MSc Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuropsychology

Do you have an undergraduate degree in psychology and want to further your understanding of the neurological foundations of how humans think about, interact with, and experience the world around them?

Studying both cognitive neuroscience and neuropsychology thoroughly grounds you in the scientific investigation of the neural mechanisms underlying human thoughts and behaviour. On our Masters course, you are taught the theoretical and biological foundations of cognitive science, and undertake advanced training in statistics and neuropsychological research methods.

Cognitive neuroscience is the scientific study of biological substrates underlying cognition, with a focus on the neural correlates of mental processes. It is a branch of both psychology and neuroscience, overlapping with disciplines such as biological psychology, cognitive psychology, and neuropsychology. Cognitive neuropsychology uses data from single cases of individuals with brain injury or neurological illness to refine theoretical models of cognitive processing.

Explore topics including:

• the physiological bases and practical applications of cognitive neuroscience techniques
• how brain activity translates into cognitive processes
• the theoretical and biological foundations of cognitive science
• how brain damages impact cognitive functions
• cognitive neuroscience of language
• cognitive neuropsychology of reading and face processing

We are a warm and friendly Department of Psychology, and we wish to welcome recent graduates of psychology or a closely related subject such as cognitive science. This course is popular with international students, particularly those from North America. Our students receive a high-quality Masters degree within one year and benefit from small class sizes and strong research training.

Our expert staff

The Department of Psychology at Essex supports world-leading, interdisciplinary research that promotes a better Understanding of Our Place in the World. This organisation of our research mission allows us to unite and synthesise knowledge across core psychology disciplines and beyond. To contribute to our mission, staff often dismantle conventional, disciplinary boundaries. This unique approach benefits from the use of multi-methodological approaches, while nurturing the translation of our research findings into practical tools that benefit society.

At Essex, you study cognitive neuroscience and neuropsychology with leading researchers who actively shape the field, bringing the latest scientific discoveries straight into your lectures and labs. Their ground-breaking research is supported by some of the most prestigious funding bodies, including the ESRC, European Commission, and the Leverhulme Trust.

Our academic staff include award-winning teachers and prize-winning researchers who are international experts in their own research areas. We are 17th in the UK for research power in psychology (Times Higher Education research power measure, Research Excellence Framework 2021). Our department is also expanding, and has recently appointed a number of excellent researchers whose expertise increases the diversity and depth of our skills base.

• We have a strong expertise of researchers who focus on the psychological underpinnings of individual and group-motivated behaviour and reasoning. Our work in this area brings together researchers applying different methodologies to study how people make decisions, remember, and feel and act, e.g. in the political arena and in health and disease. Staff have strong skills in experimental behavioural, electrophysiological, and neuromodulatory techniques.
• We also actively contribute to our understanding of how we perceive and present ourselves in relation to others, and how this affects our behaviour and well-being. Staff study individual and group processes that are fundamental to social relations and that address questions around social wellness, sexual and interpersonal relationships, and their links to identity and meaning of life, justice, and trust. They also focus on education, language, and cross-cultural processes and their interaction. Theme members use multiple methodologies, including self-report, behavioural observations, and (electro-)physiological measures to provide a wide-ranging look into the psychological processes underlying society's pressing issues and that guide our most important social interactions.
• Many of our staff and research students help to unravel the physiological and neural underpinnings of how we experience and perceive our body states, how we see, and how we control our actions. They further answer questions on how our perceptions and experiences change as we age. Infant and children work is conducted in our Essex Babylab, the leading infant lab in the East of England. Staff use a variety of techniques, including EEG, fNIRS, fMRI, TMS/tDCS, physiological and behavioural measures.

Specialist facilities

We are committed to giving you access to state-of-the-art facilities in higher education, housed entirely within our purpose-built psychology building on our Colchester Campus:

• our multimillion-pound Centre for Brain Science (CBS), which allows cognitive neuroscientists to investigate brain activity
• electrophysiology (EEG) suites, which allow researchers to record brain waves to understand the neural mechanisms underlying psychological processes (e.g. learning, sleep, cognitive control, attentional bias) and identify brain patterns associated with mental health conditions (e.g. anxiety, depression, ADHD, schizophrenia)
• transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a non-invasive means of stimulating the brain to help explore how specific brain areas contribute to different psychological processes (e.g. perception, memory, executive function)
• near infra-red spectroscopy (NIRS), for measuring changes in blood oxygen levels to help us understand where psychological processes (e.g. emotion, language processing) take place in the developing brain
• a range of facilities to measure eye movements and physiological responses (e.g. heart rate, skin conductance)
• a virtual reality suite and an observation suite
• specialist areas to study visual and auditory perception, developmental psychology, and social psychology
• our Babylab, the leading infant lab in the East of England that explores perceptual, emotional, and cognitive processes in infants
• a first-of-its-kind dedicated Minecraft Lab, which uses the popular game to study human behaviour in situations that might be impractical or unethical to recreate in the real world

Your future

With the skills and knowledge you acquire from studying within our Department of Psychology, you will find yourself in demand from a wide range of employers.

Graduates from this course go on to work in a diverse range of careers and industries. Recent graduates are working in the following roles at organisations such as Amazon, HyperionDev, Deutsche Bank, the NHS, and universities such as Kings College London and the University of Edinburgh:

• data scientists
• research associates
• study coordinators
• clinical research facilitators

Others have continued their education in counselling and clinical psychology, and hold positions such as psychology interns and trainee clinical psychologists at organisations such as the NHS.

We also have excellent links with the research community for those interested in careers in research and teaching in a higher-education context. We are recognised by the ESRC as providing excellent postgraduate training, and are an accredited Doctoral Training Centre, offering competitive studentships. Our PhD students have taken up postdoctoral positions in other top UK and international universities (e.g. US, Italy, Australia), as well as being appointed to lectureships across the UK.

"Since graduating from Essex I have been working for a biotechnology company called IXICO as an associate image analyst. I analyse and quality-check brain images of individuals with neurological and neurodegenerative diseases who are undergoing clinical trials, as well as setting up MRI scanners around the world making sure they scan patients in a safe way."

Sammy Shittu, MSc Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuropsychology, 2019

UK entry requirements

A 2:2 degree or international equivalent in one of the following subjects:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Cognitive Science (or a related subject)
• Psychology

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, we require IELTS 7.0 overall with a minimum score of 5.5 in all components.

If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.

Additional Notes

The University uses academic selection criteria to determine an applicant’s ability to successfully complete a course at the University of Essex. Where appropriate, we may ask for specific information relating to previous modules studied or work experience.

Course structure

Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field. The following modules are based on the current course structure and may change in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We'll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website and in line with your contract with us. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, we'll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.

Teaching

• Your modules are taught through lectures, seminars, practical classes, and private study (approximately 12 to 16 hours per week during the autumn and spring term).
• A typical timetable for postgraduate taught students in the Department of Psychology involves a two-hour lecture for each module per week. Some modules involve additional computer labs (normally one hour per week) or seminars (normally two or three per term).
• We host a very active programme of research seminars.

Assessment

• Full-year modules are most often examined using a three-hour examination, and half-year modules by a combination of two-hour examination and coursework (e.g. essays, oral presentations).

Dissertation

• An original psychological study carried out under the supervision of a staff member.
• Maximum of 10,000 words, written up as a research report.