Taal
  • Engels
Format
  • Voltijd
Startdatum
  • September
Locatie
  • Maastricht
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Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience | Cognitive Neuroscience

Krijg diepgaande kennis van de menselijke hersenfunctie, perceptie en cognitie, gepaard met uitgebreide praktijkgerichte training in geavanceerde niet-invasieve imaging technieken (bijv. fMRI, fNIRS, DWI, EEG/MEG) en hersenstimulatie (TMS, tDCS).

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Jouw toekomst

De onderzoeksmaster in Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience is primair opgezet om studenten voor te bereiden op een wetenschappelijke carrière, waarin het nastreven van een PhD normaal gesproken de volgende stap is. Gemiddeld vindt meer dan 90% van onze afgestudeerden binnen 3-6 maanden na afstuderen hun gewenste baan of opleidingsfunctie. De meerderheid begint met PhD-projecten bij topuniversiteiten of onderzoeksinstituten. De anderen volgen verdere opleidingen of werken in onderwijsinstellingen, financieringsinstanties of het bedrijfsleven.

De opleiding geeft je ook een solide achtergrond voor carrières in diverse settings, waaronder:

  • wetenschappelijk onderzoek, onderwijs- en beleidsfuncties bij universiteiten
  • wetenschappelijk onderzoek en beleidsfuncties bij onderzoeksinstituten
  • data-analist of consultancyfuncties
  • onderwijs- en geestelijkegezondheidsinstellingen
  • medisch technologische sector
  • overheids- en financieringsinstanties

Welcome to Employed! An FPN podcast.

In this episode we will listen to Martin Frost and Giancarlo Valente. Martin is an alumnus of the research master specialisation Cognitive Neuroscience. Giancarlo is Associate Professor and coordinator of the programme.

In this conversation, Martin talks about how he pivoted from a career in academic research to a position as a Medical Science Advisor and how this programme and subsequent PhD prepared him for that move. He talks about having confidence in yourself when stepping into a new role. You might not be an expert on day one, but you will be before you know it.

Listen now!

Employed Cognitive Neuroscience

Sara Mazzini

  • Graduated: 2020
  • First job after master: research assistant at Maastricht University (Cognitive Neuroscience Department)
  • Currently: PhD student in Cognitive Neuroscience and Psycholinguistics at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics

I really enjoyed the Research Master in Cognitive Neuroscience at UM. Although it was quite challenging, I am proud of how much I learnt already in the first year. I particularly enjoyed the structure of the master, including both theoretical courses and practical workshops about the most relevant topics of the field. This and the skills developed during my internship definitively helped me finding a job after the master. Besides a great theoretical and practical preparation on the main neuroimaging techniques, the master also helped me improving my critical thinking and interdisciplinary team-working skills. Overall, I am very grateful for the skills I learnt and the wonderful people I worked with.

Sara Mazzini

More testimonials

Alexandra Emmendorfer
  • Graduated: 2017
  • First job after master: PhD candidate at FPN
  • Currently: Postdoctoral researcher at the Donders Institute in Nijmegen

I really enjoyed my time during the research master! When applying I was debating between the Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neuroscience tracks, and ultimately chose the CN track, as the curriculum was better aligned with my plans and interests because of the balance between content and methods courses. The program was challenging but rewarding, and I especially enjoyed the PBL system after coming from a bachelor program that was predominantly lecture-based. My master thesis internship paved the way for my subsequent PhD project, which allowed a smooth transition from student to researcher.

Beatriz Catoira
  • My first and current job after the master was a PhD in Medical Sciences in the Vrije Universiteit Brussel

I left Maastricht ready for a life as a researcher. The demanding courses and projects prepared me for the challenges of doing a PhD. The master provided me with the technical skills and perseverance to meet deadlines. I remember those two years being sometimes quite stressful, but it was all worth it due to the practical and theoretical knowledge acquired there, like basics of programming and what not to bring inside an MRI scanner.  I also developed learning strategies like the PBL that are certainly useful nowadays during discussions with other researchers. I definitely got a good insight into neuroscience. Now I can apply the "know-how" during my PhD on concurrent neuroimaging and brain stimulation on neurotypical and autistic spectrum disorder individuals.

Ekin Tünçok
  • Current/the first job after graduation: PhD student in Cognition and Perception at New York University.

I obtained my research master's degree in Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience specializing in Cognitive Neuroscience at Maastricht University. Currently I'm a PhD student at New York University, and my research focuses on the computational models of visual encoding and visual attention. Research master's in cognitive neuroscience is an intense course with a highly selective curriculum, which brings students from different backgrounds to an advanced understanding of cognitive neuroscience as an interdisciplinary research field. The program covers various fundamental research areas in the field from visual perception to sensorimotor processing. As someone currently pursuing a PhD in visual perception, I can comfortably read advanced research articles from other research areas in the field and grasp and criticize the methodological aspects of these studies. Learning how to read scientific articles and internalizing a framework for "good science"  is a valuable asset not only for those aspiring a career in academia, but also for everyone who is willing to look at the world with a critical eye. The program also provides the students with some essential research skills such as programming and team-work. These skills are highly transferable to non-academic jobs. As students complete a first-year research project followed by a substantial research master's thesis in the second year, there are plenty of opportunities to apply these skills. In addition to the study-related aspects of the program, I must also say that the environment in the Cognitive Neuroscience department and the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience is beyond welcoming and friendly. I feel lucky that I have been -and I still am- a part of this broad-minded international scientific community.

Laurien Nagels-Coune
  • First job after obtaining the master's degree: PhD student at the department of Cognitive Neuroscience (CN) at the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience (FPN), Maastricht University
  • Current job: Neuropsychologist at Zorggroep Sint-Kamillus, Belgium

The specialization Cognitive Neuroscience, was a unique two-year experience for me. During the master’s programme, I acquired a strong theoretical background in neuroscience, as well as practical experience with neuroimaging techniques. The internship that I did abroad, at the University of California Los Angeles, was the cherry on top. The master programme furthered my interest in neuroscience and prepared me diligently for a PhD trajectory. After the master programme, I could start my PhD at the department of cognitive neuroscience with the prestigious NWO research talent grant. I worked on brain-computer interfacing for communication using the technique of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Currently, I am writing up my PhD dissertation and working as a clinical psychologist in a psychiatric hospital in Belgium. The division I work on is a closed admission division for noncongenital brain damage with disorientation and confusion as main symptoms. I enjoy the neuropsychological diagnostics together with the patient contact. Doing the master programme has enabled me to become a confident scientist-practitioner.