MSc in Surgical Science and Practice
About the course
The MSc in Surgical Science and Practice is a part-time modular programme which attracts healthcare professionals from around the world and is completed over two to four years.
Please note that this course is currently delivered in collaboration by Oxford Lifelong Learning and Nuffield Department of Surgical Science. A department transfer, for the course to be delivered solely by Nuffield Department of Surgical Science from 2026/27, is currently progressing through the approval processes within the University. If you have any queries regarding this please contact the course administrator (See Further information and enquiries).
The taught component of the course comprises six modules, spaced over the year and each a week long, with teaching taking place in person in Oxford. A research project carried out over the course of a year completes the masters. It is usually a work-based project and is supported by an Oxford supervisor.
The modular nature of the course allows you to fit study around your work and the majority of students have full- or part-time clinical roles.
Run in collaboration with Oxford's Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, the MSc is designed for trainees and consultants in surgical disciplines as well as practitioners of other clinical disciplines interested in better understanding the systems within which they practice and increasing their effectiveness working in those systems. It particularly appeals to those who wish to develop a further dimension to their role, such as a leadership position, academic, teaching or research role, as well as those taking their career in new directions.
The aim of the course is to give you a strong foundation in the most important non-clinical skills you will need to be effective and to lead others in providing safe, high quality, high reliability care. It will prepare you for life as an independent specialist, building skills and knowledge which are not fully represented or are omitted from graduate training curricula. Alumni of the course have used the MSc as a platform to:
- Lead larger teams and take on greater organisational responsibility
- Carry out significant quality improvement initiatives and introduce innovations in practice
- Conduct and publish research
- Take on new leadership and academic roles, either alongside continuing clinical responsibilities or as a new direction in their career
- Develop new educational programmes and training methods
You can read about how some recent graduates have applied what they learned in the student profiles section of the department's website.
Healthcare professionals work as part of multi-disciplinary teams in complex organisations. Thus the syllabus covers leadership, teamwork, management skills, quality improvement and patient safety, development and implementation of new technologies and procedures, principles of educating clinicians and how to appraise evidence to answer clinical questions. Students completing the course will have developed the skills and knowledge to:
- Apply the principles of human factors and ergonomics to understand error in healthcare and design practices that maximise safety and reliability
- Critically appraise clinical evidence and assess its validity and relevance to your practice, including assessing the case for changing diagnostic and therapeutic protocols
- Analyse and improve clinical care pathways and settings of care using quality improvement science and systems analysis methods
- Understand how to develop and implement innovations in healthcare including creating business plans and business cases for your own area of practice
- Develop further as a mentor and educator, understand the practical implications of theories of how adults learn and explore the principles and practices that underpin being an effective and inspiring supervisor
- Understand principles of leading a team, practices that foster a culture of effective teamwork, and skills for influencing other departments and organisational priorities
- Understand the organisational dynamics in healthcare, including financial flows and management systems, and what this means for exerting influence as a clinician
A more detailed description of the course curriculum can be found on the department's website.
Course structure
An overview of the course structure is provided below. Details of the compulsory elements of the course are provided in the Course components section of this page.
The MSc in Surgical Science and Practice is organised around six compulsory week-long modules, plus a work-based research project written up as a dissertation. The programme is normally completed in two or three years, but up to four years can be taken. Students are full members of the University of Oxford and are matriculated as members of an Oxford college.
An important and perhaps unique feature of the course is that the modules can be studied in any order and, as each module runs once a year, you can individualise your pattern of study by choosing which modules to attend in each year of your enrolment.
Each module comprises a period of preparatory study of around four weeks), a week of intensive in-person teaching, followed by a period for assignment work of around six weeks.
In the four weeks running up to each taught week you should expect to dedicate 4-6 hours per week to preparatory reading and activities, accessed via the course’s dedicated virtual learning environment (VLE) which also provides support and resources between modules.
The taught week is full-time for five days and involves seminar-style teaching, group work, class discussions, guest lectures and interaction with tutors and lecturers. The taught weeks include practical activities to develop skills including at facilities elsewhere in the University, and beyond, including a dedicated simulation centre and a robotic surgery training facility. Optional evening social activities are organised by students.
