Program Overview

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Overview

Course Overview

Examine how the mind and brain generate behaviour, movement, perception, memory, sleep and other key functions. Start your professional career as a biologist or take your first step towards becoming a chartered psychologist with this British Psychological Society-accredited degree. Gain practical experience by taking a full year placement.

Entry Requirements

A-level

• AAA-AAB:
  • AAB including two core sciences: Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics, or:
  • AAA including one core science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Maths) and one of the following subjects: Geography, Psychology, Environmental Studies or Physical Education.
• Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken.
• Where applicants are applying for science and related degrees, this is likely to be made explicit in the offer you will receive.
• Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.

A-level Contextual Offer

• AAB-ABB including:
  • at least one core science Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Maths, and;
  • if only one core science is taken, one of the following subjects: Geography, Psychology, Environmental Studies or Physical Education.
• Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken.
• Where applicants are applying for science and related degrees, this is likely to be made explicit in the offer you will receive.
• Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.

UK Refugee/Care-Experienced Offer

• ABB - BBB including:
  • at least one core science Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Maths, and;
  • if only one core science is taken, one of the following subjects: Geography, Psychology, Environmental Studies or Physical Education.
• Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken.
• Where applicants are applying for science and related degrees, this is likely to be made explicit in the offer you will receive.
• Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.

International Baccalaureate

• 36 - 35 points overall. 6, 6, 6 to 6, 6, 5 at Higher Level including two science subjects, normally Biology and Chemistry, but can include Physics, Geography, Psychology or Mathematics (AA and AI are both considered).
• Applicants studying the International Baccalaureate Career Related Programme (IBCP) should contact the admissions team prior to applying so that their academic profile can be considered.

GCSE/IGCSE

• Applicants must demonstrate a broad general education including at least five GCSEs at minimum grade 6/B, including English Language and Mathematics. If an applicant has a grade 5/C in either English Language or Mathematics, but has a grade 6/B in the other subject, we would advise they still apply. GCSE/IGCSE English Literature will not be accepted in lieu of GCSE/IGCSE English Language.

Other Entry Requirements

• Other entry requirements exist for this course. You may view these by selecting from the list below.
• Scottish requirements
• Welsh Baccalaureate
• Foundation year
• Pearson BTEC qualifications
• OCR Cambridge Technical qualifications
• Access to HE Diploma
• T Level
• Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)

Fees and Funding

Fees

• Fees for entry in 2026 have not yet been set. For entry in 2025 the tuition fees were £9,535 per annum for home students, and are expected to increase slightly for 2026 entry.

Policy on Additional Costs

• All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Application and Selection

How to Apply

• Apply through UCAS.

Advice to Applicants

• We would normally only consider applicants who obtained the relevant qualification within the three years prior to entry.
• Applicants who have left education for more than three years would normally be recommended to take an Access course.
• Applicants should contact the Admissions Office to discuss their particular circumstances.

Home-Schooled Applicants

• If you have followed a non-standard educational route and have been, for example, educated at home, your application will be considered against the standard entry criteria of the course to which you applied. You will be required to demonstrate that you meet the academic entry requirements as specified for the course. We will also require a reference which should be written by somebody who knows you well enough, in an official capacity, to write about you and your suitability for higher education. Please refer to UCAS for further information: UCAS reference guidelines

Non-Standard Educational Routes

• Mature students are some of our most well-equipped learners, bringing skills and attributes gained from work, family and other life experiences. Students come from a whole array of backgrounds, study every kind of course, undertake full-time and part-time learning and are motivated by career intentions as well as personal interest. There is no such thing as a typical mature student at Manchester.
• The application process is the same as for other prospective undergraduates. If you require further clarification about the acceptability of the qualifications you hold please contact the academic School(s) you plan to apply to.

How Your Application is Considered

• Applications are considered on the basis of the UCAS form.
• Because of the high volume of applications we receive, we will not consider those applicants who choose Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology as a second option and whose personal statement is geared towards a different discipline. However, if you find at a later stage that you have not been made an offer for your chosen area, please contact our admissions team for advice.

