Neuroscience
Neuroscience explores one of the most complex and consequential systems in the known universe: the human brain and nervous system. Understanding how billions of neurons form circuits that give rise to perception, thought, emotion, movement and consciousness, and how disruptions to that system produce the neurological and psychiatric conditions that affect so many people, is among the central challenges of contemporary science. At the University of Southampton, this three-year full-time degree takes a broad approach to the discipline, spanning molecular neuroscience, cellular and systems physiology, pharmacology and the behavioural and cognitive dimensions of brain function.
You will study neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, the pharmacology of synaptic transmission, the molecular biology of nerve cells, the neural basis of sensory processing and motor control, and the neuroscience of higher cognitive functions including learning, memory and emotion. The clinical neuroscience component introduces the neural basis of conditions including depression, anxiety, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia, connecting your scientific understanding to the reality of neurological and psychiatric illness. Laboratory work is central to the degree, and you will develop practical skills in techniques including electrophysiology, imaging and molecular biology.
A typical tariff of around 152 points is expected.
Neuroscience graduates pursue careers in biomedical research, the pharmaceutical and neurotechnology industries, clinical research organisations, healthcare and science communication. Many go on to postgraduate study, including doctoral research in neuroscience, pharmacology or clinical psychology, or to clinical training in medicine or a related health profession. The growing investment in understanding and treating neurological and psychiatric conditions, combined with the development of brain-inspired computing and neural interface technologies, means that well-trained neuroscientists are in increasing demand.