Intercalated Degrees - Keele University

School of Medicine

Intercalated Degrees at Keele University

What is an intercalated degree?

Keele School of Medicine students can opt to take a year out of their undergraduate medical studies in order to study a subject area in greater depth, before returning to complete the medical course; this is called an intercalated degree.  Undergraduates may suspend their medical degree for a period of 12 months to undertake either a Bachelors degree after Year 2 or Bachelors/Masters degree after Year 4.   Keele students may choose to stay at Keele to complete the ICD or apply to another University, depending on the area they are interested in. We also welcome applications from students at other medical schools and such applications are dealt with by the Keele Postgraduate department in consultation with the relevant department.

 

Why do an intercalated degree?

An intercalated degree provides an opportunity to acquire a better understanding of basic biomedical sciences, medical humanities, research methodologies and to pursue an additional qualification in a medicine-related subject that interests you. This may help you make informed choices about specialisation later on in your career, and increase your chances of successfully gaining employment within the healthcare system, particularly if you wish to pursue a medical academic career.  Other benefits could include the improvement of long-term career prospects, as you will have had the opportunity to gain key research skills, publish scientific papers, and make presentations at scientific conferences.

What are the drawbacks?

The two main potential drawbacks are time and money. An intercalated degree will add a further year to your undergraduate and postgraduate medical training.

 

What about funding?

If you are paying your own fees you will be expected to do so for the intercalated year. Fees will be set by each specific course.  For 2012 - 13, some support has been made available through by the Health Faculty and clinical departments and students are currently eligible for NHS support for the fifth year of study. These details will be made available to students during the application procedure. A small number of grants and scholarships are available for internal students and students will be selected on the basis of academic merit and/or financial hardship. Such decisions are made by an internal Hardship Fund Steering Group led by Dr Carol Grey from Student Support.  Students should not approach any organisations offering intercalated degree scholarships directly, applications will be made as appropriate on the student's behalf. Please note that candidates staying at Keele to undertake their intercalated degree will be preferred for funding support. Queries about NHS bursaries should be directed to Beth Barlow at b.barlow@keele.ac.uk, and those regarding Keele bursaries including the Hardship Fund to Dr Carol Gray at c.a.m.gray@keele.ac.uk

 Intercalated Bursaries

How and when do I apply?

Keele students wishing to intercalate at Keele University

We are keen to encourage medical students at Keele to intercalate given the significant academic and career benefits of intercalation. To undertake an intercalated degree, students must be given permission by the School of Medicine as well as being offered a place on their chose course. From 2010, we have made significant changes to the procedure by which decisions regarding permission to intercalate are made. Permission is now granted following a short interview with an intercalation panel. Decisions will be based on the student’s academic record overall and on their motivation for undertaking the intercalated degree.  The presence of a resit examination on the student’s academic record will not necessarily prevent them being granted permission to intercalate and decisions will be made on a case- by-case basis, following the interview process.  

Please note that students who are given permission to intercalate should have passed all their assessments by the time they commence their intercalated degree, Intercalating students will be given access to their cohort's Blackboard, in order for them to stay in touch with their year's activities.

 

To apply:

(1) Complete and return the Keele ICD Expression of Interest Form (see Application Forms section below) to Dr Divya Maitreyi Chari, Co-ordinator for Intercalated Degrees, Medical School, Keele University, Staffs ST5 5BG by the 31st of October of the year PRIOR to the proposed intercalation year.  We will assess your academic record separately.  

(2) You will be invited to an interview with the intercalation panel.  We anticipate that preliminary notification of the permission to intercalate will be sent out by the end of February. 

(3) The final selection of candidates will be made after the summer examinations in June, and will be conditional on a satisfactory performance and professional conduct.  Confirmation of your selection or rejection will be sent to you in early July.

 

You are strongly encouraged to contact the course leaders for an informal discussion to get further information on the course before you apply.


For external candidates, the decision to accept a student onto the course is made by the relevant department taking their previous background and experience into account (where necessary in consultation with the Keele medical school). The individual departments will liaise directly with the applicant via the Keele postgraduate office on postgrad@keele.ac.uk.  External students should not contact Keele medical school regarding their applications; all queries should be directed to the postgraduate admissions email address above.

