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research master s in cognitive and clinical neuroscience 2010 specialisations in · cognitive neuroscience · fundamental neuroscience · neuropsychology · psychopathology language of instruction english

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maastricht university leading in learning historic yet forward-thinking and contemporary typically dutch yet multicultural and vibrant maastricht is a city of contrasts not only is maastricht the birthplace of the modern european union it also continues to establish itself internationally thanks to maastricht university s position as a leading academic centre in europe beyond boundaries with over half of its master s students and a third of its academic staff coming from outside the netherlands maastricht university has a reputation for quality and for its international orientation and dynamic interdisciplinary environment most of our master s programmes are taught in english and international themes are deeply rooted in the curricula at maastricht university you will be encouraged to look across traditional boundaries for answers looking to other departments disciplines institutes universities and international scholars to provide better insight into your own education and research new perspectives as a master s student you are a contributing member of our academic community using the problem-based learning methodology you work in small groups alongside students from all over the world in close cooperation with the academic staff you and your fellow students seek solutions to real-world problems you exchange knowledge and experiences learn to see things from new perspectives and develop skills that will last a lifetime research research at maastricht university focuses on gaining insights into current issues in today s society and we recognise the value of bright young researchers in contributing to the development of fresh and innovative ideas that is why research plays an integral role in the majority of our master s programmes and why we offer a number of research master s focused solely on the training of future researchers career further specialising in your field by earning a master s degree at maastricht university will greatly enhance your career prospects the effectiveness of our approach to education and research is demonstrated by the performance of our graduates they are self-assured independent and assertive professionals who are able to make a smooth transition from university to the job market because they focus on more than just theory they also learn the skills they need to have a successful career.

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research master s programme contents research master s programme specialisation in cognitive neuroscience specialisation in fundamental neuroscience specialisation in neuropsychology specialisation in psychopathology practical matters admission requirements tuition fees applying and enrolling coming to the netherlands contact information 3 4 5 7 8 10 the research master s in cognitive and clinical neuroscience is a joint venture by two faculties the faculty of psychology and neuroscience and the faculty of health medicine and life sciences with a focus on cognition brain and behaviour the programme has four specialisations cognitive neuroscience fundamental neuroscience neuropsychology and psychopathology all courses are taught in english and the programme has a strong international orientation spread over two years it is designed for excellent students who wish to pursue a research career each year a maximum of 20 to 25 students can be admitted to each specialisation from the beginning of the programme you enjoy close interaction with staff including a personal mentor in order to promote your individual development as a scientist programme throughout year 1 and in the beginning of year 2 the curriculum comprises theoretical courses colloquia skills training and workshops these ensure that you acquire a broad intellectual foundation before choosing a research topic for the remainder of the programme core courses form the backbone of the chosen specialisation providing you with a state-of-the-art overview of the most important theories models techniques and analytic methods in the relevant domains to increase awareness of different research approaches the interdisciplinary perspectives course addresses broad topics from the viewpoint of each of the four specialisations the first year highlights theoretical foundations and focuses on the acquisition of the methodological and statistical skills necessary to participate in ongoing research the second year is dedicated in large part to the master s research internship and thesis some students also complete a clinical research internship and a minor s thesis you can undertake your internship either at maastricht university or elsewhere many students choose to go abroad for this the programme involves a study load of 120 ects internships after eight weeks of coursework and preparation at the beginning of year 2 you embark on your internship during this period 34 weeks in total you apply the theoretical knowledge and methodological skills obtained throughout the programme in addressing carefully formulated research questions there are two types of internships students in all specialisations complete a research internship which entails working out a research proposal conducting the actual study and writing a master s thesis in a form suitable for submission to a scientific journal students in the psychopathology specialisation must also complete a clinical internship while neuropsychology students may choose to do so as part of this shorter 13-week internship you conduct a small-scale clinical research project which forms the basis of the minor s thesis the clinical internship by providing experience in psychodiagnostic and other healthcare activities also allows dutch-speaking students to fulfil entrance requirements for professional clinical training programmes in the netherlands the research environment at maastricht university affords you many opportunities to conduct internships within ongoing research lines under the supervision of internationally respected experts and with access to excellent facilities however given the increasing importance of international research experience in scientific and career development the programme also stimulates you to pursue challenging internship opportunities outside maastricht staff members help you locate international research groups via their own extensive networks of colleagues throughout the world approximately 40 of our research master s students thus choose to conduct their internships at an excellent foreign institution co-supervised by a um staff member clinical internships may also be done abroad an important factor if you are not fluent in dutch 3 all programmes in this brochure are accredited by the accreditation organisation of the netherlands and flanders nvao for more information on nvao please visit www.nvao.nl maastricht university is a signatory of the code of conduct with respect to international students in dutch higher education more information about this code of conduct is available at www.internationalstudy.nl