Students on the Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) in Patient Safety and Quality Improvement attend some of the MSc modules, in particular the Quality Improvement and Human Factors modules. PGCert students have a range of backgrounds including nurses, allied healthcare professionals and managers as well as doctors. This mix reflects the healthcare workplace and enriches classroom discussions.
In the six weeks following each taught week you should expect to dedicate 10-15 hours per week to researching and writing your module assignment. This is an opportunity to explore areas of particular interest in more depth, and to apply what you have learned your work setting.
The modular nature of the course and the ability to take modules in any order allows you to individualise your pattern of study, including the intensity of study, so long as the course is completed in a maximum of four years. Some examples of patterns of study:
A. Years 1 and 2: 3 taught modules in each year. Year 3: supervised research project and dissertation. Total duration: 3 years.
B. Year 1: 4 taught modules. Year 2: 2 taught modules. Year 3: supervised research project and dissertation. Total duration: 3 years.
C. Year 1: 5 taught modules. Year 2: 1 taught module and supervised research project and dissertation. Total duration: 2 years.
D. Years 1, 2 and 3: 2 taught modules in each year. Year 4: supervised research project and dissertation. Total duration: 4 years.
Attendance
This course is part-time. You will be required to attend a week of face-to-face teaching in Oxford for each module. Dates of modules for the current or coming academic year can be found on the department's website. Modules usually run at a similar time each year.
Resources to support your study
As a graduate student, you will have access to the University's wide range of resources including libraries, museums, galleries, digital resources and IT services.
The Bodleian Libraries is the largest library system in the UK. It includes the main Bodleian Library and libraries across Oxford, including major research libraries and faculty, department and institute libraries. Together, the Libraries hold more than 13 million printed items, provide access to e-journals, and contain outstanding special collections including rare books and manuscripts, classical papyri, maps, music, art and printed ephemera.
The University's IT Services is available to all students to support with core university IT systems and tools, as well as many other services and facilities. IT Services also offers a range of IT learning courses for students to support with learning and research, as well as guidance on what technology to bring with you as a new student at Oxford.
The department provides various IT facilities, including the Student Computing Facility which provides individual PCs for your use.
Supervision
The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences and allocation will usually be performed by the Course Director.
It is sometimes 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 Surgical Sciences.
Assessment
To complete the MSc in Surgical Science and Practice, you will need to:
- attend the six compulsory modules which are taught in person in Oxford;
- undertake and pass an assessed assignment for each module; and
- after attending all six modules, complete and pass an assessed dissertation based on a work-based research project that will relate to the material studied in the taught modules.
The assignments help you develop and demonstrate your growing knowledge and understanding of the subject areas covered and will provide you with the opportunity to develop your analytical, critical appraisal, and logical thinking skills. The assignments are an opportunity to apply what you have learned to your own work setting or practice, helping you translate classroom learning to your own context.
You will need to be able to write a good standard of academic English to pass the assessments. For those that require a refresher, the Oxford Lifelong Learning offers a 10 week, online course to refresh and improve reading, note- making and essay-writing skills.
You will be given written feedback on each of the assignments you submit, intended to help you continue to develop your critical appraisal and academic writing skills.
Graduate destinations
Most students commencing this part-time programme are already in full-time employment. The MSc aims to prepare you for your future working life and to equip you for:
- managing surgical/healthcare units and leading surgical/healthcare team
- leading initiatives, such as quality improvement or a new pathway/ procedure
- undertaking surgical and clinical research
- embarking upon an academic career pathway
- becoming a clinical educator.
Past students have also gone on to carry out doctoral level research (DPhil/PhD) at Oxford and elsewhere.
Changes to this course
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 if a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency occurs. 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.
Course components
Compulsory study
Taught by experts in their field, the modules in this course can also be taken as individual standalone courses:
- Becoming a Clinical Educator
- Human Factors, Teamwork and Communication
- Leadership and Management in Health Care
- Quality Improvement Science and Systems Analysis
- Healthcare Innovation and Technology
- Practice of Evidence-Based Health Care.
Entry requirements for entry in 2026-27
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 guidance 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 in medicine, which must be recognised by the GMC and the MRCS.
