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ABOUT

In line with the nation’s push for developed status, there will be increasing demand for candidates with postgraduate qualification to drive the country to the next level of development.

MSc/PhD in Medical & Health Sciences

Postgraduate research forms a major part of IMU’s activities in its role as a leader in healthcare provision and innovation. Working for a higher degree in research gives students the opportunity to acquire in-depth, specialised knowledge and to apply leading-edge techniques and methodologies. The University prides itself on the facilities and support it provides to research students and on the calibre and dedication of its academic, clinical and technical staff. In addition, researchers have published their findings in high impact journals.

The University allocates more than RM1 million internal funds for research every year. Alongside this commitment, our researchers have also successfully obtained significant amounts of external grants from funding bodies such as the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) and Ministry of Energy,

Science, Technology, Environment & Climate Change (MESTECC) in recent years. Our researchers have received funding for collaborative research projects in nasopharyngeal carcinoma, colorectal carcinoma, breast cancer, infectious diseases and environmental health.

Key Facts

DEGREE

  • Master of Science (MSc) in Medical and Health Sciences

Commencement

  • Throughout the year

Note: MSc & PhD (by Research) intake commences on the 1st week of every month.

total duration

MSc in Medical and Health Sciences

  • 1 year (full-time)*
  • 2 years (part-time)*

PhD in Medical and Health Sciences

  • 3 years (full-time)*
  • 4 years (part-time)*

*Students must fulfill the criteria as approved by the Senate in order to graduate within the minimum duration.

Tuition Fees

  • All IMU alumni who are self-funding their postgraduate studies and meet the eligibility criteria will be eligible for a 15% bursary.

Why Study MSc/PhD in Medical & Health Sciences?

An Established Private Healthcare University

IMU is Malaysia’s first and most established private medical and healthcare university with over 30 years of dedicated focus in healthcare education.

IMU achieved the SETARA-2018/2019 Tier 6 status (Outstanding) under the Mature University category.

Renowned and Highly Experience Faculty

Students will be supervised by staff who are experts in their field with well-established reputations nationally and internationally.

The academic community of IMU pursues and achieves excellence in a wide range of research activities.

Many of them present their findings in international conferences to keep up to date with the latest development in specialised areas.

They also publish their findings in international peer-reviewed journals.

Research Funding

Our researchers have successfully obtained external funding through government grants such as the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS), Exploratory Research Grant Scheme (ERGS) and ScienceFund.

In addition, internal grants worth more than RM1,000,000 per year are invested to support research at IMU.

Research Facilities

The IMU has good infrastructure and facilities to support research. There are eight Research Laboratories and eight tissue culture laboratories for medical research with a total floor space of 26,000 sq ft. The University also has an animal storage facility with expanded space (about 770 sq ft) and state-of-the-art caging and maintenance of experimental animals. Adequate funding support for research facilities is provided.

Research Partnerships

Students will benefit from the University’s research collaborations with various local and foreign institutions in areas such as cancer, bioactive molecules, nutrition and environmental health. Close links have also been established with local hospitals, especially Hospital Tuanku Ja’afar in clinical research.

Programme Structure

The areas of research expertise of the IMU faculty are as follows

  • Cancer / Oncology
  • Environmental Health
  • Toxicology / Molecular Biology / Biotechnology
  • Biochemistry
  • Microbiology
  • Clinical Research
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Psychology
  • Pharmaceutical Sciences
  • Chronic Diseases
  • Community Health
  • Building-Related Illnesses
  • Human and Medical Genetics

The selection of supervisor(s) will depend very much on the research area and be based on mutual agreement between both parties. The principal supervisor must be engaged within IMU whereas a co-supervisor can be from any established institution. All supervisors are subject to the credentialling guidelines of IMU.

ASSESSMENT

Both programmes are research-based and degrees will be awarded by IMU on successful completion of a thesis. Examination is by assessment of the thesis, and includes an oral examination of the contained research.

