MSc Neuroscience at the Institute of Psychiatry
King's College London

Aims and objectives

Aims

Neuroscience as a degree subject is still under-represented in the undergraduate sector and, consequently, most students coming onto the programme have degrees in subjects other than neuroscience. The aim of the programme is to transform the students' theoretical knowledge of the neurosciences, particularly in those areas that are relevant to psychiatry and neurology, and to develop, through their chosen research project, the practical skills that they may wish to practise in their future careers. This may be in further full-time study in an academic research environment or employment in an academic, clinical or pharmaceutical organisation.

It achieves this by providing students with core teaching in a number of different neuroscience subject areas and then a choice of one of seven specialised pathways that will allow them to select the pathway that best meets their career aspirations and will enable them to obtain a relevant named degree within the MSc Neuroscience programme e.g. MSc in Neuroscience in Neurodegeneration.

The programme provides:

• multidisciplinary training in neuroscience topics ranging from the molecular to the behavioural, to students wishing to extend their specialised knowledge, and to those wishing to convert from their original degree discipline. The topics are informed by professional consensus and research, and are taught using a variety of teaching methods ranging from didactic instruction through to student-led seminar/tutorial work;
• practical training in the skills necessary for a career in a research environment through formal instruction of a range of core methodologies and, through research projects, of more specialised skills;
• transferable skills training in topics relevant to biomedical research. This is done through a variety of exercises and includes presentation of research data in both poster and scientific paper formats, and elementary bioinformatics;

For clinicians, the programme acts as a supplement to existing training.

Objectives

Successful students should be able to demonstrate:

• specialised knowledge of a broad range of neuroscience topics relevant to mental illness and neurology;
• the ability to conduct a supervised research project, and to present their findings.

The level of achievement which is expected is appropriate for students wishing to undertake research work or further training in this specialist field.