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Postgraduate
Courses / Postgraduate / Neuroscience (MSc)

Neuroscience (MSc)

Award
Master of Science
Duration
1 year
Course Type
Full-time
Campus
Highfield and University Hospital Southampton
Next course starts
September 2023

About this course

This course is now closed to new applications for 2023 entry.  

Each year we get many high-quality applications and places for many of our courses are very competitive.  

Search similar degrees for 2024 entry by browsing our course finder.

Explore the brain and study all aspects of the nervous system from the molecular to the behavioural with our MSc Neuroscience degree. Help improve understanding of brain function and address key challenges facing society such as neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric conditions.

This course is ideal if you want to pursue a career in neuroscience or work in the neuro-pharmaceutical industry, or are interested in further study.

Learn about brain function and dysfunction, and gain experience in some of the latest experimental neuroscience techniques. You’ll learn from neuroscience researchers at the forefront of their specialisms and gain a breadth of knowledge in experimental, applied and translational neuroscience.

Key areas of your learning include advanced human neuroanatomy, and neuronal and glial physiology in health and disease. This is complemented by research focused, experimental workshops covering:

  • neuro-drug discovery
  • model organisms in neurological disease
  • dementia research including iPSC-models and neuropathological studies
  • neural networks
  • behavioural neurosciences
  • cell and molecular neurobiology
  • interdisciplinary neuroscience

You’ll carry out an individual research-based project, in one of 14 research labs in our purpose-built Life Sciences building. Themes could include anything from circadian biology, ageing processes and synaptic physiology to dementia research, neuroinflammation and translational research.

You can choose optional modules such as:

  • critiques on current research seminars
  • neuroimaging
  • critical thinking

There's also an exciting opportunity to attend a national or international neuroscience conference.

If you have already studied a Biological Sciences undergraduate degree at the University of Southampton, we would recommend that you contact the programme team prior to applying to the programme to discuss the compulsory/optional modules of the programme in more detail.

Course lead

Dr James Dillon is a Teaching Fellow and the Technical Director of Neurivo here at the University. Neurivo provides expertise for the agrochemical, animal health and pharmaceutical sectors. James’ work focuses on understanding how changes in the nervous system contribute to conditions such as autism, addiction and chronic pain. Visit Dr Dillon's profile page to learn more about his work. 

“This master’s degree was both all-encompassing on the course content, whilst delving into advanced concepts. There's a much stronger emphasis on applying this knowledge into a research context. All MSc students were fully integrated into established lab groups.”
Jonathan Masters, 2019 graduate

Course locations

This course is based at Highfield and University Hospital Southampton.

Awarding body

This qualification is awarded by the University of Southampton.

Download the Course Description Document

The Course Description Document details your course overview, your course structure and how your course is taught and assessed.

Changes due to COVID-19

Although the COVID-19 situation is improving, any future restrictions could mean we might have to change the way parts of our teaching and learning take place in 2022 to 2023. This means that some of the information on this course page may be subject to change.

Find out more on our COVID advice page.

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