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Name of the Masters programme
Cognitive Neuropsychology
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Cognitive Neuropsychology (Research) at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
How do you look for a friend in a crowd? How do you study while listening to a song of your favorite band? What is your brain actually doing when you are engaged in such activities? And what happens when the brain is damaged, such as in the case of dementia?
This two-year Research Master’s programme operates on the cutting edge between cognitive psychology and clinical neuropsychology. While cognitive psychology is geared towards general theories of human functioning, clinical neuropsychology focusses on individual patients with brain damage. Understanding their condition can often provide new insights into how the human brain works.
Combining these two approaches into one Research Master’s programme is unique in the Netherlands.
More information on this programme? Visit the website!
Cognitive Neuropsychology (Research)
The curriculum combines in-depth courses exploring normal and abnormal neuropsychological and cognitive functioning, with essential research skills in the neurosciences.
You’ll learn how to interpret fascinating clinical cases using solid neuropsychological and cognitive theories, but also how to critically evaluate these theories.
Electives
Two of the 13 courses are electives. You’ll be able to select courses that allow you to explore specific areas, such as memory and memory disorders, perception, and autism and developmental disorders. You will also have the opportunity to make excursions into the emerging fields of educational neuropsychology and social cognition, as well as other related research areas.
Methods and statistics
Methods and statistics are an essential part of our programme. You can do a quick test to find out if you have the necessary skills and knowledge in this area to successfully take part in our programme.
Research projects
You are free to choose your own research topics. The course Practical Skills for Researchers entails a substantial research internship and you can choose from a range of lines of research for this. You are also free to choose your own topic in the final phase, when you complete a literature survey and conduct your own thesis project. You will be able to choose where you want to conduct your thesis research, abroad or in Amsterdam. To conclude your studies you will write a Master’s thesis supervised by one of our research staff. Two senior researchers will conduct your final thesis assessment.
The quality of the teaching is high and classes are small. Tutors take great care in monitoring and supporting you and you will be assigned an individual mentor for personal guidance and supervision.
Leading scientists
You are taught by scientists who have made unique contributions to the areas of research featured in the programme. All enjoy international recognition as prominent researchers in diverse fields of cognitive psychology and clinical neuropsychology. All our teaching staff receive consistently excellent educational evaluations.
Specific information about the courses can be found in the study guide.
More information on this programme? Visit the website!
Cognitive Neuropsychology (Research)
After completing the Research Master’s Cognitive Neuropsychology, you will be all set to pursue a broad range of scientific careers. You could continue in academia as a PhD candidate or start working in a R&D environment outside academia.
You will also be well-qualified to become a neuropsychologist in a clinical setting or take up a position as a human factors consultant, transforming science into performance across a range of sectors. Alternatively, you could enter a policy or management position in industry, science or healthcare.
You will also be well-qualified to become a neuropsychologist in a clinical setting (see the requirements (in Dutch)) or take up a position as a human factors consultant, transforming science into performance across a range of sectors. Alternatively, you could enter a policy or, management position in industry, science or healthcare.
More information on this programme? Visit the website!
Cognitive Neuropsychology (Research)
I have an international degree
- An academic Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Cognitive Science, Artificial Intelligence, Biology, Medicine or a closely related subject area. You may apply in the final year of your Bachelor’s programme if your degree will be conferred before September 1, when the Master's programme starts. You will also need to provide a provisional record of courses and grades, signed by the university's student administrator.
- A grade of A- or a GPA of 3.7 for your Bachelor’s degree. When assessing your application, the admissions board will focus on the grades you obtained for courses in statistics, research methods and (cognitive) neuroscience, (e.g. cognitive psychology, neuropsychology, cognitive neuroscience, biological psychology). In addition, the board pays close attention to evidence of good scientific writing skills, such as a high grade for a final thesis or research report.
