Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience | Drug Development and Neurohealth

The curriculum of the Research Master Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience will be revised in academic year 2027-2028. Main changes include a substantial increase in the number of choice elements in the curriculum and a more in-depth integration of data science / AI approaches, next to further alignment with recent developments in research, professional practice, and society.

When will the changes take effect?
Starting the 2027-2028 academic year. Students who start a master’s programme before the revised curriculum is implemented will be able to complete the current programme. Those starting in 2026–2027 or earlier will have a transition period, during which courses that will no longer exist in the revised curriculum will be offered again. After one transition year, individual, tailor-made solutions will be provided where necessary, which may include completing a limited number of ECTS within the revised curriculum or providing extra exam opportunities.

How will the programme be structured?
Each academic year is divided in 6 periods. In year 1 we will start with 4 periods with specialization specific theoretical and skills courses combined with general skills (such as statistics, data science and professional and academic skills). In period 5 and 6 we will then continue with advanced courses from which students can choose, and performance of a short individual research project.  

In year 2 students follow 2 more advanced courses of their choice, combined with guided preparation of their Research Proposal and corresponding Master Thesis Research Project that will be performed for the remainder of year 2. Within the specialisations Neuropsychology and Clinical Psychology, there is the option to perform a shorter Research Project combined with a clinical internship (in case students fulfil the entrance requirements for the clinical internship).

Assessment will consist of a combination of graded components and pass/fail components, combined with ECTS allocation and a Grade Point Average. For smaller components, such as professional skills, a portfolio may be used as a supplementary assessment method.