MSt teaching and assessment | Centre for Healthcare Innovation

Teaching Methods

Teaching in the MSt year of the course will be predominantly online. Each student will be assigned a project supervisor who will provide regular monthly online supervision during the research project. This will be supplemented by group sessions/seminars to provide research skills training. MSt students will be required to attend in Cambridge for two two-day activities: presentation of their research project plans at the start of the year and presentation of their research findings towards the end of the year. Other year groups will be invited to attend the final presentation conference to provide the opportunity to mix across year-groups, so enhancing networking.

Assessment

The assessment of the research project will include a planning report of up to 3,000 words and a dissertation of between 10,000 and 12,000 words in length including footnotes but excluding appendices and bibliography. As well as demonstrating the ability to plan a research project (S8), the planning document will require students to put their research into the context of future trends (S1), and demonstrate a good understanding of how a systems approach affects the ability to innovate (S3). The research dissertation will require students to have a synoptic overview of the course units in executing their project plan (S7), using a more comprehensive knowledge and application of the methods taught in units 1 to 6 (K7). Both the planning and final research outcomes will also be assessed by oral presentations. A tailored marking guideline ensures the quality of the research project, which in turn ensures that the corresponding learning outcomes have been met.

These assessment methods and the marking structure will enable students with disparate backgrounds (e.g. engineering and medicine) to demonstrate that they have achieved the learning outcomes in a flexible way, taking advantage of their background skills and knowledge.

The PgCert, PgDip and MSt awards will be awarded either as 'Pass' or 'Distinction'. Students will be required to pass the PgCert to progress to the PgDip, and pass the PgDip to progress to the MSt. Students will exit with the highest of all awards achieved. Once awarded, a student holds that award until and unless they are readmitted to undertake the next component course in the stacked programme. On being readmitted, a student must surrender their award to the admitting body, who will arrange for delivery to the central Student Registry. Should a student subsequently fail or withdraw from the course, the Exam Board will authorise the restoration of the surrendered award. To obtain a Pass, students will be required to achieve the following components:

a mark of 60% or greater in each of units 1 to 3 (PgCert) or in each of units 1 to 6 (PgDip and MSt)
a mark of 60% or greater in the dissertation (MSt)

Cases of marginal failure (i.e. 55%-59%) in one unit may be redeemed by high performances (i.e. an average mark of over 70%) in the other units in that group, grouping units 1-3 and 4-6 together. Cases of marginal failure (i.e. 55%-59%) in the Dissertation may be redeemed by high performance in the units, i.e. a mark over 70% averaged over units 1 to 6. In cases where there has been marginal failure in one or more components, further assessment may be undertaken through an oral examination. The Board of Examiners will then use all available examination information, including the oral examination, to determine whether the candidate’s work is of the requisite standard to merit the PgCert, PgDip or MSt award. Students who achieve at least 75% averaged over the units (1 to 3 for PgCert, 1 to 6 for PgDip) and, for the MSt, at least 75% in the Dissertation, will be awarded a Distinction.

Allowances

Suitable allowances and adjustments will be applied in case of serious problems affecting study, including illness, bereavement and financial hardship.