Master of Science by Coursework in Pain Neurosciences
1. The Divisional Board of Medical Sciences shall elect for the supervision of the course an Organising Committee. The Organising Committee will oversee teaching provision and will nominate Examiners for the Examinations Board.
2. The Organising Committee shall arrange teaching, student supervision and assessments and shall appoint for each candidate a dissertation supervisor.
3. To be eligible for an MSc award, candidates will follow a course of instruction on a part-time basis over two years.
4. Every candidate for an MSc award will be required to satisfy the examiners in the following:
(i) participation in modules (a-e) specified in the Schedule.
(ii) successful completion of the assessment for modules (a) to (f) specified in the Schedule. Modules (a) to (f) will be assessed via written assignments.
(iii) submission of assessments for Modules (a) to (e) as follows:
- Module (a) after the end of Michaelmas full term in Year 1,
- Module (b) after the end of Hilary full term in Year 1,
- Module (c) before the start of Michaelmas full term in Year 2,
- Module (d) after the end of Michaelmas full term in Year 2,
- Module (e) after the end of Hilary full term in Year 2.
(iv) submission of a dissertation relating to a research project, selected by the candidate and project supervisor and approved by the Organising Committee. Approval for the research project must be gained by no later than the end of Michaelmas term in the second year of the course. The dissertation must be submitted on the second Thursday in August in the second year of the course. Candidates will be examined viva voce as part of their dissertation assessment, on dates to be confirmed by the examiners.
(v) attendance at course residentials.
5. Assessments including the dissertation must be submitted in electronic format via the University approved assessment platform by the dates specified in the course handbook.
6. Candidates must pass each assessment in order to pass the examination overall.
7. Candidates who fail to satisfy the examiners in any of the assessments may attempt the failed assessment(s) on no more than one further occasion, usually within one year of the original failure.
8. Candidates who fail any of the assessments for modules (a)-(e) or the dissertation at the second attempt will be deemed to have failed the MSc overall.
Exit awards
9. Candidates who have failed the requirement of the MSc but have satisfied the requirements for the award of the Postgraduate Diploma (all the requirements for the MSc, except the dissertation) may be awarded the Postgraduate Diploma.
10. Candidates who have satisfied the requirements for the award of the Postgraduate Diploma (all the requirements for the MSc, except completion of the dissertation) and who do not start or do not complete the dissertation, or fail a dissertation resit, may end their registration and at that point be awarded the Postgraduate Diploma.
Schedule
(a) Foundations of pain neurobiology, physiology and behaviour
(b) Assessment and management of pain
(c) Mechanisms of chronic pain and specific pain conditions
(d) Pain in distinct populations and research methodology
(e) Special topics
(f) Dissertation
