Musculoskeletal Sciences

DPhil in Musculoskeletal Sciences

Course Code | 002025

MSc (R) in Musculoskeletal Sciences

Course Code | 002035

The MSc and DPhil research projects at the Department focus on establishing a better understanding of physiological and pathological complication associated with the musculoskeletal systems.

These include:

• Cartilage Biology
• Cell Signalling in Skeletal Regeneration
  
• Cerebral Palsy and Gait Analysis
  
• Clinical Trials
  
• Epidemiology
  
• Genetics of Rheumatic Disease
  
• Medical Education
  
• Metabolic Bone Disease and Osteoporosis
  
• Molecular Pharmacology and Metabolism
  
• Osteoporosis Genetics and Management
  
• Osteoarthritis Functional Genomics
  
• Osteoarthritis Research and Surgical Clinical Trials
  
• Osteoclast Biology
  
• Oxford Orthopaedic Engineering Collaboration (OOEC)
  
• Pathophysiology of Bone and Joint Disease
  
• Spine Research Group
  
• Surgical Technology
  
• Tissue Engineering
• Trauma and Injury Prevention
  
• Vasculitis
  

MSc in Musculoskeletal Sciences

Course Code | 003795

The part-time MSc in Musculoskeletal Sciences provides practising clinicians with academic training in the sciences underlying musculoskeletal diseases, and is designed to complement any post-graduate clinical teaching that students are receiving in their specialist training programme.

The course runs over two years and promotes an understanding of the ways in which research can be used to improve health care in musculoskeletal diseases.  It will also provide a firm foundation for students wishing to progress to full-time doctoral research.

Attendance at the University is required on one day per month, in addition to three short residential sessions of three to five days throughout the two years. Scholarships for assistance with fees are available.

• Length of programme: Twenty-four months
• Core and optional courses: The first four terms cover three core modules in principles of musculoskeletal disease; research, statistics & epidemiology; and scientific aspects of musculoskeletal diseases. The final two terms provide an advanced module in either rheumatology or orthopaedics.
• Further programme information on the NDORMS website

The Institute of Musculoskeletal Sciences, Botnar Research Centre is part of the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS) and is located on the grounds of the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre (NOC) NHS Trust.

The purpose-built laboratories are fully equipped to accommodate over 90 basic scientists, clinicians, engineers and geneticists. The Department has close research links with other internal and external departments. Staff and students can use the facilities at the Girdlestone Library located within the NOC. 

Other nearby libraries are the Cairns Library based at the John Radcliffe Hospital and the Knowledge Centre, Old Road Campus.

Information on academic staff profiles

During the past ten years, a significant number of graduates have successfully joined academia, the pharmaceutical industry, clinical orthopaedics, orthopaedic engineering and teaching.