- Proficiency in English. Please take a close look at the language proficiency requirements. This is an intense programme. Reading scientific articles and writing papers will both play a key part and the tempo is high, so your English-language skills, both oral and written, are very important. Also, you will be in close communication with your fellow students, and working with, and for, international companies. If you have completed your education outside Canada, USA, UK, Ireland, New Zealand or Australia, an English-language test is compulsory; you will need to submit your score as part of your application. However, if you do not yet have the test result, you may still apply. We advise you to plan a date for the test as soon as possible. These are the minimum test scores for admission to the programme: IELTS (academic): 6.5. TOEFL paper-based test 580. TOEFL internet-based test 92-93. Cambridge English: Cambridge Proficiency Exam A, B, C. Cambridge Advanced Exam A, B, C. VU Amsterdam (the ‘Taalloket’) offers the TOEFL ITP English-language proficiency test. You can find more information and register for this test at www.taalloket.nl.
- An active interest in research. This will be indicated by your choice of undergraduate courses, which will show a strong presence of science-oriented courses and skill-oriented practical classes.
English language proficiency
The admission board wants to stress the intensity of the programme: reading scientific articles and writing papers will be a key part, all in a very high pace. Your English language skills, both oral and written, are extremely important in this programme. As you will have to communicate frequently with your fellow students and you will be working with and for international companies.
VU Amsterdam requires all applicants who have not completed their education in Canada, USA, UK, Ireland, New Zealand or Australia to take an English language test and to submit their score as part of their application. You can apply online for the Master's programme without having the English test results yet. We do advise you to plan a test date as soon as possible. Below you will find the minimum English test scores for the programme:
IELTS (academic): 6,5
TOEFL
- Paper based test 580
- Internet based test 92-93
Cambridge English
- Cambridge Proficiency Exam A, B, C
- Cambridge Advanced Exam A, B, C
I have a Dutch university level (WO) bachelor’s degree (VU bachelor's degree, or bachelor's degree at another university)
- An academic Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Cognitive Science, Artificial Intelligence, Biology, Medicine or a closely related subject area. You may apply in the final year of your Bachelor’s programme if your degree will be conferred before September 1, when the Master's programme starts. You will also need to provide a provisional record of courses and grades, signed by the university's student administrator.
- A grade of 7.8 or higher for your Bachelor’s degree. When assessing your application, the admissions board will focus on the grades you obtained for courses in statistics, research methods and (cognitive) neuroscience, (e.g. cognitive psychology, neuropsychology, cognitive neuroscience, biological psychology). The board also pays close attention to evidence of good scientific writing skills, such as a high grade for a final thesis or research report.
- Proficiency in English. Dutch students with a Dutch Bachelor’s degree are exempt from having to do an English-language proficiency assessment but please take a close look at the language proficiency requirements. This is an intense programme. Reading scientific articles and writing papers will both play a key part and the tempo is high, so your English-language skills, both oral and written, are very important. Also, you will be in close communication with your fellow students, and working with, and for, international companies.
- An active interest in research. This will be indicated by your choice of undergraduate courses, which will show a strong presence of science-oriented courses and skill-oriented practical classes.
More information on this programme? Visit the website!
Overview of Masters programmes - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
More information on this programme? Visit the website!
Institution
Location: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam De Boelelaan 1105
1081 HV Amsterdam
Niederlande
Nord Holland
| T | +31 20 59 89898 | |
| E | international@vu.nl |
Facts about the Masters programme
Location
Amsterdam
Field of study
Medicine & Health Sciences
Degree
Master of Science
Language
English
Start
winter semester - September
Application deadline
Type of study
Full-time
Duration of study: 2 years
Tuition fees EU: 2168 EUR / year
Tuition fees Non EU: 12690 EUR / year
Facts about the Masters programme
Location
Amsterdam
Field of study
Medicine & Health Sciences
Degree
Master of Science
Language
English
Start
winter semester - September
Application deadline
Type of study
Full-time
Duration of study: 2 years
Tuition fees EU: 2168 EUR / year
Tuition fees Non EU: 12690 EUR / year