CourseMaster's Degree (Coursework)MClinRes

M6028 Master of Clinical Research

Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Master of Clinical Research (M6028) is a 2 years full-time, 96-credit-point, master's degree (coursework) course from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, taught at Alfred Hospital. Map your units semester by semester with the MonMap planner.

Credit points
96
Duration
2 years full time
4 years part time
Campus
Alfred Hospital
Multi-modal, On campus

This is the 2024 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.

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Requisite map

Overview

The Master of Clinical Research is offered by Monash University’s School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine. The first of its kind in Victoria, it facilitates the development of a range of analytical and communication skills necessary to work in the broad domain of clinical research and practice.

The course enables you to specialise in clinical research or translational medicine.  The clinical research specialisation will allow you to develop a detailed understanding of biostatistics, epidemiology, data management, clinical trials, clinical measurement, ethical practice, systematic reviews and meta-analysis, and critical appraisal of the scientific literature for application in research and clinical practice.

To ensure depth of understanding, as well as providing a valuable opportunity to innovate within your particular field, you have the option to develop your own research protocol and undertake a clinical epidemiological project.

The translational medicine specialisation will provide you with understanding of biostatistics, epidemiology, clinical trials and ethics. It will provide you with the opportunity to develop competency across a range of translational medicine fields including blood diseases, metabolic disorders, neuroscience and bioinformatics.

The overall course structure and flexibility will assist you to extend, integrate and apply your core knowledge and skills with depth across the broad domain of clinical practice and research, something that you want in a highly competitive industry and employers have identified as important.

Taught by some of Australia’s leading clinical academics, the curriculum is designed for students seeking to balance the demands of a busy workflow with the need to engage in further professional development. Structured around a mixture of online educational delivery and face-to-face block days, the course provides a level of detailed engagement that is also flexible. Block days are delivered at The Alfred Hospital, a major teaching hospital in inner-city Melbourne.

IMPORTANT: This course is only available to international students in ‘on-campus’ mode. Please note that ‘on-campus’ mode comprises a mix of online learning and on-site teaching.

For most units, the majority of contact hours are facilitated through the University’s online learning platform, with additional face-to-face contact during designated study days at the School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine or the Alfred Research Alliance in Melbourne.

Specialisations:

  • Clinical Research
  • Translational Medicine

Course structure

Part A. Clinical research studies42 credit points
Part B. Advanced application studies54 credit points
You must complete one of the following specialisations (continuing the same specialisation chosen in Part A).

Clinical research specialisation

54 credit points
You must complete the 36 credit points of core units AND 18 credit points from the elective list below

Core units

36 credit points
You must complete the following units.

NOTE: You must successfully complete MAP5000 in order to complete MAP5010 for the Master of Clinical Research. If you do not achieve the required prerequisite, you will be allowed to complete the requirements for the Graduate Diploma of Clinical Research (M5020) and exit with that award.

Elective units

18 credit points
You must complete 18 credit points of approved postgraduate units offered by the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine from the Master of Public Health Electives list (except units MPH5020; MPH5301-MPH5320; EPM5001-EPM5028; EPM5031-EPM5032.)
https://www.monash.edu/medicine/sphpm/study/postgraduate/pgrad/master-of-public-health-electives

Translational medicine specialisation

54 credit points
The handbook's description of this structure

The course is structured in two parts: Part A. Clinical research studies and Part B. Advanced application studies.

Part A. Clinical research studies

In these studies, you will gain knowledge and skills in biostatistics, epidemiology, data management, clinical trials, clinical measurement, ethical practice, systematic reviews and meta-analysis, and critical appraisal of quantitative scientific literature for application in research and clinical practice.

Part B. Advanced application studies

The focus of these studies is professional or scholarly work that can contribute to a portfolio of professional development. 

Master's entry points

Depending on prior qualifications you may receive entry level credit (a form of block credit) which determines your point of entry to the course:

  • If you are admitted at Entry level 1 you complete 96 credit points, comprising Part A and Part B
  • If you are admitted at Entry level 2 you complete 72 credit points, as follows:
    • for the Clinical Research specialisation - Part A, MAP5010, MAP5000, and 6 credit points of electives from Part B.
    • for the Translational Medicine specialisation - MPH5040, MPH5041, TRM5001, TRM5002, TRM5003, and TRM5010.
  • If you are admitted at Entry level 3 you complete 48 credit points as follows:
    • for the Clinical Research specialisation - Part A and 6 credit points of electives from Part B.
    • for the Translational Medicine specialisation - MPH5040, MPH5041, APG5079, MPH5239, TRM5001, TRM5002, and 12 credit points of elective units from Part B.

Course progression map

The course progression map provides guidance on unit enrolment for each semester of study.

The course comprises 96 points structured into two parts: Part A. Clinical research studies (42 points) and Part B. Advanced application expertise (54 points).

Units are 6 points unless otherwise stated.

Part A. Clinical research studies (42 points)

You must complete one of the specialisations below:

Clinical research specialisation

Core units (42 points):

  • MPH5040 Introductory epidemiology
  • MPH5041 Introductory biostatistics
  • MPH5239 Systematic reviews and meta-analysis
  • MPH5213 Research methods
  • MPH5236 Clinical trials
  • MPH5283 Ethics, good research practice and practical research skills
  • MPH5277 Practical data management

OR

Translational medicine specialisation

Core units (36 points):

  • MPH5040 Introductory epidemiology
  • MPH5041 Introductory biostatistics
  • TRM5001 Introduction to clinical trials
  • TRM5002 Translational research pathways to the clinic
  • MPH5239 Systematic reviews and meta-analysis
  • APG5079 Research ethics

AND you must complete 6 points from the elective list below:

