Who is this course for?

This MSc programme is designed to meet the demand for qualified medical physicists. It is primarily geared toward training for physicists in the application of radiation physics in medicine but maintains a reasonable exposure to key aspects of clinical engineering so that students receive a comprehensive knowledge of the application of the physical sciences and engineering to medicine.

 What will I study?

The MSc consists of a fairly intense programme of lectures, workshops, laboratory sessions, tutorials and self-directed learning, followed by a four to five-month research project. The syllabus contains modules covering traditional Medical Physics topics, such as Radiation Fundamentals, and Hospital and Radiation Safety, but also provides an introduction to other areas like Clinical Instrumentation, Modules in Anatomy, Physiology, Biostatistics and Safety and Risk Management. 

Core modules:

• Human Body Structure
• Fundamentals of Physiology
• Introduction to Biostatistics
• Clinical Instrumentation
• Radiation Fundamentals
• Medical Imaging
• Physics of Radiation Therapy
• Radiological Imaging Technology and Safety
• Introduction to Workplace Hazards in Healthcare
• Research Project

Optional Modules may include:

• AI Applications in Medical Physics
• Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology

• University of Galway’s MSc in Medical Physics was the first European MSc programme to be awarded accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programmes (CAMPEP) and the second programme worldwide.
• Longest running Medical Physics MSc programme in Ireland.
• The course is closely integrated with the University Hospital Galway.
• The majority of lectures and course materials are delivered by hospital staff.
• The course provides a unique opportunity to see the operation of a busy academic hospital.
• The MSc programme provides on an annual basis up to two write-up stipends for students whose projects are deemed to have publication potential. The stipends extend over a 2-month period, commencing after thesis submission.

• The course has been successful in its aims in providing individuals with a good grounding in Medical Physics.
• A recent survey showed that around 75% of graduates had found employment in a Medical Physics-based career. This includes those who have pursued or are pursuing a PhD. About 20% are employed abroad, in countries like the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand.
• The demand for qualified Medical Physicists in Ireland and abroad has remained high. This is due to several factors. Firstly, there has been an expansion of the number of Radiotherapy and Imaging facilities worldwide with additional expansion of existing facilities.  Additionally, new regulations regarding protection against hazards of ionizing radiation also lay down requirements for additional medical physicists, namely the Council Directive 2013/59/EURATOM which was signed into Irish law on 5th February 2019 by Minister Richard Bruton (S.I. No. 30 of 2019, Radiological Protection Act 1991 (Ionising Radiation) Regulations 2019). This directive lays down basic safety standards (BSS) including the education, training and recognition of the medical physics expert (MPE) but also gives recommendations on workforce planning in clinical settings.
• The Programme is ideally suited to those wishing to pursue a career in Hospital Physics and Clinical Engineering.  The MSc course is designed in such a way that it should provide for entry into existing training schemes for medical physicists, both in Ireland and further afield. The course has been accredited by CAMPEP, the North American Commission for the Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programmes (www.campep.org). This allows graduates from the course entry into US clinical residency programmes as mandated by the American Board of Radiology, a requirement for entry in the profession in the USA.
• Other job opportunities exist in the Medical Device and Health Care industry, Research and Development, and Health and Safety and Teaching. Suitable candidates can enroll for PhD studies where training in research methods is provided.

University of Galway’s MSc in Medical Physics was the first European MSc programme to be awarded accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programmes (CAMPEP) and the second programme worldwide.

In September 2025 the MSc Medical Physics programme was reaccredited by CAMPEP until 2030.

CAMPEP accreditation enables graduates to apply to clinical residency programmes both in Ireland and North America, and for the American Board of Radiology exams.

How will I learn?   

The MSc in Medical Physics is taught through lectures, self-directed learning, tutorials, and practical, hands-on exercises to ensure a comprehensive educational experience.

How Will I Be Assessed?

Throughout the programme, your progress is assessed through vivas and end-of-semester examinations. A small research project accounting for about 30% of the overall marks is assessed through a presentation and a thesis to be submitted.

Disseminations from the research project write-up stipends:

