BSc in Medical Sciences with Cardiovascular Science

Cardiovascular disease is responsible for more death and disability worldwide than any other single cause. Despite recent improvements in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, its impact will continue to rise in the foreseeable future as people’s lifespan increases and countries develop.

Imperial College London is an outstanding place to study the cardiovascular system. In the recent review of UK university research (RAE 2008), it had the highest volume of top (4*) rated research in the cardiovascular medicine unit of assessment and it has more Leducq Foundation Transatlantic Networks of Excellence in Cardiovascular Research Programs than any other UK institution.

The BSc in Medical Sciences with Cardiovascular Science is designed to provide a thorough understanding of the scientific basis of cardiovascular disease and how this relates to current and future diagnosis and treatment. The course is aimed at both medical and biomedical sciences students and gives students the scientific basis behind clinical practice and provides the foundation in scientific methodology that could lead to postgraduate studies.

Course details

The course provides three taught modules and a 10-week research project.

Module 1 (Cellular Cardiology) teaches cardiac electrophysiology, developmental biology and novel approaches to treatment including stem cells and regenerative medicine

"All lecturers were excellent and taught well"

— a current BSc student

Module 2 (Vascular Biology and Pharmacology) covers vascular biology and current therapeutic approaches to cardiovascular disease
Module 3 (Epidemiology and Investigation of Cardiovascular Disease) includes topics on imaging in cardiovascular disease, cardiac electrophysiology in the clinic and the epidemiology of cardiovascular disease

Taught modules involve a mixture of lectures, seminars, small group tutorials, journal clubs, demonstrations and practical classes delivered by leading experts in the field.

The research project involves innovative research into a topic related to cardiovascular sciences or cardiovascular disease and is supervised by a member of academic research staff, who are internationally recognised leaders in their field. Many former students have presented at national and international conferences and have published their project work.

As an alternative to a project, students can undertake a specialist module in Global and Environmental Health, History of medicine or Medical humanities

"Thank you for organising an excellent BSc course. As class representative, I am delighted to have so much positive feedback from my colleagues. The teaching was excellent and the project supervision was fair, helpful and engaging."

— course feedback

Assessment

Performance in each taught module is assessed in-course on the basis of two compulsory pieces of work and a final written examination paper. The research project is assessed on the basis of the project write-up and an oral presentation of the findings of the project.