Everything you need to know...
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What is the fee?
Home: £10,620 for the course
International/EU: £17,725 for the course -
How long will I study?
2 Years
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Where will I study?
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When do I start?
September 2025
Course summary
- Explore brain-behaviour relations and neurophysiological mechanisms and theories.
- Complete perceptual and cognitive psychometric and neuropsychological tests.
- Gain hands-on experience with principal cognitive neuroscience techniques.
- Learn practical research skills with advanced psychological software.
- Study neurotypical and neurodivergent perceptual and cognitive development.
On this course, you’ll explore cognitive neuroscience, focusing on brain-behaviour relationships and underlying neurophysiological mechanisms. You’ll study human perception across visual, auditory and tactile senses, alongside debates on neurodivergent development. You'll apply techniques such as electroencephalography (EEG), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), psychometric assessments, eye movement tracking, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data analysis.
Graduate view
'The course challenged me to push myself to my full potential, while providing me with a deeper insight into the clinical aspects of psychology and understanding the brain.'
Anna Robson, MSc Clinical Cognitive Neuroscience, 2018 graduate
Come to an open day
Find out more at our postgraduate open days. Book now for your place.
How you learn
Your lecturer's view
Clinical cognitive neuroscience is a specialist subject that employs cutting-edge techniques, so you’ll get hands-on practical experience of a broad range of these, supplementing and applying the knowledge you’ve gained in lectures. This multifaceted approach to learning and teaching – alongside peer and tutor feedback – helps you reflect on your own progress.
By conducting independent research and analysing complex psychophysiological data, you’ll gain the skills to work with both healthy and neuropathological populations in clinical, academic and healthcare settings.
Our course blends learning methods to facilitate active and independent learning while maintaining maximum flexible delivery.
You learn through:
- lectures and workshops
- online learning
- a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)
- visiting speakers
- tutorials, discussion boards and research forums
- personal progress plans
In the current programme modules have been designed to supplement each other so you can consolidate your learning within broad and comprehensive conceptual and methodological frameworks.
Assessments are designed to measure your progress and help you refine your skills through a variety of methods – such as essays, case studies, presentation and a dissertation project.
Key themes
The course covers both theoretical and practical aspects of perceptual and cognitive functions, and how they interact with underlying brain mechanisms, including the methodology used to research them. You’ll study electrophysiological techniques for recording and interpreting behavioural cognitive functions, alongside neural systems at the cellular and network levels, and neuropsychopharmacology sciences.
Modules also include research design, statistics, ethics, and research in theory and practice. Your dissertation takes place in the third trimester. Part-time students complete half of the taught modules in the first year and the remaining modules, along with the dissertation, in the second year.
Course support
You’ll be supported in your learning journey towards highly skilled, graduate-level employment through a number of key areas. These include:
- access to dedicated student support advisers including academic, employability and personal advisers
- online resources and Skills Centre for assignment help
- access to Technical Operation Resources and Services (TORS), supporting your own independent research.
Course leaders and tutors
Naira Taroyan
Senior Lecturer in PsychologyNaira is a senior lecturer in Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology overseeing several undergraduate and postgraduate modules
Applied learning
On this course you’ll develop a solid understanding of the vital ethical issues for working in academic and biomedical fields.
You’ll gain hands-on experience with specialised neuroscience measurement techniques used in diverse neuroscience settings. These include EEG and event-related potentials (ERPs) research design, recording and analysis, eye movement tracking, heart rate variability (HRV), MRI unit visit and psychometric testing. These core academic, practical and vocational skills will prepare you for various roles in clinical, academic and pharmaceutical neuroscience, and give you the confidence to transfer your knowledge directly to the workplace.
You’ll also learn programming skills using psychology software such as Psychopy, and Eprime, opening up alternative career opportunities in programming and IT-related psychology research.
