cognitive neuroscience personal statement

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How do I apply?

Note that in addition to the standard University requirements, to be considered for this course you will need to include a 500-word Personal Statement briefly outlining: (1) why you are interested in cognitive neuroscience and/or this course, which could include the area(s) of research that might interest you for a project during your email; (2) a previous published study that inspires you, and why. 

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Neuroscience Personal Statement Example

Sample statement.

Studying Neuroscience means you’ll be on the frontline of new scientific discoveries and could lead to a highly rewarding career. However, you might find that writing your personal statement is the biggest hurdle.

To give you a push in the right direction here is an example personal statement of someone applying to study Neuroscience:

From an early age I was interested in science and thoroughly enjoyed creating “experiments” with home science kits and other household items. As I grew older I understood just how many ground breaking discoveries are made in the world of science every day and I know that a career where I can be a part of that is right for me.

At school I excelled in science subjects and relished the chance to study Biology and Chemistry at A Level. By studying these subjects alongside Psychology and Sociology gave me a chance to develop more in-depth knowledge of how the human mind works and how we form relationships with each other and the world around us.

During my time at college I worked part time as a carer in a nursing home specialising in elderly dementia and Alzheimer’s patients. This gave me first-hand experience of how fragile and complex the human brain is.

Outside of school I fit volunteering at my local charity shop around my studies and part time employment. This gives me the chance to build on my personal, teamwork, and communication skills that I have gained as a result of working in the care home.

I look forward to my time at university taking me to a new area where I can volunteer for another charity and continue to develop my skills and make new connections with local people.

My time at the care home has inspired me to want to help people who suffer with degenerative brain disorders and to strive to discover better forms of treatment, or even a prevention or cure.

I hope that a career in Neuroscience will allow me to improve the lives of others, if only in a small way.

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Cognitive Neuroscience MSc

London, Bloomsbury

The Cognitive Neuroscience MSc at UCL is a research-led, state-of-the-art degree programme on mental processes in the human brain. The programme brings together some of the world's leading researchers in cognitive neuroscience and cognitive neuropsychology.

UK tuition fees (2024/25)

Overseas tuition fees (2024/25), programme starts, applications accepted.

Applications closed

• Entry requirements

Normally a minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website .

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

You will learn about the relationship between the mind and the brain in patients and healthy individuals, alongside the ideas, methodology, and current state of knowledge in cognitive neuroscience. Students learn in the classroom and laboratory via a combination of lectures, discussions and practical work. Alongside discipline-specific knowledge and skills, the programme develops key transferable skills.

Who this course is for

The programme is suitable for students with a relevant scientific background (e.g. psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, or biomedical science). 

What this course will give you

UCL is among the principal research centres in the world in this area and offers an ideal environment to study cognitive neuroscience. We are ranked first for research power in Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience by the UK’s Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), with more than two thirds of our research in these areas rated as world-leading (4*).

Our work attracts staff and students from around the world. Together they create an outstanding and vibrant environment, taking advantage of cutting-edge resources such as a behavioural neuroscience laboratory, a centre for brain imaging, and extensive laboratories for research in speech and language, perception, and cognition.

Opportunities for graduate students to work with world-renowned researchers exist in all areas of investigation. The division offers a supportive environment including numerous specialist seminars, workshops, and guest lectures.

The foundation of your career

You will have the opportunity to study and conduct cutting-edge research alongside some of the leading researchers in the field of cognitive neuroscience. You will also be immersed in this research environment and learn directly from experts in the field. Students on our programmes go on to a variety of careers/further study. Many of our students choose to go on to a PhD or research positions in universities. Others go into industry, education and medical careers.

Employability

The MSc programme develops research skills in the field of cognitive neuroscience and serves as a basis for PhD study in an academic setting or a research career in industry or business. The MSc also promotes key transferable skills that prepare students for more general careers in clinical psychology, marketing, teaching and consultancy.

There will be opportunities to network within the dedicated programme seminars, via extracurricular talks such as departmental seminars, during the ICN induction, by liaising with guest lecturers, and via the academic, social, and public engagement events that are part of the programme. 

Teaching and learning

Teaching is mainly delivered via lectures and a research project, supplemented by practical activities, demonstrations of methods, data analyses, seminars, and discussions. You are expected to augment these with your own thinking, self study and literature review.

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, laboratory classes and seminars. The programme includes case demonstrations of neuropsychological patients, hands-on experience with the analysis of neuroimaging data, critical analyses of published scientific papers and discussion seminars. Assessment is through examinations, essays, reports, a popular science article, video, narrated scientific poster and the research dissertation.

On average, students spend 30% of their time on the research project and 70% in class. Each taught module has around 20 contact hours, with the remaining time spent on independent study. The number of contact hours in the project depends on the nature of the research that is undertaken.

The MSc takes one year of full-time study, or two years part time. You will spend two-thirds of your time on compulsory taught modules and one-third on an empirical research project in the area of cognitive neuroscience, supervised by a suitable member of UCL staff. Half of the taught modules focus on the methods of cognitive neuroscience, including statistics, brain anatomy, and different ways to measure brain structure and brain function in humans. The other half of the taught modules focus on current issues in cognitive neuroscience. These inform you about current knowledge and controversies in the field. 

The programme can also be taken part-time over two years. The modules are the same as in the full-time programme. In the first year, you would complete 5 taught modules, and in the second year you would complete 3 taught modules and your Research project.

Compulsory modules

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk . Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team .

Fees and funding

Fees for this course.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees .

Additional costs

There are no additional costs for this programme.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs .

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website .

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications and £115 for paper applications. Further information can be found at Application fees .

