PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
Programme title:
MSc in Clinical Neurology
Final award (BSc, MA etc):
MSc
(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
2006/7 intake onward
(e.g. from 2008 intake onwards)
Awarding institution/body:
University College London
Teaching institution:
University College London
Faculty:
Brain Sciences
Parent Department:
Institute of Neurology
(the department responsible for the
administration of the programme)
Departmental web page
address:
www.ion.ucl.ac.uk
(if applicable)
Method of study:
Full Time
Full-time/Part-time/Other
Criteria for admission to the
programme:
Length of the programme:
(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)
(see Guidance notes)
Medical qualifications (graduate medical degree), at least 2 years
postgraduate experience in clinical medicine, registration with the GMC (or
equivalent national authority for overseas students), and at least 6 months
previous clinical experience in clinical neurology.
12 months
Masters Level (Level 7)
At the date of writing, on the general Masters benchmark descriptor
is available
Brief outline of the structure of
the
programme
and
its
assessment methods:
(see guidance notes)
There are 9 modules (details in appendix 2):
Component (all
mandatory)
Diseases of the
Nervous System
Peripheral Nerve,
Muscle and Special
Senses
Motor Systems &
Disease
Higher Functions of
the Brain
Practical neurology
Theoretical
neurology
Research project
Board of Examiners:
% of
total
mark
8.3%
No of
credits
Mode of assessment
15 credits
3000 word essay
8.3%
15 credits
3000 word essay
8.3%
15 credits
2 hour unseen exam
8.3%
15 credits
3000 word essay
16.6%
30 credits
16.6%
30credits
Short Case clinical exam 66%
Multimedia exam 34%
2 hour unseen exam
33.6%
60 credits
- Dissertation
- viva voce
Name of Board of Examiners:
MSc in Clinical Neurology
Professional body accreditation
(if applicable):
N/A
Date of next scheduled
accreditation visit:
EDUCATIONAL AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME:
The MSc in Clinical Neurology aims to provide specialised training in the clinical and scientific basis of a
wide range of neurological disorders.
The course will equip students with a deep understanding of disorders of the nervous system and which
will be of benefit to their future careers. The course includes a research project and thesis writing which
will provide a grounding for future research work. It will provide an excellent basis for a clinical or
research career in clinical neurology and related disciplines.
The course will cover the following clinical areas: 1. nerve and muscle; 2. epilepsy; 3. pain; 4.
movement disorders and Parkinson’s Disease; 5. neuro-otology and neuro-ophthalmology; 6. stroke;
7. neuropsychiatry and cognition; 8. infections of the nervous system; 9. multiple sclerosis and
neuroimmunology; 10. Autonomic function and neuro-urology; 11. neuro-oncology and ITU
neurology
It is designed for those pursuing a professional career in clinical neurology, either as a clinical academic
or a clinician. Candidates are those with a medical degree and some postgraduate experience. It is
designed both for international and UK students. It will suit those who are planning or have completed
SpR training in clinical neurology or neurosurgery (or other related disciplines).
The course methods will include: (a) a lecture series (approx 100 lectures); (b) clinical teaching –
outpatients, inpatients, seminars, workshops, clinical demonstrations, clinico-pathological conferences,
grand rounds, training for history taking and clinical examination, seminars, clinical conferences in
epilepsy and neuropsychiatry, workshops in neuro-radiology and neuropaediatrics. (c) A research
project and dissertation (10,000 words); (d) subspecialist training in a single neurological specialty ,
The assessment methods include: essay, MCQ, short case clinical examination, viva voce, and a research
dissertation (10,000 words).
PROGRAMME OUTCOMES:
The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding,
qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas:
At the end of the course, the participants should have achieved a broad knowledge of the clinical
features and scientific basis of the 11 neurological areas/disorders listed above. This will provide the
student with:

Clinical competence in history taking/examination, diagnosis, investigation and formulation of
management plan and therapeutics in these neurological areas/disorders.

A working knowledge of the scientific basis of these neurological disorders/areas.

