Cognitive Neuroscience

There is increasing international demand for high-quality research training on mental processes in the healthy and diseased human brain. This MRes brings together some of the world's leading researchers in cognitive neuroscience and cognitive neuropsychology, offering students an ideal environment to prepare for independent research careers in this fast-developing field.

Students learn about the relationship between the mind and the brain in patients and healthy individuals, alongside the ideas, methodology, and current state of knowledge in cognitive neuroscience. In addition to specialised, research-oriented training, the programme develops key transferable skills. These include project management, logical thinking, oral and written communication, and independent learning. The MRes has a greater emphasis on the research project than the Cognitive Neuroscience MSc.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of two key skills modules (30 credits), two optional modules (one from Group One and one from Group Two to a total value of 30 credits) and a substantial research project (120 credits).

Core modules

• Key Skills Module: Generic Research Skills – Statistics
• Key Skills Module: Communication Skills in Cognitive Neuroscience

Optional modules

Students choose one optional module from group one* and one module from group two**

• Structure and Function of the Brain*
• Methods in Cognitive Neuroscience I: Lesion Approaches*
• Methods in Cognitive Neuroscience II: Neuroimaging – Designing and Analysing fMRI Experiments*
• Current Issues in Cognitive Neuroscience I: Fundamental Processes**
• Current Issues in Cognitive Neuroscience II: Elaborative and Adaptive Processes**
• Current Issues in Cognitive Neuroscience III: Translational Research**

Dissertation/report

All students undertake an empirical research project in the area of cognitive neuroscience, which culminates in a dissertation of 15,000–17,000 words.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, problem classes, laboratory classes and student presentations. Depending on the chosen optional modules, it includes case demonstrations of neuropsychological patients, hands-on experience with the analysis of neuroimaging data, critical analyses of published scientific papers, and discussion seminars. Assessment is through examinations, essays, practical exercises, reports and the research dissertation.

Normally a minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.