When we assess your application we would therefore like to learn via your personal statement:

• why you want to study Cognitive Neuroscience at graduate level
• why you want to study Cognitive Neuroscience at UCL
• which module (s) on the Cognitive Neuroscience programme interest you most and why
• if you have a particular research project in mind
• your knowledge and interest in the subject demonstrated by briefly discussing a specific book or article that you have read that aroused your interest in the topic of cognitive neuroscience
• how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this rigorous programme
• how completion of the Cognitive Neuroscience MSc will help you obtain your short- and long-term career goals

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

The application process is competitive. Applications will be evaluated on the basis of the quality of the applicant's degree and degree institution, the quality of the references, the relevant skills and experience, the quality of the personal statement and the suitability of the applicant's career plans.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Got questions? Get in touch

Division of Psychology and Language Sciences

[email protected]

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students .

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PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLE Neuroscience Personal Statement

Submitted by Greta

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Neuroscience Personal Statement

Mental health is increasingly spoken about, and its issues are being put under a spotlight, making more people aware of how important a healthy mind is. I have personal experience of poor mental health having witnessed my brother develop anorexia at age 11. The rapid deterioration of his health and mental state was a shock to the family. Following his recovery, I was compelled to question how disruptions in the brain can have such huge effects on the whole body. I wish to understand the biological explanation to illnesses like this, as it goes far beyond the usual explanations of stress or a need for control. The most striking part for me was that his case didn't fit all of the usual demographics of eating disorder patients; mental illnesses, I learnt, know no boundaries and can affect everyone. This highlighted the importance of studying the brain as it has critical benefit to all people.

Neuroscience is an enthralling subject that is becoming progressively relevant in society. The increase in neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia, which accompany an aging population, along with the underfunding that research into these diseases has experienced, shows me that it is imperative to focus on this area of study. Working at a chemist, and completing their 'Dementia Friend' training, exposed me to this type of mental illness, whose degenerative effects on a patient's life mean the proper treatment of those who live with it is crucial for a dignified quality of life. It is only possible to develop treatments by understanding the structure of the brain, the processes that occur within it, and how conditions alter them, so that solutions and treatments can be developed. Biology and Maths A-Levels developed my problem-solving and perseverance skills; both important in the study of neuroscience as it aims to find solutions to extremely challenging questions. Studying psychology has given me a taste of the world of the mind and how it controls behaviour and thought. This spurred me on to complete a university psychology MOOC, which enriched my understanding of important concepts. I have particularly enjoyed learning the biological origins of depression and how available drug treatments affect serotonin levels. Attending a seminar on the interaction between the immune system and brain, by Prof. Mark Hutchinson, enlightened me to the fact that we can harness the power of immune cells in delivering treatments to the brain, in cases of depression and addiction- another condition which I have become interested in.

After reading the National Geographic article 'The Science of Addiction', and watching the TED talk on the topic of 'Rat Park', I now look at addiction differently. Research has found that addiction is a disease that the patient experiences through physical changes in brain structure, and not simply a weakness of will, as traditionally thought. Therefore, it is important to look at the physical and mental sides of the disease - an understanding of the impact that drugs have on transmitters in the brain, as well as how a person's environment influences the condition (isolation, physical and emotional, for example, can be perilous to an addicted individual) is imperative in creating an effective treatment plan for addiction.

Completing an EPQ in the field of alternative medicine taught how to research effectively and conduct academic writing. I also took the opportunity to write for my school's journal, which is published annually, where I explored the importance of sleep- I enjoyed learning about different hormones and their effects of sleep, and how the circadian clock controls sleep-wake cycles. Through mentoring a lower school pupil and tutoring a GCSE student in maths, I developed my communication skills and an understanding of the importance of patience when trying to aid younger people. I look forward to my time studying neuroscience and welcome all the challenges and new experiences that will accompany it.

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Cognitive Neuroscience MSc

Key information.

• =10th   in the UK for Psychology   (ShanghaiRanking Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2023)
• =18th  in the UK for Psychology   (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024)
• Top 20  in the UK for our research overall   in Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience   in  REF 2021   (Times Higher Education)

Gain the knowledge and skills needed to study the biology of the mind and pursue a career associated with cognitive neuroscience.

At Sussex, you’ll:

• learn from our expert cognitive neuroscience researchers about the structure and function of the brain and how these are linked to concepts such as memory, attention, social interaction and consciousness
• gain hands-on experience with advanced research techniques, including neuroimaging (fMRI), programming for experiments, and electroencephalography (EEG)
• develop your statistics skills using R
• have direct, expert supervision of your personal research project
• become a part of our cognitive neuroscience community with access to world-class research seminars and workshops.

When you graduate, you’ll have the research skills in cognitive neuroscience needed for progression to a PhD. These skills also come in useful in other exciting careers including:

• data science
• science communication
• psychology consultancy
• related clinical professions.

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities described in this prospectus. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to government or regulatory requirements, or unanticipated staff changes, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.

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Entry requirements

• UK requirements
• International requirements

Please select your country from the list.

Philippines

Saudi Arabia

South Africa

South Korea

Switzerland

United Arab Emirates

My country is not listed

If your country is not listed, you need to contact us and find out the qualification level you should have for this course. Contact us

English language requirements

Ielts (academic).

High level (6.5 overall, including at least 6.0 in each component).

IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course.  Find out more about IELTS

We accept IELTS One Skills Retake.

We do not accept IELTS Online.

Check full details of our English Language requirements and find out more about some of the alternative English language qualifications listed below

Alternative English language qualifications

Proficiency tests, cambridge advanced certificate in english (cae).

176 overall, including at least 169 in each skill.

