Master of Science (Medical Science)

2 Years On Campus Masters Program

RMIT University

Program Overview

The Master of Science (Medical Science) (Research) is a 2-year full-time research degree for graduates who want to develop advanced research expertise and contribute to new discoveries in human health, disease and medicine. Students work with clinical and basic researchers across biomedical science, laboratory medicine, pharmacy, pharmaceutical science, physiotherapy and medical radiations, with research opportunities spanning respiratory disease, cancer, neurological disorders, infectious disease, immunology and drug development.

Curriculum Structure

As this is a Master by Research, RMIT does not publish a conventional sequence of taught modules with subject codes. Instead, students complete research-methods and integrity training alongside a substantial supervised research project or thesis.

Year 1:
Students begin by defining their research question with an appointed supervisor and developing the literature review, methodology and research proposal required for confirmation of candidature. The formal training includes a compulsory Research Methods course, Research Integrity and Copyright and Intellectual Property modules, with ethics training where relevant; students can also undertake qualitative or quantitative research-technique training suited to their project.

Year 2:
Students focus increasingly on conducting experiments or data collection, analysing and interpreting results and developing their contribution to medical-science knowledge under regular supervision. The degree concludes with a substantial research thesis or project, demonstrating the student's capacity to plan, execute and communicate complex research to both specialist and broader audiences at an international standard.

Learning outcomes: Design and execute substantial medical research | Apply advanced research principles and methods | Analyse and synthesise complex scientific information | Evaluate theories and research evidence critically | Apply qualitative and quantitative research techniques | Communicate research findings to specialist and non-specialist audiences | Demonstrate research autonomy and accountability | Contribute new knowledge to medical science

Professional alignment (accreditation): RMIT does not list a separate professional accreditation for the Master of Science (Medical Science). It is a research qualification designed primarily for advanced research, academic and industry careers rather than as a professional-registration qualifying degree.

Reputation: RMIT is ranked =119 globally and 10th in Australia in the QS World University Rankings 2027, with its employer reputation ranked 192nd globally and 10th in Australia. In the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, RMIT is ranked 251–300 globally for Biological Sciences, supporting the research environment relevant to medical and biomedical science.

Official Master of Science (Medical Science) course page

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Experiential learning forms the core of this research degree because students spend most of their candidature conducting an original supervised medical-science research project rather than following a classroom-based curriculum. Full-time students are expected to commit at least four days per week across a 48-week academic year to research, with regular meetings with supervisors to review progress against research milestones. Students can work within RMIT's biomedical research environment at Bundoora, with access depending on the project to specialist laboratories, research groups, microscopy infrastructure and industry-linked research collaborations.

Depending on the selected research project, students can gain experience through:

Substantial supervised research: Every student undertakes a rigorous research project under an appointed academic supervisor, developing skills in research design, experimentation or data collection, analysis and scientific communication.
Research methods training: The compulsory research-methods component guides students through literature reviewing and preparation of the research proposal, while optional qualitative and quantitative research-technique studies allow students to analyse their own project data using appropriate methodologies.
Research ethics and integrity: Students complete dedicated online training in Research Integrity and Copyright and Intellectual Property, with additional ethics training required where appropriate to the research project.
Research laboratories and groups: The School of Health and Biomedical Sciences supports specialist programs including Translational Immunology and Nanotechnology, Neurodevelopment in Health and Disease, Chronic Inflammatory and Infectious Diseases, and Natural Products Health. Named groups include the Microglia and Inflammation in Neurodegenerative Diseases (MIND) Lab, Cancer, Ageing and Vaccines Research Group, and Immunity and Immune Evasion Laboratory.
Bundoora biomedical facilities: RMIT's Bundoora campus includes a purpose-built health and medical science laboratory, while its biomedical sciences environment centres on an award-winning AUD 32 million biosciences building with advanced teaching and research infrastructure.
Cell culture and microscopy: RMIT identifies dedicated Cell Culture and Microscopy Laboratory facilities at Bundoora, supporting biomedical research and laboratory-based investigation.
RMIT Microscopy and Microanalysis Facility: Relevant researchers can access one of Australia's largest multidisciplinary microscopy facilities, housing approximately 15 major instruments, including advanced electron microscopes and surface-analysis and microanalysis equipment.
Industry-linked research: RMIT states that many Medical Science research projects are conducted in collaboration with industry partners, with connections spanning biotechnology, pharmaceutical companies, government and public health, medical radiations, hospitals and research institutes.
Biomedical industry ecosystem: Across RMIT biomedical sciences, industry connections include major teaching hospitals such as the Royal Children's Hospital and Peter MacCallum, while RMIT is also a key partner in BioFab3D@ACMD, Australia's first hospital-embedded robotics and biomedical engineering centre. These represent the wider biomedical research environment available at RMIT rather than guaranteed placements for every MR238 student.
Digital research resources: Research candidates receive access to the Learning Hub, myRMIT online and digital resources, workshops and support through the School of Graduate Research.

Software and digital tools: RMIT does not specify one compulsory software package for MR238. Statistical, analytical, imaging and other digital research tools depend on the individual research project, research methodology and laboratory, so a particular software package should not be claimed for all students.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates are prepared for research and research-related careers across universities, hospitals, medical research institutes, biotechnology, pharmaceutical companies, government and public health. Depending on their research specialisation and previous professional background, suitable roles include Research Scientist, Clinical Trials Coordinator, Regulatory Affairs Associate and Medical Science Liaison, with additional pathways into academic research, quality control, epidemiology and research leadership.

The degree supports this transition into research and professional careers through:

Career Connect: RMIT students and recent graduates receive personalised assistance with career planning, job searching, résumé preparation, applications and interview preparation, with support continuing for 12 months after graduation.
Digital career tools: Career Connect provides online tools to review résumés, build cover letters and practise interviews, alongside workshops covering LinkedIn, applications and job-search strategies.
Employer access: RMIT's Career Centre adds 150+ job postings each week, while students can also access career events and mentoring from a network of 500+ industry experts.
Graduate career consultations: Final-year students can access one-to-one consultations covering career pathways, job-search strategies, applications, interviews, LinkedIn and postgraduate study.
Industry-linked research projects: Many projects within the Master of Science (Medical Science) involve external collaboration across the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, government and public health, hospitals, medical radiations and research institutes, allowing research students to develop interdisciplinary professional connections.
Career outcomes: RMIT specifically identifies employment in research and academic positions, pharmaceutical and biotechnology research and development, clinical trials coordination, quality control, regulatory affairs, medical science liaison and medical affairs, as well as government careers in epidemiology, public health and health policy.
Graduate employability: RMIT is ranked top 10 in Australia for employer reputation in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and in the top 250 globally for graduate employability in the Times Higher Education Rankings 2026.
Employment and salary figures: RMIT currently does not publish an MR238-specific employment rate or graduate salary figure on the official course page. Therefore, a specific salary or employment percentage should not be presented as an official outcome of this degree.
Long-term professional value: Although MR238 is not listed as a professionally accredited registration qualification, it develops advanced research capability, specialist scientific expertise and experience conducting an original research project—skills suited to senior research, industry, government and academic positions. RMIT notes that graduates of its Health and Biomedical Sciences postgraduate research programs have progressed to research team-leader roles internationally and senior positions in government and industry.

Further Academic Progression:
Students who perform strongly in the Master of Science (Medical Science) can progress to RMIT's PhD (Medical Science). RMIT explicitly identifies doctoral study as the next research pathway for high-performing master's-by-research graduates, allowing them to continue developing their specialisation through a longer independent research project under senior academic supervision.

Official Master of Science (Medical Science) course page