Short course

Clinical Trials (MPH)

The short course will enable you to understand the role of randomised trials and the ethics involved, to appreciate the principles of good trial design, the application of alternatives and how trial results are used to inform health policy.

Start date
February 2025
Mode
Face-to-face
Cost
Home microcredential fee: £1170 International fee: £3260 Non-credit fee: £970
Level
Postgraduate Microcredential
Credit
20 credits

Overview

This short course aims to provide you with a theoretical and practical understanding of trial methodology with a focus on understanding, critical appraisal and interpretation of published work. Materials will be derived from real, ongoing or completed trials. The course will involve lectures, task-based learning and facilitated group-discussion. 

Content

On completion, you should be able to:

  1. Understand the role of randomised trials and be able to explain the purpose of randomisation.
  2. Recognise and understand the principles of good trial design, conduct, analysis and reporting and be able to critically appraise and interpret trial results.
  3. Understand the processes of ethical approval, data and safety monitoring, informed consent, Good Clinical Practice and regulation as applied to clinical trials.
  4. Understand how alternative trial designs can be applied and the need for appropriate sample size calculations and outcome selection.
  5. Understand how trial results can be used to inform health policy such as NICE guidelines.

Attendance Required

2 block weeks of teaching

Course dates

10-14 February

Assessment

One unseen examination

Coordinators

  • Laura Magill (module lead) 
  • Rebecca Woolley (deputy module lead) 

Stand Alone Course

  • Clinical Trials can be taken as a stand alone course if required.
  • It can be assessed or non assessed.
  • To apply, or for further information, please contact the Programme Coordinator at mph@contacts.bham.ac.uk 
  • All applications must be received a minimum of one month before the start date of the module

You can choose to study this course as either a microcredential or a non-credit CPD shortcourse.

Why choose a Postgraduate Microcredential short course?

  • Usually taken from exisiting modules within a Masters, they can be used as standalone credentials with some also counting as academic credits at postgraduate level
  • Add a postgraduate level qualification to your CV
  • Develop the specialist skills you need for your career goals
  • Alumni status with the University of Birmingham
  • Learners will have the same access to our student support and campus facilities as our students on full degree programmes.

Please note that once registered for the microcredential you cannot swap for the non-credit shortcourse version.

Apply for the Microcredential

Non-credit short course

The microcredential and the non-credit short course follow the same course structure, the difference between them both is with the non-credit short course you do not take the assessment at the end therefore you will not receive credits but will recieve a certificate of completion, this certificate cannot be converted to credits. 

Please note if you apply for the non-credit short course, you cannot swap to the microcredential version once registered. 

Apply for the non-credit CPD shortcourse