We would normally expect the CAE test to have been taken within two years before the start of your course.

You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Find out more about Cambridge English: Advanced

Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)

We would normally expect the CPE test to have been taken within two years before the start of your course.

You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Find out more about Cambridge English: Proficiency

LanguageCert Academic SELT

High level (70 overall, including at least 65 in each component).

LanguageCert Academic SELT scores are valid for two years from the test date. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course.  Find out more about LanguageCert Academic SELT

We only accept LanguageCert when taken at SELT Test Centres.

We do not accept the online version.  We also do not accept the non-SELT version.

LanguageCert International ESOL SELT

International ESOL SELT B2 with a minimum of 39 in each component.

LanguageCert International ESOL scores are valid for two years from the test date. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about LanguageCert SELT

We only accept LanguageCert when taken at SELT Test Centres. We do not accept the online version.

Pearson (PTE Academic)

High level (62 overall, including at least 59 in all four skills). 

PTE (Academic) scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about Pearson (PTE Academic)

We do not accept the PTE Academic Online test.

TOEFL (iBT)

High level (88 overall, including at least 20 in Listening, 19 in Reading, 21 in Speaking, 23 in Writing). 

TOEFL (iBT) scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about TOEFL (iBT)

We do not accept TOEFL (iBT) Home Edition.

The TOEFL Institution Code for the University of Sussex is 9166.

English language qualifications

As/a-level (gce).

Grade C or above in English Language.

Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE)/ AS or A Level: grade C or above in Use of English.

GCE O-level

Grade C or above in English.

Brunei/Cambridge GCE O-level in English: grades 1-6.

Singapore/Cambridge GCE O-level in English: grades 1-6.

GCSE or IGCSE

Grade C or above in English as a First Language (Grade 4 or above in GCSE from 2017).

Grade B or above in English as a Second Language.

Ghana Senior Secondary School Certificate

If awarded before 1993: grades 1-6 in English language.

If awarded between 1993 and 2005: grades A-D in English language

Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE)

Level 4, including at least 3 in each component in English Language.

Indian School Certificate (Standard XII)

The Indian School Certificate is accepted at the grades below when awarded by the following examination boards:

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) – English Core only:  70%

Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) - English:  70% 

International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB)

English A or English B at grade 5 or above.

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education

Grades A - C in English language

Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) 1119/GCE O-level

If taken before the end of 2008: grades 1-6 in English Language.

If taken from 2009 onwards: grade C or above in English Language.

The qualification must be jointly awarded by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES).

West African Senior School Certificate

Grades A1-C6 (1-6) in English language when awarded by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) or the National Examinations Council (NECO).

Country exceptions

Select to see the list of exempt english-speaking countries.

If you are a national of one of the countries below, or if you have recently completed a qualification equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree or higher in one of these countries, you will normally meet our English requirement. Note that qualifications obtained by distance learning or awarded by studying outside these countries cannot be accepted for English language purposes.

You will normally be expected to have completed the qualification within two years before starting your course at Sussex. If the qualification was obtained earlier than this, we would expect you to be able to demonstrate that you have maintained a good level of English, for example by living in an English-speaking country or working in an occupation that required you to use English regularly and to a high level.

Please note that this list is determined by the UK’s Home Office, not by the University of Sussex.

List of exempt countries: 

• Antigua and Barbuda
• New Zealand
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• The British Overseas Territories
• Trinidad and Tobago
• United Kingdom

** Canada: you must be a national of Canada; other nationals not on this list who have a degree from a Canadian institution will not normally be exempt from needing to provide evidence of English.

English language support

If you don’t meet the English language requirements for your degree, you may be able to take a pre-sessional course

• Visas and immigration

Admissions information for applicants

If your qualifications aren’t listed or you have a question about entry requirements, contact us

For details on any additional costs, check out the Fees and scholarships section.

Application deadlines

1 August 2025 (international), 1 September 2025 (UK)

We strongly recommend an earlier application where possible, as some courses are in high demand and may close before the above dates. Find out more at How to apply for a Masters course

Full-time and part-time study

Choose to study this course full time or part time, to fit around your work and personal life. Modules for the full-time course are listed below.  For details  about the part-time course,  contact us .

Core modules

Core modules are taken by all students on the course. They give you a solid grounding in your chosen subject and prepare you to explore the topics that interest you most.

Autumn teaching

• An Adventure in Statistics
• Research Reform and Open Science
• Social Neuroscience
• Topics in Cognitive Neuroscience

Spring teaching

• Brain Imaging Methods
• Neuroscience of Consciousness
• Programming for Experiments
• The Brain Across The Life Span

Spring and summer teaching

• Research Dissertation

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.

We’ll do our best to provide as much optional choice as we can, but timetabling constraints mean it may not be possible to take some module combinations. The structure of a small number of courses means that the order of modules or the streams you choose may determine whether modules are core or optional. This means that your core modules or options may differ from what’s shown here.

Check back in January 2025 for the modules running in the academic year 2025/26.

Our experts

The School of Psychology is one of the UK’s largest and most academically diverse communities of psychology staff and students. You’ll be taught and supervised by experts who create positive impact through research. This includes our Cognitive Psychology and Biological Psychology researchers.

