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Translational Neuroscience MRes

London, Bloomsbury

UK students International students

Study mode

Full-time

UK tuition fees (2024/25)

£15,100

Overseas tuition fees (2024/25)

£37,500

Duration

1 academic year

Programme starts

September 2024

Applications accepted

Applicants who require a visa: 16 Oct 2023 – 05 Apr 2024

Applications closed

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 medical degree (MBBS) or a minimum of an upper second-class UK Bachelor’s degree in life or biomedical sciences (for example, neuroscience, pharmacology or chemistry) or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 1

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

You will study in the internationally renowned UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and the Leonard Wolfson Experimental Neurology Centre (LWENC) within the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN) Queen Square, London.

The MRes programme combines theoretical and practical teaching on both the breadth of, and complexity in conducting clinical research and early phase clinical trails in neurology and neurodegenerative disease. Topics include drug development, pre-clinical to clinical research, study designs and end points, biomarker, research governance, statistics and the fundamental principle for using the correct enabling technologies within the context of medical research and clinical trials.

Who this course is for

We welcome applications from prospective students who meet our entry requirements, biology-related graduates and/or professionals working in the field of clinical trials.

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

What this course will give you

The programme is delivered by the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, a specialist postgraduate institute and a worldwide centre of excellence in clinical research across neurological diseases, including movement disorders (e.g. Parkinson's disease), multiple sclerosis, neuro-inflammation, epilepsy, stroke, cognitive dysfunction, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.

Topics will include:

Phases of drug development
Pre-clinical to clinical research, with a particular focus on “First-in Human” and early phase clinical trials
Study designs and endpoints
Biomarkers and safety assessments in clinical trials
Principles of Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics and Pharmacovigilance
Research governance
Medical statistics
Fundamental principles for using the correct use of enabling technologies within the context of medical research and drug development (e.g. genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, clinical study designs, biomarkers, imaging, electrophysiology, etc.).

Students will be taught by experts in the field and have the opportunity to network with internationally recognised opinion leaders in neurology and neurodegeneration.

A list of researchers you can work with is available on the departmental website at: ucl.ac.uk/ion/research/research-centres/leonard-wolfson-experimental-neurology-centre.

By the end of the programme students will gain a thorough understanding of the challenges involved in setting up research projects, and learn how to design, implement, analyse and report clinical studies. Undertaking an extended piece of primary research alongside internationally recognised researchers is particularly attractive to students wishing to pursue doctoral or clinical research. The focus on translational neurology, from within the specialist research setting of the Leonard Wolfson Experimental Neurology Centre, is also of note.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

Whatever your chosen career pathway, the MRes in Translational Neuroscience will equip graduates to either get a first step on the ladder, change career directions or help them become more experienced with a specific expertise.

Employability

The programme is designed to cater to graduates in medicine and biomedical sciences who wish to gain valuable training in clinical research before embarking on a clinical PhD programme, medical training, or professional work in clinical trials. The successful completion of the MRes may also enhance opportunities for graduates to enter medical school or for MBBS graduates to progress to specialist medical training.

Networking

The Queen Square Institute of Neurology is home to some of the world's most influential academics. By studying with us, students will have the opportunity to be part of the next generation of experts in neuroscience. We are home to some of the world's most influential researchers and offer a wealth of scientific and clinical expertise, from laboratory benches through to patient care.

Many of our lecturers are also NHS consultants working at The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery which is a leading centre for the diagnosis, treatment and care of patients with a wide range of neurological conditions.

Teaching and learning

The programme will combine lectures, workshops and tutorials. Lectures will focus on the role of surrogate markers and emerging technologies in drug development e.g. preclinical discovery, first-time-in-man studies, and early phase clinical trials in healthy volunteers and patients.

Assessment is through short answer unseen examinations, coursework, presentations and dissertation.

There will be typically between 20-30 hours of contact time for each 15 credit module, with 120 hours of self directed study.

Modules

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of three core modules (60 credits), and a dissertation/report (120 credits).

Compulsory modules

Experimental Neurology

Research Integrity and Governance

Research Methods and Introduction to Statistics

Research Project: MRes Translational Neuroscience

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 an MRes in Translational Neuroscience.

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
Tuition fees (2024/25)	£15,100
Tuition fees (2024/25)	£37,500

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

International students will bear any costs incurred in acquiring certification equivalent to DBS (Police check) in their home country. These checks are necessary for any student who undertakes a clinical project based at University College London Hospitals.

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

UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology International Excellence Scholarships - we are delighted to announce four fee reduction scholarships (worth £6,000 each) for overseas fee-paying students.

These are offered in celebration of Queen Square’s rich history of welcoming students from across the world who have contributed much to our community and wider society. In 2021-22 we had students from over 50 countries enrolled.

These scholarships are offered based on academic merit and are available for all our eligible postgraduate programmes (except for the MSc/Dip/Cert in Clinical Neurology).

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

: Queen Square IoN International Excellence Scholarship

Deadline: 8 April 2024

Value: £6,000 towards tuition fees (1yr)

Criteria Based on academic merit

Eligibility: EU, Overseas

UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology BAME Scholarship

Deadline: 8 April 2024

Value: £4,000 towards fees (1 year)

Criteria Based on academic merit

Eligibility: UK

UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology Stroke Academic Excellence Scholarship

Deadline: 8 April 2024

Value: £4,000 towards fees (1 year)

Criteria Based on academic merit

Eligibility: UK, EU, Overseas

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

Why you want to study Translational Neuroscience at graduate level
Why you want to study Translational Neuroscience at UCL
What particularly attracts you to the chosen programme
How your personal, 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. Applicants who have a portfolio are strongly recommended to submit it when they apply.

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.

This programme only requires one reference in support of your application. Your reference should be academic unless you have been out of university education for more than four years. Further information regarding references can be found on this Selecting your references page.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.