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Dementia: from Neuroscience to Clinical Practice MSc

London, Bloomsbury

The Dementia: from Neuroscience to Clinical Practice MSc, offered by the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, tackles one of the biggest global health problems facing society today. It provides research-oriented and cutting-edge training in the study of dementia and its scientific basis, delivered by international leaders in the science and practice of dementia.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2026/27)
£16,800
£8,400
Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)
£42,700
£21,350
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2026
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 26 Jun 2026

Applications closed

Applicants who do not require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 28 Aug 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

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.

The English language level for this course is: Level 2

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.

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

This course is ideally suited to lab scientists who want to appreciate the clinical and human resonance of neurodegenerative diseases and current concepts and challenges in their diagnosis and management; and equally suited to psychologists and clinicians who want to explore the neurobiological foundations of dementia practice and cutting-edge research. A major mission of the course is to inspire dialogue and understanding between the many disciplines that are shaping the future of dementia research and treatment.

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

What this course will give you

This programme links 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 patient-based teaching.

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

The foundation of your career

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.

92% of our students are either in work, undertaking further study or volunteering within 15 months of graduating from this programme (based on the most recent Graduate Outcomes Survey 2022–23). 

For me, the research project was the biggest highlight of the course. I enjoyed my dissertation topic of protein biomarkers in Huntington's disease, learning new research skills, and meeting more experienced postdocs and research assistants in the lab.

Dicky Lim

Dementia MSc

Read more

Employability

This 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. 

Networking

The Queen Square Institute of Neurology is home to some of the world's most influential academics. By studying with us, students will have the opportunity to be part of the next generation of experts in neuroscience and we offer a wealth of scientific and clinical expertise, from laboratory benches through to patient care.

Many of our lecturers are also NHS consultants working at The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery which is a leading centre for the diagnosis, treatment and care of patients with a wide range of neurological conditions.

Alumni networking events are provided for current and former students to discuss their experiences and career options after completing their degree. Students also take part in a research project symposium to share their work with peers and early career researchers from UCL, and some students may be able to present their work at local or international conferences depending upon the research project chosen.

Teaching and learning

This programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials, journal clubs, and patient-based teaching sessions supplemented by self-directed learning. Students are encouraged to actively contribute to teaching sessions and learn through enquiry. The research project provides students with an authentic research experience to develop their scientific planning, reporting and critical analysis skills as well as project-specific practical skills. This programme provides extracurricular opportunities for students to develop a range of communication skills during journal club discussions, project symposium oral presentations and discussions with people with lived experience of a rare dementia.

Assessment is through ongoing formative assessments (for example interactive discussions and presentations), timetabled summative assessments (including unseen short-answer examinations, multiple choice question (MCQ) examinations, essays, and presentations) as well as a 10,000 word written research project dissertation.

For full-time students, typical contact hours are around 12 hours per week in Terms 1 and 2. Outside of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials, full-time students will also display a level of independent study (25-30 hours per week), for example, by engaging with key topics and required readings in preparation for the discussions promoted in the programme.

In Term 3 and the summer period, students will be completing their own dissertation research, keeping regular contact with their dissertation supervisors.

Modules

The programme consists of five compulsory modules (75 credits), two or three optional modules (total value of 45 credits) and a research project (60 credits).

Students must complete four of the compulsory modules (60 credits) and up to 30 credits of optional modules in Year One. In Year Two, students are required to complete the remaining optional modules (total 45 credits across both years), the final core module Research Methods and Introduction to Statistics (15 credits), and the research project (60 credits).

Compulsory modules








Optional modules












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 are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Dementia: from Neuroscience to Clinical Practice.

Accessibility

The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you're unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.

Where you'll study

National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery

The UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology is a global leader in neuroscience. Part of the Faculty of Brain Sciences, we are at the forefront of the mission to translate neuroscience discovery into diagnostics and treatments for patients with neurological diseases.

Find out more

Visit us

All open days and events

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Introduction to Clinical Neuroscience, Neuroimaging and Dementia

Welcome to the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and our suite of Masters programmes. During both sessions you'll get to hear from the programme Directorship about the Institute as well as a showcase of our flagship programmes. We'll discuss the course structure and modules for each and the career outcomes and life as a student in the department, UCL and London more widely.

Watch on demand event

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Introduction to Clinical Neuroscience, Neuroimaging and Dementia

Welcome to the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and our suite of Masters programmes. During both sessions you'll get to hear from the programme Directorship about the Institute as well as a showcase of our flagship programmes. We'll discuss the course structure and modules for each and the career outcomes and life as a student in the department, UCL and London more widely.

Watch on demand event

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2026/27) £16,800 £8,400
Tuition fees (2026/27) £42,700 £21,350

Additional costs

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of UK, a fee deposit will be charged at 2.5% of the first year fee.

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

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

For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £119.90. This price was published by TfL in 2025. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

The UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology offers a number of scholarships for postgraduate taught students. For further information and to apply visit our scholarship page.

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

UCLFAA MSc in Dementia Scholarship

Deadline: 19 June 2026 5pm (UK time)
Value: $20,000 (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

Next steps

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 courses (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2026-2027

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology
UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology

c.routh@ucl.ac.uk

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