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POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN INTEGRATED IMMUNOLOGY

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General Regulations

  1. 1. The Medical Sciences Board shall have the power to grant Postgraduate Diplomas in Integrated Immunology to members of the University who have kept residence and pursued a course of study at Oxford for not less than two terms. 2. The examination shall be under the supervision of the Medical Sciences Board.

Special Regulations

  1. 1. A candidate may be admitted to the Postgraduate Diploma in Integrated Immunology provided that he or she has the status of Probationary Research Student.
  2. 2. The Divisional Board of Medical Sciences shall appoint for the supervision of the course an organising committee, which shall have the power to arrange the teaching, assessments and other instruction.
  3. 3. The organising committee shall appoint an academic mentor for each candidate.
  4. 4. Each candidate shall:
    1. (a) follow a course of study in Integrated Immunology for two terms and for a substantial part of the intervening vacation, as determined by the course timetable;
    2. (b) attend all organised sessions including lectures, tutorials, class-directed learning, problem-based learning and continuing professional development sessions which are compulsory (a record of attendance is kept).
  5. 5. Candidates shall be examined in all of the following ways:
    1. (i) At the end of Michaelmas Term (normally in Week 10), each candidate must pass a computer-based examination on the topics in the Schedule for Term 1. Candidates who fail the examination once will be permitted to take it again on one further occasion, in order to proceed with the course.
    2. (ii) At the end of Hilary Term (normally in Week 10), each candidate must pass a computer-based examination on the topics in the Schedule for Term 2. Candidates who fail the examination once will be permitted to take it again on one further occasion, in order to proceed with the course.
    3. (iii) Each candidate will be required to submit to the examiners two copies of a printed essay of between 3,000-4,000 words by noon, Monday of Week 8 of Michaelmas Term. The subject of the essay must have been approved by the Examining Board. Each candidate shall make a public presentation on their essay to the examiners and will be examined viva voce as required, at the end of Michaelmas Term at a time to be notified by the examiners. Candidates will have the opportunity to revise and re-submit their essay by noon, Friday of the week preceding Week 0 of Hilary Term, in the event that they are deemed not to have passed this element of the examination.
    4. (iv) Each candidate will be required to submit to the examiners two copies each of four clinical commentaries (printed) of 1,000-1,500 words each by noon, Monday of Week 8 of Hilary Term. The subjects of the clinical commentaries must have been approved by the Examining Board. Each candidate will be required to make a public presentation of one or more of their commentaries and will be examined viva voce, at the end of Hilary Term at a time to be notified by the examiners. Candidates will have the opportunity to revise and re-submit their clinical commentaries by noon, Friday of the week preceding Week 0 of Trinity Term, in the event that they are deemed not to have passed this element of the examination.
  6. 6. The examiners may examine any candidate viva voce on any part of the examination.
  7. 7. Candidates must pass each element of the examination to pass overall.
  8. 8. Candidates must pass each element of the examination in each term before being permitted to progress to the next term.
  9. 9. Candidates will be allowed one opportunity to retake or resubmit each of the required elements should they fail to reach the necessary standard. Students failing to pass any element on the second attempt will normally be judged to have failed to reach the necessary standard for the award.
  10. 10. The examiners may award a distinction for excellence in the whole examination.
  11. 11. The required written submissions must be sent to the Chairman of Examiners, Postgraduate Diploma in Integrated Immunology, c/o Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford.

Schedule

The syllabus for study will be:

  1. Term 1: Fundamental aspects of immunology
    1. The dynamic anatomy of immunity
    2. Innate immunity
    3. Antigen presentation and recognition
    4. Adaptive Immunity
    5. Phylogenetically ancient systems
  2. Term 2: Clinical aspects of immunology
    1. Infection and immunity
    2. Failure of immunity
    3. Aberrant and unwanted immunity
    4. The immunology of cancer
    5. Manipulation of Immunity