phd msc bsc (hons)

BA, BSc, MA, MSc, PhD - what do they all mean?

BA, BSc, MA, MSc, PhD (and more) are abbreviations of British degrees.

They reflect the specific level and discipline of a qualification achieved at university.

While most courses are conducted on a full-time basis, there are options for part-time, distance learning and other flexible learning arrangements.

Here is a breakdown of some of the most common qualifications and ones that Aberystwyth University offers.

• BA = Bachelor of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences;
• BSc = Bachelor of Sciences;
• BENG = Bachelor of Engineering (Software, Robotics and Physics);
• LLB = Bachelor of Law.

Achieved after 3 to 4 years of study. The extra year (for a 4 year course) can be from a year studying abroad or a year working in industry.

Integrated-Masters:

• MARTS = Masters of Arts;
• MBIOL = Masters of Biology;
• MCOMP = Masters of Computer Science;
• MENG = Masters of Engineering;
• MMATH = Masters of Mathematics;
• MPHYS = Masters of Physics;
• MSCI = Masters of Sciences and Humanities.

4 years course (3-year Bachelors, 1 year Masters) that enables you to secure a loan for the full duration rather than having to fund a Masters degree separately.

• MA = Masters of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences;
• MSc = Masters of Sciences;
• MBA = Masters of Business Administration;
• MPhil = Masters of Philosophy: Advanced research Masters degree;
• MRes = Masters of Research: Contains some taught and research elements;
• LLM = Masters of Law.

Achieved after graduation from Bachelors level, usually 1-2 years duration.

• PhD = Doctor of Philosophy: for a range of disciplines.

Achieved after graduating from Masters level, usually 3-8 years duration.

A wide range of Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Further-Research courses – across the Arts and Sciences – are available at Aberystwyth.

What does BA, BSc, MA, MSc, PhD, DPsych, PGDip mean after a therapist’s name?

These letters refer to the therapist’s professional qualifications.

• BA  – Bachelor of Arts (BA or AB) is a bachelor’s degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts and sciences. A Bachelor of Arts is generally completed in three or four years, depending on the country and institution.
• BSc  – A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB) is a bachelor’s degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
• MA  – A Master of Arts (MA or AM) is a master’s degree in the field of humanities and social sciences awarded by universities in many countries.
• MSc  – A Master of Science (MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master’s degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree.
• PhD  – A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., DPhil) is the highest university degree that is conferred after a course of study by universities in most countries. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. As an earned research degree, those studying for a PhD are usually required to produce original research that expands the boundaries of knowledge, normally in the form of a thesis or dissertation, and defend their work against experts in the field.
• PsyD  – Like a PhD in Psychology, the Doctor of Psychology degree (PsyD) prepares trainees to practice psychology in a wide range of clinical settings. A PsyD, however, focuses more on clinical practice and less on research.
• PGDip  – A postgraduate diploma (PgD, PgDip, PGDip, PG Dip., PGD, Dipl. PG, PDE) is a postgraduate qualification awarded after a university degree, which supplements the original degree and awards them with a graduate diploma.

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• Education and learning
• Apprenticeships, 14 to 19 education and training for work

What qualification levels mean

England, wales and northern ireland.

There are 9 qualification levels.

Entry level

Each entry level qualification is available at three sub-levels - 1, 2 and 3. Entry level 3 is the most difficult.

Entry level qualifications are:

• entry level award
• entry level certificate ( ELC )
• entry level diploma
• entry level English for speakers of other languages ( ESOL )
• entry level essential skills
• entry level functional skills
• Skills for Life

Level 1 qualifications are:

• first certificate
• GCSE - grades 3, 2, 1 or grades D, E, F, G
• level 1 award
• level 1 certificate
• level 1 diploma
• level 1 ESOL
• level 1 essential skills
• level 1 functional skills
• level 1 national vocational qualification ( NVQ )
• music grades 1, 2 and 3

Level 2 qualifications are:

• CSE - grade 1
• GCSE - grades 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 or grades A*, A, B, C
• intermediate apprenticeship
• level 2 award
• level 2 certificate
• level 2 diploma
• level 2 ESOL
• level 2 essential skills
• level 2 functional skills
• level 2 national certificate
• level 2 national diploma
• level 2 NVQ
• music grades 4 and 5
• O level - grade A, B or C

Level 3 qualifications are:

• access to higher education diploma
• advanced apprenticeship
• applied general
• international Baccalaureate diploma
• level 3 award
• level 3 certificate
• level 3 diploma
• level 3 ESOL
• level 3 national certificate
• level 3 national diploma
• level 3 NVQ
• music grades 6, 7 and 8

