MSc Clinical Cognitive Neuroscience

Study Mode Part-time
Year of Entry 2025/26
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MSc

Clinical Cognitive Neuroscience

Part-time Psychology

Learn various topics in cognitive neuroscience, testing human behavioural and brain mechanisms in the development of perceptual and cognitive functions across the lifespan.

Everything you need to know...

  • Pound sign

    What is the fee?

    Home: £10,620 for the course
    International/EU: £17,725 for the course

  • Time

    How long will I study?

    2 Years

  • Location

    Where will I study?

    City Campus

  • Date

    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
Anna stood in front of a brick wall

'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

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How you learn

Your lecturer's view
Watch course leader Dr Naira Taroyan talk about this course.

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
Naira Taroyan
Senior Lecturer in Psychology

Naira 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 


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Location

Howard Street
Sheffield
S1 1WB

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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

Module
Credits
Assessment
Advanced Statistics And Design
Credits 15
Assessment Exam(100%)
Clinical Neuro-Psychopharmacology
Credits 15
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Cognitive Neuroscience Dissertation
Credits 60
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Electrophysiology
Credits 15
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Fundamentals In Design And Statistics
Credits 15
Assessment Coursework(50%) , Exam(50%)
Neuron To Neuropathology
Credits 15
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Final year

Compulsory modules

Module
Credits
Assessment
Cognitive Neuroscience Methods
Credits 30
Assessment Coursework(100%)
Perception And Cognition Across The Lifespan
Credits 30
Assessment Coursework(100%)

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.

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Postgraduate student loans

Up to £12,471 is available in 2024/25 for home students on most masters courses.

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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.

 

How do I apply?

You apply for this course via our online application form.

Apply for September 2025

You can also use the application form above to apply for future years of entry.

Not ready to apply just yet?

Why not come to our next open day? Open days are the perfect place to talk to staff and students, visit our campuses and get all the information you need. Alternatively, feel free to ask us a question.

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Teaching

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Tailor your degree to the career you want by choosing one of our three specialist routes

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Facilities

Study in award-winning facilities and state-of-the-art psychology labs and contribute to groundbreaking psychological research

Where next?

Find out more about Sheffield Hallam's postgraduate opportunities and community.

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Information for international students including entry requirements by country and funding.

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