 

For PhD, there is also provision for candidates to submit their theses in the form of published works resulting from their research projects during period of their candidature, subject to the evaluation by the Review Committee.

Entry Requirement for MSc/PhD

A. ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS B. ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

MSc in Medical and Health Sciences

Applicants are required to have obtained:

  • A Bachelor’s Degree in the field or related fields with a minimum CGPA of 2.75 or equivalent, as accepted by the University’s Senate; or
  • A Bachelor’s Degree in the field or related fields or equivalent with a minimum CGPA of 2.50 and not meeting CGPA of 2.75, can be accepted subject to rigorous internal assessment; or
  • A Bachelor’s Degree in the field or related fields or equivalent with minimum CGPA of 2.00 and not meeting CGPA of 2.50, can be accepted subject to a minimum of 5 years working experience in the relevant field and rigorous internal assessment.

Note:

  • Applicants with the appropriate experience will be given priority of selection.

 

PhD in Medical and Health Sciences

Applicants are required to have obtained:

  • A Master’s Degree accepted by the University’s Senate; or
  • Other qualifications equivalent to a Master’s degree
    that are accepted by the University’s Senate.

Note:

  1. A bachelor’s degree in the field or related fields with first-class (CGPA of 3.67 or higher) or its equivalent from an academic or Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme;
  2. The eligible candidates will be undergoing an internal assessment to evaluate the candidates suitability for the direct entry.

Bachelor’s degree candidates who are registered for master’s degree programmes may apply to convert to the doctoral degree programmes subjected to the following conditions:

  1. within 1 year for full time and within 2 years for part-time candidates;
  2. having shown competency and capability in conducting research at doctoral level through rigorous internal evaluation by the HEP; and
  3. approval of the University’s Senate.

For Malaysian Students

Not applicable

For International Students

  • IELTS : Band score 5.0; or
  • TOEFL (iBT) : Overall score of 42; or
  • Cambridge English : Advanced (CAE) : Overall score of 154; or
  • Cambridge English : Proficiency (CPE) : Overall score of 154; or
  • Cambridge Linguaskill : Overall score of 160; or
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE) : Overall score of 47;

The following categories of students are exempted from the above requirements:

  • International students from countries in which English is the first language.
  • International students who graduated from any Malaysian or other institutions where the curriculum is delivered in English.
Note

Please note that achieving the minimum Entry and English requirements as stated does not guarantee you admission into any of IMU’s programmes.

Please refer to our Student Admissions Policy for more information

Application and Registration Fees

Fee Malaysian Student (RM) International Student (RM)
Application Fee 150 500
Registration Fee 1,100 3,400
Refundable Caution Deposit 2,000 2,000
Student Association Fee per Semester 40 40

Note: There are 2 semesters in a university year.

  • All IMU alumni who are self-funding their postgraduate studies and meet the eligibility criteria will be eligible for a reduction in tuition fees.
  • Application fee is payable upon submission of application.
  • Registration fee and refundable caution deposit is payable upon acceptance of the offer letter issued by the IMU Admissions Office.
  • Students must adhere to the Policy on Payment of Fees

Fee Structure

Malaysian Student

Programme Details  Fee per Semester(RM)  Total Fee per Year (RM)
Master Tuition Fee* 5,500 11,000
Examination Fee 2,000
PhD Tuition Fee* 7,200 14,400
Examination Fee 2,500

*There are 2 semesters in a university year.

International Student

Programme Details  Fee per Semester(RM)  Total Fee per Year (RM)
Master Tuition Fee* 10,750 21,500
Examination Fee 2,100
PhD Tuition Fee* 14,050 28,100
Examination Fee 2,600

*There are 2 semesters in a university year.

