Course overview

Description

This course is primarily designed for clinical and biomedical professionals who are interested in incorporating research into their clinical careers, or who are required to do research as part of their training. It is suitable for paraclinical graduates who are specifically interested in clinical science, population or translational research. The course enables students to develop skills in preparing ethics applications, planning and conducting high quality research, analysis and dissemination of research findings. Health professionals completing the course further develop their ability to incorporate evidence-based medicine into clinical practice.

The course structure allows students to exit the course with a Graduate Certificate in Clinical Science after the first year (part-time) on completion of 24 credit points.

Course title
Master of Clinical Science (coursework or coursework and dissertation)
Award abbreviation
MClinSci
Course code
90740
Course type
Master's degree by coursework or by coursework and dissertation
Status
Current / 2024
Administered by
Medical School

Course details

Intake periods
Beginning of year and mid-year
Attendance type
Part-time only
Credit points required
48
A standard full-time load is 24 points per semester.
Standard course duration
2 years part-time
Time limit
4 years
Delivery mode
Online
Locations offered
UWA (Perth)
Domestic fee type
Commonwealth supported and/or HECS-HELP; or postgraduate fee-paying/FEE-HELP
Available to international students
No
Course Coordinator(s)
Associate Professor Sunalene Devadason
Fees
Visit the fees calculator.

Prospective students should see the Future Students website for details on admission requirements, intake periods, fees, availability to international students, careers information etc.

No study plans found for this course. See study plans for more information.

Specialisations

SP-CHSCCR Child Health Research
SP-CLSCCR Clinical Research
SP-CLSCCT Clinical Science Training
SP-EMMER Emergency Medicine Research
SP-SURRE Surgical Research

Course structure

Key to availability of units:
S1
Semester 1
S2
Semester 2
N/A
not available in 2024 – may be available in 2025 or 2026
NS
non-standard teaching period

All units have a value of six points unless otherwise stated.

1. Students take all core units (12 points).
2. Students in the course by coursework only, take all core units in Clinical Science Training Specialisation (12 points) and 24 points from Group A.
3. Students in the course by coursework and dissertation, take all core units in one of the Research Specialisations (Child Health Research, Clinical Research, Emergency Medicine Research OR Surgical Research) and take 6 points from Group A or B.

Take all units from this group (12 points):

AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirementsContact hours
S1, S2MEDC5805Principles of Research Methods in MedicineNonePredominantly online course, approximately 8 hours per week
S1, S2MEDC5806Principles of Evidence-Based PracticeNonePredominantly online course, approximately 8 hours per week

GROUP A

AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirementsContact hours
S2AHEA5801Aboriginal Health Research and EthicsNonelectures/seminars: 3 hours per week
S1, S2PUBH4403Epidemiology INonelectures: 60-70 minutes recorded lectures per week; online tutorial worksheets: ~ 2-3 hours per week
S2PUBH5752Health Systems and EconomicsNonelectures/tutorials: 3 hours per week
N/APUBH5757Clinical EpidemiologyNoneoffered intensively
S2PUBH5769Biostatistics II
Prerequisites
PUBH4401 Biostatistics I or equivalent training/experience
lectures: 2 hours per week; tutorials: 1.5 hours per week
NSPUBH5785Analysis of Linked Health DataNoneoffered intensively (1 week full-time)
S2PUBH5805Qualitative Research Methods in HealthNoneseminar: 3 hours per week

GROUP B

AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirementsContact hours
S2PAED4401Research Conduct and Ethics
Prerequisites
enrolment in
a relevant honours
or postgraduate course
online modules only
S1, S2PUBH4401Biostatistics I
Prerequisites
enrolment in
honours
or postgraduate courses
lectures: 2 hours per week; tutorials: 1.5 hours per week

Coursework Only

Clinical Science Training specialisation

Take all units (12 points):

AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirementsContact hours
S2PAED4401Research Conduct and Ethics
Prerequisites
enrolment in
a relevant honours
or postgraduate course
online modules only
S1, S2PUBH4401Biostatistics I
Prerequisites
enrolment in
honours
or postgraduate courses
lectures: 2 hours per week; tutorials: 1.5 hours per week

Research Specialisations

Child Health Research specialisation

Take all units (30 points):

AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirementsContact hours
S2MEDC5801Development and Communication of ResearchNoneover the semester: 18 hours of on-line content, 16 hours of lectures, 2 to 4 hours individual statistics workshop, 8 hours presentations
NSPAED5505Child Health Research Project Part I (12 points)
Prerequisites
All of the following MEDC5805 Principles of Research Methods in Medicine .
MEDC5806 Principles of Evidence-Based Practice
and MEDC5801 Development and Communication of Research
supervised research
NSPAED5506Child Health Research Project Part II (12 points)
Prerequisites
All of the following MEDC5801 Development and Communication of Research .
MEDC5805 Principles of Research Methods in Medicine .
MEDC5806 Principles of Evidence-Based Practice
and PAED5505 Child Health Research Project Part I
supervised research: 16 hours per week

Clinical Research specialisation

Take all units (30 points):

AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirementsContact hours
S2MEDC5801Development and Communication of ResearchNoneover the semester: 18 hours of on-line content, 16 hours of lectures, 2 to 4 hours individual statistics workshop, 8 hours presentations
NSMEDC5803Clinical Research Project Part I (12 points)
Prerequisites
All of the following MEDC5801 Development and Communication of Research .
MEDC5805 Principles of Research Methods in Medicine .
MEDC5806 Principles of Evidence-Based Practice and
supervised research
NSMEDC5804Clinical Research Project Part II (12 points)
Prerequisites
All of the following MEDC5801 Development and Communication of Research .
MEDC5803 Clinical Research Project Part I .
MEDC5805 Principles of Research Methods in Medicine
and MEDC5806 Principles of Evidence-Based Practice
supervised research: 16 hours per week

