The role of the clinical researcher is vital to the advancement of modern medicine. Nearly every treatment and medical device used in any medical specialty has improved through clinical research and clinical trials. Nurses, public health officials and other clinical experts are able to advance their careers by expanding their education with Clinical Research degrees and participation in the research and clinical trial process. Certain medical disciplines require certification and state licensure, as well. For instance, nurse clinical researchers may be required to have a Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN) and state licensure. You should be certain that your program will allow you to obtain the correct credentials.
Clinical trials, most often associated with oncology but encompassing the medical field, are done in collaboration with pharmaceutical or medical device manufacturers, the National Institute of Health and hospitals, clinics or physician offices to determine the safety and efficacy of new treatments and devices. Required to follow specific protocols, it's important that clinicians conducting clinical trials are trained in proper research methods, correct monitoring of patient participants and documentation of trial results. All community standard treatments and practices had their beginnings in clinical research. Best Medical Degrees previously published a listing of the 50 Highest Paying Nursing Specialties and has reviewed some of the most affordable online clinical research programs.
While those with bachelor's degrees are able to work in clinical research, most employers, hospitals and specialty clinics prefer master prepared clinicians. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the overall job outlook for this profession, between 2014-2024, is rated at 17% (faster than average); and, salary ranges can vary between a median $94,500 and an upper range of $165,380 per year, which puts this career in the top salaried professions in healthcare.
Tuition Costs
Tuition in a masters program may seem prohibitive, but when one considers the pay-off in increased salary and potential job enhancement, it may well be worth the investment. Online degrees help lower the cost of furthering your education, in that students aren't required to pay for on-campus fees for housing, food or parking. Additionally, online education allows you to continue working and take courses on your own time.
Employee Reimbursement
Employers are increasingly adding tuition benefits for their employees as part of their overall benefits package. Talk with your supervisor or Human Resource representative to see if your employer offers such a benefit and how you may qualify.
Federal Financial Aid
To see if you qualify for a graduate loan, you will need to complete Federal Student Aid form offered online. You may want to talk with your admissions advisor to see if your school or college offers additional funds for graduate students for which you may apply.
Veterans, Active Military, Spouses and Dependents
Many colleges and universities provide tuition discounts for active, inactive, spouse and dependents of military personnel. Ask your admissions advisor or the Bursar's Office to determine if they offer such a discount.
Accreditation
People are sometimes leery of obtaining an online degree. Is it a legitimate school? Will the degree be the same as one from a brick and mortar school? One way to determine the validity of your online program is to verify that the school holds accreditation by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and regional agencies is a good sign that the educational programs have met specific criteria to award degrees.
Best Medical Degrees has researched and ranked 10 affordable, online Master of Science in Clinical Research programs; and ranked them by tuition, accreditation and length of program. This list, while not exhaustive, is a good beginning point in your search. When applicable, school rankings by U.S. News and World Report and other rating organizations are also provided, adding another layer of quality for your online degree choice.
1. University of North Carolina Wilmington
This coastal university in North Carolina was established in 1946 and has developed into a school with an enrollment in excess of 14,000 students and offers 87 bachelor, master and doctoral degrees. From modest beginnings, UNCW has grown to be recognized by U.S. News and World Report in its ranking as #16 Best Public University in the South and is listed as one of the Top Military Online Institution by The Guide to Online Schools.
A Master of Science in Clinical Research and Product Development, this program is designed to assist students enter the Biopharmaceutical/Clinical Research area working in clinical trials, development of biomedical medical devices or post marketing for drug safety. Study for this program includes courses in Clinical Research Monitoring and Ethics, Advance Pharmotherapeutics, Trial Design and Management, Epidemiology and Safety and a capstone project.
Program Length: 36 Credit Hours
Estimated Tuition Cost: $8,772
2. University of Central Florida
A MS Research Administration is offered online by the University of Central Florida (UCF) which may be completed within two years. UCF was founded in 1963 and holds accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Ranked in the top 200 national universities by U.S. News and World Report, UCF also is ranked as #93 in Top Public Schools. Kiplinger and The Princeton Review has also rated UCF as one of the nation's best values for college education.
This MS in Research Administration concentrates on Introduction to Research Administration, Governance and Regulatory Issues for Sponsored Programs, Grant and Contract Management, Leadership and Organization Models in Research Administration and Financial Management in Research Administration. Other core courses include Contracting for Sponsored Programs, Public Program Evaluation Techniques and Research Integrity for Research Administrators.
Program Length: 36 Credit Hours
Estimated Tuition Cost: $23,616
3. Arizona State University
Ranked by U.S. News and World Report as #1 Best School for Innovation, Arizona State University provides an online Master of Science in Clinical Research Management degree through it's College of Nursing and Health Innovation. Founded in Tempe, Arizona in 1885 as The Territorial Normal School to educate teachers, ASU has grown over the decades to an award winning research university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
This Master of Science is designed to train individuals to manage various aspects of clinical research from medical drug, devices, government regulatory agencies, clinics and hospitals and other organizations conducting medical research. Coursework in this degree will include: Responsible Conduct in Research, Fundamentals of Regulatory Affairs, Clinical Research Monitoring, Scientific and Research Review Boards. As well as study in Pharmaceutical Safety and Risk Management, Contracting and Budgeting for Industry Supported Research, etc. A capstone project culminates the program.
Program Length: 33 Credit Hours
Estimated Tuition Cost: $24,816
4. Walden University
With a student enrollment in excess of 47,800 taking online courses worldwide, Walden University, a for profit institution located in Minnesota, has been providing educational degrees since 1970. The university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Through Walden University's Public Health and Health Sciences department, this is a Master of Science in Clinical Research Administration.