Views from Our Community

Chan Hong Hao

Student, MSc in Medical and Health Sciences

The state-of-the-art scientific knowledge and laboratory skills that I had leant at IMU during my undergraduate studies had allowed me to secure a research intern position in Singapore. When I wanted to pursue my postgraduate studies, I chose IMU without any hesitation. Throughout my postgraduate studies at IMU, I have been fortunate enough to be guided by a group of experienced and knowledgeable supervisors. My supervisors have played a significant role in shaping me into a well-trained research student. The diverse backgrounds of my fellow research students during postgraduate studies has allowed us to share our opinions and ideas during our research talks. My presentation skills have improved tremendously as a result of this. Also, I am now more knowledgeable regarding other areas of the scientific world. I believe that all the valuable knowledges and experiences that I have gained from my postgraduate studies are significant in turning me into a more mature, competitive and knowledgeable research scientist of the future.

Choo Zi Ying

Student, MSc in Medical and Health Sciences

I completed both my Pre-U and undergraduate programmes at IMU and now I continue my postgraduate study, MSc in Medical and Health Science also at IMU. At first, I choose IMU as my first choice based on recommendation, because my siblings and cousins all graduated from IMU. Moreover, the superior geographical location of IMU is another important reason; the convenient accessibility of public transportation and safe surroundings. The study environment and the facilities in IMU draw up my affection once I started my study life. However, the course structure and the qualification of lecturers is the main reason the university programmes attracted me when IMU was recommended to me. The passionate and supportive lecturers are the fundamental grounds that make me wish to complete my postgraduate study in IMU. I visited few other universities before I made my final decision, but none of them having the facilities and exceptional management for the postgraduate research laboratory. The strong connection within the postgraduate students, lecturers and the postgraduate school reinforced my decision to continue my postgraduate study in IMU.

Dr Lee Choy Sin

Senior Lecturer, Postgraduate Programmes by Research

I have been supervising more than 10 MSc and PhD (by research) in Medical and Health Sciences candidates as principal supervisor in IMU since 2010. The postgraduate students that I have been supervising are not only receiving training on specialist knowledge in producing biomaterials for drug delivery and biomedical applications, but they are also acquiring viable transferable skills such as project management, critical thinking, analytical ability, time management, leadership, and teamwork, for their future career undertaking. The postgraduate students in IMU are giving comprehensive training on proposal writing, proposal defence, literature review, scientific writing, as well as oral presentation. All the postgraduate by research candidates are presenting research talks in IMU and they are highly encouraged to present at local and international conferences. I am pleased to see all my postgraduate students took the opportunities to present at conferences and some of them received best oral and poster presentation awards at the conferences. The postgraduate by research students in IMU are also publishing their research findings in peer-reviewed journals and all my postgraduate students have been publishing their research hard works in reputable journals. Our research team, including the postgraduate by research students have also successfully jointly filed two patents with Malaysian Palm Oil Board in Malaysia and regional countries. The postgraduate (by research) graduates from my research team are venturing into R&D, quality assurance, preclinical analysis, and education industries.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What postgraduate programmes are offered by IMU?

The Postgraduate School of IMU offers the Master of Science (MSc) in the fields of Medical Sciences and Community Health and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Medical and Health Sciences.

What are the main features of the programmes?

Both programmes are research-based and the degrees will be awarded by the IMU on the successful completion of a thesis. Examination is by assessment of the thesis, the research on which it is based and a viva voce.

What are the semester contents?

Semester contents are available in the programme brochure [Download Brochure]

What is the duration of each course on full-time basis?

MSc

  • Minimum of 1 year (2 semesters)
  • Maximum of 4 years (8 semesters)

PhD

  • Minimum of 3 years (6 semesters)
  • Maximum of 7 years (14 semesters)

What is the duration of each course on part-time basis?

MSc

  • Minimum of 2 year (4 semesters)
  • Maximum of 6 years (12 semesters)

PhD

  • Minimum of 4 years (8 semesters)
  • Maximum of 8 years (16 semesters)

How are supervisors selected?

The selection of supervisor(s) will depend very much on the research area and be based on mutual agreement between both parties. The principal supervisor must be engaged within IMU whereas a co-supervisor can be from any established institution. All supervisors are subject to the credentialling guidelines of IMU.

