MRes Neuroscience

Undergraduate degree (typically 2.1 or higher) in a science-related subject (e.g. neuroscience, chemistry, physics, biology, psychology or computer science). If you studied your first degree outside the UK, see the international entry requirements.

Candidates with other suitable and equivalent qualifications such as relevant work experience or research accomplishments will also be considered.

The qualifications listed are indicative minimum requirements for entry. Some academic Schools will ask applicants to achieve significantly higher marks than the minimum. Obtaining the listed entry requirements will not guarantee you a place, as the University considers all aspects of every application including, where applicable, the writing sample, personal statement, and supporting documents.

Application requirements

• CV 
• personal statement, including names of 3 potential
• supervisors (500 words maximum) 
• two letters of recommendation 
• academic transcripts and degree certificates

For fees and funding options, please visit website to find out more

A large number of psychology and neuroscience postgraduates have gained postdoctoral and lecturing positions in universities across the world.

They have also gone on to pursue postgraduate medical and veterinary degrees in the EU and UK, as well as overseas.

The School provides opportunities for students to gain academic experience by being involved in tutorials, laboratory classes and through conducting independent research. 

In addition to pursuing careers in academia, postgraduates within the School have gone on to pursue careers in a variety of fields including industry, education and medicine. 

The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students as well as a programme of events to assist students in building their employability skills.

Compulsory

• Neuroscience Research Design Reading Party: is an introductory module designed to provide an intensive introduction to designing and carrying out integrative neuroscience research at postgraduate level. 
• Techniques and Skills in Neuroscience Research: examines state-of-the-art neuroscience techniques through critical analysis of primary literature. 

Optional

Students choose two additional optional modules, examples of optional modules that may be offered include: 

• Advanced Microscopy and Image Analysis - Seeing is Believing: introduction to advanced imaging techniques, such as Confocal, Super-resolution, TIRF and Electron Microscopy. 
• Advanced Principles of Neuroscience: primarily for students who have not studied neuroscience previously, this module covers basic biochemical, cellular and behavioural aspects of the nervous system in health and disease. 
• Behavioural Neuroscience: allows students to access current research in the area of behavioural neuroscience. Possible topics include motivation, learning and attention.  
• Biology and Behaviour of Social Insects: examines and compares the biology of the four main groups of social insects: termites, ants, wasps and bees.
• Evolutionary Developmental Biology: aims to cover some of the main, current themes in evolutionary developmental biology. 
• Mechanisms of Behaviour: Integrating Psychological and
• Neuroscience Perspectives: explores many physiological and neural systems that modulate patterns of behaviour in a range of species, including humans.
• Molecular Mechanisms of Membrane Trafficking: considers how molecules control the movement of substances through the secretory pathway, but will focus on how cells regulate the release of contents. 
• Motoneurons: From Physiology to Pathology: provides an in-depth knowledge of key aspects of neuronal function and potential dysfunction by focusing on motoneurons.
• Memory mechanisms and Alzheimer’s disease: examines how the brain enables us to remember information from our personal experience.
• Neuroethology: focuses mainly on behaviours arising from the interactions between predators and their prey. 
• Neuromodulation: explores the diverse range of neuromodulatory mechanisms and outlines their importance in information processing in the nervous system. 
• Research Methods in Cognitive Neuroscience: showcases the state-of-the-art approach of observing the brain in action to to understand the physical bases of behaviour.  
• Synaptic Transmission in Health and Disease: covers recent progress in understanding the morphology and ultrastructure of synapses, neurotransmitter corelease and recycling mechanisms, retrograde signalling, synaptic plasticity, the role of glial cells and the development of neurotransmission. 

Optional modules are subject to change each year and require a minimum number of participants to be offered; some may only allow limited numbers of students  (see the University's position on curriculum development). 

Research Project

Students will spend one year conducting a research project culminating in a data-based thesis of not more than 15,000 words. The thesis will describe the research results obtained from the year-long research project and must be submitted by a date specified in August. 

If students choose not to complete the thesis requirement for the MRes, there is an exit award available that allows suitably qualified candidates to receive a Postgraduate Diploma. By choosing an exit award, you will finish your degree at the end of the second semester of study and receive a PGDip instead of an MRes.