MSc in Musculoskeletal Sciences
About the course
The part-time taught MSc in Musculoskeletal Sciences provides practising clinicians or those with a degree in biomedical or biological sciences with an academic training in the sciences underlying musculoskeletal diseases, promoting an understanding of the ways in which research can be used to improve knowledge and treatment of musculoskeletal diseases.
This is a biennial course and is designed to complement any graduate clinical teaching that you may be receiving as part of a specialist training programme. Completing the course will provide a firm foundation for students wishing to progress to full-time doctoral research. The programme consists of five modules, studied part-time over two years. Attendance at the University is required for short residential sessions of four to five days that take place eight times over the two years. These sessions can be delivered as lectures, small group sessions, problem-based learning scenarios and evaluation of academic papers. There will be no flexibility in the dates of attendance and all compulsory teaching dates are provided prior to the start of the course.
It is recommended that students meet with their academic supervisors during these weeks. However this is not compulsory and the dates/frequency of these meetings are determined by mutual agreement between the student and supervisor.
Modules include:
- Musculoskeletal Diseases: Scientific Principles
- Musculoskeletal Diseases: Applied Clinical Sciences
- Research, Statistics and Epidemiology
- Advanced Orthopaedics
- Advanced Rheumatology.
Teaching methods include lectures, small group sessions, problem-based learning scenarios and evaluation of academic papers. In addition, you will be expected to undertake self-directed learning in your own time, to build on the information provided in the teaching sessions.
Supervision
The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Medical Sciences Division and the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS) and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Medical Sciences Division.
It is recommended that students meet with their supervisors during these weeks. However this is not compulsory and the dates/frequency of these meetings are determined by mutual agreement between the student and supervisor.
Assessment
There are a number of formative and summative assessments throughout the two-year course which include literature review, two MCQ papers and two short answer question papers. In the final year, students are required to submit a research proposal in the form of a 'mock' grant application. In addition, throughout the course students will be required to give a number of formative and summative oral presentations.
Graduate destinations
Since the course began in 2008, up to 15% of student alumni have undertaken further post-graduate research training in the form of PhD or DPhil. Many of our students have also gone on to successfully pursue further specialist clinical training in the MSK Sciences.
The department's Director of Graduate Studies follows the paths of each student - to date, 100% of attendees indicated that they thoroughly enjoyed the programme and that they would recommend the course to their peer groups.
NDORMS has developed a specific taught MSc alumni page on the departmental website and this information is available to other colleagues and departments. Alumni and current students are connected through social events organised by the department.
Changes to this course and your supervision
The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made in circumstances of a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.
Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.
For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.
Entry requirements for entry in 2024-25
Proven and potential academic excellence
Degree-level qualifications
As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:
- medically qualified individuals or those with a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in biological sciences and/or related topics.
In special circumstances, applications from other medically related subjects (eg nurses, and/or allied health professionals) will be considered for the MSc.
For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.75 out of 4.0.
If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.
GRE General Test scores
No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.
Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience
- Research or working experience may be an advantage. Where applicable, evidence of your employer's support will be required.
- Although it is not essential, preference will be given to applicants who have had recent publications and/or awards from various funding bodies.
- It would be advantageous for you to have published peer-reviewed articles in the relevant journals.
English language proficiency
This course requires proficiency in English at the University's higher level. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.
| Test | Minimum overall score | Minimum score per component |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic (Institution code: 0713) | 7.5 | 7.0 |
TOEFL iBT, including the 'Home Edition' (Institution code: 0490) | 110 | Listening: 22 Reading: 24 Speaking: 25 Writing: 24 |
| C1 Advanced* | 191 | 185 |
| C2 Proficiency† | 191 | 185 |
*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)
†Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)
Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides further information about the English language test requirement.
Declaring extenuating circumstances
If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.
References
You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Supporting documents
You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Performance at interview
Interviews are normally held as part of the admissions process.
Short-listing will depend on the references and personal statement of the candidate as well as their motivation and commitment to the programme. Usually over 70% of applicants are short-listed for interviews. Interviews are likely to be held two to four weeks after the application deadline, in person, in the presence of at least three senior academics and the MSc Administrator. In exceptional circumstances, interviews may be conducted by Zoom or other video conferencing platforms.
