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Master of Science by Coursework in Integrated Immunology (Part-time)

1. The Divisional Board of Medical Sciences shall appoint for the supervision of the course an Organising Committee, which shall have the power to arrange the teaching, assessment and other instruction. 

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

3. Each candidate shall: 

            (a) follow a course of study in Integrated Immunology for at least six terms and for a substantial part of the six vacations, as determined by the course timetable; 

            (b)  attend all the synchronous teaching and learning sessions for the Units in the Schedule.

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

            (i) At the end of Hilary Term in Year One (normally in Week 10), each candidate must pass a computer-based examination on the topics in the Schedule for Unit 1. Candidates who fail the examination will be permitted to take it again on one further occasion. 

            (ii) At the end of Year 1 (normally in the first week of September), each candidate must pass a computer-based examination on the topics in the Schedule for Unit 2. Candidates who fail the examination will be permitted to take it again on one further occasion. 

            (iii) Each candidate will be required to upload to the University approved online assessment platform an essay of not more than 4,000 words by noon, Monday of Week 5 of Hilary Term of Year 1. Candidates will propose their own essay titles from a list of topics provided. Candidates will submit essay titles for approval- by the Organising Committee as detailed in the Course Handbook. Candidates who fail this assessment will have one further opportunity to revise and re-submit their essay. 

            (iv) Each candidate will be required to upload to the University approved online assessment platform two clinical commentaries of not more than 3,000 words each by noon, Monday of Week 13 of Trinity Term of Year 1. The subjects of the clinical commentaries must have been approved by the Organising Committee. Candidates who fail this assessment will have one further opportunity to revise and re-submit their clinical commentaries. 

            (v) Each candidate will be required to upload to the University approved online assessment platform a research dissertation of not more than 10,000 words. The dissertation must be submitted by Monday of Week 10 of Trinity Term of Year 2.  Candidates who fail this assessment will have the opportunity to resubmit the dissertation at one of three opportunities in the following academic year. In exceptional circumstances, candidates may be permitted to redo the research project and resubmit the research dissertation, usually in Trinity Term of the following year. 

            (vi) Each candidate will be examined viva voce at the end of Year 2 (normally in the first week of September in Year 2). Candidates who fail this assessment will have the opportunity to retake it at one of three opportunities in the following academic year at the Examiners’ discretion.  

5. The examiners may examine any candidate viva voce on any part of the examination. 

6. Candidates must pass each assessment to pass overall. 

7. Candidates must pass each assessment of the examination for Units 1 and 2 of the Schedule to progress to Unit 3 and undertake a research project. 

8.  Students who do not pass an assessment on the second attempt will normally have failed to reach the necessary standard for the award. 

9.  Candidates who have failed or do not submit the research dissertation but have satisfied the assessment requirements for Units 1 and 2 will be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Integrated Immunology.

10. Candidates who have satisfied the requirements for the award of the Postgraduate Diploma and who do not wish to undertake the research project year, may end their registration at the end of year 1 and be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Integrated Immunology.

 

Schedule 

The syllabus for study will be: 

  • Unit 1: Fundamental aspects of immunology 
    • Fundamentals in immunology 
    • Innate immunity and inflammation 
    • Antigen presentation and recognition 
    • Adaptive immunity 
    •  Evolution of human immunity
  • Unit 2: Clinical and applied aspects of immunology 
    • Infection and immunity 
    • Failure of immunity 
    • Aberrant and unwanted immunity 
    • The immunology of cancer 
    • Manipulation of immunity
  • Unit 3: A basic or clinical research project 
    • The project and an appropriate Oxford-based supervisor will be assigned by the Organising Committee.  The project supervisor will provide regular supervision and guidance during the course of the desk-based research project.