Quantitative Cell and Molecular Imaging – (M.Sc.)

During semester #1 there will be a structured mandatory core taught course 'Microscopy and Imaging Methods' which would include lectures, directed reading, workshops, seminars and practical exercises. Students would also be enrolled for 3 other compulsory courses during semester #1 (a) Research Training 1. This would take to form of a 12 week mini project. Typically a student would either obtain preliminary data and/or be given images, experimental data etc., and write the results up in the form of a research paper suitable for publication. (b) Presenting Imaging Research Data. This would be a poster on the mini-project which would be defended by the student orally and assessed by the Exam Board. (c) Research Proposal. This would be in the form of a mock project grant application and would propose a detailed experimental programme to pursue the outcomes of the mini-project. Students would receive initial guidance and tuition in all the assessed components (mini-project, poster presentation, Project grant application). At the end of semester #1 students would be assessed for their competence to progress to a Masters (if average mark for all assessed components is 50% or greater) or a Diploma (if less than 50%). Students for the latter qualification would be required to complete a 40 credit Library Dissertation normally of 5000 words. All students would also be required to attend the generic Transkills (transferable skills) courses in Semester #1.

At the beginning of semester #2, students permitted to progress to Master's level would commence Research Training 2. This would also take the form of the main project. Assessment would be in the form of a report by the supervisor in addition to an Oral presentation given during a session for the staff and students on the Programme in June. The Masters Research Dissertation would be up to 10,000 words and based on the main research project.

These would be assessed in late August and students performing exceptionally well throughout the course with 70% or more overall would be recommended for an award of MSc with Distinction.

Intended Learning Outcomes:

* To acquire skills in design of experiments, methods and techniques as used for research using imaging approaches.
* To become fluent with good laboratory practice.
* To make appropriate quantitative and/or statistical analysis of imaging data.
* To analyse and present the imaging data of published work or conference proceedings.
* To acquire skills in design of experiments, methods and techniques as used for research using imaging approaches.
* To acquire skills in the design of imaging experiments, the quantitative analysis of imaging experiments, critical analysis of imaging research literature, writing reports on imaging projects, writing persuasive and fundable proposals for future imaging research.
* To acquire skills in the design, techniques, application and quantitative analysis in research using imaging methods.
* To write clear, coherent and scholarly scientific reports. To acquire the skills in the oral presentation of research findings to a critical audience.