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Masters Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma and MSc in Clinical Trials

The need for rigorous evaluation of components of health care is increasingly recognised worldwide as a global health issue. An important type of evaluation is the randomised controlled clinical trial. These courses are suitable for both those wishing to gain an overall understanding of trials before moving into the field, and those who have general or specialist experience in clinical trials and aim to broaden their role in the design, management, analysis and reporting of clinical trials.

(by Distance Learning)

Ian Roberts, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at LSHTM discusses the 'Crash 2' clinical trials, which revealed the importance of early treatment with tranexamic acid in bleeding trauma patients. Click here to watch the video. 

Course Duration

On successful completion of the core modules, students can exit the programme with a Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Trials, or may transfer their registration for either the Postgraduate Diploma or MSc studies. Diploma and MSc students have a minimum period of two years and a maximum of five in which to complete their degree. Those registered for the Postgraduate Certificate have a minimum of one and a maximum of five years to complete their qualification.

Computing Requirements

As these courses are primarily internet-based, with the main access to tutors via a virtual learning environment (Blackboard) and e-mail, students will need access to a computer of the following specification. We have provided a minimum specification and a recommended specification; a PC of the minimum specification will be able to support the courses but will be rather slow.

Minimum Computer specification: 
Processor: Pentium 3,500MHz
Memory (RAM): 512MB Hard disk space: 4GB
CD-ROM drive 
Operating System: (PC)Windows 2000 or later, (Power Macintosh) OS X 10.1 or later
*Screen Resolution: 256 colours at 800 x 600 pixels
Browser: Internet Explorer 5.5, Netscape 6.2, Firefox 1.0 (with Javascript enabled)
Internet Connection: E-mail and Web access - essential. 56K modem or higher
Printer: Either laser or ink jet.

Recommended Computer specification: 
Processor: Pentium 4 class
Memory (RAM): 1GB or higher 
Hard disk space: 20GB, 5 GB free.
CD-ROM drive
Operating System: (PC) Windows XP, (Mac) OS X10.3 
*Screen Resolution: 24-bit Truecolor, known as "millions of colors" on Macintosh systems)
Browser: Internet Explorer 6.0, Netscape 7.0, Firefox 1.0 or higher (with Javascript enabled) Flash 6 Player
Internet Connection: Email and Web access - essential. 56K modem or higher. Cable, broadband, T1, T3 recommended
Printer: Either laser or ink jet.  
A sound card and headset (recommended), or sound card, speakers and microphone will be useful.

*Students with disabilities may have alternative ways of fulfilling this criterion.

Objectives

The courses aim: to provide students with a theoretical and practical understanding of the issues involved in the design, conduct, analysis and interpretation of randomised controlled trials of health interventions. They will be suitable for students working in high, middle and low income countries. There are 4 core modules common to the Certificate, Diploma and MSc courses. Postgraduate Diploma and MSc students additionally choose from a number of elective modules which will allow them to expand and deepen their conceptual and practical skills. The main disciplinary perspectives will come from clinical trials, statistics and epidemiology, but others will contribute in both the core and optional modules. Students will be trained to develop skills to scrutinise information, to critically analyse and carry out research and to communicate effectively.

See Programme specification for a more detailed breakdown of how elements of the courses support and achieve learning objectives.

Course Content

Students can choose to study an MSc, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate, or individual modules. The last option is ideal if you wish to sample the degree or update your professional knowledge.

Credits awarded

Credits will be awarded to all modules (15 credits each) and (MSc only) the integrating module (30 credits) successfully completed. To successfully pass an award the following credits must be gained:

Postgraduate Certificate – 60 credits
Postgraduate Diploma – 120 credits
MSc – 180 credits

Course structures

The core modules which are common to the Certificate, Diploma and MSc courses comprise:  

 These four modules constitute the Postgraduate Certificate.

After successfully completing the core modules, those registered for the Postgraduate Diploma and MSc must successfully pass a required number of elective modules to complete the award.

To complete the Postgraduate Diploma, 4 elective modules must be studied, selected from the lists below (3 of these must be chosen from the Clinical Trials module list).

To complete the MSc, 5 elective modules from the lists below must be selected (at least three of these must be chosen from the Clinical Trials list). Additionally, a final compulsory module and the integrating module must also be completed.

Note that restrictions and pre-requisites may apply to some of the modules below. Not all advanced modules will be available every year.

Clinical Trials elective modules:

Modules available from the School’s other DL courses:

After completion of the core modules, Postgraduate Diploma and MSc students may also be eligible for the 'blended learning option', which allows for the study of up to two of the modules specified above instead of via distance learning, at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in London during the Spring or Summer terms, if these modules are available for 'face to face' teaching.

Integrating Module (compulsory)

All students on the MSc course will be required to complete an integrating module comprising a written report, usually in their final year of study.

Academic Inspiration Session video

Ian Roberts, Professor of Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine provides a video overview of the Crash2 randomised controlled trial.

For more information visit the Crash2 website.

Try the Study Material

Click here for an example of content of the four Clinical Trials core modules.

 

Entrance Requirements

All applicants are required to have: 
A first or second class honours degree or equivalent, from a university or other institution acceptable to the University of London, in a subject appropriate to the course or in another discipline which has, in the opinion of the University, included a suitable preliminary training. An appropriate professional or technical qualification, together with at least three years' relevant experience, which satisfies the University as a qualification equivalent to a Second-class degree may also be considered.

Students who do not satisfy the above requirements may still be admitted at the discretion of the School on the basis of their academic qualifications, work experience and references.

For all applicants, an advanced level of ability to work in English is required. Applicants may be required to pass or to have passed within the last five years, at the appropriate level, a test of proficiency in English acceptable to the University. Further information on the English language tests and scores accepted by the School are available in the Entrance Requirements section of the University of London International Programmes website.

Application for Study by Distance Learning

Application for MSc by distance learning courses should be made using the University of London’s application form which can be obtained from the University at the addresses given below. Application forms should be submitted by post to the University by 30 June together with the accompanying documentation detailed on the application form. Faxed or e-mailed applications will not be accepted.

The application form is available at: www.londoninternational.ac.uk/

Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7862 8360/8361/8362 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7862 8358 E-mail: enquiries@london.ac.uk

Applications and requests for further information for distance learning courses should be addressed to: The Information Centre, The University of London International Programmes, Senate House, University of London, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HU, United Kingdom.

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