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Our internationally acclaimed, interdisciplinary and interdepartmental MSc in Neuroscience

COURSE DIRECTOR: PROFESSOR ANDREW J KING

COURSE LECTURER: DR DEBORAH J CLARKE

This is a full 12 month course beginning at the end of September and continuing until mid September the following year. The course is interdisciplinary in its content, and completely inter-departmental in its structure. It provides both theoretical and practical training, by combining lectures, practical classes and demonstrations, and two research laboratory placements. It is modular, so that it can be reasonably flexible with respect to participants' backgrounds and interests.

There is an eight week introductory course of lectures and practical classes in the first term. In the second and third terms, students will select from advanced lecture modules, which may also have associated practicals. Students are required to attend four of these modules covering at least one in each of the major strands of Neuroscience (molecular, cellular and systems). Assessment of the advanced lecture modules is by submission of an essay  on an aspect of the material covered in each of the courses or a practical portfolio.

Students also undertake two extended research projects each lasting for approximately three months. Students are encouraged to select research topics that give them a broad range of new and challenging laboratory experience. Emphasis is placed on the acquisition of techniques and practical experience, which is gained through classes and demonstrations and through the different research projects. Each student is required to give oral and poster presentations on their research projects.

The goal is to ensure that Neuroscientists trained in Oxford can match the best trained anywhere, with an integrated understanding and a practical grasp of the subject that lets them ask questions and tackle problems which transcend the traditional disciplines from which neuroscience has evolved, and from which the students generally come.

The MSc in Neuroscience was recently assessed (along with the Psychology undergraduate courses) by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), which reviews the performance of universities and colleges of higher education. The QAA review team awarded the maximum rating for all aspects of their review.

Around 65% of all graduates from the MSc in Neuroscience continue to doctoral research in Oxford or elsewhere.