Applicants whose undergraduate degree is in biomedical science or a related discipline, rather than medicine, will also be considered for entry to the course.
For applicants with a bachelor's degree from the USA, the minimum overall GPA that is normally required to meet the undergraduate-level requirement is 3.6 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
To be eligible for the course, you will need to either:
- hold a primary qualification in medicine recognised by the GMC and the MRCS, or an equivalent diploma in basic surgical training and education in the case of overseas candidates;
- have held or currently occupy a training or service post at ST1 level or above (UK candidates), or provide evidence of basic surgical training including a logbook (overseas candidates);
- possess an entry level qualification for specialist training in surgery, eg MRCS or international equivalent;
- show evidence of several years practical surgical training; or
- be able to demonstrate a commitment to surgical training and a realistic prospect of completing it.
As an alternative to surgical qualifications, training and experience as noted above, equivalent achievements in clinical specialties focused on skilled therapeutic intervention will confer eligibility. These specialties include interventional cardiology, neurology and radiology, endoscopic gastroenterology, obstetrics and gynaecology and dentistry. Candidates from other fields including nursing may be considered admissible at the discretion of the faculty if they can make a case for equivalence in terms of the skill set required for their practice and in their prospects of being able to apply the knowledge and skills acquired during the MSc in their place of work.
Successful candidates will normally provide evidence of all of the following:
- a demonstrated interest in surgical science, evidenced by prior experience, interest and work
- motivation and ability to complete the course
- a clear and well-argued understanding of the benefits of the course to the candidate’s current employment and future prospects.
Evidence of relevant academic work in surgery, eg presentations and publications, will be considered.
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 |
| Oxford Test of English Advanced | 165 | 155 |
*Changes to the TOEFL iBT test are being introduced on 21 January 2026. The University will not accept TOEFL tests taken from that date to meet the English language condition until a review of the revised test has been completed. Our Application Guide provides full details of the tests we accept.
†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.
A telephone or video interview will be arranged for all of those who appear to fulfil the basic requirements for entry to the course and performance at interview will play a significant role in assessment of the selection criteria.
Interviews will be held after each standard deadline, and once in the admissions period following the March deadline. They will be normally be conducted by two interviewers.
The purpose of the interview is to:
- establish your level of interest, motivation and potential to benefit from the course of study;
- clarify any uncertainties about compliance with requirements; and
- ensure that you are fully informed of the standard of achievement and level of commitment required by the course of study.
Where concerns remain about the suitability of applicants which cannot be resolved by other methods, they may be required to complete a short written assignment, for example a critical appraisal of a specified scientific paper.
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.
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.
Funding
For entry in the 2026-27 academic year, the collegiate University expects to offer over 1,100 full or partial graduate scholarships across a wide range of graduate courses.
If you apply by the January deadline shown on this page and receive a course offer, your application will then be considered for Oxford scholarships. For the majority of Oxford scholarships, your application will automatically be assessed against the eligibility criteria, without needing to make a separate application. There are further Oxford scholarships available which have additional eligibility criteria and where you are required to submit a separate application. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential.
To ensure that you are considered for Oxford scholarships that require a separate application, for which you may be eligible, use our fees, funding and scholarship search tool to identify these opportunities and find out how to apply. Alongside Oxford scholarships, you should also consider other opportunities for which you may be eligible including a range of external funding, loan schemes for postgraduate study and any other scholarships which may also still be available after the January deadline as listed on our fees, funding and scholarship search tool.
Details of college-specific funding opportunities can also be found on individual college websites:
Please refer to the College preference section of this page to identify which of the colleges listed above accept students for this course.
For the majority of college scholarships, it doesn’t matter which college, if any, you state a preference for in your application. If another college is able to offer you a scholarship, your application can be moved to that college if you accept the scholarship. Some college scholarships may require you to state a preference for that college when you apply, so check the eligibility requirements carefully.
Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the following faculty websites:
- Funding information from Oxford Lifelong Learning
- Funding information from Surgical Sciences
Costs
Modular course fees
The fees for this course are charged on a modular basis. You will pay an annual course fee and an additional fee for each module studied. A minimum of two annual course fees are payable for this course. If this course includes a dissertation, three module fees will be charged for the dissertation.
