Pain Science and Management - MSc
Advance your knowledge and understanding of the physiology and pharmacology of pain, its psychosocial aspects and relevant assessment strategies on our flexible MSc in Pain Science and Management. Multidisciplinary in nature, the programme aims to elevate your professional expertise and skills in this fascinating field of healthcare.
Month of entry
- September
Mode of study
- Part time
Fees for 2024/25 academic year
-
Part time £3,900 per year.
Duration of study
- Part time up to 3 years, modular up to 5 years
Please note: this course is only open to Home fee status students, and unfortunately is not currently available to International fee status students.
Why study Pain Science and Management at Keele University?
Course summary
Our Pain Science and Management MSc aims to facilitate a greater understanding of this complex topic, supporting your personal development as a medical professional. Our carefully designed curriculum will deepen your knowledge of the psychosocial aspects of the experience of pain as well as your comprehension of the physiology, pharmacology, and modulation of pain.
You will explore core modules that strengthen your existing scientific knowledge and clinical practice skills. Our Research Methods in Health module increases your understanding of the fundamentals of health and social research. You will explore the vital role of Evidence-Based Practice to help you improve your understanding of the strategies for gathering and evaluating evidence.
Our optional modules enable you to align your studies with your area of interest and career aspirations. Practical optional modules will require proof of up-to-date registration with a relevant UK professional body, and proof of up-to-date personal indemnity insurance. These currently include studying the use of injection therapy in the management of joint and soft tissue pathology, or you can focus on the essentials of manual therapy assessment where you will deepen your knowledge in areas such as anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, pathology, symptomatology and pain mechanisms.
Other optional modules allow you to focus your studies on improving your applied anatomical knowledge, or expanding your physiological knowledge of the neuromusculoskeletal system in relation to tissue repair, inflammation, and degeneration. You can discover how dynamic ultrasound can be used in evaluating soft tissue anatomy to enhance your clinical evaluation.
Next Steps
Course structure
Studying on our MSc in Pain Science and Management allows you the flexibility to study on either a part-time basis or modular route. A suggested timeframe for the part-time route is studying over two years, undertaking two modules per semester with a final year for your dissertation. If you select the modular route you can study over a period of up to five years.
The taught modules on this programme have a value of 120 M Level credits and the dissertation a total of 60 M Level credits making a total of 180 credits.
Modules
The module details given below are indicative, they are intended to provide you with an idea of the range of subjects that are taught to our current students. The modules that will be available for you to study in future years are prone to change as we regularly review our teaching to ensure that it is up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods, as well as student voice. The information presented is therefore not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules available in any given year.
Core modules
Core Modules (each 15 credits, totalling 75 credits):
- Research Methods in Health
- Evidence-Based Practice– this is delivered electronically, entirely via distance-learning
- Physiology & Pharmacology of Pain
- Psychosocial Aspects of Pain
Optional Modules
Availability of options may be subject to change in any year and other modules may also be available. Examples are given below, further modules can be found in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
Modules involving practical skills – UK Professional Council registration and third party insurance required
- Principles and Practice of Joint and Soft Tissue Injection (15)
- Essentials of Manual Therapy Assessment (15)
- Musculoskeletal Management at the Interface (30)
Modules not requiring third party insurance
- Applied Clinical Anatomy (1) (15)
- Acute respiratory deterioration and critical care (15)
- Behaviour Change for Health and Wellbeing (15)
- Physiology of Neuromusculoskeletal Tissue (15)
- Concepts of Neurological Rehabilitation (15)
- Independent Study (15)
- Dynamic Ultrasound Imaging (15)
- Assistive Technologies in Neuromuscular Rehabilitation (15)
- Applied Clinical Anatomy (2) (30)
- Research Methods in Health (15)
Candidates can also apply for assessment Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) exemptions against option modules or choose to take option modules from a range offered by other Schools in the University provided they are consistent with the aims of the programme and are approved by the Course Team.
Dissertation (60 credits)
A dissertation of 15,000 words on a topic related to the course. Dissertation workshops provide support for students.
Next Steps
Entry requirements
In addition, registration with your professional council is strongly recommended; if this is not obtained then this will severely limit your choice of options since you will not be able to undertake practical clinical modules.