Volunteering opportunities
On the course there may be opportunities to get volunteering experience with specific clinical populations – for example with individuals with dementia at a local day care centre. This will give you the experience of supporting clients from a wide-age range with one-to-one or group activities.
Networking opportunities
For BPS-accredited graduates joining this MSc, if you’re planning to become clinical psychologists or neuropsychologists, we have guest speakers and visitors who teach on our Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, or who are neuropsychologists.
Future careers
This course prepares you for a career in:
- academia, with a PhD in psychology or cognitive neuroscience
- research in clinical neuroscience, academic or pharmaceutical settings
- a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, with a view to specialising in neuropsychology or other neuroscience-related disciplines
- specialist clinical work in the NHS or rehab settings with neuropathological groups
- Continuing Professional Development for individuals in neuroscience settings
- neuroscience data analysis and research in industry or private sector
Many previous graduates have continued studying and gone on to work for:
- Cantab as psychology researchers
- programming and data science software developers
- neuromarketing firms
- the NHS as laboratory technicians, recording and conducting electrophysiological and neuroimaging data
Where will I study?
You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
City Campus
City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.
City Campus map | City Campus tour
Adsetts library
Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn moreLearn more about your department
Psychology Facilities Tour
Take a look around Sheffield Hallam University's psychology facilities with student Angelica.
Equipment and facilities
You’ll have access to our specialist equipment in psychology labs, including:
- electroencephalogram (EEG)
- eye movement tracking techniques
- visual psychophysics
- heart rate variability (HRV)
- psychophysiological measures equipment with skin conductance, perspiration, respiration and electrocardiogram recording facilities
We also have a dedicated Technical Operations, Resources and Services (TORS) team that provides numerous resources to our students.
You’ll have access to on-campus learning environments and online resources to support your learning.
Entry requirements
All students
Typically you need one from
• a second class honours degree or above in psychology
• a relevant undergraduate degree from a non-psychological background such as human biosciences or a healthcare related subject
• appropriate practical or work-based experience
You may also be able to claim credit points which can reduce the amount of time it takes to complete your qualification at Sheffield Hallam. Find out more
If English is not your first language, you need an IELTS score of at least 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in writing and 5.5 in all other skills or equivalent. If your English language skill is currently below IELTS 6.5 we recommend you consider a Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English score.
Additional information for EU/International students
If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.
For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.
Modules
Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.
Year 1
Compulsory modules
Advanced Statistics And Design
Clinical Neuro-Psychopharmacology
Cognitive Neuroscience Dissertation
Electrophysiology
Fundamentals In Design And Statistics
Neuron To Neuropathology
Final year
Compulsory modules
Cognitive Neuroscience Methods
Perception And Cognition Across The Lifespan
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students starting part-time study in 2025/26 is £10,620 for the course. The tuition fee displayed above is for the full course. If the full course is more than one year in duration, the fee will be divided into annual payments which will then be rounded. This may mean the total fee you pay is slightly higher than the fee stated above. If you take a break in study or have to re-take part of the course, you may also be charged an additional fee and will be notified of this at the time. Our tuition fee for UK students starting part-time study in 2025/26 are: Year 1: £7,080 Year 2: £3,540.
If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
International students
This course is not eligible for full-time Student visa sponsorship. International/EU students may apply for part-time Student visa sponsorship on an individual basis. Please contact Admissions for further advice. Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting part-time study in 2025/26 is £17,725 for the course. The tuition fee displayed above is for the full course. If the full course is more than one year in duration, the fee will be divided into annual payments which will then be rounded. This may mean the total fee you pay is slightly higher than the fee stated above. If you take a break in study or have to re-take part of the course, you may also be charged an additional fee and will be notified of this at the time. Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting part-time study in 2025/26 are: Year 1: £11,820 Year 2: £5,910.
Postgraduate student loans
Up to £12,471 is available in 2024/25 for home students on most masters courses.
Additional course costs
The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
General course additional costs
Additional costs for Sheffield Institute of Social Sciences (PDF, 154.4KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
