Biomedicine

MSc

  • Entry year 2025 or 2024
  • Duration Full time 1 year, Part time 2 years

Overview

The MSc in Biomedicine at Lancaster offers an intensive 12-month programme in a world-class environment with teaching and supervision by research-active staff. We aim to develop your intellectual, practical and transferable skills as you obtain a highly sought-after postgraduate qualification.

We are passionate advocates of academic curiosity and lifelong learning. The programme combines taught modules with a substantial dissertation research project, each making up half of the required points for assessment. This dual approach consolidates crucial skills whilst offering the flexibility to pursue a semi-independent research agenda.

The MSc lectures and workshops are aligned with the Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences core research themes and showcase the wide diversity of biomedical research; we use them to explore its application to human health and disease.

You will undertake a research project as a core module, as well as six optional modules. These will cover a range of hot topics in biomedicine and may include global health, cancer biology, diseases of the brain, infectious disease, drug discovery and biomedical ethics. These provide a springboard for your independent research project. Your dissertation provides you with the opportunity to produce a robust scientific argument, to formulate and test hypotheses and to assess contrasting scientific theories.

As well as obtaining practical experience of cutting-edge techniques during your research project, you will improve your autonomous problem-solving and decision-making skills. Throughout the Master's, you will apply the principles of biomedical ethics and learning techniques to scientific problem-solving exercises. Our academic staff will encourage, support and guide you to ensure that you graduate with increased competence and confidence.

Our graduates are highly regarded for their communication skills, analytical ability, confidence in critical evaluation, and their competence in interpreting data in a biomedical context. This opens doors to careers in the NHS, industry, government and charities. Our MSc programme also provides an excellent grounding for those who wish to pursue further academic research at PhD level.

Entry requirements

Academic Requirements

2:1 Hons degree (UK or equivalent) in an appropriate Biosciences subject such as Biology, Biomedical Sciences or Biochemistry. Eligible related subjects are also considered. If you have any queries regarding the suitability of your undergraduate degree please contact the admissions team.

We may also consider non-standard applicants. Please contact us for information.

If you have studied outside of the UK, we would advise you to check our list of international qualifications before submitting your application.

English Language Requirements

We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.

We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 6.5, and a minimum of 5.5 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications.

If your score is below our requirements, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language programmes.

Contact: Admissions Team +44 (0) 1524 592032 or email pgadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk

Pre-master’s programmes

Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored pre-master’s pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University master’s degrees. Visit the INTO Lancaster University website for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.

Course structure

You will study a range of modules as part of your course, some examples of which are listed below.

Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, but changes may be necessary, for example as a result of student feedback, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes, and new research. Not all optional modules are available every year.

Core

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Optional

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Fees and funding

Location Full Time (per year) Part Time (per year)
Home £14,140 £7,070
International £30,310 £15,155

General fees and funding information

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Scholarships and bursaries

You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status and course. You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.

Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.

If you're considering postgraduate research you should look at our funded PhD opportunities.

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We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.

Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries.

Important Information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2025/2026 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.

Our Students’ Charter

We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies.