Hi all,


I'm applying for MSc's in Neuroscience at several Universities, which state "A first degree in medicine, dentistry, biological science or other relevant science".


My first degree is Psychology and I would like to gather opinions from anyone who might be in the know as to whether Psychology is likely to be a "relevant science degree". This entry requirement seems so vague. I'm asking not only from the perspective of "will I get in?" but also, from experience, would i struggle with studying Neuroscience coming from a psychology background?


Thanks in advance
:)

I figure it would be quite a bit different, do you have a background in biology (other than what you were taught in psych)? Probably psych will be ok cos it is related, but I really don't know for sure.

Why you doing neuroscience anyway - do you wanna change discipline or are you still approaching it from a psychology angle? Personally I'd be more inclined to do a cog neuro masters than straight neuroscience, but I guess it depends on your particular interest and the emphasis of the course.

Hi Frogs!
I also did Psychology as a first degree and then went onto an MSc in Clinical Psychology. I guess it would depend on how much neuroscience you did in your psychology degree- these degrees vary massively in content from uni to uni. My first degree was BSc Psych (as opposed to BA Psych, which is apparently less biological) and we covered a lot of neuroscience stuff, although some of that was because I opted for these modules in final year. If you have covered a reasonable amount I think you would be fine- I know from some of my friends who did a medicine degree that we did far more neuroscience than they did! I guess the best thing to do is to contact the universities that you are interested in applying to- they should be able to help! Good luck!

I'm also applying for the same masters and i've been told they tend to accept people from a psychology background, however, I think it depends on the course itself. You need to look at the actual syllabus and ignore requirements, they tend to be BS (excuse the french) and see whether it's more cognitive (and hence psychology based) or biological. The one's I've seen are majority biology based and you may have a little trouble keeping up with. Might also be worth noting if they're MA or MSc, MA's tend to be psychology orientated.

Hey Frogs,

from my own experience (Psychology Undergrad, current Neuroscience Postgrad), I think it depends on your degree and the degree you're applying for. If your undergrad is a BA you may not be able to apply (but check anyway!). I didn't have any problem going from one discipline to the other in terms of getting a place and funding; however, I had worked hard to get relevant experience whilst doing my degree. I always knew I was most interested in the biological and cognitive aspects of Psychology, so made sure I could show this on my application.

On another note (sorry if this sounds obvious) but make sure that the neuroscience courses you're applying for are what you want - it's a broad area, so make sure that if you're applying for a course doing cellular neuroscience, for example, that cellular is what you want! Also, be prepared for maths, physics and programming if you decide to do cognitive neuroscience. Other courses such as the Wellcome Trust 4 year Neuroscience programmes cover a wide range of areas (and are open to Psychology graduates), but include animal studies, so you have to decide if this is something you are able to do.

Whatever happens though, you lose nothing from asking the question. So, do some research into the areas of neuroscience that interest you, check which programmes match up with those interests, then contact the programme leader if you're unsure if your degree is acceptable. Then apply, and remember to relate your experience and interests to the programme that you're applying for.

Best of luck!

Thanks for all your help. Out of interest, where do you study Neuroscience?
My undergraduate degree is a BA/BSc, I foolishly chose to be accredited with a BA, though the courses were identical. I have, however, explained this in my applications so it shouldn't affect me. It should also be clear from my transcript that I took some Biological modules.

Thanks once again for your help - You say you had no problem with funding and being offered a place, but how do you find the course itself? A difficult conversion or a challenging, interesting topic? Maybe both?

Hey Frogs,

Apologies for the late reply - I've only just picked this up. How are the applications going?

Ok, so, how am I finding the course - well, to be honest, really hard but really great. Some days I feel completely inadequate and wonder why I am putting myself through so much stress, but other days I am so full of excitement for what I am doing (especially when I'm starting to understand things). The huge multi-disciplinary nature of my dept means there are a wide range of backgrounds from physicists, neuroscientists, programmers, psychologists, so we all bring our own skills to the table and help one another. I know I am incredibly fortunate to be here (often question why me!) but it's worth it.

So good luck to you!

Thanks again for the response - the applications are going well, I have been accepted onto one course, though this is much more cognitive based than biological. I am much more eager to study the biological side of cellular and molecular neuroscience. The applications i have made for those courses I am still waiting to hear from (they say approximately 6 weeks, with 5 weeks having now passed). There are one or two other courses I will apply to if these applications fail, but i'm not going to do that until I know that i have failed with my first choices :)