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Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience MSc

Learn about the course below
Code
PGC860
Start
September 2024
Duration
1 year full-time
2 years part-time
Attendance
Full-time
Part-time
Fees
£10,500 (UK) *
£16,800 (EU/INT) *
Course leader
Dr Jon Silas
Dr Alexander Jones

This versatile master's degree combines cognitive and clinical approaches to neuroscience. It seeks to apply neuroscientific techniques to further your understanding of the human mind and explores the underlying mechanisms associated with disease and disorders of the nervous system. You'll be equipped with an understanding of contemporary issues in cognitive and clinical neuroscience and developing your skills and ability to use neuroscientific methods in a research and clinical environment.

Why study the Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience* at Middlesex University

This course focuses on the advanced study of neuroscience, with a focus on understanding the brain in both health and disease.

A uniquely interdisciplinary course, you'll be taught by internationally recognised academics from both the Psychology department and in Biomedical Sciences. You'll have access to state-of-the-art neuroscience equipment, such as electroencephalography (EEG) and non-invasive brain stimulation as well as lab facilities to get hands-on experience in neuroimaging and non-invasive neuro-stimulation techniques.

This course is ideal if you wish to extend your research interests to doctoral level or you’re looking to apply neuroscience in clinical and research settings.

Course highlights

  • Utilise electroencephalography for  research and clinical investigation
  • Access electrical and magnetic forms of non-invasive brain stimulation
  • Learn from the expertise of active clinicians and researchers in their respective fields

Find out more

Sign up now to receive more information about studying at Middlesex University London.

What you will study on Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience MSc?

As a uniquely interdisciplinary course, your focus will be on building your skills to engage critically with:

  • Contemporary cognitive and clinical neuroscience research
  • Research in developmental cognitive and clinical neuroscience
  • The relationship between brain states and cognition

What will you gain?

In addition to the in-depth knowledge of the subject matter, you'll gain practical skills in neuroscientific data collection and analysis, experimental design, and clinical and statistical analysis of data.

You'll have the opportunity to utilise these skills in your own original research project, exploring cognitive processes by examining or manipulating brain states.

  • Modules - Compulsory

    • Research: Practice and Reporting (60 credits)

      This module aim to provide you with an opportunity for an in-depth, advanced study in a specific area of applied psychology, pertinent to the degree for which you are registered, guided by, but largely independent of, tutor support. You will apply appropriate principles of empirical research, and present your research study in the form of a written journal article, using appropriate styles and conventions.

    • Practical Cognitive Neuroscience (30 credits)

      Cognitive neuroscience is the study of brain states and how such brain states are related to behaviour and cognition. Many of the recent advances in the field are due to the rapid development and use of technology that allows us to infer what the brain is doing during different psychological states. This module aims to provide you with an introduction to the theory that underpins cognitive neuroscience techniques such as EEG, TMS, fMRI, TES and a critical understanding of experimental design. Moreover, and importantly, the module aims to provide an experienced based approach to learning how to use some of these techniques. This module aims to provide you with the opportunity to learn how to use advanced equipment through practice and demonstrations. The overall aim is to teach you how the equipment works, how to analyse the data resulting from use, what questions different methods can answer and what are the limitations of them.

    • Specialised Techniques in Clinical Neurophysiology (15 credits)

      This module will give you a specialised body of current knowledge in the field of clinical neurophysiology. The emphasis will be on acquiring familiarity with the practical skills involved with specialist technologies and investigations. Investigative procedures include evoked potentials, nerve conduction and EMG, with emphasis on interpreting diagnostic information acquired in surgical and ITU environments.

    • Quantitative Research Methods (15 credits)

      This module aims to provide your with core skills and knowledge in quantitative research methods in Psychology. The focus is on understanding how research questions relate to design and appropriate analyses. Across the suite of MSc programmes in Psychology, it provides you with advanced skills in a variety of statistical analyses and enables you to conduct psychological research at master’s level. The module enables you to understand and critically evaluate published quantitative psychological research. It prepares you for your dissertation and enables you to choose appropriate methodologies and analyses for research.

