Medical Affairs MSc
Provided by King's College London GKT School of Medical Education
About the course
Medical Affairs is concerned with the development and lifecycle management of medicines. The MSc prepares bioscience graduates, physicians and pharmacists for a role in medical affairs in Pharma i.e. to make critical decisions and to execute strategic projects related to developing, commercialising, managing the medicine’s lifecycle and the use of medicines. This includes taking the company’s science to thought leaders in medical practice and to patient groups. Medical Affairs focuses on science and its application, not on sales. This MSc is not suitable preparation for a career in the lab. Students take 6 compulsory core modules in common with the other pharmaceutical medicine MSc courses, and that cover the syllabus of PharmaTrain. This gives the foundation knowledge of the research and development activities needed for new medicines. Students then begin their specialisation in Medical Affairs by taking two specialist modules. The specialist areas of medical affairs includes: the strategic roles and responsibilities of medical affairs; medical affairs as the company’s response to the changing environment; commercialisation of medicines, real-world evidence; patient engagement in the life cycle of medicines and achieving value for patients; the management of relationships with external stakeholders, medical education, ethical challenges in the industry; role of professional bodies, good practices, corporate and industry responsibility, regulations covering the sale and marketing of medicines, pharmacoepidemiology and the reporting of patient safety data with medicines. Students are offered direct practical experience of medical affairs through a one-week placement in industry. The placements are arranged by King's. Students complete their specialisation by writing an original research dissertation of up to 10,000 words in an area of medical affairs. In 2022 - 2023, four fifths of the students were directly supervised by a specialist employed in Pharma. The supervisors are recruited by King's. If you are studying full-time you will complete the MSc in one year, from mid-September to mid-September. Part-time study takes between two to six years to complete the MSc.Majority of the teaching is done in classrooms at the Waterloo campus. Students may also need to attend classes at nearby campuses e.g. Guys’ Hospital.For the placement, students need to travel to the host company. This is usually in and around London.Our teaching ensures that students have a rich and exciting experience from the start. Face-to-face teaching is complemented and supported with innovative technology and students experience elements of digital learning and assessment
Base campus
Waterloo Campus
Waterloo campus is home of the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery and facilities for other faculties
Please note that locations are determined by where each module is taught and may vary depending on the modules you study.
Regulating bodies
King's is regulated by the Office for Students
Teaching methods - what to expect
| Module | Lectures, seminars and feedback | Self-study |
| Per 15-credit taught module | The total contact time for each 15-credit taught module is 32 hours. These sessions will include lectures, teacher-led and student-led group discussions based on the main areas of study. | Each 15-credit taught module requires an average: 25 hours pre-course preparation, 40 hours researching and writing assignments, and 15 hours preparing for an MCQ exam. |
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| Throughout the year, you can expect to receive approximately 80 hours’ tutorials, supervision of dissertation research, plus ad hoc academic tutor meetings including assignment feedback. |
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| Dissertation module |
| Approximately 200-300 hours researching and writing. |
Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.
Assessment
- Coursework
- Exams
- Projects
The primary method of assessment for this course is a combination of assignments and on-line examinations. The MSc course also requires a project based in the area of medical affairs.
Coursework contributes approximately 50% and examinations approximately 50% to your final mark.
The study time and assessment methods detailed above are typical and give you a good indication of what to expect. However, they are subject to change.
We will use a delivery method that will ensure students have a rich, exciting experience from the start. Face to face teaching will be complemented and supported with innovative technology so that students also experience elements of digital learning and assessment.
The study time and assessment methods detailed above are typical and give you a good indication of what to expect. However, they are subject to change.
Structure
Required modules
You are required to take:
You will also take the following specialist modules:
Optional modules
There are no optional modules for this course.
King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.
Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.
Tuition Fees
UK:
Full time: £16,950 (2025/26)
Part time: FEES PER MODULE: Per 15 credit module £1,770, Per 60 credit module £7,082 (2024/25)
International:
Full time: £47,700 (2025/26)
Part time: FEES PER MODULE: Per 15 credit module £2,771, Per 60 credit module £11,086 (2024/25)
These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.
Deposit
MSc Full-time:
If you receive an offer for this programme, you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place. Deposit payments are credited towards the total tuition fee payment.
The Home deposit is £500. The International deposit is £2000.
- If you receive an offer before March, payment is due by 20 March.
- If you receive an offer between 1 March and 20 May, payment is due within one month of receiving the offer.
- If you receive an offer between 21 May and 15 July, payment is due within two weeks of receiving the offer.
- If you receive an offer between 16 July and 10 August, payment is due within one week of receiving the offer.
- If you receive an offer from 11 August onwards, payment is due within three days of receiving the offer.
If you are a current undergraduate King’s student in receipt of the King's Living Bursary this academic year, you are not required to pay a deposit to secure your place on the programme. Please note, this will not change the total fees payable for your chosen programme.
Please visit our web pages on fees and funding for more information.
MSc Part-time:
If you receive an offer for this programme, you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit to secure your place. The deposit is the full cost of the module.
Please visit our web pages on fees and funding for more information.
Additional Costs
In addition to your tuition costs, you can also expect to pay for:
- Books if you choose to buy your own copies
- Clothing for optional course related events and competitions
- Library fees and fines
- Personal photocopies
- Printing course handouts
- Society membership fees
- Stationery
- Travel costs for travel around London and between campuses and to the placement
- Graduation costs
- Accommodation fees
Funding
To find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans, and other financial help available at King's please visit the Fees and Funding section .
Enquire
| Start date | Venue | |
|---|---|---|
| 01 Sep 2025 | Distance learning | Book now |