Dr Sam Berens

Lecturer in Psychology

View profile of Sam Berens

Prof Chris Bird

Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience

View profile of Chris Bird

Dr Jenny Bosten

Senior Lecturer in Psychology

View profile of Jenny Bosten

Dr Daniel Campbell-Meiklejohn

View profile of Daniel Campbell-Meiklejohn

Prof Hugo Critchley

Chair in Psychiatry (Honorary Consultant)

View profile of Hugo Critchley

Prof Hans Crombag

Professor of Behavioural Neuroscience

View profile of Hans Crombag

Prof Zoltan Dienes

Professor in Experimental Psychology

View profile of Zoltan Dienes

Prof Gillian Forrester

Professor of Comparative Cognition

View profile of Gillian Forrester

Dr Sophie Forster

Reader in Psychology and Cognitive Neuro

View profile of Sophie Forster

Prof Anna Franklin

Professor of Visual Perception and Cognition

View profile of Anna Franklin

Prof Alan Garnham

Professor of Experimental Psychology

View profile of Alan Garnham

Dr Theodoros Karapanagiotidis

View profile of Theodoros Karapanagiotidis

Dr Sarah King

Reader in Behavioural Neuroscience

View profile of Sarah King

Dr Eisuke Koya

Reader in Psychology

View profile of Eisuke Koya

Dr David Leavens

Reader in Comparative Psychology

View profile of David Leavens

Dr Liat Levita

Reader in Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience

View profile of Liat Levita

Dr Dominique Makowski

View profile of Dominique Makowski

Dr John Maule

View profile of John Maule

Dr Emiliano Merlo

View profile of Emiliano Merlo

Dr Alexa Morcom

Senior Lecturer in Cognitive Neuroscience

View profile of Alexa Morcom

Dr Giulia Poerio

View profile of Giulia Poerio

Dr Charlotte Rae

View profile of Charlotte Rae

Dr Warrick Roseboom

Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Inform

View profile of Warrick Roseboom

Dr David Schwartzman

Research Fellow

View profile of David Schwartzman

Dr Ryan Scott

View profile of Ryan Scott

Prof Anil Seth

Professor of Cognitive & Computational Neuroscience

View profile of Anil Seth

Dr Maxine Sherman

Lecturer in Computer Science & AI

View profile of Maxine Sherman

Prof Julia Simner

Professor of Psychology

View profile of Julia Simner

Dr Bryan Singer

View profile of Bryan Singer

Dr Ediz Sohoglu

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Neuroscience Personal Statement

This personal statement got her into neuroscience courses at  university college london, king’s college london, university of edinburgh, university of manchester and university of bristol ..

When I first attempted meditation, I was engrossed by the state of emptiness in my mind I was able to achieve, which led me to contemplate how the brain actually functions. Subsequently, I was exposed to the Buddhist view of perception and consciousness; as a keen scientific inquirer, this sparked my fascination towards investigating matters of the mind from a scientific perspective. From reading David’s Eagleman’s ‘Incognito’, the power of the subconscious mind in executing our auto responses left me enthralled and pondering upon the complexity of the neural processes that underpin our behaviour.

I chose to study Biology and Chemistry in IBDP in order to gain deeper understanding of the anatomy and the chemistry of the human body. The neurobiology option in Biology particularly interested me as it explores not only the structure of the brain but also how behaviour and cognitive abilities, to a certain extent, have been genetically predetermined by the process of natural selection. This led me to further inquire into the relationship between our brain and behaviour in my Theory of Knowledge presentation, in which I investigated the accuracy of our sense perception as a way of judging human behaviour from a neuroscientific viewpoint. In addition, I learnt in mathematics how the subject can be applied to problem solving in various instances; for example, the way in which graph theory can be used to map and model the vast network of neurons in the brain.

During the summer, I completed an internship at the School of Biosciences at Taylor’s University. I had the chance to work with postgraduate students of wide-ranging cultural backgrounds which provided me with an eye-opening experience of being immersed within the scientific community for the first time. Throughout my time there, I was required to independently carry out my own experiments using advanced lab techniques, which helped me to develop my investigative and analytical skills. I was also presented with the opportunity to attend an international food science conference, witnessing the exchange of scientific knowledge and opinions at a highly intellectual level.

Furthermore, I shadowed a pediatrician at a local hospital to find out more about the development of cognitive learning. Communication and interaction with the children and their parents helped hone my interpersonal skills in a new environment. Through discussions with the doctors and my own observations, I was intrigued to discover the different developmental stages of child behavior and how it relied very much on their innate gut responses more than reasoning or anything else. When I volunteer with Burmese refugee children who come weekly to my school, it is important for me to recognise the level of their learning abilities in order to organise educational activities suitable for them. Although language and cultural barriers make it more challenging, being able to make an impact in their lives is truly rewarding.

By constantly being active in various cognitive activities, I allow my brain to retain its neuroplasticity and improve my everyday life. I am involved in cross country, badminton, taekwondo and also serve as the captain of my school’s basketball team. I embrace my creative side as yearbook designer and occasionally writing press articles for newspapers. I am also part of the school’s string ensemble and performed in various shows and concerts in and out of school. My engagement in the student council as senior committee leader and the organising committee of my school’s first MUN conference allowed me to develop my time management and leadership skills.

I wish to pursue a research career in neuroscience in order to explore the myriad of other possibilities of the brain. Besides understanding neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s, I believe that greater research into the brain’s potential of enhancing learning and behaviour can also help advance the lives of the neurologically healthy.

DISCLAIMER : The personal statements on this site are strictly meant as a starting point to give an idea of how successful personal statements look like. There is no surefire formula to writing good personal statements.  COLLEGELAH IS STRICTLY AGAINST PLAGIARISM OF ANY KIND . UCAS employs a plagiarism check system that checks applicants’ work against other published writing so please DO NOT PLAGIARISE .

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Personal Statement:Neuroscience 2

Neuroscience personal statement.

