Course description
Introduction
The School of Medicine conducts a very active and successful academic programme. Most of the teaching takes place on the Hartshill campus, which is ideally located adjacent to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire, providing access to workshops, offices and seminar rooms and the all-important direct connection with the full range of clinical activities. Our students and staff members therefore have the opportunity to work directly with nursing and clinical staff. A new research facility is planned on the Hartshill campus for 2006, offering a patient treatment facility alongside state-of-the-art equipment for translational research, which will include cell therapy suites, genomic facilities and advanced laser and diagnostic laboratories.
The School embraces specialists working in the University Hospital of North Staffordshire and RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital Oswestry, covering the key medical and surgical subspecialities. A number of successful interdisciplinary research programmes are being carried out, and the postgraduate culture is very evident and ideally suited to the development and delivery of postgraduate courses. A Grade 5A was awarded in the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise. Grant income is from the Research Councils, the Department of Health and major charities, as well as non-UK based organisations, including the EU and the NIH (USA). Excellent library and study facilities are available at the Clinical Education Centre and at the University library on the main campus.
Course Structure and Content
These taught Masters courses require satisfactory completion of at least 180 M level credits, made up of 120 credits from taught modules (80 credits core and compulsory, 40 credits options) plus a project and dissertation for 60 credits. The module structure is set out opposite.
Course Modules
Biomedical Engineering
Compulsory Modules (each 20 credits)
• Seminar programme
• Biomedical signal processing and modelling
• Physiological measurements and medical imaging
• Medical electronics and equipment management
Option Modules (totalling 40 credits)
• Physiology and anatomy* (10 credits)
• Biosensors (10 credits)
• Orthopaedics and rehabilitation (10 credits)
• Healthcare technology assessment (10 credits)
• Stem Cell Therapy – Enabling Technologies (10 credits)
• Trace Gas Analysis in Biomedicine (10 credits)
• Healthcare informatics (10 credits)
• Molecular techniques (10 credits)
• Cell biomechanics (10 credits)
• Cell & Tissue Engineering (20 credits)
• Biomechanics (20 credits)
• Biomaterials (20 credits)
*compulsory for students from engineering and physics backgrounds
Project Dissertation (60 credits)
Research project and final dissertation of 15,000-20,000 words.
This is an opportunity for students to undertake laboratory-based research in their chosen topic and should demonstrate their understanding of the field via applications in healthcare.
Cell and Tissue Engineering
Compulsory Modules (each 20 credits)
• Seminar programme
• Cell & Tissue Engineering
• Biomechanics
• Biomaterials
Option Modules (totalling 40 credits)
• Physiology and anatomy (10 credits)
• Biosensors (10 credits)
• Orthopaedics and rehabilitiation (10 credits)
• Healthcare technology assessment (10 credits)
• Stem Cell Therapy – Enabling Technologies (10 credits)
• Trace Gas Analysis in Biomedicine (10 credits)
• Healthcare informatics (10 credits)
• Molecular techniques (10 credits)
• Cell biomechanics (10 credits)
• Biomedical signal processing and modelling (20 credits)
• Physiological measurements and medical imaging (20 credits)
• Medical electronics and equipment management (20 credits)
Project Dissertation (60 credits)
Research project and final dissertation of 15,000-20,000 words.
This is an opportunity for students to undertake laboratory-based research in their chosen topic and should demonstrate their understanding of the field via applications in healthcare.
Teaching and Assessment
The course is taught through subject-centred lectures, supported by tutorials and practical exercises. Collaborative learning and student-centred learning will also be adopted, so there will be a substantial amount of group work and individual assignments. Students are also required to conduct independent study to a very large extent. Attendance is required for all chosen modules except for the dissertation. An individual approach to student support will be adopted. Each student will be assigned a tutor for the dissertation module, chosen in relation to the appropriate subject discipline and expertise for the project.
Modules will be assessed by both in-course assessment and final examination. A major part of the assessment will be based on the student’s research project and written dissertation.
