Nature Masterclasses

Take your research potential to the next level with professional development training designed for researchers, by researchers - now including live courses new for the 2025/26 academic year.

Nature Masterclasses brings you high-quality online courses created by Nature Research journal editors and experts, giving you insider knowledge and practical skills to boost your confidence, sharpen your expertise, and accelerate your career.

Existing users

If you registered with Nature Masterclasses before Monday 30 March 2026, your completed courses will migrate to the new learning platform provided you re-register using the same credentials. If you had any incomplete courses, these will not migrate. For step-by-step instructions on how to re-register, please see the sidebar.

Have questions? Check out the FAQs.

New users

How to access the courses
You will need to register with Nature Masterclasses. Registration is free and via UCL institutional single sign on (SSO); please see the sidebar for step-by-step instructions on how to register.

Not sure where to start?
From designing experiments and writing papers, to communicating your research and planning your next career move, Nature Masterclasses covers the entire research cycle. Take this short quiz to receive tailored recommendations and begin your development journey with confidence.

Live Courses

Community Insights: AI in Academic Writing and Publishing - 18 & 20 November 2025

Artificial intelligence is transforming how research is written, shared, and reviewed. This session will explore how researchers can engage with AI tools confidently and responsibly, balancing efficiency with authenticity in research communication.

This webinar offers valuable insights into:

• Understand how to discover and interpret journal AI policies
• Evaluate opportunities and risks when considering AI tools
• Avoid common pitfalls that can lead to ethical concerns or rejection
• Use AI thoughtfully to enhance rather than replace your own writing skills

Doctoral researchers & Research staff: register for 18 November 2025, 09:00-10:00
Doctoral researchers & Research staff: register for 18 November 2025, 17:00-18:00
Doctoral researchers & Research staff: register for 20 November 2025, 12:00-13:00

Principles of Scientific Writing - 20 November 2025

Learn strategies to make your scientific writing clear, concise, and impactful.

This session will cover:

• Editorial insights from a Nature Portfolio trainer
• Writing with clarity and precision
• Structuring your manuscript effectively
• Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• Identify key principles of effective scientific writing
• Apply strategies to improve clarity and impact
• Understand editorial expectations and how to meet them

Doctoral researchers - register via Inkpath here.
Research staff - register via LibCal here.

Lunch and Learn: How Nature Masterclasses On-demand supports researchers - 9 December 2025

Discover how to make the most of Nature Masterclasses On-demand training.

This session will cover:

• Introduction to Nature Masterclasses
• On-demand Account creation and access
• Overview of available courses
• Navigation and progress tracking
• Live Q&A

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Create and access a Nature Masterclasses account
• Navigate and engage with course content
• Track progress and complete modules effectively

Doctoral researchers - register via Inkpath here.
Research staff - register via LibCal here.

Lunch and Learn: How Nature Masterclasses On-demand supports researchers - 21 May 2026

Discover how to make the most of Nature Masterclasses On-demand training.

This session will cover:

• Introduction to Nature Masterclasses
• On-demand Account creation and access
• Overview of available courses
• Navigation and progress tracking
• Live Q&A

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Create and access a Nature Masterclasses account
• Navigate and engage with course content
• Track progress and completed modules effectively

Doctoral researchers - register via Inkpath here.
Research staff - register via LibCal here.

Community Insights: Designing Your Research with Assistance from AI - 10 & 11 June 2026

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how research questions are developed, studies are designed, and methodologies are refined. Used well, AI can help researchers explore existing literature, identify patterns, and strengthen research design. But it also raises important questions around bias, transparency, reproducibility, and responsible use.

This webinar will bring together expert perspectives from across research, publishing, and policy to help researchers use AI confidently and responsibly when designing their research.

