MSc in Respiratory Medicine
Birmingham, United Kingdom
DURATION
200 Hours
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
GBP 29,340 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* international students I £10,530 full-time, £5,265 part-time UK students
Introduction
Our MSc in Respiratory Medicine will provide you with an overview of common conditions in respiratory medicine and their diagnosis and management, along with the balance of public health, community and secondary care input to the overall service delivery in the speciality.
This taught programme provides you with an overview of common conditions in respiratory medicine, their diagnosis and management, and the balance of public health, community and secondary care input to the overall service delivery in the speciality. It is taught using a mixture of lectures, tutorials, hands-on practical sessions and workplace-based elements. It will provide speciality training for budding respiratory specialists in primary or secondary care, either medical or allied healthcare professionals.
Respiratory conditions are one of the most common causes of death and poor health worldwide. Improving care quality and expanding the respiratory workforce is therefore important to improve lives.
This programme can be accessed through the 60-credit PG Certificate; 120-credit PG Diploma or the 180-credit Master. If you wish to study this programme to the Postgraduate Diploma level then you will need to complete additional modules of the programme but will not need to complete a dissertation, which is only available to those studying for the Masters.
The specific aims of the programme are to:
- Provide an in-depth understanding of the common conditions and concepts relevant to community-based respiratory medicine including:
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Asthma
- Cough
- Sleep apnoea
- Equip you with a comprehensive understanding and practical knowledge of acute respiratory problems, and complex lung conditions managed in a secondary care setting including:
- TB and other respiratory infections
- Non-invasive ventilation
- Interstitial lung disease
- Lung cancer
- Cystic fibrosis
- Allergy
- Provide you with the knowledge and practical skills to plan and deliver efficient and successful clinical services through case-based learning and supervised clinical protocol design.
In addition to the specific aims above, students will learn how to interpret lung function tests, and to conduct quality improvement and service design.
Why study this course?
- The University of Birmingham is linked to University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB - one of the largest Foundation Trusts in the UK) and clinical placements for the modules provide the opportunity to study with leading clinicians at UHB
- Birmingham is also one of the most diverse cities in the UK, which brings with it the challenge of managing disease in different communities, whose health beliefs may differ. From a learning perspective, this means opportunities to see different models of care at work, from intense hospital-based work to integrated and virtual care models in the community setting
- The University of Birmingham/UHB partnership is integral to Birmingham Health Partners, which also works with Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital, so we can also access teaching from leading paediatricians where students' studies require it
- The University of Birmingham has cutting-edge facilities for precision medicine, for example through the Institute for Translational Medicine (ITM) which is an increasingly important area in respiratory medicine, lung cancer, asthma and more. You may have the opportunity to hear about, or see, clinical trials in these areas during placements at UHB.
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Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
The University of Birmingham is proud to offer a range of scholarships for our postgraduate teaching and research programs. From cash payments to full tuition fee waivers, we are committed to alleviating financial barriers to support you in taking your next steps.
Our scholarships are intended to support both UK and International students undertaking a postgraduate taught or research program at the University of Birmingham. To help you afford your studies, we’ve put more than £33 million into student support and scholarships. We also offer a range of advice on searching for funding and managing your finances.
Curriculum
We cater for all learners with an adaptable mix of teaching styles such as lectures, seminars, small group work and workplace-based attachments in our renowned NHS partner (UHB) to facilitate clinically relevant learning.
In the core modules, you will experience face-to-face days on campus, days in clinical practice with world-leading experts (eg Professor David Thickett, Adel Mansur) and supervisory meetings for the written assignment as required.
Masters students will take 120 credits from the lists below and complete a 60-credit dissertation. Postgraduate Diploma students will take modules from the taught options below but will not undertake a dissertation. Those studying for a Postgraduate Certificate will study the core modules.
Core modules
There are three compulsory core modules, all 20 credits each.