Awareness of major recent developments in research in clinical neuroscience.
The course aims to provide candidates with a sound basis on which to embark upon a successful career
in clinical or academic neurology.
A: Knowledge and understanding
Knowledge and understanding of:
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
The course will cover the following clinical areas:
1. nerve and muscle; 2. epilepsy; 3. pain; 4.
movement disorders and Parkinson’s Disease; 5.
neuro-otology and neuro-ophthalmology; 6.
stroke; 7. neuropsychiatry and cognition; 8.
Neuroimmunology, multiple sclerosis and
infections of the nervous system; 9. Autonomic
function and neuro-urology; 10. neuro-oncology
and ITU neurology
(a) Lectures series (components 15)
Teaching methods will be:
The lecture series will be delivered by approx 100
basic and clinical academics in UCL in various
fields of clinical neuroscience. The lectures are
supported by audio-visual aids and
supplementary materials e.g. hand-outs of slides
(with permissions),
reading-lists and references to original papers
and/or reviews. As a general teaching strategy
UCL’s MScs are moving towards facilitating
learning by e.g. making the lectures more
interactive. Among methods which will be used
for encouraging more student participation are
those which are in current usage at ION and
include (1) experimenting with different
questioning techniques (2) working in buzzgroups (and reporting back to plenary) and (3) emailing students a question/vignette so they can
prepare in advance of a lecture.
(b) Seminars and workshops
(components 7-8)
Teaching methods will be:
A number of seminars and workshops (about 2
per week in first six months of the course, and 1
per week in the second six months) are offered
where students gain both knowledge and some
understanding of practical skills related to a
range of aspects of neurological clinical and
research. The clinical seminars currently planned
are in epilepsy, neuro-oncology, movement
disorders, neuro-psychology and cognition,
neuro- paediatrics, neuro-immunology and
neuro-radiology.
(c) Clinical teaching and
demonstrations (component 6)
Teaching methods will be:
Clinical (patient-contact) teaching has always
been a popular and instructive form of learning
and there is considerable experience of this at
Institute of Neurology. The students will receive
2X sessions per week of formal bedside teaching
(inpatients and outpatients, clinical conferences)
each week in the first 6 months of the course,
and one session in the second six months. In the
second six months, they will be also exposed to
the clinical activities of the subspecialist team
(ward rounds, outpatients, teaching sessions).
Throughout the whole year, students will also be
expected to attend grand rounds, clinicopathological conferences, clinical demonstrations
and students will also have full access to the very
active general teaching programme at the
Institute of Neurology.
d) Research dissertation
(component 9)
Teaching methods will be:
Students will have a research assignment and be
asked to write a dissertation (10,000 words) on
this (in the second six months of the course). This
will allow students to gain an opportunity to
further understanding of chosen topics in an
independent learning situations and using clinical
research tools.
Each student is assigned an individual personal
Tutor. who monitors the student’s academic
achievement and attends to their pastoral care.
Assessment:
Essays; unseen exam; short case clinical exam;
MCQ, Multimedia exam, research dissertation and
oral exam.
B: Skills and other attributes
Intellectual (thinking) skills:
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
Students will be especially encouraged to
examine evidence critically.
Workshops will be offered on such topics as the
collection, organization, analysis and
interpretation of data.
There will opportunities to learn how to
conceptualise theoretical problems in
experimental terms. These aspects will be carried
out in small group seminar and workshop
settings.
Critical appraisal skills will be developed. At the
workshops, students will be asked to participate
in a variety of ways (e.g. workshops covering
presentation skills and the skills of giving
constructive feedback).
Generally students will be encouraged to develop
self direction, originality and critical thinking via
consultation with their supervisors and tutors
throughout the course and particularly in the
research project (during the second six months).
Assessment:
Intellectual skills will be assessed by continuous
assessment, unseen exam, the research project
dissertation and the viva voce examinations.
C: Skills and other attributes
Practical skills (able to):
(a) Clinical skills
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
In the 11 clinical areas listed above, students will
be expected to have developed knowledge and
practical clinical skills sufficient to provide a basis
for: (a) Clinical examination and history taking
and the approach to the patient with neurological
disease (b) diagnostic competence; (c)
knowledge of appropriate investigations and (d)
the ability to formulate a management plan and
therapeutic approach. In the second six months
of the course, these will be taught in greater
depth for one of the main neurological subspecialties (where possible tailored to the
students preference).
Assessment:
These will be assessed via MCQ, multimedia
exam, short case exams
(b) Research design, data collection,
analysis and dissertation writing
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
This will be learned in the second six month
project. Students undertake a main research
project. The project is intended as an exercise in
scientific investigation that is written up and
presented as a dissertation. Students have an
opportunity depending on their choice of course
to experience all major components of research
i.e.: searching
the literature; formulating an hypothesis;
principles of research design; developing good
working relationships and integrating with multidisciplinary teams; data collection, coding and
analysis; statistical techniques, discussion and
interpretation of results and the writing of a
dissertation.
Assessment:
Assessed by the examination of the dissertation,
and also viva voce.
(c) Literature searching:
Teaching/learning methods and
strategies:
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
Literature searching, systematic reviews, metaanalysis and the principles of critical reading are
taught in research training seminars. Aspects of
literature searching and handling data-bases are
also covered during induction sessions by library
staff. Practical experience is gained when
students carry out their research project.
Assessment:
Assessed during the main research projects
marked and at the viva voce.
(d) Managing references:
Teaching/learning methods and
strategies:
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
Reference Manager software taught by library
staff.
Assessment:
Assessed indirectly when
research project marked.
e) Data-analysis and statistics:
Teaching/learning methods and
strategies:
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
The students will have 5 workshops in statistics
and also data analysis and statistics will be
covered in various lectures. Students are
encouraged to consult statisticians individually at
the design stage of research projects.
Assessment:
Assessed indirectly as an important
component of the dissertation (Results, Study
Design, Data-analysis and Discussion sections).
f) Presentational skills, critical
appraisal of literature, how to handle
examinations and vivas
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
Students will learn these skills in the workshops
(specifically addressing each point). These
workshops will encourage interaction and in
some the students will act as examiners.
Assessment:
Continual assessment and performance in
examinations and viva voce.
D: Skills and other attributes
Transferable skills (able to):
(a) Clinical skills
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
Listed above (history taking, examination,
diagnosis, approach to investigation, approach to
management and therapeutics
Assessment:
These will be assessed mainly in the short case
examinations, multimedia exam and clinical
MCQs
(b) Writing skills:
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
These will be honed by a research training
seminar which will cover: (i) writing essays; (ii)
writing up a dissertation; (iii) the structure and
logic of scientific writing
Assessment:
(c) Asking and refining research
questions:
These are assessed mainly in the essays, unseen
exam and the research dissertation.
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
These will be honed by the research training
seminars and practically by literature searches,
data analysis and dissertation.
Assessment:
Will be assessed mainly in the research
dissertation and viva voce.
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)
Prof. S Shorvon
Name(s):
Date of Production:
June 2006
Date of Review:
October 2014
Date approved by Head of
Department:
October 2014
Date approved by Chair of
Departmental Teaching
Committee:
Date approved by Faculty
Teaching Committee
October 2014
November 2014