MSc Statistics for Clinical Trials (Online)

Our online MSc in Statistics for Clinical trials will develop your knowledge and know-how of statistics in clinical trials.

• Students learn about the main statistical tools and principles used in clinical trials.
• Teaching is delivered by statisticians with expertise in many different areas of applied and theoretical statistics.
• All types of trials, from early to late phase trials, and from simple to complex interventions are covered.

Statistics is a key tool in clinical trials, which are essential in discovering whether new healthcare interventions improve the lives of patients. Statistics is used at the design stage to compare possible designs, calculate the sample size, and at all stages of the trial until the final analysis and reporting of results.

This online programme will provide an excellent grounding in statistics for clinical trials. Frequentist as well as Bayesian statistics will be covered. You will learn about all types of trials, from early to late phase trials, and from simple to complex interventions. This will be both from a design and analysis perspective. In addition, you will learn to code in R and STATA.

Graduates of this programme will be prepared to pursue careers in academic or industry sectors, or further study to PhD level. Clinicians taking this programme will be equipped to be involved in Clinical Trials and fully engage with statisticians.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of seven core modules (120 credits), and a dissertation/report (60 credits)

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change.

Compulsory modules

All modules, except where indicated, are worth 15 credits.

• Further Trial Designs and Outcomes
• Introduction to Clinical Trial Designs and Statistical Analysis (30 credits)
• MSc Clinical Trials - Research Project and Dissertation
• Health Economics in Clinical Trials
• Meta Analysis in Clinical Trials
• Statistical Coding in Clinical Trials
• Statistical Inference and Models in Clinical Trials
• Advanced Clinical Trials Statistics
  

How is the programme delivered?

The programme is delivered entirely online through a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops, tutorials, online resources and practical work. Assessment is through online examinations and assignments (for example, essays, abstracts, background section of a protocol, critical analysis of published work, patient information and communication plans) and the dissertation/report.

Full Time students are expected to attend online classes both on Tuesdays & Thursdays. Part Time students have the flexibility to decide which modules they wish to undertake in that particular term/academic year, with classes either being on Tuesdays or Thursdays depending on your module selection.

What this course will give you

The Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology (ICTM) at UCL is a global leader in the field with over 450 researchers (including statisticians, clinicians, trials managers) working within it. Students will meet and be taught by many of these statisticians and researchers.

There is expertise from early to late-phase clinical trials, stratified medicine and novel interventions such as targeted therapies. Statisticians working at the ICTM have a wealth of applied experience and theoretical / methodological knowledge that will be taught to students on the programme.

In general UCL is linked with four NHS hospital trusts and hosts three biomedical research centres, four clinical trial units and an Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology. Established links between UCL Statistical Science, the NIHR UCLH/UCL Biomedical Research Centre and the Clinical Trial Units provide high-quality MSc summer projects for students.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

Clinical trials, and statistics in clinical trials in particular, is an expanding and highly competitive field of research yet employers find it challenging to recruit people with the appropriate skills and knowledge. It is a regulatory requirement that every trial receives the input from a qualified statistician. This programme has been designed in consultation with employers from academia, the pharmaceutical industry and the NHS. It will give graduates the critical thinking, problem-solving and practical skills that employers seek in this multidisciplinary, collaborative field.

Students completing the MSc Statistics for Clinical Trials will be eligible to work as Clinical Trials statisticians. For clinicians the programme will provide the statistical tools to be involved in research and clinical trials.

The qualification may also be used as springboard for further study at PhD-level in the field of clinical trials.

Employability

Potential career opportunities include clinical trial statistics in academic trials units, the pharmaceutical industry, contract research organisations, hospitals and government organisations. Students may also use this qualification as a springboard for further study at doctoral level. Clinicians will possess the right knowledge and statistical skills to work in clinical research, in particular clinical trials.