Level 4 qualifications are:

• certificate of higher education ( CertHE )
• higher apprenticeship
• higher national certificate ( HNC )
• level 4 award
• level 4 certificate
• level 4 diploma
• level 4 NVQ

Level 5 qualifications are:

• diploma of higher education ( DipHE )
• foundation degree
• higher national diploma ( HND )
• level 5 award
• level 5 certificate
• level 5 diploma
• level 5 NVQ

Level 6 qualifications are:

• degree apprenticeship
• degree with honours - for example bachelor of the arts ( BA ) hons, bachelor of science ( BSc ) hons
• graduate certificate
• graduate diploma
• level 6 award
• level 6 certificate
• level 6 diploma
• level 6 NVQ
• ordinary degree without honours

Level 7 qualifications are:

• integrated master’s degree, for example master of engineering ( MEng )
• level 7 award
• level 7 certificate
• level 7 diploma
• level 7 NVQ
• master’s degree, for example master of arts ( MA ), master of science ( MSc )
• postgraduate certificate
• postgraduate certificate in education ( PGCE )
• postgraduate diploma

Level 8 qualifications are:

• doctorate, for example doctor of philosophy ( PhD or DPhil )
• level 8 award
• level 8 certificate
• level 8 diploma

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Degree programmes

Registration for post-graduate degrees in 2024, applications are invited for admission to the bsc hons, msc or phd degrees in bioinformatics and computational biology in 2024 .

Applications to register for a BSc Hons, MSc or PhD degree in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology in 2024 are now accepted.  Please visit the online portal to apply.  Candidates who wish to apply to register for an MSc or PhD degree in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology are encouraged to contact potential supervisors before applying.  A list of potential supervisors and their research fields can be viewed here .  Please direct all queries regarding applications for post-graduate programmes in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology​ to Janice Williams . 

BSc Hons applications for 2024 has closed.

The closing date for the MSc applications is 27 Feb 2024.

More information on bursaries and scholarships can be obtained from Research Development

Please contact janice williams ( send a​n e-mail) at the cbcb for information on any of the degree programmes listed below, inter-disciplinary bsc (stream bioinformatics and computational biology).

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• Physical Science – 4

Course Description

A 3-year degree combining training in Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Biochemistry, Genetics and Bioinformatics.

BSc Hons (Bioinformatics and Computational Biology)

A 1-year degree that includes lectures on advanced concepts in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, discussion of important scientific publications, a seminar and a research project performed under supervision.

• Introduction to Probability and Statistics
• Database theory
• Next Generation Sequencing technologies
• Genomics and Functional Genomics
• Sequence analysis
• Biological Databases and Ontologies
• Evolution and Phylogenetics
• Population genetics and GWAS
• Structural bioinformatics
• Networks and pathways
• Microbiomes

MSc (Bioinformatics and Computational Biology)

Entrance Requirements

A minimum of 65% in a BScHons degree in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology or a related field.

• A full-time, research degree on a topic agreed to by your supervisor
• Submission of a thesis is required.
• Depending on your background, some coursework may be prescribed by the Post-Graduate Committee of the CBCB
• We prefer that MSc students start their degrees in January.  Please register timeously to allow a January starting date. 

C oursework MSc in Bioinformatics of Infectious Diseases or Pathogen Genomics

This is a new programme that has been submitted for approval to the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and accreditation by the Council on Higher Education (CHE). This programme will be offered only after it has been registered with the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), probably in 2025.  For more information on this programme, please contact  Prof. Patterton .  

PhD (Bioinformatics and Computational Biology)

MSc. degree in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology or a related field

• Submission of a dissertation is required
• We prefer that PhD students start their degrees in January.  Please register timeously to allow a January starting date. ​​

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Professor Caroline Nicholson

Academic and research departments.

Caroline is a Clinical Academic Nurse and her research forwards understanding and care for older people living with complex needs. She is particularly interested in the transitions that occurs in the last phase of life. Caroline qualified as a Registered Nurse at St Bartholomew’s Hospital London. She worked as a specialist Palliative Care Nurse before undertaking a combined BSc (Hons) in Community Nursing DN/HV Certs at King’s College London.  She went on to an MSc in Medical Anthropology at Brunel University London before completing her PhD at City University, London in 2009. She is a FHEA from the Institute of Education and holds a diploma in psycho-dynamic approaches to old age from the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, London

Caroline is a HEE/NIHR Senior Clinical Academic Lecturer, working between the School of Health Sciences at Surrey University and St Christopher’s Hospice, London. She is passionate in her belief that everyone should have access to the best care and support in the final years of their life.  She has a long-held interest in the experiences and palliative care needs of older people and their families and is co-lead in End of life Care for the British Geriatrics Society.

