Course Catalogue

The overall aim of the programme is to provide postgraduate students with advanced knowledge of the neurobiological and neurophysiological mechanisms underpinning affect, cognition & behaviour, in health and disease, equipping them with relevant and up-to-date practical laboratory, quantitative and analytical skills. Specific aims of the programme are: 1) To achieve detailed understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms that underlie affect, cognition and behaviour in health and disease 2) To develop and reinforce analytical, quantitative and critical thinking skills that are essential for neuroscientific research, and are increasingly demanded by employers. 3) To be able to operate equipment and conduct laboratory work effectively. 4) To be able to design and conduct research independently, attending at all aspects of scientific work (from planning to ethics, to data collection and analysis, to presentation). 5) To develop communication skills in a professional manner, in a variety of contexts and for a range of audiences. 6) To enhance team work, learning, reflective and problem solving abilities.

Learning in the proposed programme is strongly research-/scholar-led and student-led. The course will be delivered using a wide range of methods, in order to help students develop a broad range of skills. Most modules include lectures to guide students in their understanding of complex concepts. Students will further their knowledge through journal club sessions led by themselves, literature searches, workshops, problem-based learning and case studies. Practical sessions will constitute a substantial proportion of the contact hours in most modules; this includes psychology and life-sciences lab practical sessions and computer-based practical sessions. In addition, this programme emphasises transferable skills, such as critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills, which are present in a wide range of learning activities that involve critical analysis of research outputs, communication of scientific information in a variety of contexts, and problem-based learning (including the research project). Assessment Scientific knowledge will be assessed through exams, poster presentations, oral presentations, practical reports, research proposals, communication of scientific papers to a wider audience (in the form of podcasts, vlog posts),and the project write-up. An emphasis is placed on assessments that reflect real world research activities that students will use in their future careers. Specific practical skills will be assessed by means of research proposals and practical reports in the corresponding modules, programming of a behavioural task and production of an accompanying research protocol, one exam on statistics, and the completion of their research project, analysis and reporting of the results. Transferable skills will be evaluated through, poster presentations, oral presentations in the style of a conference, and the use of podcasts / vlog posts; critical thinking will be considered in all assessments without exception.

The teaching in the programme is strongly focused on practical training and research skills, so that students will acquire first hand experience of equipment, software and techniques that are currently used in research, industry and clinical settings.