Please note there are no vacancies on this course for September 2024.
Page last updated 23 September 2024
Introduction
Study the only postgraduate masters degree in transfusion and transplantation in England, created in collaboration with NHSBT. Training at UWE and NHSBT's facility in Filton, the largest blood centre in Europe, you will learn from leading experts in practice.
Accreditations and partnerships:
Why study MSc Applied Transfusion and Transplantation Science?
Transfusion and transplantation services save lives. They provide vital blood, stem cell and organ donations for patients with serious illnesses, alongside specialist testing for hospital patients. Due to a national shortage in these services, transfusion and transplant specialists are in high demand. This MSc in Applied Transfusion and Transplantation Science aims to tackle this shortage.
Why UWE Bristol?
We are the only university in England to offer this master's degree in conjunction with NHS Blood and Transplant. The course addresses a knowledge and skills gap, fulfilling an urgent need to offer postgraduate study with experiential learning in support of developing laboratory advanced specialists. This master's is endorsed by the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT), a society of global transfusion medicine professionals, committed to enhancing transfusion practice. One of only two higher education courses in the world to receive this endorsement, the ISBT have praised our course on its well-structured design.
The content is not limited to scientific staff in post, but would suit recent graduates seeking advanced knowledge in transfusion and transplantation, and those progressing in research and development.
Advance your career
If you are a current health care employee in the NHS or outside the UK, this course may help support the development of your career in a scientific, research or management role. The course is also suitable for biomedical and other healthcare and life science graduates.
You will be able to choose from a range of study options including applying for stand-alone modules as CPD short courses. Flexible delivery of the course can adapt from full-time to part-time with short, blended teaching blocks, complementing a busy work schedule. We hope to welcome you to our inclusive degree, accessible from your workplace and adaptable to your needs.
Structure
Content
You will study:
- Applied Transfusion Science - including the study of haematopoiesis and haemostasis, the biology of blood transfusion, the 'vein to vein' process of blood transfusion therapy, management of transfusion therapy, and transfusion transmitted infections.
- Applied Transplantation Science - including the study of the biology of transplantation, stem cell and tissue banking, donor considerations for transplantation, advanced cell therapies and personalised medicine.
- Research Project - enabling students to study an extended project at NHSBT or within their own workplace, within an area of transfusion or transplantation. Students will gain an in-depth understanding of the research process, developing skills in planning and performing investigations, reaching valid conclusions, and critically evaluating their findings alongside existing published work.
- Enterprise and Innovation - covering the innovation pathway within the healthcare technology sector, from conceiving and testing an idea, through to exploiting it to achieve real world impact.
- Management of Clinical Services - enabling development of skills to manage and transform a clinical service, including managing people, quality management systems, clinical governance, data protection, regulatory frameworks, audit, budget management, and keeping the patient at the centre of the service.
- Research Methodology and Statistics - enabling you to gain advanced knowledge of research methodology, including health and safety, ethics and project management. You'll also learn how to use statistics, write for publication and develop reflective skills.
The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved we will inform you.
Learning and Teaching
Course delivery uses a flexible blended approach, through a mixture of face-to-face and online teaching, delivered in short teaching blocks. This delivery ensures the course is inclusive, whatever your location or preferred means of study.
This unique teaching curriculum applies scientific theory to clinical practice in the laboratory to develop your learning through various applied methods, including diagnostics and clinical case studies.
Teaching will be delivered in partnership with NHSBT, where practising experts in the field will deliver specialist modules. These specialist modules will include clinical laboratory management, transfusion science and transplantation science. You will also complete modules in research training, enterprise and innovation, alongside an extended research project. If you are interested in further professional development, you will be able to choose stand-alone modules as CPD short courses.
See our full glossary of learning and teaching terms.
Assessment
You will be assessed through various formative and summative methods, delivered through UWE Bristol's partnership with NHSBT.
Due to the practice-based nature of the course, teaching will also be delivered and assessed through laboratory practicals. We will also test your learning and communication skills through oral presentation, reflective portfolios and written exams. The extended project will lead to submission of a project dissertation and viva.