How your application is assessed
Your application will be assessed purely on your proven and potential academic excellence and other entry requirements published under that heading.
References and supporting documents submitted as part of your application, and your performance at interview (if interviews are held) will be considered as part of the assessment process. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed.
An overview of the shortlisting and selection process is provided below. Our 'After you apply' pages provide more information about how applications are assessed.
Shortlisting and selection
Students are considered for shortlisting and selected for admission without regard to age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, sexual orientation, as well as other relevant circumstances including parental or caring responsibilities or social background. However, please note the following:
- socio-economic information may be taken into account in the selection of applicants and award of scholarships for courses that are part of the University’s pilot selection procedure and for scholarships aimed at under-represented groups;
- country of ordinary residence may be taken into account in the awarding of certain scholarships; and
- protected characteristics may be taken into account during shortlisting for interview or the award of scholarships where the University has approved a positive action case under the Equality Act 2010.
Initiatives to improve access to graduate study
This course is taking part in a continuing pilot programme to improve the selection procedure for graduate applications, in order to ensure that all candidates are evaluated fairly.
For this course, socio-economic data (where it has been provided in the application form) will be used to contextualise applications at the different stages of the selection process. Further information about how we use your socio-economic data can be found in our page about initiatives to improve access to graduate study.
Processing your data for shortlisting and selection
Information about processing special category data for the purposes of positive action and using your data to assess your eligibility for funding, can be found in our Postgraduate Applicant Privacy Policy.
Admissions panels and assessors
All recommendations to admit a student involve the judgement of at least two members of the academic staff with relevant experience and expertise, and must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies or Admissions Committee (or equivalent within the department).
Admissions panels or committees will always include at least one member of academic staff who has undertaken appropriate training.
Other factors governing whether places can be offered
The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:
- the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the About section of this page;
- the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
- minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.
Offer conditions for successful applications
If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our 'After you apply' pages provide more information about offers and conditions.
In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:
Financial Declaration
If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a Financial Declaration in order to meet your financial condition of admission.
Disclosure of criminal convictions
In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any relevant, unspent criminal convictions before you can take up a place at Oxford.
Resources
The NDORMS is committed to training the next generation of scientists in biological and clinical sciences and has a large number of staff (over 400 people), approximately 100 postgraduate research students and a grant portfolio worth over £170 million.
As a student on the course you will have access to extensive library facilities within Oxford, namely Girdlestone Memorial Library (located at Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre), the Cairns Library (based at John Radcliffe Hospital), the Knowledge Centre (at the Old Road Campus) and the Radcliffe Science Library (based at South Parks site).
You will be encouraged to develop a range of transferable skills, including use of research software applications such as EndNote, written and oral communication skills, working as part of a team, using literature databases (such as PubMed, MedLine, Cochrane), data analysis, evaluation of scientific papers, research grant writing and critical reasoning. Skills courses run by the Medical Sciences Division will be highlighted and you will be encouraged to attend, where appropriate.
You will be allocated at least two academic advisors who will be responsible for your progress throughout the two-year programme.
The department has a very active student committee, which arranges social events for students, and a Communications Officer, who disseminates relevant communications.
Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences
The Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS) is a vibrant multi-disciplinary department focusing on musculoskeletal and immunological diseases, from bench to bedside.
NDORMS is the largest European academic department in its field and runs a globally competitive programme of research and teaching, supported by a grants portfolio worth £169 million.
The department, headed by Professor Jonathan Rees, comprises over 400 staff including 45 professors/associate professors, approximately 100 graduate students and, several university lecturers and senior researchers supported by prestigious awards.
NDORMS has two institutes, the Botnar Research Centre (led by Professor Jonathan Rees) on the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre (NOC) site, and the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology (led by Professor Fiona Powrie) on the Old Road Campus. It also has a number of world-renowned units, including the Centre for Statistics in Medicine (led by Professor Gary Collins), the Oxford Clinical Trials Research Unit and the Kadoorie Centre for Critical Care Research (led by Professor Matt Costa) and Education (based in the John Radcliffe Hospital).
