Biomedical Sciences MSci
About This Programme
The MSci Biomedical Sciences at the University of Birmingham Dubai is a four-year integrated master's degree split between the Dubai and Birmingham campuses. It covers the major body systems down to the cellular and molecular level, with research in state-of-the-art laboratories alongside experts, where students gather and analyse their own data. Through a bench-to-bedside approach, students learn how research becomes clinical practice, with professional development and entrepreneurial opportunities including good clinical laboratory practice (GCLP) and business and enterprise. The first two years are in Dubai and the final two at the Edgbaston campus in the UK, where students can gain a Good Clinical Laboratory Certificate and complete an extended research project.
Course Highlights
- A University of Birmingham degree, the same as UK-based students receive, from a global top 100 university.
- Laboratories in both Dubai and the UK, with the final two years at the Birmingham campus.
- The chance to gain a Good Clinical Laboratory Certificate.
- A regularly updated curriculum and optional modules to personalise the degree.
- A possible transfer, after Year 1, to the MBChB Medicine and Surgery programme at the Edgbaston campus for academically excellent students.
What You'll Study
Teaching combines lectures given on campus and live online from the UK with laboratory and computer-based practicals, seminars, small-group tutorials, problem-based learning and feedback sessions. Students use Canvas, the University's virtual learning environment, to share work, reach learning materials at any time and submit assignments, and enquiry-based group activities build research skills. A personal tutor based in Dubai supports each student. Assessment varies by module and can include essays and other coursework, group and individual presentations, laboratory work and formal exams. Students are told at the start of each module how and when they will be assessed, and receive feedback on each assessment within four weeks. Teaching staff listed on the course page are Dr Laila Kudsiova, Associate Professor and Programme Director of Biomedical Sciences in Dubai; Dr Sreepoorna Pramodh, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Sciences; and Dr Karim Mustafa, Assistant Professor.
Year 1
2026/27, Dubai campus. How the human body functions and what can go wrong in disease, from the single cell to the whole body, including major conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease, arthritis and diabetes and the genetics of inherited disorders. Around 40% of time is scheduled teaching and 60% independent study.
- Fundamental Molecular Cell Biology20 credits
- Threats and Defences20 credits
- Integrated Molecular Cell Biology20 credits
- Physiology of Body Systems20 credits
- Discover: Practical, Academic and Research Skills40 credits
Year 2
2027/28, Dubai campus. Further core knowledge and the chance to begin specialising in a research area linked to the College's major themes. Students can take a placement year, opt for the Year in Computer Science or the Year in Civic Leadership, or switch to the three-year BSc at the end of the year. Around 25% of time is scheduled teaching and 75% independent study.
- Cancer Biology and Treatment20 credits
- Infection and Immunology20 credits
- Challenge: Biomedical Skills in Practice40 credits
Choose two 20-credit optional modules.
- Integrated Physiology20 credits
- Therapeutic Tissue Regeneration20 credits
- Neurobiology of Disease20 credits
- Endocrine and Reproductive Sciences20 credits
Year 3
2028/29, Edgbaston campus, UK. A taught option for further specialisation, experimental data interpretation for analysing large data sets, and a translational research module on the regulatory route from bench to bedside, with a substantial practical element in which students show advanced laboratory competence to gain the Good Clinical Laboratory Certificate. Around 30% of time is scheduled teaching and 70% independent study.
- Experimental Design and Data Interpretation20 credits
- Global challenge20 credits
- Translational Medicine40 credits
- Personal and Academic Development0 credits
Students also choose 40 credits of optional modules.
Year 4
2029/30, Edgbaston campus, UK. Optional modules on emerging technologies such as omics and bioinformatics, and an extended individual research project, usually laboratory-based in a research-active lab, carried out independently under supervision for 15 weeks full-time. Around 20% of time is scheduled teaching and 80% independent study.
- Research Project80 credits
- Personal and Academic Development0 credits
Students also choose two 20-credit optional modules. The 2026 curriculum is new, and modules are still being finalised and may change.
Entry Requirements
Applicants must meet both the University's general entry requirements and the course's own criteria. Each application is reviewed by the course's Admissions Tutor, who decides whether to make an offer.
Careers
Graduates are valued for their technical and transferable skills in academia, industry, research and commercial organisations. Modules include professional development such as Good Clinical Laboratory Practice (GCLP) and insight into the regulatory roles that govern biomedical science. Graduates go into university laboratory work, often as PhD students, hospital work, clinical science and biotechnology companies, as well as clinical trials and marketing and management roles in biotechnology. The Careers Network Dubai offers information, advice and guidance.
Accreditation & Professional Recognition
The course page states that the programme is subject to UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research accreditation. The Commission for Academic Accreditation register lists a Master of Science in Biomedical Science for the University as Active.
Programme Details
Award
Master in Science (MSci)
Start Date
September 2026 (applications closed; September 2027 details to follow)
Typical Offer
AAB-ABB, including two science A levels
Duration
4 years
Qualification
Masters
Subject Area
Health Sciences
Campus
Dubai, Birmingham (Edgbaston)
Course Type
Single honours, Integrated Masters
Study Pattern
Full time
Delivery Format
In person
Tuition Fee
AED 156,718/yr
AED 156,718 per year, full-time, for September 2026 entry. The fee covers tuition, examinations and graduation, is charged for each year of study and stays the same for the whole degree; it can be paid in full or in three instalments a year. Applications for September 2026 entry to this programme are closed, and details for September 2027 entry will be published later. Applications are made directly through the University of Birmingham Dubai Admissions portal (not UCAS), with no application fee, and are usually decided within 10 working days of all documents arriving. A non-returnable AED 5,000 deposit, deducted from tuition, is paid on accepting an offer. Scholarships of up to 30% are assessed from the application itself, with no separate form.