Master of Cancer Sciences
Course code: MC-CNCRSC
January, April, July, October
AUD $16,496 (2026 indicative first year fee). Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) are not available
January, April, July, October
AUD $17,488 (2026 indicative first year fee)
IELTS 6.5: with no band less than 6.0
Student experience
Overview
- Gain access to esteemed academics and a global professional network
- Enjoy the flexibility of fully online study with interactive technologies
- Get comprehensive support from expression of interest to graduation
The Master of Cancer Sciences offers a high-quality online learning experience designed to provide you with specialised expertise in cancer care, research, prevention, and education. As a student, you'll have access to educational tools and technologies, including webinars, podcasts, and moderated discussion forums, all facilitated by expert academics, learning designers, and technology specialists.
Highlights of the cancer sciences experience
Expert instruction
The VCCC Alliance is an alliance of 10 leading research, clinical, and academic institutions with a shared commitment to saving lives through the integration of cancer research, education, and patient care. The scale and depth in expertise, knowledge, practice, and patient numbers it represents provide unprecedented access to learn from pioneers driving the next generation of improvements in prevention, detection, and cancer treatment.
Through the online learning community, you'll become part of a global network of cancer care professionals passionate about providing top-quality clinical care and high-impact cancer research.
Awards and recognition
The Master of Cancer Sciences has received recognition for its innovative and impactful approach to online education. The highly informative video lesson "Stereotactic Radiotherapy" won a Gold Award for General-Education & Training at the 43rd annual Telly Awards, and the course has also received honourable mentions in the 2019 and 2021 International E-Learning Association Awards.
Two papers have been published in peer-reviewed, international academic medical education journals on the impact of the Master of Cancer Sciences, reinforcing the transformative impact of this course for our graduates and the healthcare sector.
- ‘Qualitative evaluation of a multidisciplinary master of cancer sciences: impacts on graduates and influencing curricular factors’ – a qualitative study that investigated the impacts of the course on future career directions and professional practice.
- ‘Designing a wholly online, multidisciplinary Master of Cancer Sciences degree’ – describes the development of the course, and how it was created from a need to improve oncology-specific knowledge and skills of healthcare professionals while being multidisciplinary and accessible.
Flexible and interactive learning
The online learning environment has been carefully devised to facilitate an interactive and flexible student experience. At the University of Melbourne, you will have access to the best minds and a dynamic peer group. Throughout the course, you will be able to engage closely with fellow online students and share your knowledge with each other.
Comprehensive student support
From your initial expression of interest right through to graduation, you'll receive comprehensive technical, academic, and administrative support to ensure an excellent online learning experience. Our dedicated student support team understands that every student's experience is unique, and they'll do everything in their power to assist you, whether it's with enrolment and subject assistance, administrative logistics and fee options, technical support, online learning skills and workload management, or special circumstances.