Students can expect to study, in a prescribed order, courses in Introduction to Clinical Research, Pathophysiological Basis of Clinical Research, Ethical, Legal and Regulatory Considerations in Clinical Investigations, Epidemiology and Health Economics and Financial Management in Clinical Research Management. The program completes with a capstone project.
Program Length: 33 Credit Hours
Estimated Tuition Cost: $28,215
5. St. Cloud University
This particular MS in Applied Clinical Research is the only clinical research program focused on medical devices. Offered as a distance program, St. Cloud University's courses are offered online. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, St. Cloud University is one of the largest universities in Minnesota with a student population of over 15,000. Founded in 1869, St. Cloud University offers more than 60 graduate and doctoral degrees.
Courses cover Communications for the MedTech, Applied Anatomy, Physiology and Pathobiology, Lifecycle of the Clinical Product, Clinical Study and Design, Biostatistics, Regulatory Compliance and Research Ethics, Communicating and Reporting for Clinical Trials and Evidenced Based Medicine. The university is ranked in the top 50 of Top Public Schools by U.S. News and World Report and #115 in its Regional Universities Midwest ranking.
Program Length: 37 Credit Hours
Estimated Tuition Cost: $28,860
6. Ohio State University
Ohio State University, in Columbus, Ohio, has an online Master of Applied Clinical and Preclinical Research degree that is provided completely online. This interdisciplinary graduate degree program offered entirely online by the Colleges of Nursing, Pharmacy and Medicine at The Ohio State University. OSU has been providing education since 1870 and holds accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission. U.S. News and World Report has ranked OSU #54 in its National University and ranked #11 in its Top Public Schools and #31 Best Colleges for Veterans.
The MACPR degree offers a specialization in Clinical Research Management that will allow successful graduates to work as a Clinical Research Coordinator or Clinical Research Associate. Coursework includes pharmacology, research ethics, fundamentals of medical products development and regulation, management of clinical and preclinical studies and others.
Program Length: 36 Credit Hours
Estimated Tuition Cost: $30,420
7. George Washington University
George Washington University provides an online Master of Science in Health Sciences through its School of Medicine and Health Sciences, which may be completed within two years. George Washington University is ranked #57 Best National University by U.S. News & World Report and holds accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Founded in 1821, GWU has an enrollment of over 20,000 students from all 50 states.
This university provides online master degrees in: Clinical Research Administration, Clinical and Translational Research, Health Care Quality and Regulatory Affairs. Each program consists of core courses, research biostatistics, epidemiology, healthcare quality, etc.
Program Length: 36 Credit Hours
Estimated Tuition Cost: $31,320
8. Campbell University
Founded in 1887 in North Carolina by a Baptist minister, Campbell University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award Associate, Baccalaureate, Masters, Education Specialist, and Doctorate degrees. Campbell University is the only osteopathic medical school in North Carolina and ranks #30 in U.S. News and World Report's Regional Universities South and #22 in its Best College for Veterans rankings.
This MS Clinical Research (MSCR) degree is offered online and has a dual degree option in MSCR/PharmD and MSCR/MBA. Courses range from Principles of Clinical Research, Medical Ethics, Regulatory Affairs, Biostatistical Inference & Modeling, Advanced Data Management, Advanced Study Design and Project Management, etc. Program completion is estimated to take two years.
Program Length: 41 Credit Hours
Estimated Tuition Cost: $31,775
9. Rutgers University
This is a university-industry collaboration (The Rutgers Biopharma Educational Initiative) offering a Master of Science Clinical Research which has three central tracks: Regulatory Affairs, Clinical Trials and Recruitment and Drug Safety and Pharmacovigilance. The goal of this collaboration is to train students to work in clinical trials, understanding product evaluation, licensing and marketing. Core coursework will include Clinical Trials Overview: Methods & Practice, Regulatory & Ethical Requirements in Clinical Investigations, Capstone Course (Mentored Fieldwork) or Evidence Based Literature Review. Specialty tracks will concentrate on topic specific courses.
This MS is offered through the Department of Informatics of Rutgers University. Rutgers University was founded in 1908 in Newark, New Jersey and has been ranked in the top 100 public schools by U.S. News and World Report as well as #90 for Best College for Veterans. A public school, Rutgers University-Newark has an enrollment of over 7,000 students and is part of the three campus Rutgers University system. The history of Rutgers University dates to 1766 when it began as Queen's College.
Program Length: 36 Credit Hours
Estimated Tuition Cost: $35,640
10. Drexel University
Drexel University offers a MSN in Clinical Trials Research online degree for bachelor prepared nurses wanting to enter clinical study/research. A private school, Drexel University was founded in Philadelphia in 1891 and its College of Nursing and Health Professions is accredited the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Ranked in the Top 50 for Best Online Graduate Programs by U.S. News and World Report, Drexel University is also in the Top 15 in Most Innovative Schools and #65 in U.S. News and World Report's Best Colleges for Veterans.
Following the core courses in Information, Innovation & Technology in Advanced Nursing Practice, Quality and Safety in Healthcare, Confronting Issues in Contemporary Health Care Environments, Advanced Ethical Decision Making in Health Care, Research Methods and Biostatistics, Evaluation and Translation of Health Research. Other coursework incudes Current Topics in Clinical Trials, Foundation of Good Clinical Practice in Clinical Trials Management, Operational Leadership in Clinical Trials Management, Clinical Trials Research Practicum, Advanced Pathophysiology, Pharmacology and Clinical Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning across the Lifespan.
Program Length: 45 Credit Hours
Estimated Tuition Cost: $41,085