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Studies & Degrees in Cancer Studies

Cancer studies is the scientific study of cancer: how it starts, how it grows and spreads, and how it can be prevented, detected and treated. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes cancer as a generic term for a large group of diseases that can affect any part of the body. According to the WHO fact sheet of July 2026, cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and accounted for nearly 10 million deaths in 2024, or nearly one in six deaths. The same fact sheet states that many cancers can be cured if they are detected early and treated effectively, which is why the field covers both laboratory research and clinical practice.

Students learn the biology of the disease first: how normal cells become cancerous, how tumours grow and spread, and how the immune system and the tissue around a tumour affect it. They then study how treatments are developed and tested, from the choice of a drug target to clinical trials. The research areas listed by the US National Cancer Institute show the range of the field: cancer biology, genomics, causes of cancer, prevention, screening and early detection, diagnosis and treatment. Most programmes also teach laboratory methods, statistics and the handling of research data.

Qualifications and levels

Cancer studies is mainly a postgraduate subject. Students usually arrive with a first degree in a life science or in medicine.

  • Bachelor's level. Cancer is normally taught inside degrees such as biomedical science, biochemistry, genetics or medicine, sometimes as a named pathway.
  • One-year master's degrees. In the United Kingdom a taught master's lasts one year. The MSc Cancer Biology and Therapeutics at The University of Sheffield lasts one year full-time and includes a six-month research project. King's College London offers an MSc in Translational Cancer Medicine with a six-month practical research project, and a one-year MRes in the same field.
  • Two-year research master's degrees. At Utrecht University the master's programme Cancer, Stem Cells and Developmental Biology lasts two years, is taught in English and leads to a degree in Biomedical Sciences.
  • Doctorates. In the United States the subject is offered mostly as a PhD. The Committee on Cancer Biology of The University of Chicago offers a graduate programme leading to a PhD in Cancer Biology, and Vanderbilt University and Wayne State University have Cancer Biology graduate programmes; Wayne State also lists a Master of Science in Cancer Biology.

Clinical oncology is a different route. Treating patients as an oncologist requires a medical degree followed by specialist training, and each country regulates that training itself.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists 14 active schools for cancer studies: seven in the United Kingdom, five in the United States, one in the Netherlands and one in Ukraine. The British schools include the University of Bristol, The University of Sheffield, The University of York, The University of Northampton and, in London, King's College London and University College London. In the United States the list includes The University of Chicago, Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Wayne State University in Detroit, West Virginia University and the University of Minnesota. Utrecht University is the Dutch entry and Bukovinian State Medical University the Ukrainian one.

The programmes described above are taught in English, including the one in Utrecht. Admission to a master's normally requires a good first degree in a related subject. Sheffield, for example, asks for a minimum 2:1 undergraduate honours degree in a relevant subject, such as biochemistry, biomedical science, genetics, medicine or pharmacy, and an IELTS score of 7 with 6.5 in each component.

Fees vary widely with the country and with the student's nationality. Utrecht University states statutory tuition fees of €2,694 for Dutch and other EU/EEA students in 2026-2027 and an institutional fee of €25,306 for students from outside the EU/EEA. Check the fee for your own situation on the university's page.

Careers

Graduates work in cancer research in universities, hospitals and research institutes, in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, in clinical trials, and in public health. The Sheffield course describes its research project as preparation for a PhD and for a career in healthcare or the pharmaceutical industry. A master's is often a step towards a doctorate: the US Bureau of Labor Statistics states that medical scientists typically have a PhD, usually in biology or a related life science, and that some hold a medical degree instead or as well. It projects employment of medical scientists in the United States to grow 13 percent from 2025 to 2035.

Frequently asked questions

Is cancer studies the same as oncology?

Not exactly. Oncology is the medical specialty that treats patients with cancer and requires a medical degree and specialist training. Cancer studies or cancer biology degrees train researchers and other professionals who study the disease and develop treatments.

Which degree do I need before a master's in cancer studies?

Usually a bachelor's degree in a life science or in medicine. The University of Sheffield, for example, asks for a minimum 2:1 honours degree in a relevant subject such as biochemistry, biology, biomedical science, genetics, medicine or pharmacy.

How long does a master's in cancer studies take?

One year full-time in the United Kingdom, as at Sheffield and King's College London, and two years at Utrecht University in the Netherlands.

Can I study cancer biology in English outside the United Kingdom and the United States?

Yes. The master's programme Cancer, Stem Cells and Developmental Biology at Utrecht University is taught in English.