A student looking through a microscope
A student looking through a microscope in the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences

MSc by Research in Clinical Neurosciences

About the course

The MSc by Research in Clinical Neurosciences offers excellent opportunities for high quality research training, for both clinical and non-clinical graduates, in wide-ranging leading areas of clinical neuroscience. 

As an MSc by research student in NDCN you will be a part of one of the leading and largest clinical neuroscience departments in Europe. The MSc (Res) in Clinical Neurosciences will develop your skills through a range of research and practical training.

NDCN incorporates six divisions each of which hosts world-leading programmes in basic, translational and clinical research.

  • Centre for Prevention of Stroke and Dementia
  • Division of Clinical Neurology
  • MRC Brain Network Dynamics Unit
  • Nuffield Division of Anaesthetics
  • Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology
  • Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging

You will be admitted directly to a particular research area and you will work alongside your supervisors to develop your programme of study which is normally part of a larger research group with shared interests. You will not normally do laboratory rotations.

There are no taught courses examined by written papers but there is a wide range of courses and workshops available across the Medical Sciences Division and you will be encouraged to attend regular departmental and divisional seminars

The MSc (Res) in Clinical Neurosciences is normally a two year course, though if you have an appropriate background in research, you may complete it in one year.

Part-time study

It is possible to study for this course on a part-time basis. Completing this course on a part-time basis normally requires between two and six years of study, compared with the full-time master's course which takes between one and three years to complete.

For part-time students on this course, attendance is required for a minimum of thirty days of university-based work each year, to be arranged with the agreement of their supervisor(s), for the period that their names remain on the Register of Graduate Students, unless individually dispensed by the Board. During a candidate’s probationary period the attendance arrangements must take account of relevant induction and training events scheduled by the Board. You will have the opportunity to tailor your part-time research in liaison with your supervisor and agree your pattern of attendance.

Supervision

Once enrolled on the MSc (Res) the allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences 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 Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences.

In line with the Divisional Code of Practice for supervisors, formal meetings outside the lab between student and supervisor should take place at least once per term (so three times per year) whereas meetings with day-to-day supervisors should take place much more frequently (c. 26 times per year, equating to roughly fortnightly). The Graduate Supervision Reporting (GSR) system asks both students and supervisors to record the frequency of meetings during the term being reported on retrospectively. In the case of students who require specific help to adjust to an academic programme or to a new range of skills, the supervisor will work with them to ensure that they have additional support. The department is often able to financially support the undertaking of formal skills training that is essential to the successful completion of the MSc (Res).

Assessment

You will begin your course as a probationary research student (PRS) and you will be monitored and assessed regularly via completion of termly reports by you and your supervisors through the Graduate Supervision Reporting (GSR) system.

You will be expected to transfer your status from PRS to MSc (Res) before the end of your first year (or second year if you are studying part-time). To transfer your status, you must apply formally, submit a research report and statement of future research plans, and take an independent assessment by two assessors.

The degree is examined by thesis and oral examination by two examiners. Most full-time MSc (Res) students submit their thesis within two years; for part-time students this is more often 3 to 6 years.

Graduate destinations

Past students from the Department of Clinical Neurosciences have gone on to careers based both in the UK and other countries in teaching and research in universities or back to clinical posts. You can find a number of alumni profiles on the NDCN website. 

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

The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.

Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying. 

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

  • a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in a relevant discipline (eg neuroscience).

However, entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a first-class degree or the equivalent.

A master's degree is not a prerequisite for admission.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.5 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

  • Evidence of a prior interest in the area of research proposed may be an advantage.
  • Publications are not expected as part of the interview process.
  • It would be expected that graduate applicants would be familiar with the recent published work of their proposed supervisor.

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's standard 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 standard level are detailed in the table below.

Minimum scores required to meet the University's standard level requirement
TestMinimum overall scoreMinimum score per component
IELTS Academic (Institution code: 0713) 7.06.5

TOEFL iBT, including the 'Home Edition'

(Institution code: 0490)

100Listening: 22
Reading: 24
Speaking: 25
Writing: 24
C1 Advanced*185176
C2 Proficiency185176

*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, and can be held online or in person.  Interviews following the December application deadline are expected to take place around the middle of January each year. Interviews typically last for 20-30 minutes.

There will be a minimum of three academics on the panel and the details of the interview format will be provided to you after shortlisting.

How your application is assessed

Your application will be assessed purely on your proven and potential academic excellence and other entry requirements described 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.

Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)

Some postgraduate research students in science, engineering and technology subjects will need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate prior to applying for a Student visa (under the Student Route). For some courses, the requirement to apply for an ATAS certificate may depend on your research area.

Resources

The Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences provides a focus for world-leading translational neuroscience allowing the swift transfer of basic biomedical findings to the clinical setting and the delivery of evidence-based therapies for the benefit of society and the economy. 

The department has state-of-the-art laboratories with most of its staff housed in the West Wing and the adjacent WIN (Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging) building at the John Radcliffe Hospital site. The West Wing also includes the in- and outpatient facilities for the clinical Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Neuroanaesthetics, Ophthalmology and ENT, which are closely integrated with NDCN. This provides the perfect setting to share facilities, expertise and knowledge.

NDCN offers you excellent opportunities for high quality research training in wide-ranging leading areas of clinical neuroscience. Much of the graduate research in the department is interdisciplinary and in collaboration with research leaders at other research centres. In addition, the department as a whole sponsors regular seminars and public lectures which attract distinguished national and international speakers.