• McLaughlin, O., Martyn, M., Kleefeld, C. and Foley, M., 2023. Investigation of temperature dependence of inorganic scintillators using the HYPERSCINT research platform. Radiation Measurements, 164, p.106936.
• Conlon, D., Connolly, J., Galal, M., Ahmed, I., Foley, M. and Kleefeld, C., 2023. Analysis of CyberKnife intracranial treatment plans using ICRU 91 dose reporting: A retrospective study. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics, 24(6), p.e13932. 
• O'Shea, K., Coleman, L., Fahy, L., Kleefeld, C., Foley, M.J. and Moore, M., 2022. Compensation for radiotherapy treatment interruptions due to a cyberattack: An isoeffective DVH‐based dose compensation decision tool. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics, 23(9), p.e13716.
• Shaharuddin, S., Hart, A., Bazalova-Carter, M., Beaulieu, L., Giguere, C., Kleefeld, C. and Foley, M.J., 2022, May. Evaluation of scintillation detectors for ultrahigh dose-rate x-ray beam dosimetry. In Optical Sensing and Detection VII(Vol. 12139, pp. 170-177). SPIE.
• Mc Laughlin, O., Martyn, M., Kleefeld, C. and Foley, M.J., 2022, May. Evaluating the temperature dependence of an inorganic scintillator detector using the HYPERSCINT research platform. In Optical Sensing and Detection VII(Vol. 12139, pp. 178-184). SPIE.
• Connolly, D., Sands, G., Winter, H., Foley, M.J. and Kleefeld, C., 2021. A comparison of treatment planning techniques for low-dose-rate (LDR) prostate brachytherapy. Brachytherapy, 20(2), pp.410-419.
• Byrne, K., Alharbi, M., O'Keeffe, S., Kleefeld, C., Bazalova-Carter, M. and Foley, M., 2020, April. Novel inorganic scintillating detectors and their applications in small animal irradiators: measurements and Monte Carlo simulations. In Optical Sensing and Detection VI (Vol. 11354, pp. 141-149). SPIE.
• Davey, K., Moore, M., Cleary, S., Kleefeld, C. and Foley, M.J., 2019. Off‐axis dose distribution with stand‐in and stand‐off configurations for superficial radiotherapy treatments. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics, 20(10), pp.142-151.

Course queries:
christoph.kleefeld@universityofgalway.ie 

Programme Director(s):

Dr Christoph Kleefeld, 
Associate Professor in Physics 
School of Natural Sciences
College of Science and Engineering

E: christoph.kleefeld@universityofgalway.ie

T: +353 91 542 870

Minimum Entry Requirements

Graduates must hold at least a Second Class Honours, Level 8 degree (or equivalent international qualification) in physics or experimental physics, electronic engineering, or another relevant discipline as determined by the College of Science. Candidates with a primary degree without honours and with three years’ relevant and appropriate practical experience may also be considered.

Garda vetting/police clearance is required for this programme.

Academic entry requirements standardised per country are available here. 

English Language Entry Requirements (

For applicants whose first language is not English, an English language proficiency of IELTS score of 6.5 is required (with no less than 6.5 in Writing and no less than 6.0 in any other band) or equivalent. 

More information on English language test equivalency are available here.

 Supporting Documents 

You will be required to provide supporting documentation as part of your application. You can check here what supporting documents are required for this course.

You can apply online to the University of Galway application portal here. 

Please review the entry requirements set out in the section above.

You will be required to upload supporting documentation to your application electronically. See the section above on entry requirements for further information on the supporting documentation required for this course.

Closing Dates

For this programme, there is no specific closing date for receipt of applications. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and course quotes will be reviewed continuously throughout the application cycle.

 Notes

• You will need an active email account to use the website and you'll be guided through the system, step by step, until you complete the online form.
• Browse the FAQ'ssection for further guidance.
• Selection is based on the candidate's academic record at under-graduate level and their aptitude for the course. Candidates may be interviewed to determine suitability.

Fees for Academic Year 2026/27

For 26/27 entrants, where the course duration is greater than 1 year, there is an inflationary increase approved of 1.8% per annum for continuing years fees.

Postgraduate students in receipt of a SUSI grant – please note an F4 grant is where SUSI will pay €4,500 towards your tuition (2026/27).  You will be liable for the remainder of the total fee.  A P1 grant is where SUSI will pay tuition up to a maximum of €6,270. SUSI will not cover the student levy of €140.

Note to non-EU students: learn about the 24-month Stayback Visa here. 

Postgraduate Excellence Scholarships 

This scholarship is valued at €1,500 for EU students applying for full-time taught master's postgraduate courses. You will be eligible if:

• You have been accepted to a full-time taught master's course at University of Galway,
• You have attained a first class honours (or equivalent) in a Level 8 primary degree.

An application for the scholarship scheme is required (separate to the application for a place on the programme). The application portal opens in November each years and is available here. Applications will close on the 30th September each year. Full details available here.

Global Scholarships  
University of Galway offers a range of merit-based scholarships to students from a number of countries outside of the EU. Visit here for schemes currently available.

Application Process

Students applying for full time postgraduate programmes from outside of the European Union (EU), You can apply online to the University of Galway application portal here. 

Our application portal opens on the 1^st October each year for each the following September.  

Further Information

Please visit the postgraduate admissions webpage for further information on closing dates, documentation requirements, application fees and the application process.