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Trauma Science MSc

Start date
September
Duration
1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
Course Type
Postgraduate, Taught
Fees

Annual tuition fee for 2024/25:
UK: £16,290
International: £31,410
More details on fees and funding

Professor Zubair Ahmed, Programme Director, Trauma Science MSc

The MSc Trauma Science programme aims to enable exploration of the theoretical basis of trauma science in general with a route to particular specialisms depending on the cohort need. For example, there are clear paths of specialism for physiotherapists, nurses, doctors, engineers, scientists and military personnel.

Scholarships for 2024 entry

The University of Birmingham is proud to offer a range of scholarships for our postgraduate programmes. With a scholarship pot worth over £2 million, we are committed to alleviating financial barriers to support you in taking your next steps.

Each scholarship has its own specific deadlines and eligibility criteria. Please familiarise yourself with the information on individual scholarship webpages prior to submitting an application.

Explore our scholarships

The programme is delivered by experts in the field, including those from civilian and military backgrounds at the forefront of trauma care and offers up-to-date knowledge of the science of trauma and its management. The interactive teaching methods equip you with the medical and scientific skills to become a specialist in trauma science and its management.

Using the process of scientific reasoning as its framework, the programme will integrate the key issues central to the theoretical aspects in these specialist areas with communication skills, management approaches, timely and reasoned decision making, identification of treatment options, best practice etc.

You will have the opportunity to tailor your learning experiences and backgrounds to meet your own personal and professional needs. You will also have the opportunity to develop your leadership skills within a multidisciplinary setting that cares for trauma-afflicted patients. Enquiry, evidence-based learning will be a key feature of the programme through problem-based learning and journal clubs. In addition, you will have the opportunity to take part in a substantive research project, allowing you to develop research skills, project management, oral/poster presentation and writing a research dissertation. Research projects may be undertaken in an academic laboratory or can be in a clinical setting.

This programme will enhance and develop skills including critical analysis, advanced reasoning, presentation skills, designing a research project and group work; along with providing experiences of ward rounds and hospital placements. 

The rise of trauma

The incidence of trauma continues to rise. The World Health Organization estimates that by 2030 trauma will become the leading cause of death worldwide due to ageing in western populations, increasing road use in developing countries and conflict. In England alone there are at least 20,000 cases of major trauma each year resulting in 5,400 deaths and many others resulting in permanent disabilities requiring long-term care for those under the age of 40. There are around a further 28,000 cases which, although not meeting the precise definition of major trauma, would be cared for in the same way.

Major trauma costs the NHS between £0.3 and £0.4 billion a year in immediate treatment, but when considering the costs of subsequent hospital treatments, rehabilitation, home care support, informal carer costs and the annual lost economic output as a result of major trauma, it is estimated to be between £3.3 and £3.7 billion (National Audit Office, Major Trauma Care in England, 2010).

Neurotrauma alone - including mild traumatic brain injury, which does not fit into the definition of major trauma - is the leading cause of death and disability in the first four decades of life and is estimated to cost the UK economy £8 billion a year (more than strokes). Many countries around the world now recognise the importance of trauma research to their health care systems and are developing specialist research programmes to meet the growing needs of their population. This expansion in specialist clinical provision is generating demand for professionals with a recognised background of trauma sciences training.

Why study this course?

  • This course is the only full-time MSc Trauma Science course in the UK.
  • The programme is delivered in partnership with frontline experts based in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham, Centre for Defence Medicine and the University of Birmingham, creating a major trauma treatment centre that offers the full range of required trauma specialists.
  • This joint civilian and military clinical trauma centre shares a campus with the University of Birmingham where researchers from biomedical, engineering and physical sciences are working together with the clinical teams on a range of trauma-related research programmes.
  • World-class leading research staff are associated with the course, with extensive knowledge of trauma. 
  • You will have the ability to publish research conducted as part of your dissertation. 

MSc intercalation

Please note that this programme can be taken as an intercalated option for those studying MBChB Medicine and Surgery at another Institution. To apply for the Intercalated MSc Trauma Science please fill in this registration form and we will be in touch with details about how to apply. Or to find out more, please contact mdsintercalationenquiries@contacts.bham.ac.uk.

