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Dementia: Causes, Treatments and Research (Neuroscience) MSc

London, Bloomsbury

UK students International students

Study mode

UK tuition fees (2022/23)

£12,900

£6,450

Overseas tuition fees (2022/23)

£32,100

£16,050

Duration

1 calendar year

2 calendar years

Programme starts

September 2022

Applications accepted

All applicants: 18 Oct 2021 – 31 Mar 2022

Applications open

Apply for this course

We recommend that you submit your application as soon as possible. The programme may remain open if places are still available after 31 March 2022 and will be closed as soon as it is full or by 30 June 2022.

Entry requirements

A degree in medicine or a minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university of an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard in psychology, biological sciences, biology, neuroscience, biomedical sciences, anatomy and physiology. Graduates from other scientific disciplines will be considered on an individual basis.

English language requirements

If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency.

The English language level for this programme is: Good

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level. International Preparation Courses

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

The programme brings the latest bench-top research findings to the bedside, develops and integrates basic and clinical neuroscience skills, and equips students for future careers in the clinical practice or basic neuroscience of dementia.

Who this course is for

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

This programme is unique in linking neuroscientific foundations with specialist clinical skills and knowledge in dementia.

The programme integrates the expertise of UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology with affiliated departments at the forefront of the global mission to defeat dementia, and is taught by international leaders working closely together to link bench and bedside as part of UCL's Dementia Strategy.

The programme builds on UCL's global perspective, targeting students in developing as well as developed countries to drive future training opportunities. The programme emphasises active student participation and enquiry, develops practical skills, and offers unparalleled exposure to laboratories and patients.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

This unique programme will equip graduates with in-depth knowledge of dementia diseases and their treatments; strong, practical research skills that could facilitate doctoral or postdoctoral research in the field; and transferable scientific communication skills. This experience could support further doctoral studies and applications for fellowships. 100% of our students are in graduate-level work or study 15 months after completion of this programme (Source Graduate Outcomes Survey published by Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)).

Employability

For scientists and psychologists, the programme can lead to future placements in clinically oriented research environments or clinical training. For clinicians, this is an excellent opportunity to gain a higher qualification at a world-leading centre of excellence in neurodegeneration research, which could be tailored to a variety of future roles in clinical, research and management fields. Many students have gone on to pursue PhDs and research careers in the fields of dementia and neurodegeneration.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of online lectures, tutorials, seminars, journal clubs, and patient-based teaching sessions supplemented by self-directed learning. Assessment is through ongoing formative assessments (for example interactive discussions and presentations), timetabled summative assessments (including unseen short-answer examinations, essays, and presentations) and a written research project dissertation.

For each 15 credit module there will be approximately 20-30 hours of contact hours, with around 120 hours of self directed study.

Modules

Full-time: The programme consists of six core modules (90 credits), one or two optional modules (up to the value of 30 credits) and a dissertation/report (60 credits). If you choose to undertake a research project that requires you to be present in a clinical setting, you will need to prove, as part of UCL occupational health checks, that you have been vaccinated against Covid-19. You will not be able to undertake a project that requires contact with patients in a clinical setting if you have not been vaccinated.
Part-time: Students must complete the compulsory modules (75 credits) and can also undertake the optional modules in year 1 or year 2. In year 2 students are required to complete the Research Methods and Introduction to Statistics module and the research project.

Compulsory modules

Clinical Neuroscience of Dementia

Current Research in Dementia

Higher Functions of the Brain

Neurobiology of Degeneration and Repair

Practical Neuroscience of Dementia

Research Methods and Introduction to Statistics

Research Project: MSc Dementia (Neuroscience)

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Dementia: Causes, Treatments and Research (Neuroscience).

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students

Fee description	Full-time	Part-time
Tuition fees (2022/23)	£12,900	£6,450
Tuition fees (2022/23)	£32,100	£16,050

Programme fees on a modular (flexible) basis.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

International Students will bear any costs incurred in acquiring certification equivalent to DBS (Police check) in their home country. These checks are neccessary for any student who undertakes a clinical project based at University College London Hospitals.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

Funding your studies

UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology International Excellence Scholarships We are delighted to announce four partial fees only scholarships worth £6000 each for overseas fee paying students. We would like to celebrate the rich history of the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology in welcoming students from across the globe who have contributed so much to the success of our Institute and programmes of study. In 2021/22 academic year we have students from 54 countries currently studying for a masters. The scholarship is offered on the basis of academic merit. The scholarships are only available to students who have applied to study one of the eligible degree programmes (all QSIoN programmes except MSc/Dip/Cert in Clinical Neurology).

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Next steps

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications and £115 for paper applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

why you want to study Dementia Neuroscience at graduate level?
why you want to study Dementia Neuroscience at UCL?
what particularly attracts you to the chosen programme
how do your academic and professional background and skills meet the demands of this challenging programme?
where would you like to go professionally with your degree?

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines. The academic merit of the CV and application will be considered in awarding bursaries, which are potentially available to any student applying for this degree.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes in any application cycle.

This programme only requires one reference in support of your application. Your reference should be academic unless you have been out of university education for more than four years. Further information regarding references can be found in our How to apply section.