When I first discovered dopamine, the many facets of neurotransmitters and their role in disorders, I was fascinated. The fact that a whole human being is controlled by a network of impulses and connections or that complex illness could be explained by chemical deficiencies interested me. Understanding the mechanics of the body had always attracted me, and when I first discovered neuroscience I was astonished at how little there was known about the brain. I want to delve deeper into this field, and perhaps contribute to it in the future.

I was first inspired by a Psychology course I took in my 4th year. The brief look into cognitive psychology motivated me to research into ADD, ADHD and addiction. The love of the module incited me to take on Chemistry and Biology for my final two years at school. The anatomical chapters on my Biology course fascinated me, particularly the endocrine and neurological systems. How the brain knew when to release chemicals throughout the body and start a chain of events captured my imagination. To my surprise, Chemistry became my favourite subject. The preparation of chemical compounds, especially in volumetric analysis; the mathematical elements of stochiometry and the practical aspects of organic chemistry instilled in me the wish to pursue a career with a heavy chemical basis, like neuropharmocology.

I always have been a voracious reader, leading to an awareness of psychiatric illnesses and the use of drugs in medicine from the British journal of general practioners. As a naturally curious person, I feel an urge to be as up to date as possible on medical world affairs. Another enjoyable read came in the form of the autobiography of Ivor Browne. His take on the hippocampus and links to Alzheimer's especially interested me. Recently, my grandmother has suffered from the disease and it infuriates me how little can be done. This has been one of my incentives to follow a career into neuroscience as I want to know as much as I possibly can to try and understand their suffering in detail.

Most of the voluntary work I have participated in was also for Alzheimer's homes. In my final year of primary school, we would keep the members of a local Alzheimer's sufferers club entertained for an hour every week with songs and stories. Similarly, in my transition year, my friends and I volunteered to perform for the elderly on our half day. Also during that year, I took an enterprise class, which allowed me to develop many essential entrepreneurial skills such as initiative, a pragmatic approach, problem-solving and an opportunistic nature which led me to become the leader of my business group. My attention to detail and our enthusiasm ensured us as the only group in our class to make a profit.

Outside of my academic life, one of my main hobbies is drama. Having performed on stage several times to large audiences, I feel I am adept at coping under pressure. My preferred form of drama is improvisation, which has enabled me to be quick on my feet and to always be prepared. Last summer, I was in one of four groups in Ireland chosen to script, produce and act in a series of short films for the main Irish broadcaster, that were aired last September.

As a child I have moved around several times and relish the idea of starting afresh and facing new challenges and responsibilities. Studying at a university far from home is the ideal for me. With everything I encounter, I have a desire to learn every detail in order to be continually stimulated, and neuroscience is no exception. My father often tells me I am going to be an eternal student, and hopefully with a career in the narrow field of research and development, that future is looking more and more tangible.

Universities Applied to:

• University of Edinburgh (Neuroscience)

Grades Achieved:

General comments:, comments on the statement:.

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• Statement of Purpose, Personal History, Diversity

Help with Cognitive Psychology/Cognitive Neuroscience SOP

• statement of purpose
• cognitive psychology
• cognitive neuroscience
• personal statement

By nebulousmilk November 27, 2018 in Statement of Purpose, Personal History, Diversity

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nebulousmilk

Willing to swap or help with yours if you help with mine!

Attending the University of North Carolina at ______ I began my undergraduate career with the intention of obtaining a degree in Psychology. This decision was based on my general interest in the brain and human behavior. After completing my second year I decided to double major in Biology due to my desire to understand the brain at its’ most fundamental level. As I advanced through my degrees and questioned what type of career I would like to pursue I became increasingly interested in the experimental side of neuroscience. I was particularly fascinated by research identifying the ways in which conscious beings possessed differing perceptual abilities and the various environmental and biological causes behind these differences.

My growing curiosity towards the research aspect of neuroscience prompted me to take the initiative to seek out research experience through my university. Pursuing an interest in the role of learning and memory in mental disorders, I applied for a position in Dr. Blank’s Behavioral Pharmacology and Comparative Cognition lab.  I was accepted and completed five semesters and two summers as a research assistant. This opportunity allowed me to gain experience in a lab and become familiar with the daily proceedings that occur within a research setting. I was able collaborate with graduate students on various aspects of their research endeavors. This included weekly presentations which allowed me to become skilled in the communication needed in an effective lab group. I also had the opportunity to attend the Society for Neuroscience conference which further opened my eyes to how vast the field of neuroscience is.

During my time in Dr. Blank’s lab I studied the effects of both drugs and non-pharmacological variables on memory processes in rodents. I assisted graduate students on several projects seeking to identify drug effects on rodent reinforcement learning, recognition, and episodic-like memory using behavioral assays such as the odor span task and radial arm maze. In addition to studying behavioral pharmacology I also worked on projects seeking to identify the limits of certain cognitive abilities in rodents. I appreciated the breadth of our research because it gave me exposure to both the biological underpinnings of behavior as well as the importance of experimental design.

Under the supervision of Dr. Blank I was also able to hone my interests and experience independent research as well by completing an undergraduate thesis project titled Effects of Ketamine on a Rodent Model of Memory Capacity: A Test of the NMDA Hypo-activity Hypothesis of Schizophrenia. The purpose of this research was to determine the validity of NMDA antagonists as an animal model of the working memory deficits commonly seen in individuals with schizophrenia. After an extensive literature search I became interested in which NMDA antagonist might provide a rodent model with the most translational significance. In the past different NMDA antagonists had produced disparate effects on cognitive measures. While completing this project I was able to follow my own experimental question from its original hypothesis through to the analysis of the resulting experimental data and it’s subsequent presentation and defense. I found this to be a highly rewarding experience that solidified my interest in pursuing graduate work and an academic career.

