Statistics for Clinical Trials MSc

About this degree

Clinical trials, and statistics in clinical trials in particular, is an expanding field of research that offers many exciting career opportunities for graduates. There has been constant progress in biomedical research, including molecularly targeted therapies in cancer, and messenger RNA technologies in vaccines in research.

Statistics is a fundamental discipline in clinical trials. Statisticians ensure that study designs are statistically robust so that research questions can be answered. They carry out statistical tests and assess uncertainty in the results to determine whether the data supports the research hypotheses.

Statistics are essential in discovering whether new healthcare interventions improve patients’ lives. Statistics is used at the design stage to compare possible designs, calculate the sample size, and at all trial stages until the final analysis and reporting of results.

As a graduate of this programme, you will take forward practical skills and a critical thinking approach, with the ability to make a tangible and purposeful difference to patients’ health.

This flexible online programme will provide you with an excellent grounding in statistics for clinical trials. You will learn about all types of trials, from early to late phase trials and simple to complex interventions, from both a design and analysis perspective. You will also learn to code in R and STATA. Graduates of this programme will be prepared to pursue meaningful careers in the academic field, industry, or further study at PhD level. Clinicians taking this programme will be equipped with essential, in-demand skills to be involved in clinical trials and fully engage with statisticians.

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard in a related quantitative discipline (e.g. mathematics, statistics, biostatistics, genetics, computational biology). Clinicians and other allied health professionals are required to have a degree (for example, an MBBS) and evidence of having completed quantitative modules, as well as a keen interest in medical statistics.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Clinical trials, and statistics in clinical trials in particular, is an expanding and highly competitive field of research yet employers find it challenging to recruit people with the appropriate skills and knowledge.

It is a regulatory requirement that every trial receives input from a qualified statistician. This programme has been designed in consultation with employers from academia, the pharmaceutical industry and the NHS. It will give graduates the critical thinking, problem-solving and practical skills that employers seek in this multidisciplinary, collaborative field.

Students completing the MSc Statistics for Clinical Trials will be eligible to work as statisticians in clinical trials. For clinicians, the programme will provide the statistical tools to be involved in research and clinical trials.

The qualification may also be used as a springboard for further study at PhD-level in the field of clinical trials.