 

Keele students wishing to intercalate at another university

You will need to liaise directly with the relevant intercalated degree co-ordinator at the university you are interested in, familiarise yourself with their application procedure and apply directly to the relevant university following their application procedure.  Keele will not do this on your behalf.  However, you will need to obtain permission to intercalate from Keele School of Medicine following the standard application and interview process.  If required, we will write directly to the Intercalated Degree Co-ordinator at the university you choose to intercalate at, confirming whether you have been granted permission to intercalate.

 

External students wishing to intercalate at Keele University

Applicants should seek permission to intercalate from their own medical school prior to applying to Keele.  Applicants will be processed centrally by the Postgraduate Office and the relevant university department. The decision regarding acceptance of an applicant to a specific intercalated degree will be made by the degree course leaders.  For intercalated degrees on offer at Keele, refer to the specific course details below, the contact details for individual course leaders are also provided.  You are strongly encouraged to contact the course leaders directly for an informal discussion to get further information regarding the degree courses.  You will be expected to pay the fees set by the degree course.  Applicants should submit an Application Form for External Applicants (see below).

 

Intercalated taught Masters Courses available at Keele

 

MSc in European Scientific Research Training

http://www.keele.ac.uk/pgtcourses/coursedetails/europeanscientificresearchtraining/

Contact Dr D Hoole, d.hoole@keele.ac.uk

 

Masters in Medical Science

 medicine2.keele.ac.uk/hidden/MMedSci_AnatomicalSciences.pdf

NEW COURSE: MMedSci (Anatomical Sciences) Contact Mike Mahon, m.mahon@keele.ac.uk

 

MMedSci (Primary Care)

MMedSci (Leadership for Healthcare Professionals)

Masters in Medical Education

Contact Dr Kay Mohanna:      k.mohanna@keele.ac.uk


Molecular Parasitology & Vector Biology

http://www.keele.ac.uk/pgtcourses/coursedetails/molecularparasitologyandvectorbiology/

Contact Professor Richard Ward:      r.d.ward@keele.ac.uk

 

Biomedical Engineering

http://www.keele.ac.uk/biomed/

Contact Dr Ying Yang:      y.yang@keele.ac.uk

 

Cell & Tissue Engineering

http://www.keele.ac.uk/pgtcourses/coursedetails/cellandtissueengineering/

Contact Dr Nick Forsyth: n.r.forsyth@keele.ac.uk


MSc Blood Science

http://www.keele.ac.uk/pgtcourses/coursedetails/biomedicalbloodscience/

Contact Mr Glenn Hussey: g.d.hussey@keele.ac.uk

 

Medical Ethics and Law

http://www.keele.ac.uk/pgtcourses/coursedetails/medicalethicsandlaw/

Professor Stephen Wilkinson  s.wilkinson@keele.ac.uk

 

Ethics of Cancer & Palliative Care

http://www.keele.ac.uk/pgtcourses/coursedetails/ethicsofcancerandpalliativecare/

Contact Dr Anthony Wrigley:  a.wrigley@keele.ac.uk

 

Intercalated research Masters Courses available at Keele

Please note that we are prepared to consider external students from other medical schools to undertake our Clinical MPhil courses.  However, it is essential that you make contact early with the coordinator Professor Christian Mallan expressing your interest, and the final decision regarding acceptance will be made by the relevant clinical department.  Applications need to be made via the Postgraduate Office as above.

MPhil Primary Care Sciences

We also offer a range of MPhils in General Practice, Nephrology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Rheumatology and Stroke, these may vary from year to year.

Contact Dr Sam Hider:  s.hider@keele.ac.uk   

 

Intercalated Bachelors Courses available at Keele

 

BSc in Medical Humanities

http://www.keele.ac.uk/hums/medicalhumanities/


Contact Dr Allanah Tomkins: s.hider@keele.ac.uk

 

Application forms

Keele students: Download the Keele Intercalated Degree Expression of interest form (word) or the Expression of interest form (pdf)
Return to: Dr Divya Maitreyi Chari, Keele University Medical School, Keele Campus, Staffs   ST5 5BG or d.chari@keele.ac.uk


External applicants: Download the External Intercalated Degrees Expression of Interest Form. Return to: Angela Moulton at the Department of Academic Affairs, Keele University, Staffs  ST5 5BG or postgrad@keele.ac.uk

 

Any other questions

Any other questions, please direct your queries in the first instance to Rachel Boon, Intercalated Degree Administrator at Keele Medical School, on r.boon@keele.ac.uk