The Medical Affairs MSc course will give you the skills to operate as a bridge between the pharmaceutical industry and the wider medical community, including key thought leaders across a range of therapeutic specialisms, as well as with patient groups, regulatory authorities and beyond.
The course builds from a sound appreciation of the clinical development of new medicines, to focus on understanding how to effectively link science and commercial activity, by providing scientific and commercial support for medicines. It is designed for scientists, physicians, pharmacists and allied health professionals.
This is the world’s first MSc in Medical Affairs and still the only one on offer.
This course is delivered in close partnership with the pharmaceutical industry. Many experts from pharma teach, run workshops, supervise dissertations and examine students. Pharma also employs most of our graduates.
Medical Affairs is concerned with the development and lifecycle management of medicines. The MSc prepares bioscience graduates, physicians and pharmacists for a role in medical affairs in Pharma i.e. to make critical decisions and to execute strategic projects related to developing, commercialising, managing the medicine’s lifecycle and the use of medicines. This includes taking the company’s science to thought leaders in medical practice and to patient groups. Medical Affairs focuses on science and its application, not on sales. This MSc is not suitable preparation for a career in the lab.
Students take 6 compulsory core modules in common with the other pharmaceutical medicine MSc courses, and that cover the syllabus of PharmaTrain. This gives the foundation knowledge of the research and development activities needed for new medicines.
Students then begin their specialisation in Medical Affairs by taking two specialist modules. The specialist areas of medical affairs includes: the strategic roles and responsibilities of medical affairs; medical affairs as the company’s response to the changing environment; commercialisation of medicines, real-world evidence; patient engagement in the life cycle of medicines and achieving value for patients; the management of relationships with external stakeholders, medical education, ethical challenges in the industry; role of professional bodies, good practices, corporate and industry responsibility, regulations covering the sale and marketing of medicines, pharmacoepidemiology and the reporting of patient safety data with medicines. Students are offered direct practical experience of medical affairs through a one-week placement in industry. The placements are arranged by King's.
Students complete their specialisation by writing an original research dissertation of up to 10,000 words in an area of medical affairs. In 2022 - 2023, four fifths of the students were directly supervised by a specialist employed in Pharma. The supervisors are recruited by King's.
If you are studying full-time you will complete the MSc in one year, from mid-September to mid-September. Part-time study takes between two to six years to complete the MSc.
Majority of the teaching is done in classrooms at the Waterloo campus. Students may also need to attend classes at nearby campuses e.g. Guys’ Hospital.
For the placement, students need to travel to the host company. This is usually in and around London.
Our teaching ensures that students have a rich and exciting experience from the start. Face-to-face teaching is complemented and supported with innovative technology and students experience elements of digital learning and assessment.
Learn about the whole lifecycle of medicines, from pre-clinical development to Phase 4 trials to sales and marketing
Choose to specialise: communication with and education of healthcare practitioners, pharmacoepidemiology and global issues relating to medicines, or ethics and professionalism
Develop a strong research mindset, with opportunities to get your dissertation published and presented at meetings
Network throughout the course and gain practical experience, including an optional one-week placement in the Medical Affairs Department of a pharmaceutical company
Course type:
Master's
Delivery mode:
In person
Study mode:
Full time / Part time
Duration:
One year full-time, two years to six years part-time
Application status:
Open
Start date:
September 2026
We encourage you to apply as early as possible so that there is sufficient time for your application to be assessed and we may need to request further information from you during the application process.
Full-time MSc:
Our first application deadline is on 9 March 2026 (23:59 UK time). The final application deadlines for this programme are:
After the first application deadline in March:
Please note, you will not be eligible for an application fee refund if you apply after the first application deadline, and we are unable to process further offers because places are filled and we close the course before the final application deadline.
Part-time MSc:
We accept applications on a rolling basis throughout the year, but you should submit your application at the latest two months before the module start date.
Applicants who will require a visa to enter and study in the UK should note that they will be unable to obtain a Student visa for standalone modules or part-time study. A visa can only be obtained for the full-time study option of this programme.
Please note funding applications may be subject to specific deadlines.
Our Waterloo campus is home to the Florence Nightingale Faculty Nursing & Midwifery, and a vibrant hub for health, social science, and law students. Located moments from the iconic landmarks of South Bank and just a short walk to the Stand campus.