Respiratory Medicine in Secondary Care
This module comprises three face-to-face training days, plus case-based learning in clinical practice, a written assessment which focuses on case-based presentations allied to evidence review OR a service delivery plan, plus an SAQ examination.
Respiratory Medicine in the Community
This is also available as part of other MSc programmes, thus is a great opportunity to meet colleagues from other disciplines. Face-to-face training occurs on the following topics: COPD, lung cancer, ILD, TB, NIV, service design and management. Case-based learning and assessment are similar to the other core modules, except with MCQ rather than SAQ assessment.
Allergy
This module involves a mix of lectures, small group and interactive presentations used for teaching, as well as optional exposure to clinical environments. You will learn about clinical presentations and management of common allergic diseases, with a focus on those that can affect either upper or lower airways
Dissertation Module
Students will plan and conduct their research project, culminating in a research dissertation that is submitted at the end of the academic year. This module runs parallel to the rest of the taught components of the course which also includes a research protocol and oral presentation as part of the assessment. Projects available include systematic reviews, secondary analysis of quantitative data, service evaluation and qualitative research methods.
Optional modules
Masters in Public Health - MPH
- Epidemiology Statistics and Research Methods (20 credits)
- Health Information and Health Informatics (10 credits)
- Health Care Evaluation and Commissioning (10 credits)
- Introduction to Leadership and Management for Health (10 credits)
- Health Economics (10 credits)
- Systematic Reviews and Evidence Synthesis (20 credits)
- Clinical Trials (MPH) (20 credits)
Clinical Oncology MSc/Diploma - Part-time
- Palliative Care and Cancer Patients (20 credits)
- Radiation Biology (10 credits)
Clinical Trials – MSc / PG Dip / PG Cert
- Rationale for Clinical Trials, Key Concepts and Features (20 credits)
- Selection, Collection and Reporting of Clinical Trial Outcomes (10 credits)
- Preparation and Set-up for a Clinical Trial (20 credits)
- Delivery and Management of Clinical Trials (20 credits)
- Analyses of Clinical Trials, Interpretation and Communication of Trial Findings (20 credits)
- Early-phase Clinical Trials (10 credits)
- Design and Delivery of Further Clinical Trials (20 credits)
Multidisciplinary Healthcare Simulation - PGCert
- Human Factors in Healthcare (20 credits)
- Adult Learning Theory and its Application to Multidisciplinary Healthcare Simulation Learning and Teaching (20 credits)
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Students completing this programme would likely be able to work at an advanced level in respiratory medicine, for example, clinical nurse specialists or allied healthcare professionals. Those who are medically qualified may have a competitive advantage against others who have only completed Deanery-based training and assessment when considering consultant posts.
Previous graduates have gone on to work in clinical trials organisations and healthcare scientist posts, but a wide range of careers are possible, including specialist nursing and physiotherapy (if in receipt of the relevant primary degree), healthcare management and biomedical research.
Careers Support for Postgraduate Students
Careers Network – We can help you get ahead in the job market and develop your career
We recognise that as a postgraduate student, you are likely to have specific requirements when it comes to planning for your next career step. Employers expect postgraduates to have a range of skills that exceed their subject knowledge. Careers Network offers a range of events and support services that are designed for all students, including postgraduates looking to find their niche in the job market. The Careers Network also have subject-specific careers consultants and advisers for each College so you can be assured the information you receive will be relevant to your subject area.
Program delivery
We have two teaching terms per year, the autumn term and the 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.
Students who are part-time on PGCert and PGDip will choose which modules to sit in each year of the course, ensuring that at least one core module is done in year 1. Part-time MSc students will do entirely taught modules in year 1, with a smaller amount of taught areas and their dissertation in year 2. This can be agreed upon starting the course.
Hours vary according to the optional modules chosen. Some modules are full-time for one week (20+ hours of contact), and others are spread out across a semester typically being 4-8 hours/week. Each module represents a total of 200 hours of study time, including preparatory reading, homework and assignment preparation.