Caroline studies the experiences and care of older people living with complex needs across care settings, to develop interventions which equally value quality of life with quantity of years in old age.  She has a long-held interest in the experience of older people living with frailty, and their capabilities as well as their current and future vulnerabilities.  Her work also includes the development of care services and a workforce that can recognize, facilitate and enhance the processes and outcomes of high-quality palliative and supportive care. Caroline is committed to building the next generation of clinical academics and is an NIHR Nurse Training Advocate . Research expertise includes participatory action research, narrative research, mixed method research and complex intervention development. 

16 JUN 2020

High-quality end of life care will enable older people with frailty to live well and die well

In the media, research interests.

Research interests cluster around 3 themes 

• Healthy Ageing - as defined by WHO as  the process of developing and maintaining the functional ability, intrinsic capacity, and environmental factors that enables well being in older age
• Care transitions and end of life care
• Older people living with advanced frailty and the development of care systems and a diverse workforce to meet their needs  

You can find out more about these research streams at our Living and Dying Well Research website.

Research projects

The PALLUP study, funded through the HEE/NIHR ICA Senior Clinical Lectureship scheme, is a five-year study that aims to identify and understand Palliative Care needs of older people living with advancing frailty, develop the evidence-base for provision of community palliative care, and co-design resources better to access and deliver palliative care

 Overall Research Questions

• What are the specific Palliative Care needs of frail elders living at home as they approach end-of-life?
• What are the key features and actions of community service delivery that better address Palliative Care needs of frail elders and how might carers better access this care?

Phase Specific Aims and Objectives

Phase 1- Aim: To establish consensus on the core Palliative Care needs of severely frail elders.

• Undertake a two round Modified Delphi with clinicians, severely frail elders, their family carers and care providers across health, social and third sectors to identify core palliative care needs
• Contribute insight about the shared and distinctive features of core palliative care needs of frail elders

Phase 2- Aim: To map and categorize the scope of, and variation in, community palliative care  provision for severely frail elders and identify common features of innovative service provision using an England wide Survey

• Document common responses of care agencies to palliative care needs
• Describe common components of innovative services introduced to meet palliative care needs of frail elders

Phase 3- Aim: Use in-depth case studies to understand the (met and unmet) Palliative Care needs and experiences of care for severely frail elders as they approach end-of-life, their families, and the response of care agencies.

Objectives:

• A multi-perspective investigation using longitudinal, prospective, in-depth case studies (N=3) in sites identified as delivering innovative models of care delivery.
• Explore, from their perspective, the experiences of frail elders as they approach end-of-life and that of family carers and care agencies; in relation to the met and unmet Palliative Care needs, changes in these needs, how this is identified and agency response
• Characterize and describe core service components of Palliative Care for frail elders
• Identify and Understand elements of service assessment, response and configuration that facilitates or impede meeting Palliative Care needs

Phase 4- Aim: To develop a framework of Palliative Care provision for severely frail elders approaching the end-of-life, generate guidance for service delivery that better addresses their Palliative Care needs and a tool for carers to trigger access.

  Objectives

• Determine the key features of palliative care for frail elders approaching end-of-life
• Develop Service Framework on key features of Palliative care and tools to facilitate adoption and co-design a tool for family carers to self-identify triggers to access Palliative Care and carry out preliminary testing of tools in practice

Study Outcomes:

• Inform future research through consensus on specific Palliative Care needs of frail elders 
• Describe and characterize services nationwide 
• Inform service delivery by enhanced understanding of experiences of frail elders 
• Create a Service Framework outlining key features of community Palliative Care for frail elders-
• Provide detailed guidance  and resources on embedding the key features of Palliative Care for frail elders into services and recommendations on assessments and measurements that best supports delivery of this care-
• Tool for family carers to self-identify triggers to Palliative Care 

Aim:  To grow a research Partnership of care providers that will improve the coordination of end-of-life care for older people living with advancing frailty in the community.