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specialisation in cognitive neuroscience the specialisation in cognitive neuroscience provides you with a theoretical and practical background on the relationship between brain and behaviour including the biological brain cognitive psychological models theories and paradigms and physics and engineering methods development aspects of modern brain research it does so via core courses various topics skills training e.g hands-on fmri training and workshops e.g matlab programming data analyses the core courses cover knowledge about perception vision audition motor skills language memory attention and cross-modal integration based on animal models as well as human behavioural research using eeg fmri and tms in year 2 you spend most of your time preparing and executing your own research project including writing a proposal preparing an experiment acquiring and analysing data and reporting on the process and results in the form of a master s thesis you can undertake this research internship at our institute using all the available research facilities e.g 3 tesla mri research scanner fully equipped eeg and tms laboratories alternatively you can carry out the internship abroad by taking advantage of our excellent international partners and worldleading research institutes e.g stanford harvard london tive neuroscience animal physiology biology and computer sciences this reflects the need for an interdisciplinary approach in understanding the mind-brain-behaviour triad consequently the programme is offered in english and is designed as a research-dedicated international and multidisciplinary orientation for bachelor s students from divergent backgrounds such as social sciences life sciences and natural sciences the general requirement for admission is therefore a university bachelor s degree in any field career focus cognitive neuroscience prepares you well for various academic careers phd students postdocs tutors but also for applied settings clinics pharma and biotechnical industries graduates are thus strong candidates for research positions in both academic and non-academic institutions core courses year 1 perception and attention advanced statistics i neuroimaging research the cognitive neuroscience group in maastricht is known for combining content and methodology to improve our understanding of and predictions about human behaviour as well as our ability to change this behaviour you get the unique opportunity to be trained in all the essential research methods of cognitive neuroscience including hands-on experience in operating and applying techniques such as fmri eeg and tms to address new and exciting research questions in empirical neuroscience neural correlates of selection in language processing sensory and motor systems advanced fmri magnetic brain stimulation tms advanced statistics ii eeg and meg the auditory system neural correlates of consciousness year 2 staff the international staff is composed of experts from various scientific fields including psychology bioengineering cogni neurocognition of literacy and numeracy modelling research internship and master s thesis hands-on research my first peek into neuroscience was when i was a participant in an fmri experiment and saw a picture of my own brain and since there is so much to learn in this interesting field i decided i wanted to do research myself i looked into several programmes and found that the research master s in maastricht offers interesting courses has very enthusiastic staff and excellent research facilities joining this programme was one of the best choices i ever made besides studying most of us are also working as research assistants on interesting projects which makes it possible to get more hands-on research experience as early as the first year of the programme next year after finishing the coursework i m planning to conduct a combined fmri and tms study for my research internship jointly at maastricht university and harvard medical school i m already looking forward to it danique jeurissen the netherlands research master s student in cognitive neuroscience 4 research master s in cognitive and clinical neuroscience 2010

