressing fundamental issues in health and medicine. We aim to contribute to continuing professional development of doctors and allied professionals across the health sector.

  • Research in the Faculty

    Interests include epidemiology, medical education, social science and biomedical science subjects applied to medicine.

  • CHICAS

    The Centre for Health Informatics, Computing and Statistics.

  • Social and ethical aspects of health and medicine

    Exploring the social and ethical aspects of health and medicine, and informing policy and practice.

  • Athena Swan: gender equality at Lancaster

    We hold the Athena SWAN Silver Award, recognising our commitment to advancing the careers of women in higher education and research.

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Important Information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2025/2026 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.

Our Students’ Charter

We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies.

Why Lancaster?