Background:  Frailty affects 10% of people aged over 65, increasing to around 65% of people aged over 90. Frailty is a state of vulnerability that lowers physical and mental ability and leads to an increased risk of disability and admission to hospital or a care home. Death from frailty is common. Someone with advancing frailty may need help from others such as help around the home or going out, or they may be completely dependent on others for personal care. Living with advancing frailty often means living with having multiple care needs that require care from multiple providers and sectors, for example the NHS, social services, and the not-for-profit sector. However, this care is often patchy and not joined up, with families often needing to providing and coordinating care. These factors can lead to poor quality of life for people with frailty and their families. Little research has studied how to best support and care for people with advancing frailty as they near the end of life, particularly as they move between care providers and sectors. Our new Partnership will support care providers and individuals to 1. grow research skills. 2. establish what we need to know to provide joined-up health and social care services 3. write clear research proposals and 4. be ready to lead or help with these studies.

The Partnership:  Our Partnership brings together three diverse regions of England that, according to NIHR statistics, are underrepresented in end of life research: South East England, South West London, and the East Midlands. Partnership members are care providers across the NHS, social care and not-for-profit organisations, universities, and frail older people and their families. We will be supported by Integrated Care Systems, which are new government bodies designed to improve the way local health and care organisations work together. Our Partnership is community-focussed, as this is where most older people wish to live out their final years.  

Activity and Outcomes:  Over a 15-month period we will work with Partnership members to grow research skills and knowledge, and agree what research needs to be done. We will: 

•            Establish the Partnership, including identifying and connecting all key contacts (months 1-2)

•            Investigate and cChart current research capacity and care provision and investigate research opportunities, to understand what helps and what hinders Partnership care providers to 1. get involved in research, 12. work together to support those living with advancing frailty, (months 3-9)2. get involved in research (months 3-9)

•            Carry out activities such as: developing and supporting PPIE within each region, jointly developing guidelines, and delivering training, to support Partnership members to become more research confident (months 6-12)

•            Agree future research priorities and prepare a research proposal for NIHR funding (months 12-15)

Involving People:  Older people and their networks are central to every activity. A key outcome is that each region will be helped to develop local PPIE to support the Partnership and future research. A ‘buddy’ system of PPIE experienced Partnership members matched with naïve ones will foster strong PPIE systems being established PPIE development will follow NIHR PPIE principles and be led by an expert in the field. Older people and their networks are central to every activity. A key outcome is that each region will be supported to develop local PPIE to support the Partnership and future research.

Dissemination:  We will work with all Partnership members to agree on how and where best to tell people about our work and learning, e.g. research informed practice events and public engagement activities.

