Discover online postgraduate medical education
About us
The University is ranked first in Australia and fourth in the world for graduate employability in the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022.
Learn moreOur medicine courses are consistently ranked highly, both in Australia and internationally.
Find out more
About this course
The Master of Clinical Trials (Research) is a distinctive course, targeted at medical doctors and allied health professionals, which will allow you to acquire the expertise needed to design, develop, lead and conduct clinical trials.
The course is led by the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre (CTC), Australia's premier academic clinical trials research organisation and is specifically focussed on clinical trials design and research methodology and is offered via distance learning only.
Graduates will gain a solid understanding of clinical trials methodologies underpinning the design of high quality studies, and the knowledge to lead, conduct and appropriately interpret the results of single and multi-centre clinical trials.
This course is offered through our interactive online learning environment, giving you the flexibility to tailor your study schedule around your lifestyle.
All stream specific units are online. You may find however; a couple of electives do have a face-to-face component. These can be avoided depending on your individual preferences.
There are no specialisations for this course.
For academic requirements check the ‘Admission criteria’ section on this page.
You can apply online via the application portal. When you are ready to apply, select the ‘Apply’ button on this course page. Visit the How to apply page for other important information.
Closing dates
Semester 1 - 31 January of the commencing year
We strongly encourage applicants to apply as early as possible, offers are made on a rolling basis and places are limited. Separate scholarship deadlines apply - check the scholarships website for details.
Semester 1 (February)
You can apply online via the application portal. When you are ready to apply, select the ‘Apply’ button on this course page. Visit the How to apply page for other important information.
Closing dates
Semester 1 - 15 January of the commencing year
We strongly encourage international applicants to apply as early as possible to allow time for visa and travel arrangements. Separate scholarship deadlines may apply - check the scholarships website for details..
Semester 1 (February)
Study clinical trials research at different levels to suit your professional and personal needs. The programs are embedded, allowing you to step from one course to the next at your own pace.
These courses are open to medical and non-medical graduates.
The Master of Clinical Trials (Research) is made up of 48 credit points (cp) and consists of 2-6 years of part-time study. This course will offer six core units (6cp each), the choice of electives (6cp), and a capstone unit of study.
Explore the Medicine and Health Postgraduate Handbook to learn more about what you will study as part of this degree:
A successful applicant for admission to the Master of Clinical Trials Research will:
(a) hold a bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline from the University of Sydney or equivalent qualification, with a credit average; or
(b) hold a Graduate Certificate in Clinical Trials Practice from the University of Sydney or equivalent qualification; or
(c) have completed a graduate diploma in a relevant discipline from the University of Sydney or equivalent qualification; or
(d) have completed the requirements of the embedded Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma in Clinical Trials Research from the University of Sydney, or equivalent qualification.
The academic requirements that are displayed are applicable to currently available courses only, and are updated annually in October and may be changed without notice.
For more information about the University’s credit policy, please see the Credit for Previous Studies page.
A capstone experience comprises one or more units of study designed by the school to provide students with an opportunity to draw together the learning that has taken place during the award, synthesise this with their prior learning and experience, and draw conclusions that will form the basis for further investigation, and intellectual and/or professional growth.
For the Master of Clinical Trials (Research), all students complete a research project as the capstone experience. The capstone unit enables students to bring together concepts, principles and applications developed in the previous units of coursework study into a workable research protocol or project. The capstone tests the student’s ability to integrate and consolidate their learning.
Outstanding graduates may be eligible to pursue a higher degree by research in the courses of Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Philosophy and Master of Surgery (by research) offered by Sydney Medical School.
A research degree provides students with the opportunity to prepare a substantial piece of work which represents a significant contribution in a particular field of study and to gain transferable skills in general research methodology.
Sydney Medical School is affiliated with over 40 independent medical research institutes aimed at achieving medical firsts in specialist areas of health and medicine. The school's research activities consistently attract high levels of funding from the Commonwealth and state governments, overseas funding agencies and other public and private sources.
The Master of Clinical Trials Research aims to build research capacity through a formal qualification and improve the quality of the conduct of trials. Leading to employment opportunities in clinical trials research, the Master of Clinical Trials Research is designed to equip graduates with the skills necessary to lead and design clinical trials both nationally and internationally.
From student loans to scholarships, subsidised fees to credit for previous study, we've put together a checklist of possible options to finance your postgraduate study. Read more.