Fees for the 2026-27 academic year
Fee status | Annual Course Fee | Fee per module | Total estimated fees |
| Home | £2,325 | £2,905 | Please see the department’s website for further details |
| Overseas | £10,965 | £2,905 |
What do course fees cover?
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 costs information below.
How long do I need to pay 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 fees will usually increase annually, as explained in the University’s Terms and Conditions.
Where can I find more information about fees?
Our fees and other charges pages provide further information, including details about:
- course fees and fee liability;
- how your fee status is determined; and
- changes to fees and other charges.
Information about how much fees and other costs will usually increase each academic year is set out in the University's Terms and Conditions.
Additional costs
Please note that this course requires that you attend in Oxford for teaching a minimum 15 days per year, and you may incur additional travel and accommodation expenses for this. Accommodation costs in Oxford can start at around £98 per night in a college or around £120 in a hotel (single rate). Students should also factor in costs for meals during their stay. In addition, as part of your course requirements, you will need to choose a dissertation topic. This element of the course is mandatory and forms part of the assessment for the course. Depending on your choice of topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel or accommodation expenses, or research (eg data access) or laboratory expenses. These costs will vary according to the project undertaken and location of study but the Department estimates these may cost between £200 and £2000. You will need to meet these additional costs yourself. There are no other compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees and living costs.
Living costs
In addition to your course fees and any additional course-specific costs, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.
Living costs for part-time study
Your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you will still need to cover your cost of living on a full-time basis for the duration of your course, even if you will not be based in Oxford throughout your studies. While the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student living in Oxford in the 2026-27 academic year is between £1,405 and £2,105 per month, living costs outside Oxford may be different.
Part-time students who are not based in Oxford will need to calculate travel and accommodation costs carefully. Depending on your circumstances and study plans, this may include the cost of a visitor visa to attend for short blocks of time (if visitor visa eligibility criteria are met).
Further information about living costs
The current economic climate and periods of high national inflation in recent years make it harder to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. For study in Oxford beyond the 2026-27 academic year, it is suggested that you budget for potential increases in living expenses of around 4% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation.
A breakdown of likely living costs for one month during the 2026-27 academic year are shown below. These costs are based on a single, full-time graduate student, with no dependants, living in Oxford.
| Lower range | Upper range | |
|---|---|---|
| Food | £315 | £545 |
| Accommodation | £825 | £990 |
| Personal items | £160 | £310 |
| Social activities | £50 | £130 |
| Study costs | £35 | £90 |
| Other | £20 | £40 |
| Total | £1,405 | £2,105 |
For information about how these figures have been calculated as well as tables showing the likely living costs for nine and twelve months, please refer to the living costs page of our website.
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.
If you are a current Oxford student and you would like to remain at your current Oxford college, you should check whether it is listed below. If it is, you should indicate this preference when you apply. If not, you should contact your college office to ask whether they would be willing to make an exception. Further information about staying at your current college can be found in our Application Guide.
The following colleges accept students on the MSc in Surgical Science and Practice:
Before you apply
Our guide to getting started provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application, including advice to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.
If it is important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under the 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 and when to apply in our Application Guide.
Application fee waivers
An application fee of £75 is payable for each application to this course. 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.
Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?
You do not need to contact 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, 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.
The department will accept professional references if these are relevant to the course.
Your references will support your academic ability and suitability for the programme. You should ask your referees to provide any other information they consider to be relevant to your application. If they have knowledge of your recent study, it would be helpful if they could indicate the standard attained.
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 500 words
Your statement should be written in English and explain your motivation for applying for the course at Oxford, your relevant experience and education, and the specific areas that interest you and/or you intend to specialise in.
There are no restrictions on font size or line spacing, although the document should be clearly legible.
If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.
This will be assessed for your motivation for applying to this particular programme of study; your relevant academic, research, or practical experience; and the areas of study within the subject that interest you.
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.
After you've submitted your application
Your application (including the supporting documents outlined above) will be assessed against the entry requirements detailed on this course page. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed. You can find out more about our shortlisting and selection process in our detailed guide to what happens next.
Find out how to manage your application after submission, using our Applicant Self-Service tool.