MSc Medical Imaging Science

Year of entry: 2024

Overview

Degree awarded
MSc, PGDip, PGCert
Duration
MSc 1yr FT, 2yr PT, PGDip 9mth FT, 21mth PT
Entry requirements
This course is open to applicants with a biomedical science, physical science or engineering background. We require a minimum Upper Second honours degree or overseas equivalent from a recognised institution, or a relevant postgraduate qualification (minimum PGDip or equivalent).

Candidates from a physical science or engineering background with a Lower Second honours degree or equivalent may be accepted subject to interview.

Intercalating Year 3 or 4 medical students at The University of Manchester or other UK medical schools should normally have passed all course units at first attempt in the two years prior to intercalation.

All applicants should also have passed mathematics or physics at least to a standard equivalent to English GCE A-level at grade B. 

Full entry requirements

Number of places/applicants
25 places
How to apply

Please apply via our online application form . See the application and selection section for details of the supporting documents we require.

We recommend that you apply as early as possible. We reserve the right to close applications if the course is full.

Course options

Full-time Part-time Full-time distance learning Part-time distance learning
MSc Y Y N N
PGDip Y Y N N

Course overview

  • Discover the key clinical applications of medical imaging and how it contributes to diagnosis and treatment.
  • Learn in a multidisciplinary environment alongside physicists, engineers, clinicians and other professionals from a range of fields.
  • Study at a university ranked 7th in the UK for Biological Sciences and 8th for Medicine (QS World University Rankings 2023).
  • Develop skills and knowledge for a career in an imaging-related field in clinical practice, research or technical development.
  • Gain an intercalating qualification if you are a Year 3 or 4 medical student.

Open days

For details of the next University Postgraduate open day, go to open days and visits .

Fees

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows:

  • MSc (full-time)
    UK students (per annum): £13,500
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £34,500
  • MSc (part-time)
    UK students (per annum): £6,750
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £17,250
  • PGDip (full-time)
    UK students (per annum): £10,800
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £27,600
  • PGDip (part-time)
    UK students (per annum): £5,400
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £13,800

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition and administration costs during your studies.

All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of courses lasting more than a year for UK/Irish students (fees are typically fixed for EU and other international students for the course duration at the year of entry).

For general fees information please visit postgraduate fees . Always contact the admissions team if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.

Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1,000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Scholarships/sponsorships

For the latest scholarship and bursary information please visit the Fees and Funding page.

Other opportunities for international applicants, depending on country and qualifications, can be found on the University Bursaries and Scholarships page.

Contact details

School/Faculty
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
Telephone
+44 (0)161 529 4563
Email
Website
https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/study/medicine/masters/
School/Faculty
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Courses in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.

Entry requirements

Academic entry qualification overview

This course is open to applicants with a biomedical science, physical science or engineering background. We require a minimum Upper Second honours degree or overseas equivalent from a recognised institution, or a relevant postgraduate qualification (minimum PGDip or equivalent).

Candidates from a physical science or engineering background with a Lower Second honours degree or equivalent may be accepted subject to interview.

Intercalating Year 3 or 4 medical students at The University of Manchester or other UK medical schools should normally have passed all course units at first attempt in the two years prior to intercalation.

All applicants should also have passed mathematics or physics at least to a standard equivalent to English GCE A-level at grade B. 

English language

International students must demonstrate English proficiency through a secure and approved testing system. We ask for English language proof from applicants from countries that are not majority English-speaking countries (a list of majority English-speaking countries, as defined by the UK Home Office, can be found here ).

Specifically, we require a minimum of:

  • IELTS: 6.5 overall with at least 6.0 in writing
  • TOEFL: 90 iBT (with at least 21 in writing and speaking)

Applicants who do not meet the minimum IELTS or TOEFL scores may wish to attend the fee-paying pre-sessional English language course at the University Centre of Academic English over the summer preceeding entry to the course. Please note that registration to the pre-sessional English course requires submission of an IELTS report and the registration deadlines for on-campus courses are typically May or June depending on the duration of the course. Please also note that no invitation for interview will be made without an IELTS report or if your overall IELTS score is below 5.5.

See further information about requirements for your country.

English language test validity

Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.

Relevant work experience

Relevant postgraduate study, research or professional experience may be accepted as qualification for entry, subject to interview.

