Neuroscience and Cognition

Become a multidisciplinary researcher! Are you interested in doing research to better understand normal and pathological brain function? Do you want to become a specialist in the field of neurosciences? Neuroscience and Cognition offers you the opportunity to investigate numerous areas of brain functioning that make the neuroscience and cognition field uniquely intriguing and challenging.

An individualised approach

Neuroscience and cognition trains you to become a multidisciplinary neuro and/or cognition scientist, fully equipped to face the challenges of modern research in the interdisciplinary field of neuroscience and cognition. With ample knowledge of the scope of brain and cognitive functioning, you will be prepared to join an international research team investigating the most complex organ of our body. Sounds appealing? Neuroscience and Cognition might be a perfect fit!

I discovered my place within neuroscience research.

Pick Experimental and Clinical Neuroscience or Cognitive Neuroscience as your track of choice and explore fundamental principles and techniques. You get to work in multidisciplinary teams together with students from various bachelor backgrounds such as Biomedical Sciences, Neuro- and Cognitive Psychology, Linguistics, or Artificial Intelligence. An ideal preparation for future research positions in public and private research institutes! After the 10-week introductory course Fundamentals of Neuroscience and Cognition, you will determine an individualised study path with the assistance of the track coordinator, consisting of quality internships, electives and a writing assignment.

My current position came from a project I took on during my Master’s.

Why you should study Neuroscience and Cognition at Utrecht University

• It offers a unique combination of clinical and preclinical neuroscience and cognition
• Over 200 principal investigators participate and offer research projects and supervision
• Keep up with the latest developments in human and rodent functional neuroimaging, deep-sequencing of human genetic material and other state-of-the-art techniques
• Two extensive research projects provide the possibility to learn and train several techniques and topics, and offers the best route to become a successful PhD student.
• Freedom to design your own programme, by choosing the track, research project and electives that best fit your interests. You also select one out of 9 thematic profiles which are designed to equip you with skills for your future career in a direction that appeals you most.

UMC Utrecht

Students are able to follow their Master’s programme at UMC Utrecht, one of the largest academic medical centers in the Netherlands. UMC Utrecht focuses on a number of fields; selected students get educated by some of the best researchers in these research areas. Students get ample opportunities for excellent internships both at UMC Utrecht and abroad with our international partners. They also have access to the large research infrastructure and research network of the focus areas.

During the Master's programme of Neuroscience and Cognition you will develop the ability to synthesise information from different disciplines in order to plan experiments; to collect, interpret, and analyse data; and to better understand how the brain functions. A basic function, such as sight, can demonstrate the complexity of neuroscience. Many elements of the brain and other processes are involved when you see something familiar, including cognition (the ability to recognise something), plasticity of neurons (the ability to remember), signal transduction (“translating” what you see), and behaviour (acting because of what you see).

Graduate School of Life Sciences

Life Sciences is one of the four strategic themes of Utrecht University and is organised in the Graduate School of Life Sciences (GSLS). The GSLS brings together the research expertise and facilities of the faculties of Science, Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, in cooperation with UMC Utrecht. Research at the GSLS is highly interdisciplinary, because scientific breakthroughs take place where physics, medicine, chemistry and biology interact.

Introducing Life Sciences 

Every year all new Master’s students of the Graduate School of Life Sciences start their academic year with a mandatory introduction week. Introducing Life Sciences (ILS) is part of the course Life Sciences Academy and covers aspects of academic education, including science integrity, career development and valorisation & industry.

World class university

Choosing Utrecht University means choosing one of the best universities in the country. Several renowned international rankings place Utrecht University among the 100 best universities in the world. Moreover, in a survey among Dutch professors it was proclaimed the best university in the Netherlands. The teaching environment at Utrecht University is international: half of the Utrecht Master's programmes are taught in English. The existing and former academic staff of Utrecht University include twelve Nobel Prize laureates.

City of Utrecht 

The University is situated in Utrecht, a lively student city located in the heart of the Netherlands. It is considered the ‘gateway to Europe’. An inspiring city which nurtures talent and creativity.