Deferrals

• Applications for deferred entry are considered equally to other applications up to the point of confirmation. Deferred entry is granted at the discretion of admissions staff, and is normally granted for one year only and two years at the maximum. Some English Language test results, such as IELTS or TOEFL, are only valid for two years from the test date. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.

Policy for Applicants Who Resit Their Qualifications

• The University will consider applicants who have re-sat individual modules. If you have re-sat your final examinations we may consider your application in exceptional circumstances, provided you obtained a minimum of BBB at first attempt and provided you meet the advertised requirements for entry (AAA-AAB). Please contact us to discuss this before you apply.

Re-Applications

• The University will consider applicants who have re-sat individual modules. If you have re-sat your final examinations we may consider your application in exceptional circumstances, provided you obtained a minimum of BBB at first attempt and provided you meet the advertised requirements for entry (AAA-AAB). Please contact us to discuss this before you apply.

Course Details

Course Description

Our BSc Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology course combines major topics in experimental psychology and neuroscience to offer a broad grounding in this exciting field of behavioural science.

The psychology component covers topics including:

• how humans think (cognitive processes);
• how the world is sensed (perception);
• comparative and developmental studies;
• clinical psychology.

The neuroscience component of the course examines how the brain and nervous system work to generate behaviour, perception, movement, the action of drugs on the nervous system, sleep, memory and other key functions.

The course also covers new technological advances that have been at the forefront of recent breakthroughs in the field of cognitive neuroscience and psychology, as well as advances in our understanding of the biology of higher brain function and the pathogenesis of a variety of neurological disorders, such as mental health disorders and neurodegenerative disease eg Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

You can gain valuable experience through our work placement schemes, with an opportunity to take a year-long placement in Year 3 (subject to meeting progression requirements).

We also offer opportunities to study abroad at one of our partner institutions, depending on academic performance.

Our degree is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), which means as well as providing a solid foundation for a career in biological sciences, it constitutes your first step towards professional chartered psychologist status.

Special Features

• Excellent facilities
• BPS accreditation
• Broaden your degree
• Work placements
• Study abroad

Teaching and Learning

You will hear about the latest developments in cognitive neuroscience and psychological theory, research, and practice from leading scientists in your lectures. From your first semester, you will learn how to collect, organise, describe, and analyse data and present your findings in a variety of formats to different audiences.

We use a wide range of teaching methods to suit the content and aims of each course unit:

• Tutorials: Regular sessions with an advisor and small group of students develop your oral and written communication, IT, teamworking and problem-solving skills whilst exploring topics related to your degree discipline.
• Lectures: Delivered to groups ranging from 20 to 650 students, using PowerPoint, video, and interactive voting.
• eLearning: Our virtual learning environment provides learning resources on demand (discussion boards, lecture podcasts, quizzes) to enhance and support your lecture-based units.
• Practicals: Undertake experimental techniques to develop laboratory, experimental design, and data analysis skills. Seminars: Examine and debate topical areas of research to develop your critical thinking and communication skills.
• Research projects: Carry out an independent research project in your final year.

Coursework and Assessment

Assessment methods vary widely to suit the nature of the course unit and each level of study.

• Lecture units are usually assessed by coursework, a written exam (multiple choice or essay-based, which are held at the end of an academic semester in either January or May/June), or a combination of coursework and exam.
• Practical units are usually assessed by experimental report and/or short written assignment and/or written exam.
• The proportion of independent study assignments increases during each year of study.

Course Unit Details

This course is modular. You will study compulsory course units and choose some optional units. Most units are assigned 10 credits and you will take 120 credits each year.

Course Content for Year 1

You will gain a broad introduction to biological sciences, including the nervous system and pharmacology, which are relevant to cognitive neuroscience.

Psychology topics will include social psychology, brain structure and function, perception, and cognition.

Year 1 also provides an introduction to the essential data handling and laboratory skills required for all biological scientists.

Course Units for Year 1

• Academic Tutorials Year 1
• Introduction to Laboratory Science
• Introduction to Experimental Biology - Human Biology
• Writing and Referencing Skills (online unit)
• Drugs: From Molecules to Man
• Excitable Cells: the Foundations of Neuroscience
• Health & Safety online course
• Introduction to Developmental Psychology
• Introduction to Social Psychology
• Study Skills in Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology
• Foundations of Biological & Cognitive Psychology
• Individual Differences in Mental Health and Wellbeing
• Psychological Research Skills I
• Genes, Evolution and Development
• Body Systems
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Course Content for Year 2

You will continue your studies in greater depth and begin to specialise.

In the Research Skills unit, you have the opportunity to carry out techniques that are widely used in current biological and cognitive neuroscience research.

Course Units for Year 2

• Academic Tutorials Year 2
• Neuroscience RSM
• Motor Systems
• Sensory Systems
• Topics and Issues in Developmental Psychology
• Cognition & Cognitive Neuroscience
• Personality and Individual Differences
• Statistics and Data Analysis
• Topics and Issues in Social Psychology
• Psychological Research Skills IV
• Human Anatomy & Histology
• Drugs & the Brain
• Membrane Excitability: Ion Channels & Transporters in Action
• Animal Behaviour
• How to Make a Brain
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Course Content for Year 3

Final year topics reflect the current hotspots of neuroscience and psychology endeavour and the research interests of our staff, and are constantly being updated.

You will undertake an independent in-depth research project that may involve supervised research on a biology or psychology topic, or you may choose to work on e-learning, educational, data analysis or bioinformatics topics.

Course Units for Year 3

• Academic Tutorials Year 3
• Cognitive Neuroscience & Psychology - Problem Paper
• Bioscience Research Project for Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology
• Science Communication Project for Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology
• Bioethics: Contemporary Issues in Science & Biomedicine
• Neuroinflammation in Health & Disease
• Neuropharmacology of Human Health
• Clocks, Sleep & the Rhythms of Life
• Learning, Memory & Cognition
• Hormones & Behaviour
• Cutting-edge Methods in Biomedical Sciences
• Organisational Psychology
• Dissertation for Psychology/Neuroscience students
• Project Psy/Neuro
• Language and Communicative Development in Educational Settings
• Sociality & Communication: Evolutionary Perspectives
• Qualitative Research Methods in Applied Contexts
• Cases in Clinical Neuropsychology
• Lifestyle Behaviour Change
• Clinical Psychology
• Communication in Healthcare
• Understanding Dementia: Brain and Behaviour
• Psychology of Music
• Psychology of Politics, Identity and Society
• Perception - From Lab to Life
• Psychology in the Real World
• Emotion
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What Our Students Say

• 'My course allows me the rare opportunity to appreciate abstract scientific concepts on real and visible levels. I am looking forward to undertaking research projects in my second and final years, not only for the chance to focus on the areas of Neuroscience and Psychology which have most interested me so far, but also to help in deciding where next to steer my postgraduate education.' Zahra Khatib
• 'This course has allowed me to get experience in the nitty gritty Neuroscience aspect, as well as the behavioural side of Psychology. My favourite experience so far has been studying South African animal behaviour. The students and staff were always fun to work with and my project was so interesting to research and write up - not to mention the stunning scenery and exquisite food.' Max Drakeley

Facilities

• Learning facilities
• Research facilities
• Disability support

Careers

Career Opportunities

Some of our graduates take advantage of this course's BPS accreditation to pursue a professional career in psychology (eg clinical psychology, educational psychology). These are very competitive professions that require further training and professional experience.

Alternatively, our graduates are well-qualified to work as researchers in universities, pharmaceutical and bioscience companies and institutes.

Some of our graduates progress into laboratory-based careers in clinical or technical roles that do not involve research.

The transferable skills you will develop will also leave you well-equipped for a wide range of careers outside the lab.

Accrediting Organisations

This course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS).

Taking a BPS-accredited undergraduate course confers eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society.

GBC is an entry requirement for all postgraduate training programmes leading to chartered psychologist status.