MSc in EBHC Systematic Reviews



Course details

This is a course for health professionals who want to gain an understanding of the importance of systematic reviews in health care as well as the practical skills to conduct them. 

This is a joint programme between the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences and the Department for Continuing Education. The Programme works in collaboration with the renowned Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine in Oxford.

Students will be provided with training in the fundamental principles of evidence-based health care and research design as well as more specific training in the conduct of basic and more complex systematic reviews.

This course is designed for health care professionals and researchers seeking to consolidate their understanding and ability in contextualising, carrying out, and applying systematic reviews appropriately in health care settings. Core modules will introduce the students to the principles of evidence-based health care, as well as the core skills and methods needed for research design and conduct. Further modules will provide students with specific skills in conducting basic systematic reviews, meta-analysis, and more complex reviews, such as realist reviews, reviews of clinical study reports and diagnostic accuracy reviews. Teaching is tailored to those with a minimal prior knowledge of systematic reviews and delivered by an experienced team of tutors from the University of Oxford, who actively work to advance the practice of evidence-based health care through the conduct and dissemination of systematic reviews.

This programme supports students through a training programme that includes core teaching modules and a dissertation, leading to an MSc qualification in EBHC Systematic Reviews.

Compared with the MSc in Evidence-Based Health Care, this degree will suit those with a particular interest in and requirement for training in the conduct of systematic reviews relevant to evidence-based health care.

Watch the following video for more information about the course:

 

Our Student Spotlights feature students' experiences both on and after their courses, and highlight the day-to-day life of study on the Evidence-Based Healthcare programmes.

Coronavirus update

The admissions cycle for this programme is progressing as planned, and the University is committed to ensuring that offer holders can take up their place as expected. Information will be made available as the situation develops. Find out more here. 

Course aims

The course aims to provide health-care professionals with a structured training in designing, conducting, and interpreting high-quality systematic reviews in health care. Students will develop sufficient skills to conduct systematic reviews independently.

  • To introduce the basic concepts and skills of evidence-based health care, including how to formulate a clinical research question, search for evidence; critically appraise evidence for sources of bias, and apply evidence to health care settings.
  • To describe in detail different types of research methods and identify the strengths and weaknesses of different study designs. 
  • To learn how to design a systematic review research protocol.
  • To gain a more detailed understanding of the process involved in conducting a systematic review.
  • To develop the skills to conduct, report, and update a systematic review.
  • To gain a familiarity with basic and advanced techniques for the analysis of quantitative systematic review data: meta-analysis, meta-regression, network meta-analysis, diagnostic meta-analysis, individual patient data meta-analysis. 
  • To gain an understanding of and reasons for more complex systematic reviews in health care, such as realist reviews, reviews of clinical study reports, prognostic reviews, and meta-synthesis.
  • To explore new paradigms in systematic reviews and evidence synthesis.
  • To gain sufficient training to conduct systematic reviews independently.

Programme details

The MSc in EBHC Systematic Reviews is a part-time course.

There are six compulsory modules and a dissertation, which will take the form of a systematic review.

Compulsory Modules

A module is run over an eight week cycle where the first week is spent working on introductory activities using a Virtual Learning Environment, the second week is spent in Oxford for the face to face teaching week (this takes place on the dates advertised), there are then four Post-Oxford activities (delivered through the VLE) which are designed to help you write your assignment. You then have a week of personal study and you will be required to submit your assignment electronically the following week (usually on a Tuesday at 14:00 UK Local Time).

Assessment methods

Assessment for each module will be based on a written assignment, which shall not be of more than 4,000 words. Students for the MSc will also be required to complete a dissertation on a topic chosen in consultation with a supervisor and the Course Director. The dissertation should not normally exceed 15,000 words.

To complete the MSc students must:

  • Attend and complete 6 compulsory modules
  • Complete a dissertation on a topic chosen in consultation with a supervisor and the Course Director. The dissertation should normally not exceed 15,000 words.
  • Attend a viva voce examination at the end of the course of studies at the discretion of the examiners

Fee rates for the academic year 2020-21*

*Rates for 2021/22 to be confirmed

These rates (in pounds sterling) are for students joining in the 2020-21 academic year and will increase annually.

The annual award fee is due for every academic year (or part-year) attended; module or dissertation fees are due in advance as invoiced. Fees must be paid in accordance with the Terms and Conditions for the programme.

Annual Award Fee:

£6,585

Module fees:

£2,000 (per taught module)

Dissertation fee:

£6,000 (equivalent to 3 module fees)

Illustration for full programme (completing in three years, with six taught modules and a dissertation)

3 annual award fees:

£19,755 (see notes 1 and 2)

plus 6 module fees: £12,000 (see notes 1 and 2)
plus dissertation fee: £6,000 (see notes 1 and 2)

Total:

£37,755 (see notes 1 and 2)

Notes

  1. The fee rates listed are for the academic year shown, and you should be aware that these rates will increase annually.
  2. The Illustration is based on the fee rates for the academic year shown; however, fee rates for attendance in future years will increase, so students attending for more than one year should expect the total to be higher than is shown in the Illustration. The exact amount will depend on the fee rates set annually, and upon the years you are in attendance; these are normally published well before the start of each academic year, but for your own budgetary purposes you may wish to estimate a 5% annual increase on fee rates.
  3. MSc students are matriculated and are full members of the Collegiate University; college fees are included within the MSc programme fees and are paid to the colleges on a student’s behalf.
  4. Funding: Overseas students applying for the MSc in Evidence-Based Health Care are eligible to apply for a Clarendon Fund Scholarship.

Scholarships

Details of funding opportunities, including grants, bursaries, loans, scholarships and benefit information are available on the Fees and Funding page.

Level and demands

To be eligible for the course you should:

For the full Selection Criteria please refer to the Graduate Admissions website.

  • be a graduate or have successfully completed a professional training course
  • have professional work experience in the health service or a health-related field
  • be able to combine intensive classroom learning with the application of the principles and practices of evidence-based health care within the work place
  • have a good working knowledge of email, internet, word processing and Windows applications (for communications with course members, course team and administration)
  • show evidence of the ability to commit time to study and an employer's commitment to make time available to study, complete course work and attend course and university events and modules.

Apply for this course

Applications for this course should be made via the University of Oxford Graduate Admissions website. This website includes further information about this course and a guide to applying. 

Early application for the programme is advised. Applications which have not been fully completed before the application deadline cannot be considered, so please ensure any applications are received by us in good time so that we may advise of missing or incorrectly completed elements. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to telephone interview, and asked to provide evidence of their funding for the programme.

Applications open on 2nd  September 2019 for entry in October 2020.  To see if this course is still open for applications for admission please visit the University of Oxford Graduate Admissions website. Courses with a green admission status are open for applications, amber means the course will be closing at 12 noon on the following Friday and red means it has closed to new applications.

For further information on applying, please refer to the Application Guide. Please read our Terms and Conditions before submitting your application. If you would like to discuss your application or any part of the application process before applying please contact:

Frazer Mackenzie (Course Manager)
Tel: +44 (0)1865 270453 - Email: cpdhealth@conted.ox.ac.uk

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support