Publications

• Combes S, Gillett K, Norton C, Nicholson CJ . The importance of living well now and relationships: A qualitative study of the barriers and enablers to engaging frail elders with advance care planning. Palliative Medicine. 2021;35(6):1137-1147. doi:10.1177/02692163211013260
• Combes, S., Forbes, G., Gillett, K, Norton, C., and Nicholson, CJ . Development of a theory-based intervention to increase cognitively able frail elders’ engagement with advance care planning using the behaviour change wheel.  BMC Health Serv Res  21 ,  712 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06548-4
• Etkind, S.N., Lovell, N., Bone, A.E., Guo, P., Nicholson, C ., Murtagh, F. E.M, and Higginson, I. J. The stability of care preferences following acute illness: a mixed methods prospective cohort study of frail older people.  BMC Geriatr  20,   370 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-020-01725-2
• Evans, C and Nicholson, C Living and Dying in Late Old Age in Nursing Older People – Realties of Practice in Nursing Older People  (2019) ( Eds Elbourne A, H and le May, A)  Taylor and Francis  
• Combes, S, Nicholson, CJ , Gillett, K & Norton, C (2019) 'Implementing advance care planning with community-dwelling frail elders requires a system-wide approach: An integrative review applying a behaviour change model', Palliative Medicine, https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0269216319845804
• Evans, C,J.; Ellis-Smith,C.; Nicholson, C.; Costa, A.; Oluyase, A.O.; Namisango, E.;Bone A.E.; Brighton, L.J.; Yi,D.; Combes,S.; Bajwah,S.; Gao ,W.; Harding,R.; Higginson, I,J.; and Maddocks,M. "Rapid Scoping Review of Service Delivery Models to Maximise Quality of Life for Older People at the End of Life ", (2019) Milbank Quarterly 97, 1 p 113-175
• Etkind,S, Lovell,N, Nicholson, C , Higginson, I. J. & Murtagh, F. F. Finding a ‘new normal’ following acute illness: A qualitative study of influences on frail older people’s care preferences (2019) Palliative Medicine 33(3) p301-311
• Nicholson C, Davies JM, George R, Smith, B, Pace V, Harris L, Ross J, Noble J, Hansford P, Murtagh FE. (2018) What are the main palliative care symptoms and concerns of older people with multimorbidity?—a comparative cross-sectional study using routinely collected Phase of Illness, Australia-modified Karnofsky Performance Status and Integrated Palliative Care Outcome Scale data. Annals of Palliative Med Vol 7 Supplement 3, P 164-175
• Nicholson, C . (2018) Palliative Care, Frailty and Older People in Textbook of Palliative Care. Editors in Chief- MacLeod, R and de Block, L Springer doi:10.1007/978-3-319-31738-0_66-1
• Cheng, J.J.K and Nicholson, C (2018) Prioritizing the integration of geriatric oncology and palliative care Journal of Geriatric Oncology https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jgo.2018.07.001
• Nicholson, C and Richardson, H (2018) Age-attuned Hospice Care; an opportunity to better end of life care for older people. St Christopher's Hospice
• Pask, S., Pinto, C., Bristowe, K., Van Vliet, L., Nicholson, C., Evans, C. J., George, R., Bailey, K., Davies, J. M., Guo, P., Daveson, B. A., Higginson, I. J. & Murtagh, F. E (2018). A framework for complexity in palliative care: A qualitative study with patients, family carers and professionals, Palliative Medicine. Published Online 28.2.18.
• Sarre, S., Maben, J., Aldus, C., Schneider, J., Wharrad, H., Nicholson, C. & Arthur, A. (2017). The challenges of training, support and assessment of healthcare support workers: A qualitative study of experiences in three English acute hospitals International Journal of Nursing Studies. 79, p.145-153
• Martin J, Nicholson, C and George, R. (2017). The approach of dying and death, and the mourning process of the survivors. Chapter 28 in Oxford Textbook of Geriatric Medicine Third Edition, Michel, J.P; Beattie, L.B.; Martin, F.C.& Walston,J .D (eds) Oxford University Press
• Combes, S., Nicholson, C ., Gillett, K. & Norton, C. (2017). UK: BMJ and BMJ Publishing, Conversations on living and dying: Facilitating advance care planning for older people with frailty Vol. 7. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care. p. A16 C.
• Nicholson, C ., Gordon, A.l. & Tinker, (2017). ‘Changing the way “we” view and talk about frailty’ Age and Aging, 46, 3, p.349-351
• Nicholson, C., Morrow, E.M., Hicks, A. & Fitzpatrick, J. (2017). ‘Supportive care for older people with frailty in hospital: An integrative review’ International Journal of Nursing Studies. 66, p.160-71
• Elliott, M. & Nicholson, C. (2017). ‘A qualitative study exploring use of the surprise question in the care of older people: perceptions of General Practitioners and challenges for practice’ BMJ Palliative and Supportive Care Journal. 7, 1, p. 32-38
• Antony A Aldus, S Sarre, J Maben, H. Wharrad, J. Schneider, G. Barton, E. Argyle, A. Clark, F. Nouri, C. Nicholson, C. (2017). Can Healthcare Assistant Training improve the relational care of older people? (CHAT) A development and feasibility study of a complex intervention NIHR HSD&R, 5 (10)
• Nicholson, C ., Maben, J. & Ream, E, (2016). 'Partnership between healthcare staff and carers on wards' BMJ, 351, h6933
• Arthur, A., Maben, J., Wharrad, H., Aldus, C., Sarre, S., Schneider, J., Nicholson, C., Barton, G., Cox, K. & Clark, A. (2015). A. ‘Can Healthcare Assistant Training (CHAT) improve the relational care of older people? Study protocol for a pilot cluster randomised controlled trial’ Trials, 16, 559