Who you will learn from
Course convenors
- Associate Professor David Kok, Radiation Oncologist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Subject coordinators
- Associate Professor Bhaumik Shah – Cancer Therapeutics, Cancer Diagnostics, Cancer across the Lifespan, Cancer Prevention & Control - Medical Oncologist, Private
- Dr Stephen Mieruszynski – Cancer Research - Senior Research Scientist
- Tennille Lewin - Supportive Care & Palliative Care - Strategic Development Manager, Health Services Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
- Riki Long – Supportive Care & Palliative Care – Consumer Liaison Coordinator, Cancer Council Victoria
- Dr Giulia McCorkell – Research Capstone - Senior Lecturer in Medical Radiation, RMIT University
- Sathana Dushyanthen – Research Capstone – Senior Lecturer, Centre for Digital Transformation of Health, University of Melbourne
- Theresa Connor – Drug Discovery and Development, Cancer in Society - Project Manager for the Centre of Excellence in Cellular Immunotherapy, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
- Joanne Davis – Foundations of Cancer – Senior Research Scientist, University of Melbourne, The Royal Melbourne Hospital
- Chris Williams – Cancer across the Lifespan – Nurse Consultant, Paediatric Integrated Cancer Services
Tutors
- Dr Neil Wallace – Cancer Research – Radiation Oncology Fellow, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
- Dr Richard To – Cancer Therapeutics - Medical Oncologist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
- Dr Fleur Webster – Cancer Prevention & Control - Project Manager, International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting
- Dr Stephen Mieruszynski – Drug Discovery & Development - Senior Research Scientist
- Leon Shin-Han Winata – Cancer Diagnostics – Radiologist, St. Vincent’s Hospital
- Dr Sarah Heynemann – Cancer in Society – Medical Oncologist, PhD candidate with Sydney Health Ethics, The University of Sydney
Supervisors (Research Capstone)
- Nigel Anderson, Radiation Therapy Manager, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute
- Daniel Hamilton, Research Fellow, Monash University
- Chris Lynch, Research Fellow, RMIT University
- Daniel Sapkaroski, Medical Radiation Practitioner, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
- Karen Doggett, Senior Postdoctoral Research, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
- Jianrong Zhang, Study Coordinator/ PhD Candidate, University of Melbourne
- Olivia Wawryk, Data Analyst, University of Melbourne
- Sharon de Graves, Senior Manager, Cancer Nursing, VCCC Alliance
- Thili Chengodu, Research Manager, Epworth
- Fleur Webster, Consultant, international NFP cancer organisation
Cancer Sciences Academic Unit – Department of Clinical Pathology
- Professor Frederic Hollande, Head of the Department of Clinical Pathology, Deputy Head of Melbourne Medical School, University of Melbourne
- Michelle Barrett, Director of Education, VCCC Alliance
- Angela McKellar, Business Manager, University of Melbourne
- Kerry Tate, Operations and Partnerships Coordinator, University of Melbourne
- Katrina Williams, Operations and Partnerships Coordinator, University of Melbourne
- Grace Chan, Program Manager, VCCC Alliance
Profile
Dr David Kok
Dr David Kok, Radiation Oncologist, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Master of Cancer Sciences course coordinator, talks about the program.
The Master of Cancer Sciences is Australia’s first cancer-specific, wholly online postgraduate degree. It’s aimed at cancer professionals across the spectrum, whether they be clinicians, allied health professionals, scientists, or clinical trial staff. In crafting the degree, my team and I had a very clear goal in mind— to ensure that students would walk away with the cutting-edge knowledge to excel in the field, and to do this in a way that is interesting, innovative, and flexible enough to be done while still working.
This degree is different to others in that it has been produced in partnership between the VCCC and University of Melbourne. As such, the teaching staff have all been drawn from across the 10 VCCC partners and so we’ve literally had the pick of the brightest, most passionate oncological minds in the business to teach on topics that- in many cases- they pioneered! Year-on-year these people will be here, contributing to and being at the forefront of cancer research and treatment.
We knew when designing this course that every student would have different personal and professional interests, and so have gone out of our way to cater for that. Perhaps you’re interested in the global impact of cancer– then you could take Cancer in Society. Maybe you’re looking to explore leadership opportunities in oncology, so you could take Foundations of Leadership. Or perhaps you want to stay abreast of the latest breakthroughs in cancer treatment– then Cancer Therapeutics is for you.
If you’re interested in clinical trials, two subjects that would be relevant would be ‘Cancer Research’ and ‘Drug Discovery and Development,’ which both contain detailed knowledge about the establishment and running of clinical trials.
One of the beauties of this program is that there are multiple shorter study routes you can take should you wish. Let’s say you can only commit to 6 months part-time, then you could do 2 subjects which qualifies you for a Specialist Certificate in Cancer Sciences. Similarly, if you did 4 subjects (12-months) you can exit with a Graduate Certificate. And in the future, should you wish, you could return and finish another 4 subjects to qualify for the Master’s degree.