Following my undergraduate education I have continued to learn and focus my research interests in neuroscience through reading and following online course materials such as MIT’s  Neural Basis of Learning and Memory, Cognitive Neuroscience, and Cognitive and Behavioral Genetics as well as courses on data analysis and MATLAB programming. My long term goal is to continue to conduct research and teach at a university level, however I would also love to be involved with the same open courseware platforms that have allowed me to learn outside the walls of a university.

I enjoyed the research I was involved in during my undergraduate career, however, I felt that I would like to explore neuroscience working directly with humans. During my search for graduate programs I hoped to find a program with an interdisciplinary approach that would allow me to explore this interest. I would love to be able to gain experience with brain imaging techniques and computational modeling while contributing to the field of neuroscience. After researching the doctoral program in Psychology at UC Blank I found that it provided everything I was looking for.  I am especially interested in the work of Dr. Blank combining behavioral experiments and computational models to study working memory and learning. Working memory became one of my biggest interests during undergraduate school and I am interested Dr. Blank’s research on it’s interference with reinforcement learning. I am also interested in how motivation plays a role. I was also intrigued by Dr. Blank’s research involving genetic factors influencing cognition.

I believe this program would help me gain important foundational skills and allow me to explore my research interests further so that I can develop myself as a research scientist further. I believe I am a good fit for this program because my interests closely align with the research being conducted. I hope to bring what I have learned so far and build upon this while continuing my research career at UC Blank.

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here is mine

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_S4wU8DBNoUAuNTTcUi6PSOkGgVmmXGeUNX-l4fpoFo/edit?usp=sharing

• 1 year later...

This is a very well-written SOP! Thanks for sharing. Did you get accepted into your top choice program?

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Early Childhood Screen Use Contexts and Cognitive and Psychosocial Outcomes : A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

• 1 School of Education, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
• 2 Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
• 3 School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
• 4 Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
• 5 School of Early Childhood and Inclusive Education, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
• 6 College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
• 7 School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
• 8 Health and Wellbeing Centre for Research Innovation, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Question   What are the associations of screen use contexts in early childhood with cognitive and psychosocial outcomes?

Findings   In this systematic review and meta-analysis, more program viewing and background television were associated with poorer cognitive outcomes while more program viewing, age-inappropriate content, and caregiver screen use were associated with poorer psychosocial outcomes. Co-use was positively associated with cognitive outcomes.

Meaning   Contexts of screen use (ie, type, content, co-use, and purpose of use) beyond screen time limits should be considered in global recommendations for families, clinicians, and educators.

Importance   The multifaceted nature of screen use has been largely overlooked in favor of a simplistic unidimensional measure of overall screen time when evaluating the benefits and risks of screen use to early childhood development.

Objective   To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine associations of screen use contexts in early childhood with cognitive and psychosocial outcomes.

Data Sources   PsycINFO, Embase, MEDLINE Ovid, ProQuest, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched from inception to December 31, 2023.

Study Selection   A total of 7441 studies were initially identified. Studies were included if they examined associations between a contextual factor of screen use among children aged 0 to 5.99 years and cognitive or psychosocial development. Observational, experimental, and randomized clinical trial study designs were included.

Data Extraction and Synthesis   All studies were independently screened in duplicate following PRISMA guidelines. Effect sizes of associations ( r ) from observational studies were pooled using random-effects 3-level meta-analyses. The remaining study designs were narratively synthesized.

Main Outcomes and Measures   Screen use contexts included content (child directed and age inappropriate), type (program viewing and game or app use), co-use (or solo use), background television, caregiver screen use during child routines, and purpose. Outcomes were cognitive (executive functioning, language, and academic skills) or psychosocial (internalizing and externalizing behavior problems and socioemotional competence).

Results   Overall, 100 studies (176 742 participants) were included, and of these, 64 observational studies (pooled sample sizes ranging from 711 to 69 232) were included in meta-analyses. Program viewing (n = 14; k = 48; r , −0.16; 95% CI, −0.24 to −0.08) and background television (n = 8; k = 18; r , −0.10; 95% CI, −0.18 to −0.02) were negatively associated with cognitive outcomes, while program viewing (n = 6; k = 31; r , −0.04; 95% CI, −0.07 to −0.01), age-inappropriate content (n = 9; k = 36; r , −0.11; 95% CI, −0.17 to −0.04), and caregiver screen use during routines (n = 6; k = 14; r , −0.11; 95% CI, −0.20 to −0.03) were negatively associated with psychosocial outcomes. Co-use was positively associated with cognitive outcomes (n = 8; k = 28; r , 0.14; 95% CI, 0.03 to 0.25).

Conclusions and Relevance   Findings show small to moderate effect sizes that highlight the need to consider screen use contexts when making recommendations for families, clinicians, and educators beyond screen time limits; including encouraging intentional and productive screen use, age-appropriate content, and co-use with caregivers.

Read More About

Mallawaarachchi S , Burley J , Mavilidi M, et al. Early Childhood Screen Use Contexts and Cognitive and Psychosocial Outcomes : A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis . JAMA Pediatr. Published online August 05, 2024. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.2620

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Attention and decision-making processes are fundamental to cognition. However, they are usually experimentally confounded, making it difficult to link neural observations to specific processes. Here we separated the effects of selective attention from the effects of decision-making on brain activity obtained from human participants (both sexes), using a two-stage task where the attended stimulus and decision were orthogonal and separated in time. Multivariate pattern analyses of multimodal neuroimaging data revealed the dynamics of perceptual and decision-related information coding through time (magnetoencephalography (MEG)), space (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)), and their combination (MEG-fMRI fusion). Our MEG results showed an effect of attention before decision-making could begin, and fMRI results showed an attention effect in early visual and frontoparietal regions. Model-based MEG-fMRI fusion suggested that attention boosted stimulus information in frontoparietal and early visual regions before decision-making was possible. Together, our results suggest that attention affects neural stimulus representations in frontoparietal regions independent of decision-making.