• Nicolson, C. (2016). ‘Developing a clinical research career’, Nursing Times, 112, 24, p.16-18
• Amador, S., Goodman, C., Mathie, E. & Nicholson, C. (2016). 'Evaluation of an organisational intervention to promote integrated working between health services and care homes in the delivery of end-of-life care for people with dementia: Understanding the change process using a social identity approach', International Journal of Integrated Care, 16, 2, p.14
• Nicholson, C . (2016). 'How do we facilitate carers' involvement in decision making?' Nursing Older People, 28, 3, p.14
• Nicholson, C . (2016). ‘Involving carers and families in the care of their loved ones’ Nursing Older People, 28, 3, p.14
• Nicholson, C . (2016). ‘Collaboration between relatives of elderly patients and nurses and its relation to satisfaction with the hospital care trajectory’ Nursing Older People, 28, 3, p.14
• Morrow, E.M. & Nicolson, C . (2016). 'Carer engagement in the hospital care of older people: An integrative literature review'. International Journal of Older People Nursing. page 298-314
• Whittaker, K.A., Maben, J.E., Cowley, S.A., Nicholson, C.J., Malone, M.E. & Grigulis, A.I. (2015) ‘Making a difference for children and families. An appreciative inquiry of health visitor aspirations, values and beliefs and why they start and stay in post’ Health & Social Care in the Community 10.111
• Policy+ (KCL, NNRU) May 2011- 2014 ( co-editor) Ball, J and Nicholson, C
• Bridges, J., Nicholson, C ., Maben, J., Pope, C., Flatley, M., Wilkinson, C., Meyer J. & Tziggili, M. ‘Capacity for care: meta-ethnography of acute care nurses’ experiences of the nurse-patient relationship’ Chapter in: Patient- centred healthcare: Achieving co-ordination, communication and innovation, 2014, Palgrave Macmillan
• Nicholson, C., Meyer, J., Flatley, M., Holman, C. (2013). ‘The experience of living at home with frailty in old age: A psychosocial qualitative study’. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 50, p.1172-1179
• Bridges, J., Nicholson, C., Maben, J., Pope, C., Flatley, M., Wilkinson, C., Meyer J. & Tziggili, M. (2013) ‘Capacity for care: meta-ethnography of acute care nurses’ experiences of the nurse-patient relationship’. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 69, 4, p.760-772
• Nicholson, C. & Barnes, J. (2013). ‘Appreciative Inquiry’, Chapter 6 in: Participatory Research in Palliative Care: Actions and Reflections, Hockley, J. Froggatt, K. & Heimerl, K. (eds) OUP
• Rodriguez-Manas, L., Feart, C., Mann, G.E., Vina, J., Somnath, C.J., Chodzko-Zajko, W., Gonzalez-Colaco Harmand, M., Bergman, H., Carcaillon, L., Nicholson, C ., Scuteri, A., Sinclair, A., Pelaez, M., Van der Cammen T., Beland, F., Bickenbach, J., Delamarche, P., Ferrucci, L., Fried, P., Gutierrez-Robledo, L.M., Rockwood, K., Rodriguez Artalejo, F., Serviddio, G., VegaE. (2012) ‘Searching for an Operational Definition of Frailty: A Delphi Method Based Consensus Statement. The Frailty Operative Definition-Consensus Conference Project’. Journals of Gerontology Series: A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 68, 1, p.62-67
• Nicholson, C ., Meyer, J., Flatley, M., Holman, C., Lowton, K. (2012). ‘Living on the margin: understanding the experience of living and dying with frailty in old age’ Social Science and Medicine, 75, 8, p.1426-1432
• Nicholson, C .J. & Hockley, J. (2011). ‘Death and Dying in Older People’, Chapter 9 in: Death, Dying and Social Differences – 2nd Edition OUP
• Nicholson, C ., Dale, P., Flatley, M., Meyer, J., Wessel, L. & Wilkinson, C. (2010). ‘Everybody matters 3: engaging patients and relatives in decision making to promote dignity’ Nursing Times, 106, 22
• Nicholson, C ., Dale, P., Flatley, M., Meyer, J., Wessel, L. & Wilkinson, C. (2010) ‘Everybody matters 2: promoting dignity in acute care through effective communication’ Nursing Times, 106, 21
• Nicholson, C ., Dale, P., Flatley, M., Meyer, J., Wessel, L. & Wilkinson, C. (2010). ‘Everybody matters 1: how getting to know your patients helps to promote care’ Nursing Times, 106
• Nicholson, C. and Flatley, M. Everybody Matters; the Dignity in Care Project. Unpublished Report. Royal Free Hospital /City University. London
• Nicholson, C. (2009) Researcher emotions: a way into the experiences of frail older people’ Journal of Social Work Practice, 23, 4, p.451-459
• Bridges, J., Flatley, M., Meyer, J. & Nicholson, C. (2009). ‘Best Practice for Older People in Acute Care Settings (BPOP): Guidance for Nurses’ Nursing Standard, 24, 7
• Bridges, J. & Nicholson, C. (2008) ‘Service improvement using patient narratives: engaging with the issues’ International Journal of Older People Nursing, 3, 3, p. 217-222
• Nicholson, C . (2007). End-of-Life Care. In My Home Life. Quality of Care in Care Homes, National Care Home Research and Development Forum, Chapter 9, p.118-128, HTA London
• Meyer, J., Heath, H., Holman, C., Owen, T., Bridges, J., Wilson- Brown, C., Dewar, B., Dudman, J., Davies, S., Nicholson, C ., O' May, F. and Reed, J. (2006) ‘Moving from victim blaming to an appreciative inquiry: exploring quality of life in care homes’ Quality in Ageing, 7, 4, p.27-36
• Nicholson, C & Wells, M. (2003). ‘After Treatment is Over’ Chapter 4 in: Supportive Care in Radiotherapy, Faithfull, S and Wells, M(eds)  Churchill Livingstone

Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) is the University for the Common Good. Our Mission as the University for the Common Good draws on our rich history and founding purpose For the Common Weal as incorporated in our Coat of Arms.

Professor Michael Roy

Professor of Economic Sociology and Social Policy

Department of Management and HRM

Michael Roy PhD MSc BSc (Hons) FHEA is Professor of Economic Sociology and Social Policy and leads the Social Economy Research Group. He has a joint faculty appointment between the Department of Management and the Yunus Centre for Social Business and Health.

His primary area of research concerns social enterprise and other ‘alternative’ economic forms. He has written extensively in major international journals on the health and wellbeing impacts of social enterprises; on policy ‘ecosystems’ supporting the social economy; and on innovative funding mechanisms such as Social Impact Bonds. He was awarded the Helen Potter Award of Special Recognition 2017, for the most original article in Review of Social Economy by the Association for Social Economics, which was founded in 1941 in the United States. In 2022 Professor Roy was elected as Chair of the Development Trust Association Scotland.

Professor Roy has been Principal Investigator on several prominent research projects including  Innovation and Creativity in the Third Sector in response to COVID-19: A Rapid Realist Evidence Synthesis funded by the Scottish Government’s Office of the Chief Social Science Advisor (2022); Solidarity in a time of crisis: the role of mutual aid to the COVID-19 pandemic funded by the Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office (2020); and is presently a Co-Investigator on our major CommonHealth Assets project (2021 - onwards); and a project funded by the Australian Research council entitled Making Policy Reform Work – A Comparative Analysis of Social Procurement (2020-2022).

He is presently Editor-in-Chief of Social Enterprise Journal; Associate Editor of Journal of Social Entrepreneurship; serves on the Editorial Board of The Canadian Journal of Nonprofit and Social Economy Research / Revue Canadienne de recherche sur les OSBL et l’économie sociale (ANSERJ, 2017-date); and previously served (until 2020) on the Editorial Board of Voluntas: the International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations.

Previously Professor Roy was Programme Leader for the MSc Social Business and Microfinance programme, and Module Leader for several modules, including Social Business and the Social Economy. In recent years he has been teaching Research Methods on the MSc Social Innovation programme, as well as teaching onto several modules on that programme, and regularly supervising Masters’ dissertations. He holds Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.

He is currently supervising several PhD projects: for Anna Spiesova (2021 onwards) for a project jointly funded with Glasgow City Council entitled Building a ‘Wellbeing Economy’: developing a capability-based approach to capturing the complexity of social justice on a healthy planet; for Michelle Gabriel (2020 - onwards) for her project provisionally entitled Frameworks for a Shared Future: A Multi-stakeholder Investigation into Social Innovation for a Post-COVID America (Director of Studies); for Maeve Curtin (2019 – onwards) for a project funded by the Scottish Government entitled A history of co-production and co-operation? Looking back to the future of social enterprise in Scotland (Director of Studies); for Laurent Marti (2018 – onwards) for a project entitled Entrepreneurship in the digital creative industries: A relational process perspective (Director of Studies); and for Michael Kennedy (2017 – onwards) for his project Social Enterprise in Nova Scotia: Measuring Ecosystem Impacts and Implications of the Emergence of a Social Business Policy Framework (Director of Studies).

Professor Roy has supervised several students to successful completion including: Jack Rendall (completed 2020) for a project entitled Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISEs) and Good Work: What matters? And to whom?; Noorseha Ayob (completed 2018) An investigation of Social Innovation in Malaysia where he was 2nd supervisor; and Francesca Calò (completed 2017) on The Contribution of Social Enterprise to Local Health and Social Care Systems, on which he acted as Director of Studies.

Development Trust Association Scotland: https://dtascot.org.uk/

Common Health Assets  Programme:   https://www.commonhealthassets.uk/

Research profile

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Nicholas Murphy, PhD, MSc, BSc(HONS)

Assistant Professor

Selected publications.

