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Bioscience Innovation and Enterprise MSc

London, Old Street

Build a purposeful career translating science into business innovation. This programme empowers students to create new social and economic value from bioscience research ideas, by learning the skills from entrepreneurship, technology and management that are most relevant to science innovation.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2024/25)
£15,100
£7,550
Overseas tuition fees (2024/25)
£34,400
£17,200
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2024
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 16 Oct 2023 – 31 Jul 2024
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 16 Oct 2023 – 30 Aug 2024
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class UK Bachelor's degree in a science- or technology-based subject, or a business-related first degree plus demonstrable interest and/or work experience in an area of bioscience innovation such as digital health, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. This programme is also suitable for intercalating Medical Students.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

This ground-breaking MSc spans bioscience, business and innovation. It is designed for enterprising students who want to work across the science-business interface.

You will learn the language of business such that you can identify new opportunities from science. You will learn how to fit potential research solutions - from areas such as stem cells, regenerative treatments, digital innovation, imaging and AI - to real-world problems.  

Implementing bioscience ideas can be challenging, but the need for innovators who can speak both the language of business and science, has never been greater.

This MSc is based at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology. The Institute has a global reputation in translational science across many areas - from public health and imaging, through to genetics and neuroscience. The programme also draws on expertise from the clinical excellence of Moorfields Eye Hospital, and from companies like Google DeepMind and the recent Institute spinout, Tenpoint Therapeutics.

Who this course is for

This programme is for individuals who want to build their career at the bioscience-business interface, either in a start-up, as innovators in a research-based organisation, as investors or consultants, or in technology transfer.

The expertise that you gain is a combination of bioscience and broader management knowledge. These cross-disciplinary transferable skills are in demand in many different translational and policy settings.

Applicants should have either a science- or technology-based first degree, or a business-related first degree plus demonstrable interests and/or work experience in an area of bioscience innovation such as digital health. This programme is also suitable for intercalating Medical Students.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

UCL is embedded in a powerful entrepreneurial ecosystem in London. The programme converges expertise from the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, the UCL School of Management and the UCL School of Pharmacy. Students will discover many opportunities to connect with researchers and innovators to explore ideas. There is the chance to work with, and learn from, world-leading scientists, clinicians, digital experts, and entrepreneurs. Graduates from this programme have moved on to careers in consultancy, venture capital, science innovation, and start-ups.

Graduates can expect to gain:

  • Deep system understanding of the challenges of new value creation from science
  • Practical research and translational techniques to make knowledge transfer happen
  • Ability to interrogate science to find innovative opportunities that work
  • Skills in communicating potential to resource-providers
  • Strategic insight into how to stage-gate the building of a new bioscience business
  • An entrepreneurial mindset in leading for good change
  • Expertise in navigating the values clashes between science and business
  • Financial, operational and business understanding to ask intelligent questions
  • Specific communication and leadership skills for bio-business success
Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

Students from the first two years have gone on to careers in innovation, management consultancy, venture capital, research translation, technology transfer, clinical trials, start-ups and spinouts, policy, PhD programmes and more. Science has achieved new prominence since the pandemic. Our boundary-spanning innovative students have many options in the UK and globally for purposeful careers.

Employability

This programme trains you for a career in life sciences consultancy, investment in innovation, technology transfer, clinical trials, start-ups and spinouts, management, regulation, policy, digital health and more.

Students who complete this programme will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to set up a new venture or pursue a professional career in a wide range of biotechnology and biopharmaceutical sectors. 

Networking

UCL Innovation and Enterprise is the division of UCL that offers a range of off-curriculum entrepreneurial activities, as well as incubator space, networking opportunities and practical education. Students also make contact with parts of the wider UCL and London entrepreneurial ecosystem. These connections include with start-ups, spinouts, incubators and networking hubs. Opportunities also arise through events and guest speakers. 

Teaching and learning

Teaching is primarily module-based teaching in terms 1 and 2. This involves face-to-face lectures and seminars, plus optional applied sessions covering introductory science and business basics in term 1. In-person sessions involve typically twelve hours per week in terms 1 and 2. There is considerable independent reading and study expected, plus work on assignments.

