MSc Cognitive Neuroscience and Human Neuroimaging at University of Sheffield

Course description

This 12-month course is designed to provide you with in-depth training in the core aspects of cognitive neuroscience and human neuroimaging, enabling you to generate and interpret neurobiological data in order to draw conclusions from healthy and unhealthy brains.

Throughout your course, our neuroscientists will introduce you to key investigative techniques including functional and structural MRI, skin conductance response recording, neuropsychology, transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation. Once you’ve mastered the techniques you need, we’ll give you plenty of opportunities to apply these throughout your course to test hypotheses in areas including emotional influences on behaviour, executive functioning, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy and motor neuron disease.

Over three months you'll work on your research project in Cognitive Neuroscience with one of our world-leading experts in the Department of Psychology. Your research topic could range from theoretical to basic neuroscience. You may have the opportunity to collect and analyse real-life cognitive brain science data, using state-of-the-art equipment, before presenting your findings at our summer student-led conference. This project gives you the opportunity to put your new techniques in experimental neuroscience into practice, while exploring ideas at the cutting-edge of cognitive neuroscience. It's common for MSc research projects to form the basis of publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Other courses in cognitive neuroscience

We offer MSc courses that cover the full breadth of cognitive neuroscience, from the biological basis to imaging and simulation, allowing you to discover the area that you’re most interested in:

MSc Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience

MSc Systems Neuroscience

Your career

With the valuable skills and knowledge that you’ll develop throughout your research training, including computational modelling, imaging, and analysis expertise, you’ll be well equipped for careers including:

• analysis and visualisation of data within hospitals, other healthcare providers or the pharmaceutical industry
• roles within deep learning, machine learning or artificial intelligence
• pursuing a career in research, understanding major diseases like stroke, Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons and epilepsy within academia or governmental organisations.

If you choose to continue your research training, these courses are great preparation for a PhD in areas including neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and brain interfaces or to begin clinical training.