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priceless insights personally i felt like a protégé taken care of right from the start of the research master s programme quickly being able to work as a student assistant for my mentor gaining priceless insights into real-life science during my in-house internship i was able to use functional magnetic resonance imaging fmri to scan people s brains this is another great aspect of the programme over the course of two years you get a hands-on introduction to all the equipment in the cognitive neuroscience specialisation including fmri transcranial magnetic stimulation tms magnetoencephalography meg and electroencephalography eeg once i finished with my master s thesis nick kilian-hütten germany research master s graduate in cognitive neuroscience phd candidate maastricht university i presented it at an international conference where i was representing the programme helping to organise the student participation after that my future was taken care of i started my phd studies at the faculty of psychology and neuroscience under the supervision of my mentor the research master s was certainly my crucial step into the neuroscientific community opening up more and more doors along the way specialisation in fundamental neuroscience the specialisation in fundamental neuroscience provides you with both theoretical background and practical experience in research at the interface of neuroscience and psychology the focus is on acquiring the molecular biological neuroanatomical immunocytochemistry electrophysiological and behavioural techniques necessary for preclinical basic research as such access to state-of-the-art laboratories is available including microscopy molecular biology and biochemistry laboratories for tissue processing cell culturing histochemistry proteomics and genomics career focus students with a bachelor s degree in psychology biology or life sciences are suited to this programme the fundamental neuroscience specialisation equips researchers for investigations into the fundamental molecular mechanisms of psychological and psychiatric disorders in academic as well as industrial settings research the electrophysiology laboratory allows for electrical brain stimulation of rats for example and eeg recordings in freely moving animals the behavioural lab meets up-to-date standards for the automated assessment of animal behaviour in addition the specialisation provides an in-depth study of physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms underlying psychological psychiatric and neurological disorders including affective cognitive and motor disorders within this context you also study the role of the emerging field of neuroinflammation the main research topics include cell signalling brain plasticity neurodegeneration regeneration genetics and epigenetics in a translational i.e involving both animal and human setting core courses year 1 introduction to molecular and biochemical techniques introduction to psychology neuroanatomy biopsychological neuroscience neurodegeneration and brain damage neuroplasticity and pain neurological disorders neuroimmunology and inflammation gene x environment interactions advanced statistics i advanced statistics ii year 2 stress emotions and affective disorders staff the teaching staff comprises a multidisciplinary team of professionals from relevant fields and includes biological psychologists molecular biologists neuropsychologists neurobiologists neuroanatomists psychopharmacologists psychiatrists and neuroimmunologists electrophysiology from single cell activity to `cognitive markers in vitro and in vivo neuroscience models and tests research and master s thesis 5

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perfect choice as both a psychology and a biomedicine student i think the specialisation in fundamental neuroscience was the perfect master s choice for me it provides me with the best of both worlds i ve always been fascinated with the inner workings of the brain and fundamental neuroscience allows me to study the brain at it most fundamental level i especially like the fact that you get the opportunity to study the new diseases of our time depression stress and dementia are becoming increasingly prevalent and new treatments are needed to help the growing number of patients fundamental jo stevens belgium science research master s student in fundamental neuroneuroscience provides me with the tools to contribute in the search for a better understanding of and cure for diseases of the brain and it also provides excellent job opportunities in a wide variety of places because the research being done in this field is still very young the possibility of finding a job will only increase in the future challenging experience long before finishing my bsc in molecular life sciences i was already certain i would continue on to a research master s related to neuroscience but it was still hard to choose the right programme i was aware that the research master s specialisation in fundamental neuroscience would provide me with the same challenging professional experience as other programmes of its kind but i wasn t sure it had the most important factor passion fortunately working as a student assistant in the department of cellular neuroscience served as a unique opportunity to really get to the bottom of that there working in a highly professional scientific environment i came into contact with very noble researchers whose passion for science i really felt knowing that they made up the backbone of the entire fn specialisation made my decision clear now i m proud to belong to the elected circle of future neuroscientists and can t await to pursue a phd in my major field of interest regenerative neuroscience marco boyks germany research master s student in fundamental neuroscience 6 research master s in cognitive and clinical neuroscience 2010