• Nicholas Murphy; Nithya Ramakrishnan; Christopher P. Walker; Nicola R. Polizzotto;Raymond Y. Cho " ). Intact Auditory Cortical Cross-Frequency Coupling in Early and Chronic Schizophrenia ." Frontiers in Psychiatry. 2020;
• Aadith Vittala; Nicholas Murphy; Atul Maheshwari; Vaishnav Krishnan " Understanding Cortical Dysfunction in Schizophrenia with TMS/EEG ." Front. Neurosci. 2020;
• Nithya Ramakrishnan; Nicholas Murphy; Christopher Walker; Valeria Cuellar Leal; Jair Soares; Raymond Cho; Sudhakar Selvaraj " Neurophysiological Effect of Ketamine on Prefrontal Cortex in Treatment Resistant Depression: A combined TMS-EEG study ." Chronic Stress. 2019;
• Firbank, M.J*., Parikh, J*., Murphy, N.R.E., Killen, A., Allan, C., Collerton, D., Blamire, A., Taylor, J.P. " Reduced occipital GABA+ and white matter integrity in Parkinson’s disease dementia with visual hallucinations ." Neurology. 2018; Pubmed PMID: 30021920
• Stylianou, M., Murphy, N.R.E., Peraza, L.R., Graziadio, S., Cromarty, R., Killen, A., O’Brien, J., Thomas, A., LeBeau, F., Taylor, J.P. " Quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) as a marker of cognitive fluctuations in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and aid to differential diagnosis ." Clin Neurophysiol. 2018; Pubmed PMID: 29656189
• Walker, C.P.*, Pessoa, A.L.S.*, Figueiredo, T.*, Rafferty, M., Melo, U.S., Nóbrega, P.R., Murphy, N.R.E, Kok, F., Zatz, M., Santos, S., Cho, R.Y. " Loss-of-function mutation in inositol monophosphatase 1 (IMPA1) results in abnormal synchrony in resting-state EEG ." 2019;
• Davey, J., Rueschemeyer, S.A., Costigan, A., Murphy, N.R.E., Krieger-Redwood, K., Hallam, G., Jefferies, B. " Shared neural processes support semantic control and action understanding, ." Brain Lang. 2015; Pubmed PMID: 25658631
• Nicholas Murphy, Nithya Ramakrishnan, Bylinda Vo-Le, Brittany Vo-Le, Mark A. Smith, Tabish Iqbal, Alan C. Swann, Sanjay J. Mathew & Marijn Lijffijt " A randomized cross-over trial to define neurophysiological correlates of AV-101 N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor blockade in healthy veterans ." Neuropsychopharmacology. 2020 Dec; Pubmed PMID: 33318635
• O'Brien B, Lijffijt M, Lee J, Kim YS, Wells A, Murphy N, Ramakrishnan N, Swann AC, Mathew SJ. " Distinct trajectories of antidepressant response to intravenous ketamine ." J Affect Disord. 2021 May 1; Pubmed PMID: 33770540
• Murphy N, Lijffijt M, Ramakrishnan N, Vo-Le B, Vo-Le B, Iqbal S, Iqbal T, O'Brien B, Smith MA, Swann AC, Mathew SJ. " Does mismatch negativity have utility for NMDA receptor drug development in depression? ." Braz J Psychiatry. 2021 Apr 5; Pubmed PMID: 33825765
• Murphy N, Killen A, Graziadio S, Rochester L, Firbank M, Allan C, Collerton D, Taylor J, Urwyler P. " Exploring Bottom-Up Visual Processing and Visual Hallucinations in Parkinson's Disease with Dementia. ." Frontiers Neurology. 2021;
• Ramakrishnan.N, Lijffijt.M, Green.C, Balderston.B, Murphy.N, Grillon.C, Iqbal.T, Vo-Le.B, O’Brien.B, Murrough.J, Swann.A, Mathew.SJ. " Neurophysiological and clinical effects of the NMDA receptor antagonist lanicemine (BHV-5500) in PTSD: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial ." Depress Anxiety. 2021 Jul 12; Pubmed PMID: 34254405
• Murphy, N. " Chapter 6: Constructing and Accessing Meaning at the Cortical Level an Investigation of the Neural Networks Underpinning Semantic Cognition, Focusing on the Representation of Action and Vision. In, Meaning and Logos ." 2015;
• Murphy, N.R.E., Graziadio, S., & Taylor, JP. " Chapter 8: EEG and transcranial magnetic stimulation. Changing and recording the dynamic flow of visual perception. In, The Neuroscience of Visual Hallucinations ." 2015;

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