MSc Cognitive Neuroscience

University of Reading

United Kingdom, Reading

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173

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Home/United Kingdom/Reading /University of Reading/MSc Cognitive Neuroscience

University of Reading

United Kingdom , Reading

Key Facts

Program Level

Master by Course Work

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Campuses

Main Site

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesSeptember-2026

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 12 month(s)

Tuition Fee

GBP 31,650 / year

Next Intake September-2026

MSc Cognitive Neuroscience

About

With MSc Cognitive Neuroscience gain a firm grounding in interdisciplinary cognitive neuroscience, as well as classical psychology and neuropsychology with options in developmental psychology and psychopathology.

This course is designed to train you for further research and study, ideally for a doctoral programme in psychology, neuroscience, clinical psychology, or a related field. It is research intensive, providing essential training in analytical ability, methods awareness and critical thinking, among other highly valuable transferable skills such as programming.

You will receive training in both neurobiology and psychological aspects of cognitive neuroscience and highly transferable analytical skills such as statistics and programming. You will also have the opportunity to engage in research with various clinics and research centres housed in the School such as the Centre for Autism and the NHS Anxiety and Depression in Young People Research Unit.

You will develop analytical and critical thinking skills, and will be encouraged to use our excellent facilities including brain imaging systems, and eye-tracking, psychophysiology, nutritional testing, and virtual reality and haptic laboratories.

Our School is housed in a modern building with extensive teaching and research facilities, including a state-of-the-art multi-million pound neuroimaging centre, including fMRI, EEG and TMS facilities, and three NHS Clinics. The School also hosts significant computing facilities for modelling and analytical purposes.

In addition to the facilities and resources provided in our on-campus University Library, our department provides a dedicated study room for MSc students complete with computing facilities. There is a further separate student resources room which can be used for quiet study or group discussions, which has Wi-Fi and kitchen facilities.

Overall, 100% of graduates from Psychology are in work or further study within 15 months of the end of their course. (Based on our analysis of HESA data © HESA 2022-2024, Graduate Outcomes Surveys 2019/20-2021/22; includes Postgraduate (Taught) and Postgraduate (Research) Psychology responders only.

For more information, please visit the School of Psychology's website.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

IELTS: 6.5 overall with no element less than 5.5 (or equivalent).

Entry requirements: Typically a good second class honours degree (57% or above, with 2.1 marks in Research Methods and project/dissertation modules) in psychology or a related discipline (for example, cognitive neuroscience). It must reflect psychology as a scientific discipline and have included the study of brain and behaviour.

Pre-sessional English language Programme

Our Pre-sessional English Programme is for international students who need to meet their degree programme English language requirements.

Our courses equip you with the skills and language needed for academic success, including critical thinking, self-reflection, learner autonomy, research skills and integrating sources. The Pre-sessional English Programme is accredited by the global association of Lecturers in English for Academic Purposes, which guarantees you will receive a high-quality student experience.

To find out more, visit Pre-sessional English.

English Program Requirements

IELTS: 6.5 overall with no element less than 5.5 (or equivalent).

Career

This course will particularly appeal to those interested in academic, clinical and research careers where knowledge of human cognitive and emotional systems is relevant.

All of our MSc programmes are research intensive, providing essential training in analytical ability, methods awareness and critical thinking, among other fundamental transferable skills. The MSc Cognitive Neuroscience is designed to train you for further research and study, ideally for a doctoral programme in psychology, neuroscience, clinical psychology, or a related field. Our students regularly move on to PhD positions, applied and clinical psychology posts in the NHS and private sector, as well as research-based positions in industry.

Fee Information

Tuition Fee

GBP 31,650

Application Fee

GBP

How to Apply

1. Check our entry requirements

Please see our postgraduate subject finder for minimum entry requirements for the programme you are interested in; entry requirements can vary from one programme to another. International students can consult our country-specific pages for information and guidance on alternative qualification equivalencies for master’s study.

If English is not your first language, you will also need to meet our English language requirements. You can find the IELTS requirements on each course page. We also accept a range of alternative English language qualifications.

If your English ability is not at the required standard, you can choose to apply for one of our Pre-sessional English programmes. The programmes will equip you with the study skills and preparation needed for academic study in English. The length of your Pre-sessional English programme is determined by your current level of English against the English language requirements of your chosen master’s programme.

2. Application and funding deadlines

Although most master’s programmes do not formally close for applications, some programmes do have application deadlines; if your programme has a deadline it will be specified on the course page under the ‘Entry requirements’ section. For programmes that do not have a specific application deadline, places may be limited and programmes may become full. We recommend that you apply as early as possible (particularly if you are an international student) to allow time not only for us to process your application, but for you to ensure that you can meet any offer conditions, arrange your accommodation and, importantly, funding for your studies. For admission in September, we do recommend that you apply by 1 August (if you are a UK applicant) and 1 July (if you are an international applicant requiring a visa to come to the UK) however, we are happy to still consider applications after these dates.

International applicants should also see our advice and guidance on visas and immigration.

Funding deadlines

We require an offer of study for many of our master’s scholarships and bursaries. You should check deadlines for applications carefully, and each scholarship or bursary will have specific application instructions. We may add scholarships throughout the year, so it is a good idea to re-visit our scholarships and bursaries page.

3. Submit your application

You can apply for master’s programmes directly through our online application system, RISIS. For our PGCE/Teacher Training programmes, applications must be made via the Department of Education's Find Postgraduate Teacher Training portal. Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an automatic confirmation.

Various documents are needed to make your application. You should electronically upload:

full transcripts of all degree programmes taken. If these are not in English, a certified translation into English is required. Please do not mail original copies; we only require PDF copies via electronic upload,
an English language certificate (for example IELTS or TOEFL), if English is not your first language (this can also be provided after you submit your application),
contact details for two academic/professional references. Your references will automatically be invited via email to upload their reference directly once you have submitted your application. Please remind your references to check their junk/spam filters for the email and let them know that the link to the form is only valid for 20 days,
statement of purpose. Your personal statement should outline your academic performance, interest in applying to master’s study, any relevant work experience and skills gained,
a copy of your passport (for international students).

Application fee

We do not charge an application fee to apply for our master’s programmes.

4. Track your application

You can track the progress of your application using our applicant portal, Me@Reading, a personalised resource including information about your programme of study, student stories and what's happening here at Reading. It has everything you need to know, all in one place. When we have made a decision on your application, we will contact you via email. If we are able to make you an offer for a place to study, your offer will contain information about what to do next, including how to accept your offer, pay a deposit (if applicable), and any conditions you must meet to study with us.