This exciting interdisciplinary degree considers how the structure and function of the brain gives rise to mental processes while it interacts with its physical, social, and cultural environment.

Cognitive and clinical neuroscience blends theoretical, experimental and applied aspects of psychology with neuroscience, and overlaps with other psychological disciplines including physiological, cognitive and clinical psychology, developmental science, psychopharmacology and neuroanthropology.

Our unique course places a particular focus on brain-behaviour relationships, by bringing together evidence from molecular and cellular neuroscience, brain injury studies, neurological illness, and also looks at developmental and cognitive aspects. It explores a wide range of research-based and clinically relevant methodologies including brain imaging, computational modelling and comparative cognition (considering evolutionary and developmental approaches).

During your degree, you’ll consider all aspects of cognitive functioning, from learning, memory and language through to concepts such as intelligence, decision-making, creativity and consciousness.

Our course will equip you with the skills and knowledge to develop a career across a vast range of highly sought-after employment areas, including academic research, clinical psychology, experimental research, IT and neuropsychology. You’ll also gain the transferable and cognitive skills necessary for lifelong personal and professional development.

In your first year Credit Level 4, you’ll gain core skills in psychology, as identified by the British Psychological Association for chartered membership. In your second and third years Credit Levels 5 and 6, you’ll enrol on core and option modules from a range of cognitive and clinical disciplines.

Placements/ Year abroad

You may take an additional work placement year between Years 2 and 3. On successful completion you gain a Certificate in Work-Based Learning in Psychology. Your work placement will be reflected in your degree title (Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience with Professional Placement BSc).

Students have recently worked with external researchers carrying out brain activation studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and EEG technology. Other students have become co-researchers in projects ranging from developing artificial intelligence programmes to investigating the cognitive performance of individuals with traumatic brain injury, and looking at very early development in infancy.

Career

This course will prepare you for roles and areas such as:

• Academia (eg anorexia, dyslexia, face perception, neuroscience of hearing, rehabilitation in dementia, robotics and more )
• Clinical psychologist
• Counselling
• Forensic psychology
• Human resources
• School/further education teacher
• Speech therapist