This course will provide students with the opportunity to carry out an independent research project in the field of precision medicine within their chosen specialism, relevant to their Masters degree. Students will gain experience in research techniques, report writing and presentation skills

The project will involve regular interaction and meetings with the project supervisor and attendance at research group meetings and seminars. The project will take place over the summer term, full time.

None

None

Supervisor report - 15%

Written report - 65% (5,000-6,000 words approx.)

Oral presentation - 20%

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. Where, exceptionally, reassessment on Honours courses is required to satisfy professional/accreditation requirements, only the overall course grade achieved at the first attempt will contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

Please note that the Supervisor Report cannot be re-assessed.

The course aims to provide students with an opportunity to perform a piece of original research to investigate a hypothesis or research questions within the subject area of the Masters programme. The project work will provide an opportunity for students to develop practical and/or technical skills, analyse data critically and draw conclusions, and suggest avenues for future research to expand their research findings.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Critically appraise the literature in the area of the research project.

2. Critically design, plan and execute a research project in an area of precision medicine.

3. Develop expertise in practical skills: for a laboratory-based project, this would include the use of apparatus and handling of biological materials; for a dry project, this would include information retrieval and handling.

4. Choose appropriate methods for data collection and/or analysis, critically analyse and interpret data generated during the project and draw conclusions based on findings.

5. Organise and submit a written project report, including: explanatory hypotheses for presented data, a critical assessment of the contribution of the research to current knowledge, its limitations and scope for further research in the topic.

6. Present a critical discussion of their research findings and the relevance of the work for the broader research area to peers, programme directors and supervisors in a clear, concise manner in oral presentations.

7. Communicate effectively with peers, supervisors and more senior colleagues.

8. Plan and mange time effectively by prioritising tasks and meeting deadlines.

9. Work co-operatively and effectively with colleagues to develop interpersonal and teamwork skills within a research environment and reflect critically on their role and performance within the group.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.