  • MPH5220 Introductory health economics
  • MPH5277 Practical data management
  • MPH5269 Foundations of health policy
  • EPM5029 Introduction to health data analytics
  • EPM5030 Human health and disease processes

Part B. Advanced application studies (54 points)

Clinical research specialisation

You must complete:

  • MPH5200 Regression methods for epidemiology
  • MPH5220 Introductory health economics
  • MAP5000 Research in advanced health professional practice (12 points)*
  • MAP5010 Advanced health practice research project (12 points)

AND you must complete 18 points of electives chosen from approved postgraduate units offered by the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine from the Master of Public Health Electives list (except units  MPH5020; MPH5301-MPH5320; EPM5001-EPM5028; EPM5031-EPM5032.)

https://www.monash.edu/medicine/sphpm/study/postgraduate/pgrad/master-of-public-health-electives

*You must successfully complete MAP5000 in order to complete MAP5010 for the Master of Clinical Research. If you do not achieve the required prerequisite, you will be allowed to complete the requirements for the Graduate Diploma of Clinical Research (M5020) and exit with that award.

OR

Translational medicine specialisation

You must complete:

  • TRM5003 Research methods in clinical and translational medicine (12 points)
  • TRM5010 Project in clinical and translational research (36 points)

AND you must complete 6 points from the elective list below:

  • MPH5220 Introductory health economics
  • MPH5277 Practical data management
  • MPH5269 Foundations of health policy
  • EPM5029 Introduction to health data analytics
  • EPM5030 Human health and disease processes

 

Learning outcomes

These course outcomes are aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework and Monash Graduate Attributes.

Upon successful completion of this course it is expected that you will be able to:

  1. 1

    competently search the scientific literature using verified methods to address questions regarding diagnosis, treatment, prognosis or harm

  2. 2

    critically appraise and interpret the scientific literature to inform clinical practice, or further research, within both an Australian and international context

  3. 3

    independently design and execute small clinical studies, analyse data using statistical software packages, and communicate findings in the research and the clinical setting

  4. 4

    communicate theoretical and practical knowledge regarding the safe and ethical conduct of clinical and epidemiological studies to research and clinical professionals

  5. 5

    apply clinical research-related knowledge and skills to demonstrate autonomy, expert judgment, adaptability, and responsibility to address a range of clinical and research problems relevant at a community, national, international or global level.

Entry requirements

English language

Monash Level A, that is:  IELTS (Academic): 6.5 overall (no band lower than 6.0); or Pearson Test of English (Academic): score of 58 overall with no band lower than 50; or TOEFL Internet-based test: score of 79 overall with minimum scores: Writing: 21, Listening: 12, Reading: 13 and Speaking: 18; or Equivalent approved English test

More information

Progression to further studies

Successful completion of this course may provide a pathway to a graduate research degree for students completing a research project (12 credit points) and achieving a distinction (70%) or above. 

Notes for students

IMPORTANT: This course is only available to international students in 'on-campus' mode. Please note that 'on-campus' mode comprises a mix of online learning and on-site teaching.

For most units, the majority of contact hours are facilitated through the University's online learning platform, with additional face-to-face contact during designated study days at The School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine or the Alfred Research Alliance in Melbourne.

Other information

The Master of Clinical Research is offered by Monash University’s School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine. The first of its kind in Victoria, it facilitates the development of a range of analytical and communication skills necessary to work in the broad domain of clinical research and practice.

The course enables you to specialise in clinical research or translational medicine.  The clinical research specialisation will allow you to develop a detailed understanding of biostatistics, epidemiology, data management, clinical trials, clinical measurement, ethical practice, systematic reviews and meta-analysis, and critical appraisal of the scientific literature for application in research and clinical practice.

To ensure depth of understanding, as well as providing a valuable opportunity to innovate within your particular field, you have the option to develop your own research protocol and undertake a clinical epidemiological project.

The translational medicine specialisation will provide you with understanding of biostatistics, epidemiology, clinical trials and ethics. It will provide you with the opportunity to develop competency across a range of translational medicine fields including blood diseases, metabolic disorders, neuroscience and bioinformatics.

The overall course structure and flexibility will assist you to extend, integrate and apply your core knowledge and skills with depth across the broad domain of clinical practice and research, something that you want in a highly competitive industry and employers have identified as important.

Taught by some of Australia’s leading clinical academics, the curriculum is designed for students seeking to balance the demands of a busy workflow with the need to engage in further professional development. Structured around a mixture of online educational delivery and face-to-face block days, the course provides a level of detailed engagement that is also flexible. Block days are delivered at The Alfred Hospital, a major teaching hospital in inner-city Melbourne.

IMPORTANT: This course is only available to international students in ‘on-campus’ mode. Please note that ‘on-campus’ mode comprises a mix of online learning and on-site teaching.

For most units, the majority of contact hours are facilitated through the University’s online learning platform, with additional face-to-face contact during designated study days at the School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine or the Alfred Research Alliance in Melbourne.

Specialisations:

  • Clinical Research
  • Translational Medicine

Contacts

Academic Coordinator
Associate Professor Danijela Gasevic

Common questions

How long is Master of Clinical Research?

2 years full time, 96 credit points. At 24 credit points a semester, that is 4 semesters of full-time study.

Where can I study Master of Clinical Research?

At Alfred Hospital.

How do I plan my Master of Clinical Research units?

Open the course in the MonMap planner. It lays out your semesters, checks prerequisites as you drag units in, and tracks the credit points each requirement still needs.

Course details

Qualification
Master's Degree (Coursework)
AQF level
Level 9
Credit points
96
Full time
2 Years
Part time
4 Years
Maximum time
6 years
Faculty
Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
CRICOS code
102718B
Abbreviation
MClinRes
Award titles
Master of Clinical ResearchMaster of Clinical Research (Translational Medicine)