PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
Programme title:
MSc / MRes Stroke Medicine
Final award (BSc, MA etc):
PG Certificate /PG Diploma / MSc / MRes
(where stopping off points exist they should be
detailed here and defined later in the document)
UCAS code: (where applicable)
Cohort(s) to which this programme
specification is applicable:
N/A
2015/16 onwards
(e.g. from 2008 intake onwards)
Awarding institution/body:
University College London
Teaching institution:
University College London
Faculty:
Faculty of Brain Sciences (FBS)
Parent Department:
Institute of Neurology
(the department responsible for the administration of
the programme)
Departmental web page address:
www.ucl.ac.uk/ion
(if applicable)
Method of study:
Full time
Full-time/Part-time/Other
Criteria for admission to the
programme:
A medical degree or a first degree (2:1) or above in a
relevant subject e.g. psychology, physiotherapy, speech
and language therapy, Occupational Therapy, Biological or
Biomedical sciences, nursing, etc.
Length of the programme:
1 year full time
(please note any periods spent away from UCL, such
as study abroad or placements in industry)
Level on Framework for Higher
Education Qualifications (FHEQ)
(see Guidance notes)
Relevant subject benchmark statement
(SBS)
7
There is no relevant subject benchmark statement at the
time of writing.
(see Guidance notes)
Brief outline of the structure of the
programme
and
its
assessment
methods:
(see guidance notes)
The programme comprises 180 M-Level credits.
6 x 15 credit taught modules
1 x 30 credit library project (literature review)
1 x 60 credit main research project
The research project is assessed by a (10,000 word)
dissertation and viva examination
The library project will be assessed by a (5,000 word)
dissertation.
The other taught modules will be assessed by a mixture of
short-answer, MCQ exams and open-book / timed essays.
Board of Examiners:
Name of Board of Examiners:
MSc/MRes Stroke Medicine
Professional body accreditation
(if applicable):
None
Date of next scheduled
accreditation visit:
EDUCATIONAL AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME:
Importance of the topic: stroke is due to blockage or rupture of cerebral blood vessels causing tissue injury. It
is the second commonest cause of death worldwide, and the commonest cause of adult disability. There are
about 150,000 strokes every year in the UK alone - one every 5 minutes - so almost everyone will have a family
member, friend or colleague affected by the consequences of stroke. Treatment of stroke has radically chanegd
in recent years, with the increased use of thrombolysis and more recently acute blood pressure lowering in
cerebral haemorrhage.
The need for this course: The treatment of stroke has undergone a revolution in the last 5-10 years. Major
service reconfigurations have been implemented in London and elsewhere to provide the best acute treatments
for stroke. The complexity and heterogeneity of stroke is increasingly recognized, requiring specialist care and
research. There are no MSc / MRes courses of similar scope and quality in the UK. The present course comes
at an ideal time to fulfil this urgent need to educate the next generation of researchers and clinical providers of
expert stroke care.
Why this course should be provided at UCL: The UCLH comprehensive stroke service is recognized as one
of the best and busiest in the UK, treating over 2,500 suspected strokes per year in our Hyperacute Stroke Unit
(HASU). UCL has a world class reputation in stroke research and hosts the NIHR North Thames Stroke
Research Network. Special areas of research and clinical excellence include carotid disease, stroke recovery
and neurorehabilitation, and neuroimaging cerebral haemorrhage and small vessel disease. We are at the
forefront of new approaches to stroke treatment, and a major endovascular centre within London. We also have
a highly developed neuro-critical care pathway Beyond the acute phase, specialist neurorehabilitation and
neuropsychology are also provided in our pathway. The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
(NHNN) is a world leading centre for clinical neurosciences.
Overall educational aims and objectives: to provide comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the
causes, pathophysiology, and treatment of stroke, and of the healthcare delivery systems relevant to modern
stroke care. The course will include underpinning science, research methodology and practical aspects of stroke
care and its delivery, based on the latest high quality evidence.
The target audience for this course: This course will be open to multiple professional groups involved in
stroke care, to reflect the multidisciplinary approach required for excellent stroke care. The course will be of
great value to doctors training (or already qualified) in stroke medicine or relevant parent specialties (e.g.
neurology, care of the elderly, cardiology, acute medicine, etc.), and allied professions including nursing,
physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and psychology.
PROGRAMME OUTCOMES:
The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding,
qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas:
A: Knowledge and understanding
Knowledge and understanding of:
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
1.Pathophysiology and neuroimaging
This material will be covered in the five new taught
modules comprising lectures, master classes, and
practical workshops such as in stroke neuroimaging
and statistics.