See our full glossary of assessment terms.
Features
Professional accreditation
A unique partnership
This course is a unique partnership with NHS Blood and Transplant, a leading organisation in its field, ensuring that you learn from leading specialists in practice and internationally recognised researchers.
Access to state-of-the-art facilities within NHSBT at Filton, the largest blood centre in Europe, will enable you to gain an insight in specialist teaching laboratories and gain hands-on experience.
Study facilities
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Life
Postgraduate support
Our support includes access to fantastic facilities, study tools and career consultants, plus practical help to access everything from funding to childcare.
Bristol
A stunning city for student living with all the qualities to make you want to stay.
Sports, societies and activities
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Health and Wellbeing
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Campus and facilities
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Careers
Careers / Further study
MSc Applied Transfusion and Transplantation Science suits many areas of postgraduate development but is aimed at those wishing to, or already working in the field or transfusion or transplantation. If you are employed within NHSBT or NHS Trusts, you'll upskill and develop within your existing role. Biomedical graduates could undertake this course to support entry into the profession.
As well as honing your skills, this master's will support your career progression, enabling you to progress to a more senior, specialist role within this field. This includes a senior research, scientific or management role in the NHS.
You'll gain an insight into many departments within NHSBT, including those conducting world-class research. You'll gain practical experience and hands-on skills in their specialist teaching labs. By the end of the course, you'll be equipped with the skills needed for a career in a clinical scientific environment, as well as laboratory practice and management.
The course offers many benefits if you're currently in employment in the NHS. You'll have the flexibility to work alongside your studies, strengthening your employability. The high demand for transfusion and transplant specialists will enable you to pursue a life-long career within these clinical services.
Our partnership with NHSBT allows you to network with experts in practice. You'll also have the chance to improve your professional development through standalone modules. Study one of our modules as a CPD short course, enabling you to specialise and improve your career prospects in your chosen specialist subject.
If you work in a hospital outside the UK, learning alongside UK experts will enable you to gain knowledge and skills from a world-leading organisation, providing knowledge exchange opportunities, and the chance to progress to a more senior role in a hospital or research setting within your respective country.
Our award-winning careers service helps you develop your employment potential through career coaching, a vacancy service for internships, placements, jobs and where possible, global opportunities, volunteering, community activity, support for entrepreneurial activity, and access to employer events.
Fees
Full time course
Part time course
Indicative Additional Costs
Supplementary fee information
See our funding pages for more information.
Entry
Entry requirements
This course is run in partnership with NHS Blood and Transplant. When submitting an application for this course it will be reviewed by a member of the NHS Blood and Transplant team.
Applicants will normally have one of the following:
- An undergraduate degree (at least 2:2, or equivalent) in a relevant subject.
- Qualifications and/or relevant experience (and the ability to study at MSc Level) deemed equivalent by the Programme Leader.
If you do not meet the above grade requirements but have at least 12 months relevant professional experience and/ or equivalent qualifications, we will consider you on an individual basis.
When writing your personal statement you should include whether you have previous transfusion and/or transplantation based experience. This is beneficial, but not essential, and we welcome applications from recent graduates.
Relevant subjects: Biomedical Science, Medicine, Human Biology, Healthcare Science qualifications or relevant equivalent experience.
UWE Bristol's International College
International students who do not meet the academic or English language requirements to study this course can qualify by completing preparatory study at our International College.
English Language Requirement
International and EU applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 with 5.5 in each component (or approved equivalent*).
*The University accepts a large number of UK and international qualifications in place of IELTS. To find details of acceptable tests and the required grades please visit English Language requirements.
If you meet the academic requirements but require additional support to take your language skills to the required level, you may be able to attend one of our pre-sessional English courses. Students who successfully complete the pre-sessional course can progress onto their chosen degree course without retaking an IELTS or equivalent.
Read more about our Pre-Sessional English Programme.
How to apply
Read more about international applications and key international deadline dates.
For further information
- Email: admissions@uwe.ac.uk
- Telephone: +44 (0)117 32 83333