MRes Experimental Medicine (Cancer)

This option is likely to appeal to those who have identified the need for a particular area of research or those who are keen to develop a research project after completing your studies. The dissertation will contain information under the headings often used by funding bodies (for example Medical Research Council or the Economic & Social Research Council. Similarly refer to the guidance for Empirical Research in this document. You will also need to include a detailed critical appraisal of the existing literature as part of your justification for the study.

A range of teaching, learning and assessments are utilised in order to assess the students’ knowledge, understanding, and developing intellectual and practical skills. Summative assessments include a variety of reports (e.g., strategies, plans, audits) literature reviews, critical appraisals/reviews of published work/government guidelines and presentation of different types of work.

The programme also places an emphasis on group work as this a vital skill for persons operating in a multi-disciplinary area such as experimental cancer medicine, and this is shown in the teaching methods and assignments.  Each experimental cancer medicine specific unit has different emphasis on the group work assessment based on the nature of the material being covered; how they are to apply the knowledge and the work they are to complete. 

Written assignments based on problem-solving work assess the students’ ability to gather information from a wide range of sources, evaluate and critically analyse information, make considered judgements about that information and synthesise material into logical and coherent pieces of work. Analytical assignments prepare students on practical skills gained from the course. All assignments also assess the ability of students to develop their knowledge and understanding of underpinning subjects, concepts and theories. 

On-going, formative assessment and feedback to students is a key feature of the learning materials for this programme. Students will be required to engage in a wide range of interactive exercises to enhance their learning and test their developing knowledge, understanding and skills via eLearning.  In addition, feedback on work is provided in the F2F workshops.

Students will be given feedback via Turnitin.

Student feedback is the central aspect of how the programmes are organised and developed. Feedback mechanisms include the following:

      I.        Student representation from each year of the programmes on the MRes in Experimental Cancer Medicine Programme Committee

    II.        Online feedback questionnaire on which students rate the quality of teaching in terms of delivery, handouts, presentation etc.