Modules

Fees

2024/25

  • UK: £16,290 full-time, £8,145 part-time
  • International: 31,410 full-time

Intercalation option:

  • UK: £16,290

Learn more about fees and funding.


Are you an international applicant?

All international applicants to this course will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit of £2,000 on receipt of an offer, to secure their place.

Find out more about the deposit >>.

 

Postgraduate Loans for Masters students

As a UK resident you can apply for a government loan for postgraduate Masters study. This is a contribution towards the costs of study and whether the loan is used towards fees, maintenance or other costs will be at the discretion of the student.

Find out more about the Postgraduate Loan

How To Apply

How to apply for our taught postgraduate programmes

Application deadlines

The deadline for international students (including EU) to apply is 7 May 2024. The deadline for UK students is 30 August 2024.

Making your application

How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate taught programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online. We have put together some helpful information on the taught programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page. Please read this information carefully before completing your application.

Apply now

Our Standard Requirements

A minimum of a 2:1 Bachelor's degree in engineering, life sciences or biomedical sciences.

International students

Academic requirements

We accept a range of international qualifications - use the dropdown box below to select your country and see the equivalencies to the above UK requirements.

English language requirements

IELTS 7.0 with no less than 6.5 in any band.

If you are made an offer of a place to study and you do not already meet the language requirement, you have the option to enrol on our English for Academic Purposes Presessional Course. If you successfully complete this, you will be able to fulfil the language requirement without needing to take a further qualification.


  • IELTS 7.0 with no less than 6.5 in any band
  • TOEFL: 95 overall with no less than 22 in any band
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE) including online: PTE Academic 76 with no less than 67 in all four skills
  • Cambridge English (exams taken from 2015): Advanced or Proficiency – minimum overall score of 185, with no less than 176 in any component

International Requirements


As a Birmingham student, you will learn from world-leading experts, as well as your peers. From the outset you will be encouraged to become an independent and self-motivated learner. We want you to be challenged and will encourage you to think for yourself.

Learning will be through lectures, seminars and small group sessions, with practical experience in clinics and laboratories where appropriate – all these with a high staff to student ratio. You will produce a detailed and thorough dissertation for your research project that will teach you the necessary skills to be able to have a theoretical background in trauma research and independent management of a research project. You will have overall control of the choice of modules and the specialisms that you will opt for based on your specific needs.

You are encouraged to contribute directly to planning the course content and required to continuously evaluate the taught modules. In addition, student representatives are elected to the course advisory panel.

You will have access to a comprehensive support system that will assist and encourage you, including personal tutors and welfare tutors who can help with both academic and welfare issues.

Course delivery

We have two teaching terms per year, the autumn term and spring term. Term dates can be found on our website.

As a full-time student, you will typically take three modules in each term, followed by a dissertation. The MSc is run on one day a week with classroom sessions timetabled from 9-5pm and each module is completed in blocks of four-five weeks. If you are a part-time student, you will typically take three modules across each year, followed by a dissertation in Year 2.

Each module represents a total of 200 hours of study time, including preparatory reading, homework and assignment preparation.

Assessment Methods

The programme will be assessed using a variety of methods, which will include essays, extended matching set questions, multiple choice questions, short answer questions and a viva, with formative assessments offered in each of these forms. A final dissertation and presentation based upon original research is required for completion of this Masters programme.

University Careers Network

Preparation for your career should be one of the first things you think about as you start university. Whether you have a clear idea of where your future aspirations lie or want to consider the broad range of opportunities available once you have a Birmingham degree, our Careers Network can help you achieve your goal.

Our unique careers guidance service is tailored to your academic subject area, offering a specialised team (in each of the five academic colleges) who can give you expert advice. Our team source exclusive work experience opportunities to help you stand out amongst the competition, with mentoring, global internships and placements available to you. Once you have a career in your sights, one-to-one support with CVs and job applications will help give you the edge.

If you make the most of the wide range of services you will be able to develop your career from the moment you arrive.