Who will award the Degree?

The degrees will be awarded by the successful completion of a thesis. Examination is by assessment of the thesis and includes an oral examination concerning the thesis and the research on which it is based. The evaluation comprises examination of the thesis and a viva voce.

What are the areas of research available at the IMU?

The areas of expertise of the IMU faculty are as follows: IMU academic staff members who supervise the research candidates have wellestablished reputations nationally and internationally in their areas of expertise. These senior faculty take part in international conferences and are in touch with key researchers form other countries.

  • Environmental Health
  • Human and Medical Genetics
  • Biochemistry
  • Cancer/Oncology
  • Molecular Biology/Biotechnology
  • Pharmaceutical Science
  • Chronic Diseases
  • Community Health
  • Building-Related Illnesses
  • Microbiology
  • Clinical Research
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Psychology (Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Health Psychology, Sports Psychology, Industrial/Organisational Psychology, Criminal Psychology)

IMU academic staff members who supervise the research candidates have well-established reputations nationally and internationally in their areas of expertise. These senior faculty take part in international conferences and are in touch with key researchers form other countries.

Minimum Entry Requirement

  • Admission as a candidate for the degree of MSc.Applicants are required to have obtained:
    • A bachelor’s degree with minimum CGPA of 2.75 or equivalent, as accepted by the HEP Senate; or
    • A bachelor’s degree or equivalent with minimum CGPA of 2.50 and not meeting CGPA of 2.75, can be accepted subject to rigorous internal assessment; or
    • A bachelor’s degree or equivalent not meeting CGPA of 2.50, can be accepted subject to a minimum of 5 years working experience in relevant field.
  • Admission as a candidate for the degree of PhD.
    • A masters degree accepted by the HEP Senate; or
    • Other qualifications equivalent to a masters degree that are accepted by the HEP Senate.Note:
      i. There shall be no direct entry from bachelor’s degree level to a doctoral degree level.
      ii. Candidates registered for Master’s Degree programmes with at least CGPA 3.67 at bachelor’s degree level may apply to convert their candidancy to the doctoral degree programmes subjected to:
      a) having shown competency and capability in conducting research at Doctoral Degree level.
      b) approval by the HEP Senate.

 

English Language Requirements

All students are normally required to provide written evidence of their ability in the English Language in order to study in IMU. The standard English Proficiency requirements are usually overall band score of IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 550 (PBT) or 79 (IBT) or MUET band 4.

When do I apply?

Throughout the year

What are admission procedures?

  • Applications for admission are accepted continuously throughout the year.
  • An interview with the faculty is required and is part of the evaluation process.
  • The completed application and all supporting materials (transcripts, research proposal) must be on file before the application can be processed and evaluated.
  • Successful applicants are notified of their acceptance by letter.

Have a Question? Ask Us

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INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR ONE OF OUR PROGRAMMES?

You will need to prepare the following documents for your application:

  • Verified copies of your academic qualifications
  • Evidence of English language proficiency
  • A copy of your MyKad or the identification page of your passport

These supporting documents needs to be attached electronically to your application. Please note that all of our programmes require payment of a non-refundable application fee after the application has been submitted. Application will only be processed once the payment for application fee has been made.

We wish you all the best with your application, and hope we will be welcoming you into one of our programmes soon!

A Word from the Programme Director

Prof-Shar-Mariam-2022

PROF SHAR MARIAM BT MOHAMED

Programme Director and Professor
BSc (Flinders), PhD (UPM)

“Science never solves a problem without creating ten more.” – George Bernard Shaw

.

“Postgraduate research empowers graduate students to undertake a systematic investigation, based on the work built within the field of interest by previous researchers. The research skills developed and mastered will equip the student to become an independent researcher who is capable of advancing knowledge within the field. It requires superior organisation skills with unyielding attention to detail. Research work underpins one’s ability to hone his understanding of experimental methods, and sharpens his evidence-based logical thinking, which is the most crucial skill in assessing the outcome of the research.”

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