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Critical Care MSc

Part of: Medicine

The Critical Care MSc course is intended to provide participants with a thorough grounding in the discipline, together with the tools to maintain their knowledge base, through a course of advanced, specialist instruction.

The programme is designed to ensure that course participants acquire the theoretical understanding and skills to advance and promote knowledge in the specialty and develop their leadership skills. Accordingly, students will be carefully selected to ensure that they are able to meet the high academic standards required to successfully complete the course.

This programme aims to:

  • To provide advanced theoretical and practical teaching covering a broad range of key topics related to the management of the critically ill or injured patients.
  • To develop the skills, knowledge and confidence required to provide leadership in the provision of the highest standards of critical care.
  • Demonstrate their achievement of the specific learning outcomes detailed in each of the modules of the course.
  • To develop and demonstrate competence in critical appraisal of research and the skills to conduct robust clinical audit.
  • To develop the problem-solving skills which will enable independent practice as a specialist.
  • To develop related skills such as correct use of statistics, use of databases, literature searches, reviewing evidence, critical appraisal of scientific literature, writing papers and articles.

Study options

Starting in
September 2025
Location
Charterhouse Square
Fees
Home: £12,850
Overseas: £36,250
EU/EEA/Swiss students
Apply nowRegister your interest

What you'll study

The curriculum will be covered in a ‘taught course’ of 3 terms divided into modules. Three modules will be covered in each of the first and second term and two modules in the third term, thus there are 8 taught modules alongside (for students completing the full MSc programme) a 60-credit dissertation module. Each taught module accounts for 15 credits and each module takes 4 weeks to cover the taught materials including one or more module assignments.

On the residential course, teaching will mainly be in the form of lectures, with self-directed learning following these. Each module will be accompanied by a tutorial to consolidate the learning and answer any questions. There will also be a day of simulation training, as well as sessions with clinical exposure to patients on the ICU with ward round style teaching, X-ray and results interpretation. The observership module will provide further clinical exposure with the medical, nursing, outreach and allied health specialist teams.   

Following on from the above modules you will work on and complete a dissertation for the remainder of the programme. The project title and research / dissertation format will be agreed between yourself and the course organiser and may take the form of independent clinical research or a dissertation based on a literature/systematic review.

Occasionally, students may choose to omit the dissertation, completing the programme at the stage of postgraduate diploma.

Structure

  • Eight compulsory modules

    Module 1: Pathophysiological basis of critical illness

    Module 2: Supportive care for failing organ function

    Module 3: Care of the unconscious patient

    Module 4: Neurocritical Care and Trauma management

    Module 5: Decision making, communication and ethics

    Module 6: Research and Audit methodology

    Module 7: Special Patient Groups

    Module 8: Observership

  • Compulsory 15,000-word dissertation

 

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Compulsory/Core modules

Pathophysiological Basis of Critical Illness

No module detail available

Supportive Care for Failing Organ Function

No module detail available

Care of the Unconscious Patient

No module detail available

Decision-making, Communication and Ethics

No module detail available

Research and Audit Methodology

No module detail available

Special Patient Groups

No module detail available

Neurocritical Care and Trauma Management

No module detail available

Clinical Observership

No module detail available

Dissertation

No module detail available

Assessment

  • You will receive continuous assessment in your taught modules
  • Each module will be assessed on the basis of written work, examinations and presentations

Dissertation

You will complete a critical dissertation of approximately 15,000 words.

Teaching

You will learn by means of a variety of academic activities, including lectures, seminars, tutorials and direct involvement in research projects.

You will have an Academic Adviser who will guide you in both academic and pastoral matters throughout your studies.

Where you'll learn

Facilities

  • The William Harvey Research Institute offers state-of-the art core facilities, including a Genome Centre, a flow cytometry and cell sorting station, and in vivo imaging facilities
  • A Learning Resources Centre, open around the clock, with 200 networked PCs solely for the use of postgraduate students
  • Medical libraries located at the Royal London and St Bart's hospitals and at the main university campus at Mile End
  • Access to the Postgraduate Reading Room
  • Research access to the British Library

About the Institute

William Harvey Research Institute

The William Harvey Research Institute (WHRI) places a high value upon training the next generation of researchers. We are part of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at Queen Mary University of London, which is ranked joint seventh in the UK for the quality of our research (REF 2021).

Our primary research focus and excellence lies in our cardiovascular, inflammation and endocrine research themes. In addition, we achieve international excellence in critical care and perioperative medicine research. We aim to combine talents from different disciplines such as genomics, cell biology, and pharmacology, with translational bench-to-patient studies and large-scale clinical trials.

We are currently the largest pharmacological research institute in the UK University sector, and one of the largest in Europe. The Centre employs 530 clinicians and scientists from 45 countries.

Contact us

William Harvey Research Institute

Career paths

With an aging population, the demand for qualified professionals in the field is increasing. There is a growing need for trainee doctors, specialist nurses and allied health professionals to deliver safe and effective patient care. This programme, aimed at clinicians and senior nurses working in Intensive Care Medicine, will give you the skills to advance your knowledge in the field.

  • 93% of WHRI graduates are in employment or further study (2020/21)
  • 88% of WHRI graduates in employment or study are in highly skilled work or graduate study (2020/21)

Fees and funding

Full-time study

September 2025 | 1 year

Unconditional deposit

Home: Not applicable

Overseas: £2000
Information about deposits

Full-time study

January 2026 | 1 year

Unconditional deposit

Home: Not applicable

Overseas: £2000
Information about deposits

Part-time study

September 2025 | 2 - 4 years


The course fee is charged per annum for the first 2 years. Note that fees may be subject to an increase on an annual basis - see details on our tuition fees page.

Unconditional deposit

Home: Not applicable

Overseas: £2000
Information about deposits

Part-time study

September 2025 | 2 years

The course fee is charged per annum for 2 years. Note that fees may be subject to an increase on an annual basis - see details on our tuition fees page.

Unconditional deposit

Home: Not applicable

Overseas: £2000
Information about deposits

Part-time study

| 2 years

The course fee is charged per annum for 2 years. Note that fees may be subject to an increase on an annual basis - see details on our tuition fees page.

Unconditional deposit

Home: Not applicable

Overseas: £2000
Information about deposits

Queen Mary alumni can get a £1000, 10% or 20% discount on their fees depending on the programme of study. Find out more about the Alumni Loyalty Award

Funding

There are a number of ways you can fund your postgraduate degree.

Our Advice and Counselling service offers specialist support on financial issues, which you can access as soon as you apply for a place at Queen Mary. Before you apply, you can access our funding guides and advice on managing your money:

Entry requirements

UK

Degree requirements

This programme is aimed at doctors, nurses and allied health professionals. Postgraduate experience of critical care medicine is essential.

Find out more about how to apply for our postgraduate taught courses.

International

English language requirements

The English language requirements for our programmes are indicated by English bands, and therefore the specific test and score acceptable is based on the band assigned to the academic department within which your chosen course of study is administered. Note that for some academic departments there are programmes with non-standard English language requirements.

The English Language requirements for entry to postgraduate taught and research programmes in the William Harvey Research Institute falls within the following English band:

Band 4: IELTS (Academic) minimum score 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each of Writing, Listening, Reading and Speaking

Please note, there are some postgraduate programmes with non-standard English language requirements in this Institute.

We accept a range of English tests and qualifications categorised in our English bands for you to demonstrate your level of English Language proficiency. See all accepted English tests that we deem equivalent to these IELTS scores.

Visas and immigration

Find out how to apply for a student visa.

Contact

William Harvey Research Institute

Postgraduate Admissions

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