Master of Research

Entry requirements

Academic Qualifications

Applicants should have a first- or second-class university honours degree in biological sciences, a veterinary or medical degree.

English Language Requirements

You must be able to communicate clearly in English, both verbally and in writing. If English is not your first language you must take an IELTS-Academic test (from the British Council). You need to achieve an overall score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each sub-test. The test result must have been obtained within 2 years of the start-date of the course.

For further information see English Language Proficiency.

Months of entry

April, October

Course content

To see the MRes Projects currently available please follow the link(s) below:

https://www.rvc.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/mres#tab-available-m-res-projects

Programme Information

The Royal Veterinary College produces outstanding graduates who go on to work in some of the world’s leading scientific research institutes, as well as within industry and government. It is also one of the world's leading centres for postgraduate veterinary science study.

An RVC Master of Research (MRes) may be for you if you do not wish to commit to undertaking a PhD but want to try a sizeable research project and gain the generic skills applicable to research. You can do this over one-year full time, or over two years part-time while you are continuing your career.

The MRes is designed to equip you to acquire the experience and the skills needed to enter a PhD programme or to move on to careers where advanced research experience will help you. It is an excellent training opportunity for both biological and veterinary graduates and addresses both basic and clinical problems in the biosciences, with applications in veterinary and human medicine. Research areas span cell and molecular science, whole animal physiology and population medicine.

An RVC MRes will develop you as a scientist who is capable of working across interdisciplinary teams and who can tackle problems of practical relevance to veterinary and medical science. You will:

• Learn from experts who produce cutting-edge research in a range of subjects and are published in the top academic journals
• Join an international team of staff and students
• Benefit from close proximity to other international centres of excellence in biomedical and biological sciences.

With more than 100 research-active staff at the RVC, the range of research topics is vast, extending from molecules to whole animals and animal populations. We focus on two main research themes:

• Comparative Physiology & Medicine - Our understanding of animal disease, together with the superb facilities at the RVC, means that we are all well paced to contribute to the way in which human diseases are diagnosed and treated. The programme is led by Professor Dominic Wells
• Livestock Production and Health - There is international recognition of the need for new approaches to meet the growing challenges of livestock production, to control infectious diseases that threaten humans and animals. The programme is led by Professor Dirk Werling

You will join the RVC to undertake a specific piece of work under the direction of two supervisors, working within one or more of the RVC’s research groups. We offer a range of specific MRes projects which you can apply for, or you may have your own area of research in mind. Most of our MRes students are self-funded, but funded MRes projects are occasionally advertised.

Your MRes will culminate in a research dissertation of 10,000-15,000 words and an oral presentation.

To underpin the research you are undertaking you will participate in training skills workshops, courses and seminars alongside other post-graduate researchers. You can find out more about our skills development programme here. You will be supported throughout your time with us by your supervisors and the Graduate School.

We have two MRes intakes annually, at the beginning of October for full time students, and April for part-time. Students undertake the course over one year full-time or two years part-time (this option is only available for some projects).

Fees and funding

Funded and self-funded projects are available

There is a Postgraduate Master's Loan avaliable to help with course and living costs: https://www.rvc.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding/postgraduate-master-s-loan-2018-19