Significance statement Attention and decision-making processes are often experimentally confounded in neuroimaging studies, as participants are commonly asked to make categorical decisions about an attended stimulus only. Our study addresses this issue by separating the effects of selective attention from decision-making effects in human observers. We used multivariate pattern analyses to investigate the dynamics of perceptual and decision-related information coding through time (with MEG) and space (with fMRI) and applied a MEG-fMRI fusion analysis to combine data across neuroimaging modalities. Our results show that attention boosts stimulus information in frontoparietal and early visual regions before decision-making was possible. These findings provide an important verification of claims that attention modulates information processing in the brain and highlights the importance of separating these processes.

The authors declare no competing financial interests.

This work was supported by the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders (CE110001021), International Research Training Program Scholarships from Macquarie University awarded to DM, an ARC Discovery Project (DP170101840) awarded to ANR and AW, and by the Medical Research Council (UK) intramural funding (SUAG/093/G116768) awarded to AW. The authors acknowledge the facilities and scientific and technical assistance of the National Imaging Facility, a National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) capability, at Macquarie University. For the purpose of open access, the authors have applied a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) licence to any Author Accepted Manuscript version arising from this submission.

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Ozempic-like weight loss drugs may protect against Alzheimer's

A weight loss drug similar to Ozempic appeared to slow cognitive decline in patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease, new research presented Tuesday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Philadelphia finds.

The findings, which have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, add to the growing evidence that GLP-1 agonists — a class of medications that includes the popular diabetes and weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy , from Novo Nordisk, and Mounjaro and Zepbound , from Eli Lilly — may also protect the brain.

“What we’ve shown is that these GLP-1s have great potential to be a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr. Paul Edison, a professor of neuroscience at Imperial College London who presented the findings Tuesday. “As a class of drugs, this holds great promise.”

Early evidence has hinted at GLP-1 drugs’ brain-boosting potential. Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, has been shown in studies to cut the risk of dementia in patients with Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a known risk factor for the disease.

Novo Nordisk is running two phase 3 clinical trials that will compare semaglutide to a placebo in more than 3,000 patients with mild cognitive impairment or early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. The trial results are expected to be released sometime in 2025. In a statement, a Novo Nordisk spokesperson said there is “an urgent need for treatments that can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.”

The new research presented by Edison looked at liraglutide, the active ingredient used in two of Novo Nordisk’s older GLP-1 drugs , Saxenda, a weight loss drug, and Victoza, a diabetes drug. The midstage clinical trial included about 200 people in the United Kingdom who got daily injections of either liraglutide or a placebo.

After one year, cognitive decline in the patients who got liraglutide had slowed by as much as 18% compared to those who didn’t get the drug, based on the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale, which tracks the progression of the disease by assessing memory, language, skills, understanding and reasoning abilities.

The drug was also shown to reduce shrinkage in parts of the brain responsible for memory, learning and decision-making by nearly 50%. Shrinkage of the brain, also known as brain atrophy , is often associated with the severity of cognitive decline in people with dementia and Alzheimer’s.

“I think there’s some hope for these drugs,” said Dr. Ronald Petersen, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, who is not involved with the research. “Their primary use is diabetes and weight loss, but you’ve probably also seen that they may be useful for sleep apnea and heart disease. So all of these effects cumulatively may be very beneficial to the brain.”

The next wave of Alzheimer’s treatments

Nearly 7 million people in the U.S. have Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association . By 2050, the number is projected to almost double to 13 million.

The disease has no known cure.

Within the past two years, the Food and Drug Administration has approved two drugs — Biogen’s Leqembi and Lilly’s Kisunla — that marginally slow the progression of Alzheimer’s by targeting the disease’s hallmark amyloid plaques in the brain . They’re the only drugs on the market available to treat the disease, but they’re pricey and can come with serious side effects, including brain swelling and brain bleeding.

Dr. Maria Carrillo, the chief science officer at the Alzheimer’s Association, said she expects that GLP-1 drugs may be the next advancement in the treatment of the disease, most likely used in combination with the amyloid-fighting drugs.

“I think the first thing out of the gate will be the GLP-1s,” Carrillo said.

If late-stage trials go well, FDA approval could happen as early as next year, she said. But combination treatment of amyloid drugs and GLP-1s is most likely already happening in the real world, Carrillo added, noting that many people with Alzheimer’s disease also have diabetes or obesity and may already be taking a GLP-1 medication.

“Those combinations are already happening,” she said. “They’re just not FDA-approved combinations.”

How might GLP-1s protect the brain?

Dr. Alberto Espay, a neurologist at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, said the key questions that remain are how do GLP-1s help protect the brain and by how much.

The fact that they appear to help makes sense: Alzheimer’s, he said, is thought to be a “syndrome of many diseases caused by different biological, toxic or infectious exposures.”

Petersen, of the Mayo Clinic, agreed.

“I think the data are accumulating across the board for a variety of different disorders and mechanisms,” he said. “Any one of these factors, diabetes, obesity, all of these can have deleterious effects on cognitive functions. If you treat those underlying conditions, you make it a beneficial positive effect of cognitive function.”

The existing Alzheimer’s drugs, Leqembi and Kisunla , target only one component of the disease: amyloid plaque in the brain.

The GLP-1 drugs, Petersen said, could work in “nonspecific” ways.