Students will have access to the department’s IT support and University library services. Workspace will be related to individual circumstances. If undertaking experimental work, bench space will be provided within a laboratory; if undertaking theoretical research, there will be shared office space. The provision of other resources specific to a project should be agreed with the supervisor as part of the planning stages of the agreed project as financial support from the department must not be assumed. 

Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences

The Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences (NDCN) comprises more than 500 staff including over 150 graduate students. The DPhil and the MSc (Res) in Clinical Neurosciences cover all areas of the research carried out in the department.

NDCN was formed in November 2010 and incorporates the Centre for Prevention of Stroke and Dementia, the Division of Clinical Neurology, the MRC Brain Network Dynamics Unit, the Nuffield Division of Anaesthetics, the Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology (which also houses sleep medicine research) and the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging.

The department usually admits over 30 postgraduate research students per year, from both scientific and clinical backgrounds. Each research student will work on a specified research project with close supervision from one or more of the department’s principal investigators and their teams, and become part of a vibrant research community both within the department and the wider University. The department's sleep medicine course admits c. 15-20 postgraduate taught students per year across the MSc, PGDip and standalone modular routes.

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 for both divisional funding opportunities and external funding sources.

Costs

Annual fees for entry in 2024-25

Full-time study

Fee status

Annual Course fees

Home£9,500
Overseas£31,480

Further details about fee status eligibility can be found on the fee status webpage.

Part-time study

Fee status

Annual Course fees

Home£4,750
Overseas£15,740

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.

Continuation charges

Following the period of fee liability, you may also be required to pay a University continuation charge and a college continuation charge. The University and college continuation charges are shown on the Continuation charges page.

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

Full-time study

There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees (or, after fee liability ends, continuation charges) and living costs. However, please note that, depending on your choice of research 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.

Part-time study

Please note that you are required to attend in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year, and you may incur additional travel and accommodation expenses for this. Also, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur further 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.

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.

Before you apply

We strongly recommend you consult the Medical Sciences Graduate School's research themes to identify the most suitable course and supervisor.

Our guide to getting started provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application.  You can use our interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.

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. Check the deadlines on this page and the information about deadlines in our Application Guide.

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?

Before you apply, you should identify an academic member of staff who is willing to supervise you and has the resources to support your proposed research project. You should do this by contacting them directly. Details of academic staff, including their research interests and contact details, can be found on the department's website.

If you are unsure of who you might contact as a potential supervisor, please contact the NDCN Academic Administration team in the first instance. 

When you have made a shortlist of up to three potential supervisors, you must email them individually and explain clearly:

  • what your academic background is; and
  • what kind of research you are interested in.

They will then confirm whether or not they are happy to be listed as the proposed supervisor on the application form. Note that proposed supervisors will be asked to confirm their support for your application after the department receives your application, so it is in your best interest to make sure you have their agreement before applying. Please note that the support of a supervisor at this stage does not imply that you will be admitted.

With the exception of studentships, all other applications must be submitted having secured the support of a prospective supervisor at NDCN and having agreed a proposed research project. 

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.

Please note, the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences does not ask for any written work as part of the admissions process. Note that proposed supervisors will be asked to confirm their support for your application after the department receives your application, so it is in your best interest to make sure you have their agreement before submitting your application listing them.

Proposed field and title of research project

Under the 'Field and title of research project' please enter your proposed field or area of research if this is known. If the department has advertised a specific research project that you would like to be considered for, please enter the project title here instead.

You should not use this field to type out a full research proposal. You will be able to upload your research supporting materials separately if they are required (as described below).

Proposed supervisor

Under 'Proposed supervisor name' enter the name of the academic (s) who has agreed to support your application prior to you applying. Please note that proposed supervisors will be asked to confirm their support for your application after the department receives your application, so it is in your best interest to make sure you have their agreement before listing them on your application.

Referees
Three overall, academic and/or professional

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.

You may use either academic of professional references.

Your references will support intellectual ability, academic achievement, motivation and your ability to work in a group.

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.

Statement of purpose/personal statement and research proposal:
A maximum of 500 words each

Your statement of purpose/personal statement and research proposal should be submitted as a single, combined document with clear subheadings. Please ensure that the word counts for each section are clearly visible in the document.

Statement of purpose/personal statement

You should provide a statement of your research interests, in English, describing how your background and research interests relate to the programme. If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

The statement should focus on academic or research-related achievements and interests rather than personal achievements and interests.

This will be assessed for:

  • your reasons for applying;
  • evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study;
  • the ability to present a reasoned case in English;
  • capacity for sustained and focused work; and
  • understanding of problems in the area and ability to construct and defend an argument.

It will be normal for students’ ideas and goals to change in some ways as they undertake their studies, but your personal statement will enable you to demonstrate your current interests and aspirations.

Research proposal

A research proposal comprising a detailed outline of your proposed research, written in English, is required. It is expected that you will prepare your research proposal in consultation with a potential supervisor.

The word count does not need to include any bibliography or brief footnotes.

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

This will be assessed for:

  • the coherence of the proposal
  • the originality of the project
  • evidence of motivation
  • an understanding of the proposed area of study
  • the feasibility of successfully completing the project in the time available (a maximum of 3 years for the full-time course; 6 years for the part-time course)
  • preliminary knowledge of research techniques and suitability to undertake the proposed work.

It will be normal for your ideas subsequently to change in some ways as you investigate the evidence and develop your project. You should nevertheless make the best effort you can to demonstrate the extent of your research question, sources and method at this moment.

Your proposal should focus on research rather than personal achievements, interests and aspirations.

Submissions that exceed the word count may be penalised. 

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.

Application Guide Apply - Full timeApply - Part time

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