Application and selection

How to apply

Please apply via our online application form . See the application and selection section for details of the supporting documents we require.

We recommend that you apply as early as possible. We reserve the right to close applications if the course is full.

Advice to applicants

All applicants must apply online and the following supporting documents should be provided to support your application.

  • Two academic references on headed paper from your institution, signed and dated within the last six months.
  • Two referee report forms using the referee report form (PDF, 28KB), signed and dated within the last six months.
  • Copies (not originals) of degree certificates and official transcripts of previous study showing the subjects taken and grades obtained. If these are in a language other than English, please provide official translations. Please make clear in your application the highest level of mathematics or physics you have achieved.
  • Evidence of English language ability (if appropriate). Please note if any documents are in a language other than English, official translations need to be provided.
  • A full current CV.
  • A personal statement indicating how your background equips you to complete the course and your goals on successful achievement of the degree.

In your personal statement, you should address the following questions:

  1. What key qualifications and experience do you have that help prepare you to take this course?
  2. With reference to the content of the course units, explain why the MSc in Medical Imaging Science is the right course for you and how it will support your future plans once you have completed the course.
  3. Why in particular do you want to study at The University of Manchester.

Please upload any supporting documents with the online application. Without these documents, a decision cannot be given.

Applicants with a radiography background

Please note that applicants with a background in radiography are welcome, but you should note that this course deals with the science of medical imaging and does not provide advanced professional training in radiography.

Such courses (some with a similar name to this one) are offered at other institutions.

Interview requirements

Acceptance may be subject to interview as the course has a strong basis in mathematics and physics, and you will need to demonstrate an aptitude and enthusiasm for this material.

All applicants will be interviewed by Skype, Zoom or MS Teams.

Overseas (non-UK) applicants

Please upload a copy of your current valid passport showing the photograph page with your application.

Deferrals

Deferrals are no longer offered for this course. Applicants will have to re-apply the following year if unable to meet the entry requirements by the start of the postulated academic year.

Re-applications

If you applied in the previous year and your application was not successful, you may apply again.

Your application will be considered against the standard course entry criteria for the new year of entry. In your new application you should demonstrate how your application has improved.

We may draw upon all information from your previous applications or any previous registrations at the University as a student when assessing your suitability for your chosen course.

Course details

Course description

Our MSc in Medical Imaging Science covers a multidisciplinary topic of central importance in diagnosis, treatment monitoring and patient management.

Imaging is also a key tool in medical research and it is becoming increasingly possible to relate imaging studies to genetic traits in individuals and populations. Novel imaging biomarkers of disease can enable more rapid and precise diagnosis and inform decision making in drug development programmes.

As medical imaging involves knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, technology and computation, our course is suitable if you want to expand your horizons in these disciplines.

You will cover the basic science and technology behind the principal imaging modalities currently used in medicine and medical research, as well as advanced imaging methods, clinical and research applications, imaging biomarkers and computational methods.

You will learn how advanced imaging techniques are applied in medical research and drug development with an emphasis on magnetic resonance (MR) and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. You will also receive training in computational and quantitative methods of image analysis or in the interpretation of clinical images from different imaging modalities.

This course comprises both a taught component and a research project, giving you the skills and knowledge required to pursue a career in an image-related field in clinical medicine, medical research, and scientific research or development.

Duration

MSc: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time

PGDip: 9 months full-time, 21 month part-time

PGCert: 6 months full-time, 18 months part-time

Aims

We aim to provide you with:

  • a systematic understanding of the scientific basis of the major medical imaging modalities;
  • a broad understanding of the principal clinical applications of medical imaging and its role in diagnosis, monitoring and therapy;
  • an understanding of the capabilities and limitations of medical imaging for deriving quantitative anatomical and physiological data;
  • knowledge of how advanced imaging techniques are applied in medical research and drug discovery;
  • the experience to plan, implement and complete a research project;
  • generic transferrable skills required in a multidisciplinary scientific or clinical research environment;
  • practical skills required for a career in an imaging-related field in clinical practice, medical research, and scientific research or technological development.

Special features

Excellent facilities

Benefit from research-dedicated preclinical and clinical imaging facilities on university campus and at several hospital sites, including a PET-MR scanner suite at St Mary's Hospital.