In Term 3 you will embark on an integrated science-business research project. You will identify and explore a cutting-edge topic (of your choice) in bioscience. The thesis you produce will be a literature-based exploration of the science research, integrated with a business case analysis. The goal is to investigate the feasibility or non-feasibility of a new business opportunity in the field of bioscience.

The delivery modes across the terms integrate into science-business learning outcomes. Lectures allow for specific in depth information to be provided. Guest lecturers include healthcare and medical professionals, entrepreneurs and innovators. Seminar time allows for more detailed discussion and consideration of material. These might include informal case based presentations, problems, or quizzes, that allow formative feedback.  For example, the seminars in Term 1 for one module, Research in Practice, support the development of investigative, analytical, synthesis and data interrogation skills. These are later put into practice in the Term 3 dissertation module.

The Term 3 project is aided by an allocated academic supervisor. Some students have sourced their own topic through finding a start-up or innovation or UCL supervisor, in their specialist area of interest. Others have sourced internship opportunities that they use as a basis for the thesis work. 

This approach provides you with an opportunity to apply entrepreneurial skills in applying science to a real-life customer problem. 

Assessment is through coursework, presentations and the dissertation. Each module typically has several assessments. At this MSc level, these assignments require considerable input and study. Many also require you to source for yourself an entrepreneurial topic in bioscience. 

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, and class discussion. Students are given the opportunity to attend weekly lectures given by leading healthcare and medical professionals, global entrepreneurs and biotech innovators. Assessment is through coursework, presentations, examinations, and the dissertation. 

Typical contact hours for a 15 credit module is approximately 30-35 hours; independent self-directed study, including assessment and revision is approximately 100 hours per module.

Modules

The Bioscience Innovation and Enterprise MSc programme offers a blend of compulsory and optional modules.

This allows you to develop a substantial base of key skills, knowledge and understanding, while also allowing you some individual choice with respect to specialist areas. There is a core driver in the structure of the modules to ensure a genuine synthesis exists between research driven identification of problems to solve, and a business driven context that allows you to develop optimal implementation strategies.

Your study moves from compulsory taught modules in term one with a context focus, to a blend of options and compulsory study in term two which are more narrowly focused and underpin the independent research and analysis required in term three. Modules in term two are taught also by the School of Management and School of Pharmacy at UCL.

The location of study at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, provides a distinctive environment in which to learn. The Institute’s record in science based entrepreneurship is excellent in respect of taking various scientific breakthroughs to market as seen by the recent £57m launch of IoO spinout Tenpoint Therapeutics.

The Research and Business Case Project, which forms the final assessment, develops independent projects from the science based identification of need in the context of how that need might be turned into a business opportunity that could serve society.

In Year One, students take three compulsory modules and one elective module. In Year Two, students take three compulsory modules and two optional modules.

Compulsory modules










Optional modules






Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded a in Bioscience Innovation and Enterprise.

Placement

Students can find their own internships and placements in Term 3 as part of the Research Project. 

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2024/25) £15,100 £7,550
Tuition fees (2024/25) £34,400 £17,200

Additional costs

There are no additional costs for this programme.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

Funding your studies

Visit the government website to learn more about postgraduate loans.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Institute of Ophthalmology Bioscience Research & Development Scholarship

Deadline: 30 June 2024
Value: £3,500 towards tuition fees (1yr)
Criteria Based on academic merit
Eligibility: UK

Institute of Ophthalmology International Excellence Scholarships

Deadline: 30 June 2024
Value: £5,000 towards fees (1yr)
Criteria Based on academic merit
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

Next steps

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • Why you want to study Bioscience Innovation and Enterprise at graduate level
  • Why you want to study Bioscience Innovation and Enterprise at UCL
  • What particularly attracts you to the chosen programme
  • How your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging programme
  • Where you would like to go professionally with your degree

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2024-2025

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Institute of Ophthalmology
Institute of Ophthalmology

ioo.admissions@ucl.ac.uk

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