All students must have third party insurance for modules that involve practical skills.
Next Steps
Entry requirements
The following section details our typical entry requirements for this course for a range of UK and international qualifications. If you don't see your qualifications listed, please contact us to find out if we can accept your qualifications.
Typical offer
Please ensure that you read the full entry requirements by selecting your qualifications from the dropdown menu below. This will include any subject specific, GCSE/Level 2 Maths, and English Language requirements you may need.
Please select your country from the drop-down list below for the full entry requirement information
UK
2:2 degree in a health, bioscience, psychology, or sport science subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Bangladesh
60% in a 4-year degree or 3-year degree with a 2-year Master's in a health, bioscience, psychology, or sport science subject from a public university
or
CGPA 2.8 in a 4-year degree or 3-year degree with a 2-year Master's in a health, bioscience, psychology, or sport science subject from a private university
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Canada
70% or C or a GPA of 2.5 in a degree (Ordinary or Honours) in a health, bioscience, psychology or sport science subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
China
70% in a degree in a health, bioscience, psychology, or sport science subject or 65% in a degree in a health, bioscience, psychology, or sport science subject from a '211' university
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Ghana
Second class degree in a health, bioscience, psychology, or sport science subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
India
55% or CGPA 6/10 in a degree of at least 3 years in a health, bioscience, psychology or sport science subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Kenya
Second class degree in a health, bioscience, psychology, or sport science subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Nepal
60% / 2.4 in a 4-year Bachelor's degree in a health, bioscience, psychology, or sport science subject
or
65% / CGPA 2.8 in a 3-year Bachelor's degree in a health, bioscience, psychology, or sport science subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Nigeria
Second class degree in a health, bioscience, psychology, or sport science subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Pakistan
We accept a range of qualifications from Pakistan. Please visit our Pakistan Country Page for more information
or we will consider demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need an English language qualification (see below)
South Africa
Second class division 2 / 60% in a Bachelor's degree with Honours in a health, bioscience, psychology, or sport science subject
or
Second class division 1 / 70% in an Ordinary Bachelor's degree in a health, bioscience, psychology, or sport science subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Sri Lanka
55% in a Special Bachelor's degree in a health, bioscience, psychology, or sport science subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Uganda
Second class degree in a health, bioscience, psychology, or sport science subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Zimbabwe
Second class degree in a health, bioscience, psychology, or sport science subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
In addition, registration with your professional council is strongly recommended; if this is not obtained then this will severely limit your choice of options since you will not be able to undertake practical clinical modules.
All students must have third party insurance for modules that involve practical skills.
English language requirements
All of our courses require an English language qualification or test. For most students, this requirement can be met with a 4 or C in GCSE English. Please see our English Language guidance pages for further details, including English language test information for international students. For those students who require an English language test, this course requires a test from Group C.
References
Normally, you will need to provide at least one academic reference to support your application unless you have been out of study longer than two years. If it has been more than two years since you last studied on a degree-level programme, you will normally need to provide an employment reference instead. For more information about Academic References, please see our Postgraduate how to apply web pages.
Personal Statement/Statement of Purpose
Please see our Postgraduate how to apply web pages for guidance on what to include in your personal statement.
Recognition of Prior Learning
The Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a process which enables applicants to receive recognition and formal credit for learning acquired in the past through formal study or work and life experiences.
RPL can also be requested for admission onto the start of a programme in lieu of the admission requirements. For more information, see our Recognition of Prior Learning web pages.
Professional qualifications and work experience
The majority of our courses will consider relevant work experience and/or professional qualifications at the appropriate level, as an alternative to an undergraduate degree for entry. The work experience should be for a sustained period and at a suitable level, based within a relevant sector to your chosen course.
Admissions staff will review your work experience and/or professional qualifications during the assessment of your application to ensure suitability in terms of relevancy, level and appropriate learning outcomes.
General information
The entry grades outlined in this section indicate the typical offer which would be made to candidates, along with any subject specific requirements. This is for general information only. Keele University reserves the right to vary offer conditions depending upon a candidate's application.
