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Dual Masters in Brain and Mind Sciences

Programme Conveners

Dr Caroline Selai, Dr James Kilner, Professor Ann Lohof & Dr Andrea Dumoulin

Programme Tutor

Dr Maria Chait

University College London and Université Pierre et Marie Curie in partnership with the Ecole Normale Superieure

This 2-year international master level programme in brain and mind sciences is offered by three of Europe’s most prestigious centres of research and teaching in cognitive studies and neuroscience

Applications for places for the 2013-2015 session are invited. 

The programme will include year 1 spent in LONDON and year 2 in PARIS. Students will graduate with a master from UCL, and an international university diploma (masters level) from UPMC/ENS.

Students will be rigorously selected on the basis of academic excellence and academic recommendation. All students will start in LONDON and go to PARIS for the second year.

The programme is designed to allow students to design an individualised programme of study through taught modules and research projects in neuroscience and cognitive science disciplines relevant to the Brain and Mind Sciences. The overarching educational aim is to give a grounding in Brain & Mind Sciences from a multi-disciplinary perspective and to provide a sound basis for choosing an appropriate topic and supervisor for doctoral research.

Depending on choice of modules students can aim to obtain:

  1. A theoretical grounding in neurobiological and cognitive research including philosophy of science, methods (including imaging, psychophysics and neuropsychology), molecular, cellular, genetic and integrative neuroscience.
  2. An appreciation of the way Brain & Mind questions can be approached theoretically and experimentally in humans and other model systems.
  3. An appreciation of the interaction between theory, modelling and empiricism in tackling Brain & Mind problems
  4. Practical experience of investigating Brain & Mind problems from two cultural perspectives (in the two cities).

Students must be prepared to follow lectures in English or French. Examinations and dissertations may be written in English in both cities.

Programme Aims (1st year UCL)

You can choose modules from the following MSc/MA courses:

Curriculum (1st year UCL)

  1. Dual Masters 1 (30 Credits)*
  2. Dual Masters 2 (30 Credits)*
  3. Dual Masters 3 (30 Credits)*
  4. Library Project (30 Credits)
  5. Research Project (60 Credits)

*Module will comprise 2x15 or 1x30 credit module from a relevant MSc/MA course

Students will have to obtain 180 MLevel credits to be awarded the MSc degree.

Assessment (1st year UCL)

Dual Masters 1, 2 & 3 Assessment dependant on the module chosen
Library Project: 5000 word library project
Research Project: 10,000 word dissertation and oral examination

For information regarding the curriculum and available courses during your year in Paris at UPMC/ENS (2nd year) please visit this link and click here

Entry Requirements
First or second class Honours degree in neuroscience or related biological science (e.g. physiology, psychology, pharmacology, biochemistry); or a medical degree from a UK University, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. If you have not studied basic cellular neuroscience in your undergraduate degree, you will be required to do an introductory course or take a pre-qualifying or conversion course. Please contact the education Unit ion.educationunit@ucl.ac.uk for further information. To apply please visit the UCL Online application portal

Please note: You must have successfully completed the UCL year (year 1) in order to progress to year 2 in Paris.

English Language requirement
To be admitted onto this course you must provide recent evidence that your spoken and written command of the English language is at the required level. You must achieve at least a standard level of proficiency on the IELTS English language test or an acceptable equivalent. For more information please visit http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate-study/application/taught/english-language

French Language requirement
Candidates will follow lectures on Neuroscience at masters level in French.
Their proficiency in the French language will be tested in the Spring/early Summer of the year directly prior to enrollment. At this point, a judgment can be made as to whether a candidate's French is at the required level. The first year of the Dual Masters in London is intensive and so a candidate will not be able to dedicate much time to the study of the French language during this period. The most important evidence is the ability to carry out a telephone conversation in French i.e. understand questions, formulate a response and communicate with relative ease. It is most important that the candidate can converse fluently; the translation of specific neuroscience-related jargon can be learned.
Students should reach level B1/B2 on the CEF scale before starting the Dual Masters, and be ready to follow French language courses during their year in London if they are only at B1 level.


Closing date for applications: 3rd August 2013

Contact: education.unit@ion.ucl.ac.uk

The UCL Institute of Neurology promotes teaching and research of the highest quality in neurology and the neurosciences. The Institute of Neurology and the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery are members of  UCL Partners, Europe's largest academic health science partnership.