MSc Clinical Immunology / Course details

Under supervision students will carry out a piece of research either laboratory or clinically based. This will involve for instance, collecting new information/data, biological samples or the effectiveness of an intervention. The projects will address a specific research question in the area of clinical immunology. Students will then analyse the collected data using appropriate statistical tests and interpret the findings in context of published literature. The findings will be presented in the final Dissertation as a short literature review and a journal article. The Dissertation will be appropriately referenced. At a Masters level, the Dissertation needs to demonstrate that the student can understand how existing published evidence relates to their research question, and how their own work adds to this. Independent thinking alongside critical analysis of their own work and that of others is required. Students will present their findings in a short presentation at the end of the project period.

The aim of this unit is to develop the student’s critical faculties in research including:

• Cognitive skills (analysing, synthesising, critical thinking, evaluating and problem solving)
• Creativity (intellectual insight and argument construction)
• Knowledge and practical skills (about subject area and research methods)
• Personal skills (perseverance, self-reflection, responsibility)
• Self-management (preparation, commitment, time management)
• Professional conduct (ethics, confidentiality, appropriate practices)
• Research management (project planning and delivery)
• Communication and presentation skills (written and oral dissemination of research)

• Develop understanding of the literature in a specific area of immunology
• Understand how to identify an appropriate research question
• Identify and employ the appropriate research methods and analyses necessary to answer their research question
• Understand how to interpret their data and the clinical implications
• Understand the requirements of scientific writing
• Understand the requirements of data presentation
• Understand the ethical issues and processes involved in research

• Generate timely and theoretically grounded research questions
• Analyse data and apply appropriate and relevant statistical tools

• Implement and manage data collection
• Conduct appropriate analytical techniques
• Manage and manipulate datasets

• Demonstrate independent thought
• Develop self-management project skills (e.g. time management, prioritisation of tasks)
• Communicate ideas and data in a concise written form

MANDATORY FIELD