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specialisation in neuropsychology the brain is the most complex and challenging topic to explore when trying to understand behaviour its myriad of neurons dozens of biochemical messengers and infinite neuronal interconnections provide the fascination that attracts many of us to study it the specialisation in neuropsychology is the most suitable interdisciplinary path at the crossroads of psychology and neuroscience to study this brain-behaviour relationship neuropsychology focuses on understanding cognitive memory perception planning attention psycho-motor functions and emotional-affective e.g mood anxiety motivation arousal behaviour starting from the perspective of brain structure and function this is done on a continuum ranging from normal behaviour to pathological psychiatric dysfunctions e.g depression anxiety parkinson s schizophrenia dementia adhd across the lifespan in addition in the context of psychopharmacology the brain-behaviour relationship is thoroughly studied by way of pharmacological manipulation of brain neurochemistry and function in human and animal models this includes the use of interventional psychoactive substances e.g hormones drugs medicine and foods in combination with behavioural psychophysiological and neurofunctional imaging techniques the neuropsychology specialisation is a genuinely integrated curriculum that includes most aspects of basic and applied neuroscience you work in a multidisciplinary team of psychologists biologists and psychiatrists we expect our students to be highly motivated and to have a genuine interest in understanding normal and abnormal behaviour from a cognitive-neuropsychological brain-behaviour perspective core courses year 1 brain damage behavioural disorders advanced statistics i cognitive ageing biopsychology arousal and attention brain learning and memory advanced statistics ii executive functions and the control of action neuropsychiatric disorders neuropsychopharmacology year 2 cognitive development stress the brain and psychopathology research internship and master s thesis optional clinical internship and minor s thesis career focus the specialisation provides an excellent basis for you to become a versatile and skilled professional researcher who is capable of pursuing a successful career in the netherlands or abroad possible workplaces include universities and research institutes clinical settings like hospitals and rehabilitation centres or schools and educational institutions the pharmacological industry too may offer strong job opportunities for students of this specialisation learning new skills from the second year of my bachelor on i was fascinated by conducting research together with my interest in the relationship between brain and behavior research master s specialisation neuropsychology was the best choice for me the master combines acquiring up-to-date knowledge with learning new skills like writing research proposals and giving presentations this all takes place in the best learning environment possible with other highly motivated students and under the supervision of a highly qualified staff next year i am going to cambridge engeland to conduct my research internship i hope to learn there a lot about the practical part of doing research like designing an experiment and doing real data analysis after finishing the research master i hope to be able to find a position as a phd-student either in the netherlands or abroad moos peeters the netherlands research master s student in neuropsychology 7

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passion for research i began my studies with a bachelor s degree majoring in neuroscience and pharmacology in australia i thoroughly enjoyed that programme but discovered that my real interests lay in the overlap between neuroscience pharmacology and psychology so i wanted to continue with a master s in neuropsychology research was and still is my passion but in choosing a master s degree i also wanted one that would give me some insight into the clinical side of neuropsychology the research master s in maastricht fulfilled these requirements and most elissa klaassen australia research master s graduate in neuropsychology phd candidate maastricht university importantly further prepared me to do great research after the programme i continued on to a phd in which i m using fmri to examine executive functions although i didn t begin this phd with comprehensive knowledge of fmri the research master s in neuropsychology did leave me well prepared to take on this challenge specialisation in psychopathology the specialisation in psychopathology provides students with the theoretical background and clinical insight necessary for future research in the various fields of mental health in particular experimental psychopathology clinical psychology and psychiatry the interactive core seminars cover biopsychosocial theories and state-of-the-art research on the epidemiology genetics and psychological and neurobiological mechanisms underlying the onset course treatment and prevention of mental disorders throughout the lifecycle in addition to specific disorders attention is paid to positive psychology and to broader issues and controversies such as gender and cultural differences the validity of experimental and animal models of psychopathology and gene-environment interactions the psychopathology specialisation includes training in diagnostic and other clinical skills as well as research experience in healthcare settings you work with a multidisciplinary team of internationally esteemed researchers including psychologists psychiatrists epidemiologists and biologists disorders at the interface of somatic and mental health both research groups maintain strong collaborative networks throughout the world this has proved to be a great asset in helping students locate high quality internship placements e.g in the us canada the uk and germany core courses year 1 anxiety disorders mood disorders advanced statistics i stress and trauma developmental psychopathology somatoform disorders advanced statistics ii psychosis research the specialisation in psychopathology is strongly embedded in the research of the faculty of psychology and neuroscience fpn and the faculty of health medicine and life sciences fhml research within the institute experimental psychology fpn focuses on the processes and mechanisms that lead to the emergence and maintenance of psychiatric and psychosomatic disorders the roles of learning principles cognitive processes and biological factors are investigated the approach is primarily experimental division ii mhens within fhml is conducting multi-disciplinair research on the aetiology and treatment of psychosis depression anxiety impulsive behaviour and mental eating disorders and addiction forensic psychopathology year 2 personality disorders mental health and happiness research internship and master s thesis clinical internship and minor s thesis 8 research master s in cognitive and clinical neuroscience 2010