You can find more information about this course in the programme specification. Optional modules are not offered on every course. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, or there are staffing changes which affect the teaching, it may not be offered. If an optional module will not run, we will advise you after the module selection period when numbers are confirmed, or at the earliest time that the programme team make the decision not to run the module, and help you choose an alternative module.

We are regularly reviewing and updating our programmes to ensure you have the best learning experience. We are taking what we have learnt during the pandemic and enhancing our teaching methods with new and innovative ways of learning.

We aim to model a wide range of teaching strategies and approaches on the course which you can adapt to your own setting.

How is the Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience MSc taught?

Practical and hands-on, you'll attend laboratory sessions and workshops alongside your lectures and seminars. You'll take part in class discussions and work on research projects, group assignments and critical analyses.

There is a specific module on research methods and the course also aims to improve your analytical, statistical and IT skills to aid your independent learning.

Assessment

A major part of your assessment will be your 10,000 to 15,000-word dissertation, which will be accompanied by a 1,500-word research proposal and a 10-minute presentation, on which you will receive feedback from fellow students as well as your tutor.

Other forms of assessment will include tests, projects, statistical assignments, essays, reports, logbooks and case study analyses. You will receive regular feedback on your work, including your assessed coursework and your dissertation.

Support

You have a strong support network available to you to make sure you develop all the necessary academic skills you need to do well on your course.

Our support services will be delivered online and on campus and you have access to a range of different resources so you can get the help you need, whether you’re studying at home or have the opportunity to come to campus.

You have access to one to one and group sessions for personal learning and academic support from our library and IT teams, and our network of learning experts. Our teams will also be here to offer financial advice, and personal wellbeing, mental health and disability support.

  1. Standard entry requirements
  2. International (inc. EU)
  3. How to apply
  1. UK
  2. International
  3. Additional costs
  4. Scholarships and bursaries

How can the Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience MSc support your career?

This programme will provide you with the skills and knowledge necessary for careers in UK health services and research centres. It's also is suited to those who want to pursue a career in data analysis, cognitive science, academic research (MPhil/PhD), teaching in higher education, and clinical neurophysiology (e.g. in the NHS).

The range of professional skills that Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience MSc graduates develop ensures that they're highly valued across the economy. The programme develops a range of broad skills including critical thinking and scientific reasoning. With a greater emphasis on data handling and critical engagement with statistics in today’s workplace these skills are thought to provide better opportunities for graduates to enter positions where data analytics are valued.

Dr Jon Silas
Senior Lecturer in Psychology

Dr Silas' current research interests are related to social cognition and cognitive neuroscience. He also has an interest in the role of mirroring systems in the human brain and the role of embodied processes in understanding others. Dr Silas has experience in using a variety of neuro-scientific methods including EEG, TMS, tDCS and fMRI.

Dr Alexander Jones
Senior Lecturer in Psychology

Dr Jones' interests include attention, action, and multisensory integration, and using cognitive neuroscience techniques to investigate how the brain and behaviour relate. Focus has been on exploring how we select and attend to information which is constantly bombarding our senses.

Dr Nicola Brunswick
Associate Professor in Psychology

Dr Brunswick’s research focuses on cognitive, behavioural and neuropsychological aspects of children's reading development, of skilled reading, and developmental dyslexia in children and adults. She's also interested in the link between reading and musical expertise (in musicians and dancers), and between reading ability and visuo-spatial/drawing ability (in art/non-art students). She has conducted research using EEG, ERPs, fMRI and PET and has written five books on reading and dyslexia.


We’ll carefully manage any future changes to courses, or the support and other services available to you, if these are necessary because of things like changes to government health and safety advice, or any changes to the law.

Any decisions will be taken in line with both external advice and the University’s Regulations which include information on this.

Our priority will always be to maintain academic standards and quality so that your learning outcomes are not affected by any adjustments that we may have to make.

At all times we’ll aim to keep you well informed of how we may need to respond to changing circumstances, and about support that we’ll provide to you.

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Code: PGC802

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