Program Overview

Genomic Medicine MSc/PGDip/PGCert

Key information

Delivery mode: In person Study mode: Full time, Part time Duration: One year full-time, two-three years part-time, Entry September Application status: Open

Key benefits

• Designed by NHSE - Our curriculum is designed by NHS England and jointly taught by City St George’s and King's College London, giving you access to experts across different specialisms.
• Specialist modules - Pick from optional modules in growing areas such as cardiovascular genetics and genomics, fetal genomics, genomics of neurological disorders and advanced bioinformatics.
• Build your research profile - Experience working within an internationally recognised research group when you do your final project.
• Complete your project abroad - Our students have the opportunity to do their research project abroad with funding through the Turing Scheme.
• Study on a modular basis - All our modules are offered as standalone for your Professional Development (CPD). You can also upgrade from module-only to one of our degree awards.

Course essentials

We’ve designed this course to introduce the key areas of genomics. You’ll also gain an understanding of disease genetics and how genomic medicine can explain disease mechanisms and biology. You’ll examine the range of ‘omic’ technologies, their interpretation and application in key areas such as cancer, rare inherited diseases and infectious diseases, as well as research. Nowadays bioinformatics and data interpretation are playing a crucial role in genomics. In our programme, we’ll make sure that you learn the skills to critically interpret existing research, as well as collect, analyse and interpret your own data using different techniques. If you’re completing the full MSc, you’ll have the choice of carrying out a 60-credit hands-on research project or a 30-credit extended literature review. Many of our part-time students choose a project that links to their current role. Others have explored diverse topics such as genomics and epigenomics features of diseases, bioinformatics analysis of transcriptomics in different cancers, and how genomic experts can integrate minority ethnic groups. One recent student also explored how genomic education could benefit midwife training. You can also complete your research project abroad through the Turing Scheme.

Entry requirements

UK applicants

• Standard requirements: To apply for this course and for further information, please visit the City St George's webpage.
• Non-standard requirements: To apply for this course and for further information, please visit the City St George's webpage.

International applicants

Equivalent International qualifications

• Select a country: [list of countries]

English language requirements

• English language band: B
• To study at King's, it is essential that you can communicate in English effectively in an academic environment. You are usually required to provide certification of your competence in English before starting your studies.

Teaching & structure

Teaching methods - what to expect

• Lectures
• Seminars
• Workshops
• The course is delivered at both City St George’s Tooting campus and King’s College London Guy’s campus.
• We share our site with one of the UK’s largest teaching hospitals giving you the chance to learn in a busy healthcare environment. Most of our teaching staff have previously worked in genomics across a range of specialist areas, so you will learn from academics, researchers and clinicians with real on-the-job experience.
• We use a patient-centred approach in our education. We invite representatives from patient groups or someone who has been through a genetic process to share their experience and what it meant to them.
• We teach in blocks of five consecutive working days for each module, most of them in person, with our timetable running from approximately 9.00 - 17.00
• How our experts teach depends on the course content, but we recognise that our students have different learning styles. On this course, you can expect a diverse range of:
  • Computer-based sessions
  • Guest lectures including talks from patients
  • Multidisciplinary group discussions
  • Face to face lectures
  • Self-directed learning
  • Practical workshops
  • Tutorials

Assessment

• The way we assess your learning will change depending on the module, but we use a variety of assessment methods, so every student has a chance to show their knowledge and strengths. You can expect a mixture of:
  • Multiple choice questions
  • Short answer questions
  • Multidisciplinary group discussions
  • Roleplay activities
  • Case study essays
  • Exams
  • Individual and group oral presentations
  • Research projects
• To prepare you for the practical challenges you’ll face, we design assessments that reflect real-world scenarios, such as case reviews and research projects.
• Your assessments will be formative and summative. This means some won’t count towards your final grade and you’ll have the chance to improve based on our feedback.
• As this is a modular course there is no final exam. Instead, each module has one or two assessments, most of them running online.

Structure

• Required modules:
  • Advanced Bioinformatics
  • Application of Genomics in Infectious Disease
  • Bioinformatics, Interpretation and Data Quality Assurance in Genome Analysis
  • Ethical, legal and social issues in applied genomics
  • Fetal Genomics: Decoding the Blueprint of Human Development
  • Fundamentals of Human Genetics and Genomics
  • Genomics of Cardiovascular Disorders
  • Genomics of Common and Rare Inherited Disease
  • Genomics of Neurological Disorders
  • Introduction to Counselling Skills in Genomics
  • Molecular Pathology of Cancer and Application in Cancer Diagnosis, Screening and Treatment
  • Omics Techniques and Technologies; Their Application to Genomic Medicine
  • Pharmacogenomics and Stratified Healthcare
  • Research Project

Careers

Employability

• Genomics is an area of rapid change, with a particular skills shortage in bioinformatics. We’ve designed this course for recent graduates and healthcare professionals who want to specialise in this field and master genomic technologies for their role. You might be a researcher or work as a diagnostic and healthcare professional.
• Our graduates have gone on to work in clinical diagnostics, clinical trials, the NHS Scientist Training Programme, bioinformatics, and laboratory research. Others have continued to study further postgraduate programmes or a PhD.
• Here are just a few examples of graduate roles and organisations where you’ll find our alumni:
  • Research assistant at Circadian Therapeutics and Anthony Nolan
  • Clinical trials assistant at IQVIA
  • Clinical research associate at First Cardiology Consultants
  • Research assistant at the Scientist Training Programme (STP-NHS)
  • Bioinformaticians at King’s College London
  • Scientific data associate at Abcam PLC
  • Genomic associate at St Mark’s Hospital
  • Lab technicians at Cambridge CRUK

Fees & Funding

Tuition Fees

• For all information about fees and funding, please visit the City St George's webpage.

Funding

• To find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans, and other financial help available at King's please visit the Fees and Funding section.