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rewarding time a strong interest in clinical research motivated me to apply for the research master s programme specialising in psychopathology now almost two years later i can look back on a very productive and rewarding time i especially appreciate the close and informal contact i had with experts in the field which created a unique learning environment the programme is also a great place to meet other students from all over the world and although at times the workload was overwhelming there was still plenty of time for social activities fritz renner germany research master s student in psychopathology at the moment i m doing my research internship at the university of pennsylvania in philadelphia and i m very glad to see how everything i learned during the research master s is paying off because of the great experiences that i had during the programme i ve decided to stay in maastricht after graduating to do my phd broad study experience for me the research master programme in psychopathology was the ideal preparation for my research internship and current phd position at cambridge university during my two years at maastricht university i learned to design studies write proposals and had the unique opportunity to be taught by some of the field s leading scientists in small group settings throughout the programme the faculty supported and encouraged me in all my ambitions these aspects of the programme have been invaluable on the way to susanne schweitzer switzerland master s graduate in psychopathology phd candidate cambridge university getting my ideal phd position where i investigate the effects of cognitive capacity on emotion regulation 9

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practical matters admission requirements each year the programme will selectively admit a group of maximally 20-25 highly qualified students per specialisation admission is limited to those with at least a university bachelor s degree eligibility will also be assessed on the basis of · excellent previous study results as evidenced by a certified english transcript of all university courses followed and marks received · curriculum vitae · motivation for and affinity with the chosen specialisation · two academic letters of recommendation · non-native english speakers and students who have not studied in the netherlands must provide evidence of satisfactory english test results ielts minimum score 6.5 toefl minimum score 570 paper-based 230 computer based or 88 internet-based · other recognised proof of english proficiency approved by the board of admission all applicants pay a non-refundable application processing fee of 75 application materials all have to be in english and must be received by march 15 2010 admission decisions are made for individual applicants based on the research master board of admission s evaluation of submitted application materials and in a second step interviews with pre-selected candidates applying and enrolling applications for admission to a programme at maastricht university should be submitted via www.maastrichtuniversity.nl mastersadmissions on receiving your application your diploma will be assessed to decide whether you are eligible for the programme you have chosen diploma evaluation more information about admissions application and registration is available from www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/mastersadmissions please remember that deadlines apply to applications from both dutch and international students coming to the netherlands international students staying in the netherlands must obtain a residence permit if you come from an eu/eea country a passport valid on 1 september 2010 will also suffi ce prospective students from outside the eu/eea will have to apply to the dutch immigration service ind for a residence permit before arriving in the netherlands students from outside the eu can ask the university for help applying for an entrance visa using the accelerated mvv procedure for more information please contact visa@maastrichtuniversity.nl or visit www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/visa tuition fees for the 2010/11 academic year the tuition fee for eu/eea master s students under the age of 30 amounts to 1,673 for 2011/12 this amount will probably be set at 1,727 and for 2012/13 at 1,780 these amounts are an indication because each year in january the legal fees are determined by the ministry of education culture and science for eu/eea master s students over the age of 30 the amount will probably be set at 2.058 for non-eu/eea master s students the tuition fees for the 2010/11 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 academic year amount to 12,000 please consult www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/ssc information for prospective students about application and registration tuition fees for other fees and the latest information contact information marketing and communications department faculty of psychology and neuroscience maastricht university p.o box 616 6200 md maastricht the netherlands phone +31 43 388 1554/2209 e-mail masterinfo-fpn@maastrichtuniversity.nl internet www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/fpn 10 research master s in cognitive and clinical neuroscience 2010