The Botnar Research Institute provides a unique setting for basic science researchers, statisticians and clinical trials experts to interact with clinician scientists, and to translate new experimental medicines and surgical designs into successful treatments. The Botnar Research Centre is strongly connected to the internationally renowned NOC, providing crucial access to patients' samples and an overall capacity for clinical and surgical trials.
The Kennedy Institute carries out basic and clinical research in chronic inflammatory and degenerative diseases including arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. The Kennedy Institute is famous for its development of anti-TNF therapy to treat rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic debilitating disease. This treatment has improved the lives of millions of patients around the world.
Funding
The University expects to be able to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across the collegiate University in 2024-25. You will be automatically considered for the majority of Oxford scholarships, if you fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit your graduate application by the relevant December or January deadline. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential.
For further details about searching for funding as a graduate student visit our dedicated Funding pages, which contain information about how to apply for Oxford scholarships requiring an additional application, details of external funding, loan schemes and other funding sources.
Please ensure that you visit individual college websites for details of any college-specific funding opportunities using the links provided on our college pages or below:
Please note that not all the colleges listed above may accept students on this course. For details of those which do, please refer to the College preference section of this page.
Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the department's website.
Costs
Annual fees for entry in 2024-25
Fee status | Annual Course fees |
| Home | £6,510 |
| Overseas | £15,990 |
Further details about fee status eligibility can be found on the fee status webpage.
Information about course fees
Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges.
Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.
Where can I find further information about fees?
The Fees and Funding section of this website provides further information about course fees, including information about fee status and eligibility and your length of fee liability.
Additional information
Please note that this course requires that you attend in Oxford for teaching, and you may incur additional travel and accommodation expenses for this. Further, as part of your course requirements, you may need to choose a dissertation, a project or a thesis topic. Depending on your choice of topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.
Living costs
In addition to your course fees, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.
For the 2024-25 academic year, the range of likely living costs for full-time study is between c. £1,345 and £1,955 for each month spent in Oxford. Full information, including a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs, is available on our living costs page. The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. When planning your finances for any future years of study in Oxford beyond 2024-25, it is suggested that you allow for potential increases in living expenses of around 5% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. UK inflationary increases will be kept under review and this page updated.
If you are studying part-time your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you must still ensure that you will have sufficient funding to meet these costs for the duration of your course.
College preference
Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs).
If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief introduction to the college system at Oxford and our advice about expressing a college preference. For some courses, the department may have provided some additional advice below to help you decide.
The following colleges accept students on the MSc in Musculoskeletal Sciences:
Before you apply
Our guide to getting started provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. Check the deadlines on this page and the information about deadlines in our Application Guide. If it's important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under a December or January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance.
Application fee waivers
An application fee of £75 is payable per course application. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:
- applicants from low-income countries;
- refugees and displaced persons;
- UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and
- applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.
You are encouraged to check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver before you apply.
Readmission for current Oxford graduate taught students
If you're currently studying for an Oxford graduate taught course and apply to this course with no break in your studies, you may be eligible to apply to this course as a readmission applicant. The application fee will be waived for an eligible application of this type. Check whether you're eligible to apply for readmission.
Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?
You do not need to make contact with the department before you apply but you are encouraged to visit the relevant departmental webpages to read any further information about your chosen course.
Completing your application
You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents.
For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application.
If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.
Referees
Three overall, of which at least two must be academic
Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.
One professional reference is acceptable, though your other two references should be academic and should comment specifically on your academic ability.
Your references should support a desire to undertake a further degree, intellectual ability, academic achievement, motivation, ability to work in a group as well as capable of self-driven distance learning.
Official transcript(s)
Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.
More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.
Personal statement:
A maximum of 1,000 words
Your personal statement should explain your scientific experience, background and motivation for wishing to undertake the course, and should indicate your future career plans.
If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.
This will be assessed for:
- your reasons for applying
- evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study
- ability to present a reasoned case in English
- capacity for sustained and intense work
- reasoning ability
- ability to absorb new ideas, often presented abstractly, at a rapid pace.
Start or continue your application
You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please refer to the requirements above and consult our Application Guide for advice. You'll find the answers to most common queries in our FAQs.