Funding
Please note, if your course offers a January start date, the January 2024 start date falls in the 2023/24 academic year. Please see the 2023/24 academic year fees for the relevant fees for starting this course in January 2024.
Planning your funding
It's important to plan carefully for your funding before you start your course. Please be aware that not all postgraduate courses and not all students are eligible for the UK government postgraduate loans and, in some cases, you would be expected to source alternative funding yourself. If you need support researching your funding options, please contact our Financial Support Team.
Next Steps
Your career
The aim of Keele University's MSc in Pain and Science Management is to broaden your knowledge and understanding of neurological and neuromuscular healthcare management and rehabilitation and promote your professional and personal development. You will develop a greater insight into how different disciplines, through a programme of shared learning and teaching, can contribute to this aim. The course draws from modules from across the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and the wider university to encourage interprofessional training. The programme also facilitates analysis, discussion and critical appraisal of scientific and clinical knowledge and could lead to you progressing your career into positions and disciplines which could include:
- Clinical Specialist
- Extended Scope Practitioner
- Advanced Practitioner
- Management
- Education
Next Steps
Teaching, learning and assessment
How you'll be taught
Teaching methods on the MSc in Pain Science and Management vary depending on the module topic. You will learn in traditional style lectures which may feature specialist speakers practicing in the pain science and management field. Small group workshops will provide you with the opportunity to work together with other students to undertake activities such as critically appraising papers relating to specific aspects ofpain and science management. Seminar presentations are used as a teaching method to enable you to research and present your findings about a specific current clinical theme.
Some modules require you to undertake practical activities to develop your learning supported by expert practitioners and academics.
You will also have access to the KLE - Keele University’s virtual learning environment. All modules use this tool which provides you with a virtual space to share discussions as well as being a useful resource for accessing learning resources and research tools.
Independent study is a substantial part of each module and you will be encouraged and guided by tutors when applicable. Some of this independent study will be self-directed depending on the module. Independent study also plays a significant role in writing your dissertation where you will also be supported by academic staff, including one-to-one supervision, and student led workshops.
If you are a student with Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) you will be offered an advisory tutorial.
In your programme you will sometimes be expected to role play and engage in simulated clinical scenarios with other students, such as the practice and observation of practical skills in physical contact with other students. For some specific practices, this may necessitate modification of dress - e.g., to shorts and t-shirt. These activities will be conducted in a professional, safe, respectful and culturally sensitive way, under the supervision of academic staff, according to a defined protocol.
How will I be assessed
You will be assessed on the programme through a variety of techniques that reflect the nature of each module. These currently include:
- Essays. These may be based around specific questions, case studies or areas of interest, depending on the module, using your findings to support your argument.
- Reflective assignments. A reflective piece of work in your specific area of interest. Reflective learning and practice are a fundamental part of your continual professional development as a clinician
- Portfolios. These contain evidence of your critical reflection on your learning journey and clinical practice.
- Presentations. Oral presentations will develop communication skills and develop your confidence in presenting your findings and rationale supporting your your argument.
- Practical examinations.
- Dissertation. Student led, independent piece of research.
Next Steps
Keele Postgraduate Association
Keele University is one of a handful of universities in the UK to have a dedicated students' union for postgraduate students. A fully registered charity, Keele Postgraduate Association serves as a focal point for the social life and welfare needs of all postgraduate students during their time at Keele.
Hugely popular, the KPA Clubhouse (near Horwood Hall) provides a dedicated postgraduate social space and bar on campus, where you can grab a bite to eat and drink, sit quietly and read a book, or switch off from academic life at one of the many regular events organised throughout the year. The KPA also helps to host a variety of conferences, as well as other academic and career sessions, to give you and your fellow postgraduates the opportunities to come together to discuss your research, and develop your skills and networks.
Our expertise
Our academic teaching team comprises expert academics who have considerable experience teaching at postgraduate level. The majority of staff have postgraduate qualifications in areas such as healthcare, rehabilitation, bioengineering or education. Many of our staff are active researchers, are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council, or are members of specialist organisations such as the Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (MACP).
You can find more about our current academic teaching team here.
Next Steps