This elite intensive research degree in health and (bio-) medical sciences will provide students with the opportunity to pursue and independent investigative research project under the supervision of an academic staff member in the School of Medicine, along with coursework specifically designed to provide relevant skills in research design, communication, integrity and interpretation. This course will provide students with a dedicated pathway into PhD programs or into employment where deeper disciplinary knowledge and research skills are required. The research projects that centre on the basis of health and disease span from basic gene discovery and molecular analysis, through to functional genomics and pre-clinical development, to clinical and population studies. This includes in the fields of immunity, infectious diseases, developmental biology, exercise physiology and metabolism, musculoskeletal biology, haematology, cancer, metabolic disease, neuroscience, molecular psychiatry and nanomedicine. Research projects may also be offered in the field of rural and regional medicine, general practice, chronic disease management, public health, medical education, epidemiology, farmer health, medical imaging, surgery and optometry. Course structure A Master of Philosophy is awarded for an original contribution to knowledge achieved in two years of full-time study (or four years of part-time study). To complete the Master of Philosophy must complete 4 credit points of research training coursework that includes research design, communication, integrity and interpretation, in addition to an independent research project under the supervision of a nominated supervisor. Graduate outcomes Career outcomes The Master of Philosophy is specifically designed to provide students from diverse undergraduate backgrounds with an opportunity to expand their knowledge base and become an independent researcher with specialized technical, critical thinking, communication and cognitive skills. These skills are highly sought by many employers, with the course providing students with a dedicated pathway into national and international PhD programs or into careers within academia, industry, medical research as well as government and non-government scientific agencies, both local and global. Course learning outcomes Deakin's graduate learning outcomes describe the knowledge and capabilities graduates can demonstrate at the completion of their course. These outcomes mean that regardless of the Deakin course you undertake, you can rest assured your degree will teach you the skills and professional attributes that employers value. They'll set you up to learn and work effectively in the future.