How does our brain separate the sound of a Ferrari from the background noise of other car engines, or the face of a friend from other faces in a crowd? How do different parts of the brain interact when we perform everyday activities like riding a bicycle, typing a summary and drinking a cup of coffee? And how are fMRI signals related to neural activity? If these questions intrigue you, the Cognitive Neuroscience specialisation of the master's in Psychology might be a good fit for you. You’ll gain in-depth knowledge of human brain function and cognition, and you'll get practical training in the application of non-invasive brain imaging techniques such as EEG and fMRI. Upon graduation, you'll be an expert in cognitive psychology as well as in neuroscientific methods, leaving you well-equipped for a career in applied and clinical research at universities, research institutes, educational institutes or commercial research organisations.

In the Cognitive Neuroscience specialisation, you'll study the human brain and how it relates to cognition, perception and behaviour. The programme combines in-depth knowledge on human brain function and cognition with practical training in applying non-invasive brain imaging techniques such as EEG and fMRI.

By addressing key issues in perceptual and cognitive brain research, you will build a detailed understanding of how the ‘working’ brain perceives, feels, moves and attends to relevant information. Specific course topics include auditory and visual perception, attention, language and sensorimotor functions. In addition, you will learn to translate this knowledge in empirical research by hands-on training in all aspects of the experimental cycle, including experimental design, recording brain activation data, data analysis and interpretation. Methods that you will learn to apply include fMRI and EEG, as well as data analysis in the software packages Brain voyager and EEGLAB.

The Cognitive Neuroscience specialisation focuses on the normal brain and the acquired knowledge directly contributes to clinical applications such as:

• Neuro feedback for the treatment of depression
• brain-based communication in locked-in patients
• guiding brain recovery after stroke or brain injury

Your future

The specialisation Cognitive Neuroscience will provide you with an excellent background for any professional career. Its interdisciplinary character is a major advantage for research or teaching careers, because you will become an expert in cognitive psychology as well as in neuro scientific methods.

You’ll be able to find work at:

• universities
• research institutes
• educational institutes
• the private industry
• clinics