Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience MSc - Postgraduate MA/MSc courses

Gain specialist training and transferable research skills with our specialised MSc Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience at Aston University, Birmingham. Benefit from access to leading researchers and state-of-the-art facilities within the Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment and School of Psychology.

Location: Aston University, Birmingham

Cognitive and affective neuroscience studies the biological processes that underpin how human beings think, reason and process their emotional experience.

The MSc Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience at Aston, provides a unique dual emphasis, providing specialist training at the brain-behaviour interface, as well as on generic and transferable research and communication skills for augmenting your career aspirations and professional development.

This course is part of the School of Psychology which sits within the College of Health and Life Sciences.

Course outline

During your year at Aston, you will study specialist modules that combine theory and practice. Youll complete a core curriculum of six taught modules which will provide you with a detailed and critical understanding of the contemporary research and analysis methods used in cognitive and affective neuroscience. Topics covered in this course include:

• Theories and applications of neuroanatomy
• Cognitive and sensory systems
• Affective neuroscience
• Social cognition
• Neurodevelopment and disorders
• Neuroanatomy.

In addition, you will have the opportunity to complete research practicals using some of the advanced technologies of cognitive neuroscience, including magnetic resonance imaging, magnetoencephalography, and eye movement recording. These sessions are supported within a series of trainings in core research skills such as how to formulate a scientific research question, scoping and implementing research designs, and stimulus presentation and programming.

There is also an emphasis on generic professional development and research-related communication skills in our Key Skills for Cognitive Neuroscientists modules. Here you will develop your abilities in areas such as oral and written presentation, personal promotion and employability, intellectual property, scientific writing, systematic review and Meta-analysis, and in research ethics.

Core modules

• Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience: Theories and applications
• Advanced Research Design and Analysis
• Research Practicals 1
• Research Practicals 2
• Key skills for Cognitive Neuroscientists 1
• Key skills for Cognitive Neuroscientists 2
• Research Dissertation in Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience

What could my research project be?

The major practical component of the course is the research dissertation project, which provides you with the opportunity to develop, implement and communicate an original piece of research. The project is completed with a research mentor of international standing in cognitive and/or affective neuroscience. Past projects include:

• Memory enrichment by social context: A virtual reality EEG research project.
• Realistic navigation of virtual mazes: Distinguishing egocentric vs allocentric navigation using EEG.
• The effect of disfiguring features on face discrimination: an EEG study using fast periodic visual stimulation.
• Delay discounting: Do the eyes have it?
• Individual differences in social cognition: An investigation into emotion regulation.
• Mental health and personal characteristics in Bardet-Biedl syndrome and syndromes associated with sight loss.
• Assessing game therapy for aphasia: A new approach to aphasia rehabilitation.
• Transcranial direct current stimulation and word learning.

International students and post-study work visa

Aston University is a diverse, close community and welcomes international students. Students from over 120 different countries choose to study with us every year. Aston is not only a great place to study, based in the centre of Birmingham its also a great place to live.

As a university, we welcomed the creation of a new immigration route which will enable international students to remain in the UK for two years after they have completed their studies to find work. The new post-study work visa will apply to international students starting undergraduate and postgraduate courses from 2020. More information on post-work visas.

• A 2:2 (or above) UK Honours degree, or equivalent internationally recognised qualification, in an Engineering, Science or technology subject. Other qualifications and relevant experience will be assessed on an individual basis.

As well as:

• Two professional references - at least one must be from an academic referee
•  A completed application form.

To be accepted onto our programmes, you must be able to satisfy the University's English language requirements. The level required will depend on the programme you are applying for. We strive to make your application process as easy as possible, however in all cases we reserve the right to request an English language qualification and / or conduct an interview.

We accept a wide range of English language qualifications including:

• IELTS Academic
• TOEFL
• PTE Academic
• TOEFL iBT Home Edition
• Password
• Duolingo English Test (for entry onto Pre-Sessional English programmes, and direct entry courses starting in January 2022 and September 2022, excluding Aston Medical School, OSPAP, and Postgraduate Research degree programmes).
• Kaplan International Tools for English (KITE) 

This course has been designed to provide postgraduate-level education and training for graduates who want to specialise in the area of cognitive and affective neuroscience, continue onto PhD level study, or enhance their CV with a research-related Masters qualification.

Previous cognitive neuroscience students at Aston have moved on to a variety of careers including:

• PhD studies: destinations of recently successful PhD applicants include Aston, Cardiff, Derby, Liverpool, Sussex and Warwick.
• Research-related roles: e.g. Research Assistant, Data Analyst (for example for the NHS).
• Education: e.g. Science Teacher, Educational Consultant.