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master s programmes overview 2010 arts culture · artistic research ma 1 · arts and heritage policy management and education cultuur beleid behoud en beheer ma 3 · arts and sciences cultuur en wetenschapsstudies ma 3 · gender and diversity studies ma 1 · european studies on society science and technology ma 1 · media culture ma 1 · research master in cultures of arts science and technology msc 1 behavioural political sciences · analysing europe ma 1 · european public affairs ma 1 · european studies 3 specialisations ma 1 · globalisation and development ma 1 · psychology 6 specialisations msc 1 · public policy and human development 1 specialisation in the behavioural political sciences msc 1 · research master in european studies msc 1 · sustainable development msc 1 business economics all programmes triple crown accredited aacsb equis and amba · econometrics and operations research 4 specialisations msc 1 · financial economics 3 specialisations msc 1 · fiscale economie fiscal economics 2 specialisations msc 2 · global supply chain management and change msc 1 · infonomics msc 1 · international business 11 full-time and 6 part-time specialisations one of which is in dutch msc 1 · international economic studies 5 specialisations msc 1 · management of learning msc 1 · public policy and human development 5 specialisations in business economics msc 1 · research master in business research 2 specialisations msc 1 · research master in economic and financial research 2 specialisations msc 1 graduate programmes for professionals · executive master of finance and control emfc/msc/rc 4 · international executive master of finance and control part-time emfc/msc/rc 1 · mba international executive modular dutch executive modular and euro 3 nvao accreditations graduate programme for professionals nvao accredited graduate programme for professionals in process of nvao accreditation graduate programme for professionals nvao accreditation process will be initiated master s programme in process of nvao accreditation and approval by ministry of education for more information on nvao please visit www.nvao.nl health life sciences · arts-klinisch onderzoeker physician-clinical investigator msc md 4 · european public health msc 1 · geneeskunde medicine msc md 4 · global health msc 1 · health food innovation management msc 1 · mental health msc 1 · molecular life sciences 5 specialisations msc 1 within transnational university limburg tul · physical activity and health 3 specialisations msc 1 · public health 5 specialisations msc 1 · research master in cardiovascular biology and medicine msc 1 · research master in cognitive and clinical neuroscience 4 specialisations msc 1 · research master in health sciences msc 1 · research master in nutrition and metabolism fundamental and clinical aspects msc 1 graduate programmes for professionals · affective neuroscience msc 1 · health professions education msc 1 · public health for professionals msc 1 law · european law school llm 1 · fiscaal recht tax law 3 specialisations llm 3 · forensica criminologie en rechtspleging forensics criminology and administration of justice llm 4 · globalisation and law llm 1 · international and european economic law 1 · intellectual property law and knowledge management llm msc 1 · international laws llm 1 · law honours programme master research track 1 · nederlands recht dutch law 6 specialisations llm 4 · recht en arbeid law and labour 2 specialisations llm 4 sciences within transnational university limburg tul · artificial intelligence msc 1 · operations research msc 1 language of instruction 1 only in english 2 part dutch part english 3 available in both english and dutch 4 only in dutch

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© 2009 maastricht university office marketing communications p.o box 616 6200 md maastricht the netherlands text faculty of psychology and neuroscience photography jonathan vos concept and design template vormgeversassociatie bv hoog-keppel layout and production grafisch ontwerpburo emilio perez geleen although this brochure was made with the utmost care no rights can be attained from it www.maastrichtuniversity.nl based in europe focused on the world maastricht university is a stimulating environment where research and teaching are complementary where innovation is our focus where talent can flourish a truly student oriented research university bsr0079 contact information marketing and communications department faculty of psychology and neuroscience maastricht university p.o box 616 6200 md maastricht the netherlands phone +31 43 388 2209/1554 e-mail masterinfo-fpn@maastrichtuniversity.nl internet www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/fpn master s meetings saturday 10 october 2009 saturday 13 march 2010 the faculty of psychology and neuroscience also offers a one year master s programme in psychology with six specialisations visit the website www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/fpn for more information you can also order the brochure at www.maastrichtuniversity.nl

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