Emergency Medicine Research specialisation

Take all units (30 points):

AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirementsContact hours
NSEMED5504Emergency Medicine Research Project Part I (12 points)
Prerequisites
All of the following MEDC5801 Development and Communication of Research .
MEDC5805 Principles of Research Methods in Medicine
and MEDC5806 Principles of Evidence-Based Practice
supervised research
NSEMED5505Emergency Medicine Research Project Part II (12 points)
Prerequisites
All of the following EMED5504 Emergency Medicine Research Project Part I MEDC5801 Development and Communication of Research MEDC5805 Principles of Research Methods in Medicine MEDC5806 Principles of Evidence-Based Practice
supervised research: 16 hours per week
S2MEDC5801Development and Communication of ResearchNoneover the semester: 18 hours of on-line content, 16 hours of lectures, 2 to 4 hours individual statistics workshop, 8 hours presentations

Surgical Research specialisation

Take all units (30 points):

AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirementsContact hours
S2MEDC5801Development and Communication of ResearchNoneover the semester: 18 hours of on-line content, 16 hours of lectures, 2 to 4 hours individual statistics workshop, 8 hours presentations
NSSURG5854Surgery Research Project Part I (12 points)
Prerequisites
All of the following MEDC5801 Development and Communication of Research .
MEDC5805 Principles of Research Methods in Medicine
and MEDC5806 Principles of Evidence-Based Practice
supervised research
NSSURG5855Surgery Research Project Part II (12 points)
Prerequisites
All of the following MEDC5801 Development and Communication of Research .
MEDC5805 Principles of Research Methods in Medicine .
MEDC5806 Principles of Evidence-Based Practice
and SURG5854 Surgery Research Project Part I
supervised research: 16 hours per week

See also the rules for the course and the Student Rules.

Rules

Applicability of the Student Rules, policies and procedures

1.(1) The Student Rules apply to students in this course.

(2) The policy, policy statements and guidance documents and student procedures apply, except as otherwise indicated in the rules for this course.

Academic Conduct Essentials and Communication and Research Skills modules

2.(1) A student who enrols in this course for the first time irrespective of whether they have previously been enrolled in another course of the University, must undertake the Academic Conduct Essentials module (the ACE module) and the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module).

(2) A student must successfully complete the ACE module within the first teaching period of their enrolment. Failure to complete the module within this timeframe will result in the student's unit results from this teaching period being withheld. These results will continue to be withheld until students avail themselves of a subsequent opportunity to achieve a passing grade in the ACE module. In the event that students complete units in subsequent teaching periods without completing the ACE module, these results will similarly be withheld. Students will not be permitted to submit late review or appeal applications regarding results which have been withheld for this reason and which they were unable to access in the normally permitted review period.

English Language competency requirements

3. To be considered eligible for consideration for admission to this course an applicant must satisfy the University's English language competence requirement as set out in the University Policy on Admission: Coursework.

Admission requirements

4. To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have—

(a) a bachelor's degree in a relevant clinical or biomedical discipline, or a relevant clinical professional postgraduate degree, or equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA;

AND

(b) at least two years professional experience in a relevant occupation;

AND

(c) the equivalent of a UWA course weighted average mark of at least 65 per cent.

Admission ranking and selection

5. Where relevant, admission will be awarded to the highest ranked applicants or applicants selected based on the relevant requirements.

Articulations and exit awards

6.(1) The following courses form part of an articulated sequence:

  • 90250 Graduate Certificate in Clinical Science (24 points)
  • 90740 Master of Clinical Science (48 points)

(2) A student who withdraws from the Master of Clinical Science course before completing it, but after fulfilling the requirements of a lesser award in the above sequence, may apply for the relevant award.

(3) Units completed in the Graduate Certificate will only be credited towards a 48-point Masters course if the Graduate Certificate is not conferred.

Course structure

7.(1) The course consists of units to a total value of 48 points which must include course core units and specialisation units. The course comprises the following specialisations:

  • SP-CHSCCR Child Health Research
  • SP-CLSCCR Clinical Research
  • SP-CLSCCT Clinical Science Training
  • SP-EMMER Emergency Medicine Research
  • SP-SURRE Surgical Research

(2) Units must be selected in accordance with the course structure, as set out in these rules.

Satisfactory progress

8. To make satisfactory progress a student must pass units to a point value greater than half the total value of units in which they remain enrolled after the final date for withdrawal without academic penalty.

9. A student who has not achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module) when their progress status is assessed will not have made satisfactory progress even if they have met the other requirements for satisfactory progress in Rule 8.

Progress status

10.(1) A student who makes satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 8 is assigned the status of 'Good Standing'.

(2) Unless the relevant board determines otherwise because of exceptional circumstances—

(a) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the first time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'On Probation';

(b) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the second time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'Suspended';

(c) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the third time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'Excluded'.

11. A student who does not make satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 9 is assigned the progress status of 'On Probation', unless they have been assigned a progress status of 'Suspended' or 'Excluded' for failure to meet other satisfactory progress requirements in Rule 8.

Award with distinction

12. To be awarded the degree with distinction a student must achieve a course weighted average mark (WAM) of at least 80 per cent which is calculated based on—

(a) all units above Level 3 attempted as part of the course that are awarded a final percentage mark;

(b) all relevant units above Level 3 undertaken in articulating courses of this University that are awarded a final percentage mark;

and

(c) all units above Level 3 completed at this University that are credited to the master's degree course.

Deferrals

13. Applicants awarded admission to the course are entitled to a deferral of up to 12 months, as per the University Policy on: Admissions (Coursework).