Psychology // Neuroscience Applicants 2020

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I am sorry if this is in the wrong forum for this but any advice would be really appreciated. I have recently discovered what I am truly interested in and it's not medicine (which I've been chasing after like mad for a year and a half). So now I think I want to pursue Neuroscience. But I have some questions/ issues with this decision:
1. I don't really know what path I would take after my undergraduate degree (I was thinking of computational neuroscience and a pHD at Cambridge) and what job I would persue.
2. I've been exploring neuroscience courses in clearing ('Queen Mary University of London with year abroad' and 'Leeds' and these are universities I have visited and they have immediately caught my fancy) but I don't know how I will know which of these courses is going to be enjoyable for me and whether I will actually enjoy the course. I also love the idea of living in London. However, QMUL and Leeds lead to two different degrees and I don't know which degree is most sought after for graduates: Leeds leads to MBiol, BSc & QMUL to BSc (Hons).

Of course, I am going to do more research on this and will not make any decisions in haste because I finally feel the energy that I was missing when applying for Medicine. But any advice would be very much appreciated.

(BTW I'm a Year 13 student waiting for A-level results and think I will get ABB (in Biology, Chemistry, Maths) minimum as they were my mock results).

Thank you.

I dunno, sounds like the right forum to me :smile:

Sorry for the late reply, I didn't see this post over the last few days.

1) What makes you want to consider computational neuroscience and specifically Cambridge for a PhD? In my experience of talking to people looking at more computational approaches to neuroscience, they feel they have been screwed over, as most PhD's they want to apply to actually prefer maths/statistics at undergrad. The idea being its easier to train a mathematician in all the necessary biology stuff than it is to train a biologist in all the complex mathematical stuff. Its likely appropriate courses will be made in the future, but for now this isn't the case.

Is there anything specifically within neuroscience that interests you?

2) The two courses you mention both sound like 4 year courses with very different outcomes. the QMUL course is a Bachelors course, the year abroad could have two different meanings-1st would be you work at a university/company for a year after 2nd year, gaining experience in a lab/place of research. Second would be you join a foreign university for a year, do some of their modules, then come back. Honestly if its the 2nd option and you're looking for a research career, avoid it as gaining experience in a placement year is VERY valuable (I didn't do this personally and really wish I had).

The Leeds course is an "integrated masters"-essentially you do your first 3 years, get a BSc then go onto a Masters (presumably you have to meet a certain grade requirement for your BSc). So if you want to do a masters anyway, great, if you are unsure it sounds like they have the option to just leave after MSc anyway.

Other things I'd note:
1) Don't feel you have to do your bachelor's in neuroscience to become a neuroscientist as a career. I didn't, and of the ~15 people I've worked with directly, and dozens more indirectly, I only know 1 person who did a neuroscience bachelors degree. Biochemistry, Pharmacology, biomedical sciences and other related courses all offer routes into neuroscience (and give you a broader background in other areas if that's something you are interested in.

2) I'd say generally the courses you research will teach very similar 1st and 2nd year modules (because the basics should be similar wherever you go). Its the final year modules and researchers at universities that I'd be looking into. Again, if you have any specific interests, look at who is researching those kinds of ideas and where they are based. I got lucky with neurometabolism researchers at Exeter, and now thankfully knowing what I know now, have directed my attention to Sheffield for my PhD

3) If you choose not to do a placement year, you will likely struggle to get onto a PhD without some other form of significant lab experience, or a Masters degree to get said experience. Maybe a bit early to start thinking about that but worth considering.

Any questions feel free to PM me or reply to this message

Reply 221

Indecisive.ERP

Anyone going to Warwick for psychology?

Reply 222

monom00n

Original post by Indecisive.ERP

Anyone going to Warwick for psychology?

I will be! Congrats on getting in :biggrin:

Reply 223

monom00n

Original post by Indecisive.ERP

Anyone going to Warwick for psychology?

I will be! Congrats on getting in :biggrin:

Reply 224

Indecisive.ERP

Original post by monom00n

I will be! Congrats on getting in :biggrin:

Congrats to you too!

Reply 225

ripharambe2016

Original post by ma09__

Degree Choice: BSc Neuroscience.
Universities: KCL, Uni of Warwick, Uni of Nottingham, Uni of Leeds & QMUL.
Predicted: AAB + EPQ
Subjects: Biology, Chemistry & History.
GCSE: 5A*, 3A & B