Master of Science by Coursework in Clinical and Therapeutic Neuroscience

Differences from 2019/20 to 2020/21

  • 1. The Divisional Board of Medical Sciences shall elect for the supervision of the course an Organising Committee which shall have power to arrange lectures and other instruction.

  • 2. The Organising Committee shall appoint for each candidate an academic advisor.

  • 3. Each candidate shall follow a course of study in Clinical and Therapeutic Neuroscience for at least three terms and for a substantial part of the three subsequent vacations, as determined by the course timetable, and will, when entering for the examination, be required to produce a certificate from the Organising Committee to this effect.

  • 4. Candidates shall be examined in all of the following ways:

    • (i) each candidate must pass a qualifying examination at the end of Michaelmas term. This will consist of one threetwo-hour computer-based Best Answer Question paper on the topics covered in Modules 1 and 2, as set out in the Schedule. Candidates who fail the qualifying examination once shall be permitted to take it again in the first week of Hilary term.

      (ii) each candidate will be required to submit to the examiners online via the approved submission system a pdf of a typed essay of not more than 3,000 words on a topic  chosen by the student and approved by the Organising Committee for each of the two modules in Hilary and Trinity terms (4 essays in total), as set out in the Schedule. Candidates must submit their essay titles for approval by the Organising Committee by deadlines determined by the Organising Committee and provided to students in the Examination Conventions.

      (iii) each candidate will be required to submit to the examiners threeonline copiesvia ofthe approved submission system a printedpdf dissertation of not more than 6,000 words (excluding bibliography and appendices) on each of the two research projects chosen for study, as set out in the Schedule.

      (iv) each candidate will be required to give a public poster presentation on each of their research projects, on dates to be determined by the Organising Committee. The poster presentation for the first research project is compulsory for each candidate but will not be formally assessed or contribute to the final marks. The poster presentation for the second research project is compulsory for each candidate and will be summatively assessed by viva voce.

      (v) each candidate will be examined viva voce at their poster presentation of their second research project.

      (vi) each candidate will be required to participate in the compulsory Journal Club and give a presentation. Journal Club presentations will not contribute to final marks. 

  • 5. The dissertations on the first and second research projects must be submitted to the Chair of Examiners, M.Sc.online invia Clinicalthe andapproved Therapeuticsubmission Neurosciencesystem, c/o Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford by dates to be specified by the Organising Committee and which will be  provided to students in the Examination Conventions. The essays for each module must be submitted online via the approved submission system by deadlines determined by the Organising Committee and provided to students in the Examination Conventions.

  • 6. Each submission must be accompanied by a certificate indicating that it is the candidate's own work.

  • 7. The viva voce examinations will be conducted in September of the third term of the course on dates to be determined by the examiners.

  • 8. A candidate who fails any of the assessments for the award is permitted to retake only those assessments that have been failed. `

  • 9. The examiners shall retain one copy of each dissertation of each successful candidate for deposit in the most appropriate departmental library.

SCHEDULE

The syllabus for study will include three principal components:

  • (a)   Introduction to brain disorders and treatments  

  • Two modules consisting of lectures on psychiatric and neurological disorders, their current treatments and unmet needs. Candidates will attend lectures on basic neuroanatomy, pharmacokinetics and neuropharmacology which are provided by the taught MSc in Pharmacology course. Candidates will be required to attend a seminar and practical class on statistics, and instruction on essay writing and journal clubs, approved by the Organising Committee.

    • Module 1: The Psychopathology, Clinical features, and Molecular Neuropathology of Brain Disorders

    • Module 2: Pharmacological, Neurological and Psychological Treatments

  • (b) Therapeutic neuroscience courses  

  • This will consist of four taught courses consisting of lectures, seminars, practicals, and journal clubs, approved by the Organising Committee. Candidates will be required to attend drug discoverysome lectures (specified by the Organising Committee) provided by the taught MSc in Pharmacology course, and will receive instruction on poster design and presentation, and dissertation reports.

    • Module 3: Medicinal Chemistry and Computational Modelling  

    • Module 4: Experimental Models

    • Module 5: Bioassays and Biomarkers

    • Module 6: Clinical Trials, Mobile Technology and Digital Health

  • (c) Laboratory research projects  

  • Two research projects based on the candidate's laboratory placements, each under the supervision of a research supervisor, on subjects selected in consultation with the Organising Committee. The research projects shall be in separate areas of clinical and therapeutic neuroscience.