Neuroscience with Psychology, BSc at University of Aberdeen

The Neuroscience with Psychology programme aims to instil a broad base of knowledge regarding the functioning of the nervous system. This is done via a bottom-up approach through an understanding of the nervous system at a molecular and cellular level, but also via a top-down approach through behavioural neuropsychology.

Neuroscientists have to push technologies to the limit to study the nature neural function by recording from individual nerve cells and even from single molecules to understand diseases. Neuroscience research aims to understand diseases such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases. It can also include work on the optic nerves, cardiac function, sense of smell, difficulty in swallowing, weakness in the muscles and other diseases and health problems since many of these have a neural basis.

5 year MSci degree

This degree offers you the opportunity to undertake a year's placement in an industrial, commercial or research environment and graduate after five years with an MSci (an undergraduate Masters degree) instead of a BSc. 

How You'll Study

You will be taught using a variety of methods and styles and we continually seek to make the teaching engaging, exciting and responsive to the latest research in your subject area. The research we carry out in the School directly informs and guides our teaching, particularly in the final Honours year. Our commitment to teaching is recognised by the range of University of Aberdeen Student-led Teaching Awards given to staff from our School.

As a student, your learning is supported by MyAberdeen, our virtual learning environment from which you can access the lecture Powerpoint slides, online practice tests, links to related reading, and tutorial support material.

We make innovative use of 'educational voting' handsets in class, remote control 'clickers' that allow each and every student to electronically respond in class by anonymous vote to questions posed by the lecturer.

Your academic development is supported from year 1 through to year 4 by an assigned personal tutor, who acts as adviser and mentor throughout your University career.

Learning Methods

• LAB WORK
• LECTURES
• SEMINARS
• TUTORIALS
• WORKSHOPS

Why Study Neuroscience with Psychology?

• The University has a strong research base in Neuroscience where the behaviour of nerve cells is studied primarily at the molecular and cellular level.
• You will benefit from courses in both human and animal neuropsychology.
• The degree provides the opportunity to study courses in medical sciences, neuroscience and psychology in an integrated programme.
• Students will work in attractive and up-to-date laboratories both on the King’s College campus and the Foresterhill Health campus.
• Excellent staff and teaching facilities; 92% of our students were satisfied with teaching on courses in the School of Medical Sciences, and 91.8% of our students were satisfied that staff made the subject interesting (2014 National Student Survey).
• You will receive training in both specialist and employment-related skills.
• Neuroscientists at Aberdeen discovered that the brain produces its own morphine-like substances (enkephalins and endorphins) and made the first chemical and neuropharmacological characterisation of these substances.

Careers

Neuroscience graduates find employment in the biomedical research, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Others choose further study in related areas such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, dietetics, physiotherapy and teaching.

An understanding of contemporary biology combined with your wider graduate skills will give you a broad choice of potential career options such as bioethics, law, journalism, and health economics.

Additional career options include the Scientific Civil Service, the Health Service, patenting, medical sales, the software sector, management and administration. Some graduates have set up their own businesses.

Our degree programmes are built to enhance your employability and three flagship options give our degrees a distinctively different flavour from many others. All our degrees offer:

• A 10-week full time research project in the final year which will provide you with valuable experience of working in a medical science research environment