“I don’t think that this class of drugs necessarily will have specific actions on Alzheimer’s disease if you define Alzheimer’s disease by the presence of plaques and tangles of amyloid and tau,” he said. “On the other hand, if these drugs have anti-inflammatory kinds of actions or other cerebrovascular actions, that could be very important.”

Edison said that the liraglutide study found that people who got the drug had reductions in inflammation , insulin resistance and the formation of tau, a protein in the brain that is thought to contribute to Alzheimer’s. They also had improvements in overall brain function.

“If you want to have very effective treatment, what you need is not only targeting amyloid. You have to target other pathological forces, as well,” he said.

Espay said of the liraglutide results: “This looks promising. If this is replicated in a phase 3 trial, it could become the first truly disease-modifying treatment in Alzheimer’s disease.”

Berkeley Lovelace Jr. is a health and medical reporter for NBC News. He covers the Food and Drug Administration, with a special focus on Covid vaccines, prescription drug pricing and health care. He previously covered the biotech and pharmaceutical industry with CNBC.

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The average direct, indirect and total effects of environmental concern on pro-environmental behavior.

1. Introduction

2.1. background, designing observational study as experimental, 2.2. data section, 2.3. technical point and description of the method, 2.4. sensitivity analysis.

Click here to enlarge figure

Sensitivity Analysis

4. discussion, author contributions, data availability statement, conflicts of interest.

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Share and Cite

Hernández-Alemán, A.; Cruz-Pérez, N.; Santamarta, J.C. The Average Direct, Indirect and Total Effects of Environmental Concern on Pro-Environmental Behavior. Land 2024 , 13 , 1229. https://doi.org/10.3390/land13081229

Hernández-Alemán A, Cruz-Pérez N, Santamarta JC. The Average Direct, Indirect and Total Effects of Environmental Concern on Pro-Environmental Behavior. Land . 2024; 13(8):1229. https://doi.org/10.3390/land13081229

Hernández-Alemán, Anastasia, Noelia Cruz-Pérez, and Juan C. Santamarta. 2024. "The Average Direct, Indirect and Total Effects of Environmental Concern on Pro-Environmental Behavior" Land 13, no. 8: 1229. https://doi.org/10.3390/land13081229

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Neuroscience personal statement example 2.

The application of scientific knowledge to understanding how humans, and the creatures around us, function and react with each other has always been a source of wonder to me.

The opportunity to combine a scientific understanding of processes and structure of the nervous system and brain with knowledge of applications relevant to our own behaviour, including those of a clinical kind, makes neuroscience such an attractive prospect to me.

The subject appeals deeply, as a chance to combine my pure science interests with learning about the most fascinating organ of all, the brain. I look forward to studying the development and behaviour of animals. As I have always been fascinated by the hidden language and silent communication between them, and how this relates to the subtleties of our own social structures, and how commonalities of brain function with humans may be identified.

I am drawn to the opportunity to learn about the physical, and consequent behavioural, impact of neural diseases such as Alzheimer’s and motor neurone disease, and the effects of recreational and medicinal drugs upon the brain. I keep up with the latest news, using the New Scientist, which presents so many different and important topics relevant to how we live today.

These include the most recent research and progress in treating dementia, one of the most complex and mysterious common diseases of our time, to exposing inadequacies in previously accepted treatments such as deep brain stimulation.

Other topics include the potential commercial exploitation of the brain’s response to cinematic effects, manipulating viewers into becoming intoxicated by films, and thus to make a movie more successful.

The diversity of these topics shows me the depth, importance and complexity of the brain, each finding exploring an issue of which we may perhaps be unaware, but which may be alarmingly relevant to each and every one of our lives and the way we work and think.

My reading has led me to David Goleman’s books on Social and Emotional Intelligence, exploring the reactions irresistible to our brains, such as how a smile induces relaxation even in the most tense situation, and showing how each part of our brains are involved with interpreting the world around us.

I have been volunteering at Rastrick High School since March 2010, working in classes with children with learning disabilities, including cerebral palsy and autism. This experience heightened my fascination of how one simple change or abnormality within the brain can have such influence, shaping a person’s personality.

This has helped me learn to adapt to social situations, dealing with a wider variety of people and the occasional challenges of younger children with behavioural problems. I appreciate the chance to work in such an environment, and the insight it has provided into my keenness to pursue a future helping people with such problems.

I have completed two separate weeks’ work experience at veterinary surgeries, which gave me a valuable insight into careers applying complex biological science to clinical situations: I found this compelling and appealing.

This enhanced my communication skills, as I had to adapt to fit in with a team of vets and nurses, and work appropriately and helpfully. This included observing the handling of the animals, and the consultations between the pets and their owners. I observed the interaction between those involved, and how skills of tact can be deployed to ease such a sensitive situation.

I have had a part-time job at a clothes shop since December 2008. This has been an invaluable opportunity to see the long-term changes in a business, and has challenged me to work effectively in a team, and help me learn how to deal with difficult customers with patience and tact.

As well as greatly looking forward to continuing my studies, I am excited by the prospect of independent living, meeting new people, and experiencing the diversity of the vibrant city I hope to move to.

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This personal statement was written by birdbrains for application in 2011.

birdbrains's university choices The University of Nottingham

Green : offer made Red : no offer made

birdbrains's Comments

got me all 5 offers Neuroscience Bristol-ABB Nottingham-BBB Manchester-ABB Medical Neuroscience Sussex-AAB/A*BB Zoology Liverpool-ABB I applied in 2010/2011 My predicted grades were ABB and my Alevel overall grades are A*AA I chose Bristol as my first choice and Nottingham as my second.

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