This session will help researchers to:

• Understand how AI can support different stages of research design, from research questions to methodology
• Evaluate opportunities and limitations when incorporating AI tools
• Identify key risks, such as bias, reproducibility issues, and over‑reliance, and how to mitigate them
• Apply AI in ways that strengthen, rather than replace, critical thinking and research expertise

Doctoral researchers & Research staff: register for 10 June 2026, 17:00-18:00
Doctoral researchers & Research staff: register for 11 June 2026, 08:00-09:00
Doctoral researchers & Research staff: register for 11 June 2026, 14:00-15:00

Available On-Demand Courses

Research Methodologies and Analysis

Experiments: From Idea to Design - RDF A1 Enhance your skills in developing, planning, and refining impactful experiments.
Data Analysis: Planning and Preparing - RDF A2 Maximise the outputs of your data and avoid time-consuming mistakes.
Data Analysis: Conducting and Troubleshooting - RDF A2 Develop your data skills for more effective results.
Interpreting Scientific Results - RDF A2 Explore the best techniques for interpreting your scientific results.

Careers Within Academia

Getting an Academic Research Position - RDF B3 Prepare yourself to take your next career step, into either a postdoc or faculty role.

Pillars of Open Science

Managing Research Data to Unlock its Full Potential - RDF C1 Explore the foundations of effective data management.
Research Integrity: Publication Ethics - RDF C1 Examine the ways you can handle ethical issues that can arise and you publish your research.

Research Funding

Finding Funding Opportunities - RDF C3 Explore the funding landscape to identify the best funding opportunities for you.
Persuasive Grant Writing - RDF C3 Discover narrative tools and how you can use them to write convincing grant applications.
Demystifying Grant Budgets (webinar recording) - RDF C3 For researchers in the natural sciences seeking insights into developing a budget for their grant application.

Networking and Collaboration

Networking for Researchers - RDF B3 Create and nurture professional relationships for mutual benefit.
Increasing your Visibility as a Researcher using Social Media (webinar recording) - RDF D2 Use social media to share findings, increase academic visibility and create professinal opportunities.
Introduction to Collaboration - RDF D1 Gain an insight into research collaboration and its benefits.
Participating in a Collaboration - RDF D1 Build your skills to make a more meaningful contribution to your collaborative projects.
Leading a Collaboration - RDF D1 Prepare yourself for all aspects of leading on a collaborative project.
Building a Strong Online Researcher Profile - RDF B3 Learn how to build a strong online researcher profile for yourself.
Leveraging your Online Researcher Profile (webinar recording) - RDF B3 Learn how to leverage your online research profile effectively.

Presentation and Public Speaking

Advancing your Scientific Presentations - RDF D2 Communicate your results in an engaging and memorable way.
Creating Successful Research Posters - RDF D2 Create an engaging research poster and prepare a handout and presentation that will capture your audience.

Writing and Publishing

Choosing the best journal for your paper - RDF D2 **New for 2025** Navigate the decisions and considerations to choose the right journal for your work.
Effective Science Communication - RDF D2 Learn to communicate your findings in an engaging and impactful way.
Narrative Tools for Researchers - RDF D2 Examine the best ways you can share your research story persuasively with your peers.
Writing a Research Paper (2nd Edition) - RDF D2 **New for 2024** Learn the detailed process of writing a research paper.
Publishing a Research Paper (2nd Edition) - RDF D2 **New for 2024** Learn about the publication process and the things you need to consider.
Focus on Peer Review - RDF D2 Explore the role of a peer reviewer and the foundations of a good peer review.
Writing and Publishing a Review Paper (2nd Edition) - RDF D2 **New for 2024** Prepare yourself to write and publish a great review paper.
Navigating Scientific Writing (webinar recording) - RDF D2 Discover how to best navigate scientific writing.
Maximising the Impact of Your Paper - RDF D2 Learn how to effectively promote your paper, maximising its reach and impact.
Mastering Your Manuscript Revisions (webinar recording) - RDF D2 Learn how to edit your paper after a peer review.
AI in Academic Writing and Publishing (webinar recording) - RDF D2 **New for 2026** AI has the ability to transform how we communicate scientific discovery and boost efficiency - learn how to ethically and effectively apply it in your work.

Explore all courses in full via the platform