MRes Health Sciences Research
- MRes
Overview
Ranked 7th globally in the Times Higher Education subject rankings for research quality in medical and health subjects (THE 2026).
This programme offers you a firm foundation in biomedical research, enhancing your understanding and critical awareness of the scientific method and practical experience in an area related to your interests. Taught units provide training in research methodology, experimental design, statistical analyses and data interpretation. Skills training in verbal and written communication is also emphasised. This prepares you for your extended research project.
The core of the programme is an eight-month research project, conducted within one of the University's internationally recognised research groups within the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences who provide your project-specific training and support. Opportunities are available in laboratory or clinical-based research (including but not limited to bioengineering, brain science, cancer, heart disease, immunology, infectious diseases, kidney disease). If you have a specific research area you wish to pursue, please discuss with the Programme Directors at the time of application.
The programme is suitable for graduates in bioscience and clinical subjects who wish to develop their research skills and experience. It is also suitable for medical, dental and veterinary students interested in pursuing a research-intensive intercalation option after three years of study.
In addition to the standard broad MRes Health Sciences Research programme, we also offer subject-specific pathway options if you are interested in gaining more subject knowledge alongside your research project in this area:
Translational Cardiovascular Medicine pathway
Students with a particular interest in cardiovascular medicine can study the MRes Health Sciences Research (Translational Cardiovascular Medicine). In addition to the units listed within the programme structure (except the Project Proposal), you will be able to choose two of the following:
- Coronary Artery Disease I
- Coronary Artery Disease II
- Heart and Valve Disease
- Paediatric Heart Disease
- Aneurysm, Peripheral Vascular Disease and Stroke.
You will conduct a cardiovascular-related research project.
Students with a particular interest in renal medical sciences can study the MRes Health Sciences Research (Renal). In addition to the units listed within the programme structure (except Project Proposal), you will be required to take the Introduction to Renal Sciences unit.
Research projects on this pathway will be renal-focused, taking the form of a fundamental bioscience project, translational research, or an epidemiological population health study (in partnership with the UK Renal Registry). There is an additional option to undertake a clinical placement, shadowing adult or paediatric nephrologists during inpatient and outpatient consultations.
This MRes programme is available as an intercalated degree for current undergraduate students in medicine, dentistry or veterinary sciences from the University of Bristol or other universities. Find out more about our intercalated degrees and eligibility criteria.
Programme structure
The programme structure for the MRes Health Sciences Research is as follows:
Unit 1: Foundations in Health Sciences Research - This unit will equip you with fundamental knowledge and understanding of experimental and clinical research design and statistical analyses. You will also gain an awareness and understanding of the theory and practical application of commonly used laboratory techniques.
Unit 2: Project Proposal in Health Sciences - This unit will enable you to gain knowledge of the scientific background of your research project and obtain a clear understanding of your project aims and the methods by which they will be achieved.
Unit 3: Research Club in Health Sciences Research - This unit will enable you to develop a thorough understanding of study design and the scientific method; it will provide you in-depth training on how to review, assess, interpret, summarise and present research information in several formats that are important to your development as a researcher.
Unit 4: Research Project in Health Sciences - This unit aims to teach you to design and conduct a substantial piece of independent novel research. It will be written in the form of a dissertation / thesis, communicated as an oral presentation, and as a poster at the viva voce exam.
Part-time options should be discussed with Programme Directors at the time of application as not all research projects are suitable for part-time study.
Visit our programme catalogue for full details of the structure and unit content for our MRes in Health Sciences Research.
Entry requirements
You will typically need an upper second-class honours degree or international equivalent in Medicine, Medicine and Surgery, Dentistry, Veterinary science or Biomedical science.
If your degree subject is not in medicine, dentistry or veterinary science, we will also consider a Clinical degree (such as Nursing, Midwifery, Allied Health sciences, Pharmacy, Medical laboratory science) and you will need to demonstrate Research evidence with one unit of Research methods at 60% or above (or international equivalent).
Applicants intercalating from the professional programmes of medicine, dentistry and veterinary sciences will need to have successfully completed year three before they can be considered for this programme.
We will consider your application if your interim grades are currently slightly lower than the programme's entry requirements and may make you an aspirational offer. This offer would be at the standard level, so you would need to achieve the standard entry requirements by the end of your degree.
We will also consider your application if your final overall achieved grade is slightly lower than the programme's entry requirement. If your achieved grade is lower than our entry requirements, your application may receive an offer if you have additional relevant work experience or qualifications. If you have at least one of the following, please include your CV (curriculum vitae / résumé) when you apply, showing:
- evidence of relevant work experience in a Medical research role, for example Medical Research technician
- a relevant postgraduate qualification.
See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.
Read the programme admissions statement for important information on entry requirements, the application process and supporting documents required.
If English is not your first language, you will need to reach the requirements outlined in our profile level B.
Further information about English language requirements and profile levels.
Fees and funding
- Home: full-time
- £11,400 per year
- Home: part-time (two years)
- £5,700 per year
- Overseas: full-time
- £32,400 per year
Fees are subject to an annual review. For programmes that last longer than one year, please budget for up to an 8% increase in fees each year.
More about tuition fees, living costs and financial support.
Alumni discount
University of Bristol students and graduates can benefit from a 25% reduction in tuition fees for postgraduate study. Check your eligibility for an alumni discount.
Funding and scholarships
Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students.
Career prospects
This programme is suitable for students with a clinical or biosciences background who want to develop their research skills before embarking on a research/clinical career in academia or the pharmaceutical industry. It provides the ideal foundation for further studies leading to a PhD.
Contact us
- Contact
- Dr Domingo Tortonese, Programme Director
- Phone
- +44 (0) 117 331 3054
- fohs-pgadmissions@bristol.ac.uk
- Contact
- Dr Fiona Holmes, Programme Co-Director
- Phone
- +44 (0) 117 342 3583
- fohs-pgadmissions@bristol.ac.uk
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