Learn from experts

Manchester has an imaging and image computing research group with a strong international reputation. Our research groups and facilities are staffed by scientists conducting research in novel imaging and image analysis methods, and clinicians who apply these methods in clinical practice.

Multidisciplinary learning

Study alongside physicists, engineers, mathematicians, computer scientists, chemists, biologists and clinicians working in hospitals and research-dedicated imaging facilities.

Teaching and learning

As this course aims to produce graduates equipped to pursue either clinically or technically-focused careers in imaging, it is important to provide an adequate knowledge base. For this reason, much of the teaching takes the form of in-class lectures.

However, in most course units, this is supplemented by group discussions and practical exercises. Other than the introductory units, most course units provide you with an understanding of research methods by requiring submission of a critical review of appropriate research literature or clinical material, either as a report or presentation.

Where appropriate, practical imaging exercises are provided, requiring you to cooperate in acquiring images and analysing results. Please note that this course does not provide clinical training to work directly with patients.

All units require a considerable component of independent research and study.

Coursework and assessment

Assessment will occur in a variety of forms.

Summative assessment takes the form of written assignments, oral presentations, quizzes and examinations.

Written assignments and presentations, as well as contributing to summative assessment, have a formative role in providing feedback, particularly in the early stages of the course units.

Quizzes provide a useful method of regular testing, ensuring that you engage actively with the taught material. As accumulation of a knowledge base is a key aim of the course, examinations form an important element of summative assessment.

In addition, formal assessment of your research and written communication skills is achieved via the dissertation. This is a 10,000 to 15,000-word report, written and organised to appropriate scientific standards, describing the design, execution and results of the research project.

Course unit details

The MSc requires students to pass 180 credits composed of eight course units of 15 credits each and a 60-credit research project.

The introductory course unit Scientific Skills brings students from different academic backgrounds up to the required level in the topics of human biology (for graduates with a background in physical sciences and engineering) or mathematics and physics (for graduate with a biomedical background) relevant to imaging.

Semester 1: All compulsory units

  • Scientific Skills
  • Mathematical Foundations of Imaging
  • Radioisotope Imaging (PET, SPECT)
  • Non-Radioisotope Imaging (MRI, CT, Ultrasound)

Semester 2: All compulsory units (select four out of five options)

  • Advanced PET and MRI
  • Quantitative Imaging into Practice (Imaging Biomarkers for Healthcare and Research)
  • Imaging in Clinical Diagnosis
  • Mathematical Computing for Medical Imaging

Semester 3: Research project

The Semester 2 units Advanced MRI and Advanced PET may be merged into a single module from the 2023-24 academic year.

Course unit list

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
Radioisotope Imaging IIDS67401 15 Mandatory
Non-Radioisotope Imaging IIDS67431 15 Mandatory
Advanced PET and MRI IIDS67432 15 Mandatory
Scientific Skills IIDS67441 15 Mandatory
Mathematical Foundations Of Imaging IIDS67451 15 Mandatory
Quantitative Imaging into Practice IIDS67452 15 Mandatory
Mathematical Computing for Medical Imaging IIDS67462 15 Mandatory
Imaging in Clinical Diagnosis IIDS67472 15 Mandatory
Research Methods (Non-Credit) MEDN69920 0 Mandatory
Advanced MR Imaging IIDS67422 15 Optional

Facilities

You will benefit from preclinical and clinical research-dedicated imaging facilities on university campus and at several hospital sites, including a PET-MR scanner suite at St Mary's Hospital.

Each student will be assigned a personal academic tutor who can provide advice and assistance throughout the course. During the project, you will be in regular contact with your research supervisor. You will also be able to access a range of library and e-learning facilities throughout the University.

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service

Careers

Career opportunities

On graduation you will be in an excellent position to pursue careers in imaging-related fields in healthcare and research. This MSc will also form a sound basis for you if you wish to proceed to PhD research in any aspect of medical imaging.

Intercalating medical students may use this qualification as a platform to pursue a clinical career in radiology.

For physical science/engineering graduates, this may be a route to imaging research or development in an academic or commercial environment.

If you wish to enter a clinical science career in medical physics, you will find this degree an excellent qualification for applying to the NHS Scientist Training Programme (STP) in Medical Physics.