Master's Neurosciences - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Expand your perspective on the human brain

Take an integrative approach to the brain and its disease mechanisms

During the programme, you’ll get to grips with all facets of neurosciences – ranging from genes to behaviour, from both fundamental and clinical perspectives. The expert teaching you’ll receive comprises a combination of lectures, research seminars, work groups, demonstrations, lab visits and practicals.

The VU Amsterdam brings all areas of neuroscientific expertise together in Amsterdam Neuroscience. Its mission is to study the brain and its disease mechanisms through an integrative approach that covers everything from molecule to bedside. In Amsterdam Neuroscience, innovation takes place at all levels of study, from molecular to cellular studies, and from circuitry to intact brain and behaviour, both at individual level and at population level.

To prepare for a career in the academic or scientific world, you’ll also work on your own professional development plan as part of our Career & Academic Skills Portfolio course, which spans both years of the programme.

The start date of this programme is September 1^st.

The VU Master Neurosciences is also involved in two Erasmus+ joint-degree programmes:

Neurasmus: a European Master's programme in Neuroscience
The Neurasmus program is a full-time Neuroscience study programme offering a unique interdisciplinary and integrated approach of normal brain functions and diseases. It strongly emphasises training in cutting-edge techniques in all major topics of brain research, from molecules to cognition. The Neurasmus curricula are completely embedded in international-oriented local Master's programmes of the partner universities.

Information about the the programmes & tracks, partner universities, application procedure and more: www.neurasmus.u-bordeaux.fr

NeuroData: a Master's programme in Brain and Data Science
In modern science, breakthroughs often occur at the intersection of multiple disciplines. NeuroData, a pioneering, innovative MSc in Brain and Data Science, will create impact through multidisciplinary research and educational innovation. This holistic approach to students’ training will enable them to forge new mindsets and approaches while increasing individual contributions to a knowledge-based economy and society. The possibilities for ground-breaking, cutting-edge discoveries are enormous. The integrated multidisciplinary brain and data science curriculum will cultivate researchers with in-depth knowledge in both fields.

More information: www.neurodata-master.org

VU Master's Event

Saturday 8 March 2025

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1st year
2nd year

In the first year, you’ll take compulsory core courses

These courses give you a thorough grounding in the relevant neuroscientific disciplines. These include neurogenomics, statistics, genetics and clinical neurosciences, as well as a skills course in academic writing. In the second half of the year, you’ll follow a five-month internship.

You can read more about the programme and course descriptions in the study guide.

Compulsory courses

Career and Academic Skills Portfolio year 1 Neurosciences
Internship Neurosciences I
From Molecule to Mind
Statistics in Neurosciences
Clinical neurosciences
Genetics in Neuroscience
Neurogenomics
Academic Writing: Neurosciences

You can find the complete course overview for this year in the study guide.

Which specialisation do you choose?

In your second year, you’ll specialise in one of the two tracks:

Fundamental Neurosciences
Clinical and Translational Neurosciences

You’ll gain a more in-depth perspective on research in your preferred field in neurosciences, taking four elective courses to expand your knowledge in particular areas. It’s also possible for you to mix elective choices between these specialisations.

During the final six months of the programme, you’ll take your second internship and carry out a literature survey.

Fundamental Neurosciences
Clinical and Translational Neurosciences

Summary

The fundamental neuroscience track aims to provide students with fundamental knowledge and hands-on experience with state of the art neuroscience technology to prepare for a PhD in fundamental neuroscience. You will study the effect of genes and gene mutations in systems of increasing complexity, from single neurons to networks and whole organisms using the latest technologies in molecular neurobiology, stemcell and human neuron preparations, and live cell imaging.

Compulsory courses

Career and Academic Skills and Portfolio year 2 Neurosciences
Final Year Project Neurosciences
Neurophilosophy and Ethics

You can find the complete course overview for this year in the study guide.

Summary

The Clinical and Translational Neurosciences track makes use of all fundamental knowledge and understanding gathered in the first year in order to evaluate, improve and design clinical research in neuroscience, neurology and psychiatry. Translating from fundamental to clinical, you will link pathophysiological properties to symptomatology and treatment outcomes. Translating from clinical to fundamental, you will learn how to navigate the clinical realm of brain disease and disorders, define knowledge gaps, and create experiments that might fill those gaps.

Compulsory courses

Career and Academic Skills and Portfolio year 2 Neurosciences
Final Year Project Neurosciences
Neurophilosophy and Ethics

You can find the complete course overview for this year in the study guide.

Fundamental Neurosciences
Summary

The fundamental neuroscience track aims to provide students with fundamental knowledge and hands-on experience with state of the art neuroscience technology to prepare for a PhD in fundamental neuroscience. You will study the effect of genes and gene mutations in systems of increasing complexity, from single neurons to networks and whole organisms using the latest technologies in molecular neurobiology, stemcell and human neuron preparations, and live cell imaging.
Compulsory courses
- Career and Academic Skills and Portfolio year 2 Neurosciences
- Final Year Project Neurosciences
- Neurophilosophy and Ethics
You can find the complete course overview for this year in the study guide.
Clinical and Translational Neurosciences
Summary

The Clinical and Translational Neurosciences track makes use of all fundamental knowledge and understanding gathered in the first year in order to evaluate, improve and design clinical research in neuroscience, neurology and psychiatry. Translating from fundamental to clinical, you will link pathophysiological properties to symptomatology and treatment outcomes. Translating from clinical to fundamental, you will learn how to navigate the clinical realm of brain disease and disorders, define knowledge gaps, and create experiments that might fill those gaps.
Compulsory courses
- Career and Academic Skills and Portfolio year 2 Neurosciences
- Final Year Project Neurosciences
- Neurophilosophy and Ethics
You can find the complete course overview for this year in the study guide.

For your first-year, five-month internship, you’ll have a wide range of opportunities to choose from within Amsterdam Neuroscience and affiliated institutes.

For your second-year, six-month internship, you’re encouraged to go further afield. You should carry out this more extensive internship at an external institute – preferably abroad.

On graduating from the Master’s in Neurosciences, you’ll have plenty of opportunities ahead of you. Around three-quarters of graduates go on to join a PhD programme either at VU Amsterdam or at another academic institute in the Netherlands or abroad.

But you can also pursue a career that embraces your multidisciplinary training within the healthcare, biotech or education sectors.

Explore your future prospects

Neurosciences

Fundamental Neurosciences

Clinical and Translational Neurosciences

Internships

Change your future with the Neurosciences programme

Change your future with the Neurosciences programme

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