2.Clinical manifestations of stroke
3. Treatment and service delivery
4. Epidemiology and prevention of stroke
Research theory will be taught within the statistics
and research methods module and strengthened
during the research project.
5. Neurorehabilitation
Students will attend journal clubs and /or
departmental and institutional presentations to
review and discuss relevant papers, and keep up to
date in the field.
6. Research Methods, including Critical
Appraisal, and Introduction to Statistics
Assessment:
1.Pathophysiology and neuroimaging
The taught modules will be assessed by a mixture
of short-answer, MCQ exams and open-book /
timed essays.
2.Clinical manifestations of stroke
3. Treatment and service delivery
Thesis and oral presentation of research project
4. Epidemiology and prevention of stroke
Poster presentation at Queen Square Symposium
or other similar meeting
5. Neurorehabilitation
6. Research Methods, including Critical
Appraisal, and Introduction to Statistics
B: Skills and other attributes
Intellectual (thinking) skills:
Critical evaluation of evidence base for
modern stroke care.
Lectures, practical sessions, meetings with
research supervisor
Formulation and testing of hypotheses
using appropriate experimental design.
Journal clubs, presentations (attending and
delivering), meetings with supervisor
Planning, execution and writing-up of an
extended piece of original research
Workshops/practicals, journal clubs, presentations
Interpreting data and evaluation
information from a variety of sources
Final presentation of research project and
presentation at journal clubs
Effectively using the appropriate scientific
literature
Library project, poster presentation,
Communicating ideas and findings
Oral research project presentation and thesis
Intellectual (thinking) skills:
Assessment:
Critical evaluation of evidence base for
modern stroke care.
Journal club, presentation and poster
Formulation and testing of hypotheses
using appropriate experimental design.
Statistics exam
Planning, execution and writing-up of an
extended piece of original research
Dissertation, presentation and viva
Interpreting data and evaluation
information from a variety of sources
Clinical abstract, poster, viva, thesis
Effectively using the appropriate scientific
literature
Underpinning the essays, Library project (review)
and main research project.
Communicating ideas and findings
Written dissertation, oral presentation, poster
presentation
C: Skills and other attributes
Practical skills (able to):
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
Plan a study
Lectures, workshops
Interpret scientific and clinical data
Lectures, journal club, Library project
Interpret neuroimaging data
Lectures, practical workshops
Plan a stroke service
Lectures, practical workshops
Research supervisor consultation, workshops
Plan a study
Assessment:
Dissertation, presentation
Interpret scientific and clinical data
Project dissertation
Interpret neuroimaging data
Practical exam
Plan a stroke service
Essay
D: Skills and other attributes
Transferable skills (able to):
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
Effective communication
Workshops, presentation session, lectures
Statistics and computer models
Lectures, workshops, practicals
Project management
Lectures, workshops
Knowledge transfer
Main research project
Use of information and specialist
technologies
Seminars, journal club
Growth as a specialist stroke practitioner /
researcher
Access, interpret and synthesize complex
information
Statistics workshops, Library skills training,
neuroimaging training
Journal clubs, lectures, workshops, tutorials,
interaction with other researchers
Lectures, workshops, practical sessions, research
project
Transferable skills (able to):
Assessment:
Effective communication
Poster, viva and dissertation
Statistics and computer models
Exam, abstract, poster and dissertation
Project management
Exam, poster, dissertation
Knowledge transfer
Abstract, poster, dissertation
Use of information and specialist
technologies
Poster, dissertation
Growth as a specialist stroke practitioner /
researcher
Dissertation, abstract
Access, interpret and synthesize complex
information
Poster, abstract, dissertation and viva, oral
presentation of research project
The following reference points were used in designing the programme:
 the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications:
(http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/Framework-Higher-Education-Qualifications-08.pdf);
 the relevant Subject Benchmark Statements:
(http://www.qaa.ac.uk/assuring-standards-and-quality/the-quality-code/subject-benchmark-statements);
 the programme specifications for UCL degree programmes in relevant subjects (where applicable);
 UCL teaching and learning policies;
 staff research.
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the
learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she
takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided. More detailed information on the learning
outcomes, content and teaching, learning and assessment methods of each course unit/module can be found in
the departmental course handbook. The accuracy of the information contained in this document is reviewed
annually by UCL and may be checked by the Quality Assurance Agency.
Programme Organiser(s) Name(s):
Dr. David Werring, Dr. Rob Simister, Dr. Caroline Selai
Date of Production:
May 2014
Date of Review:
July 2015
Date approved by Head of
Department:
July 2015
Date approved by Chair of
Departmental Teaching
Committee:
Date approved by Faculty
Teaching Committee
July 2015
August 2015