Subject overview

Programmes

• PhD in Neuroscience
• MPhil in Neuroscience

The School of Life Sciences welcomes you to join a vibrant international research community. Research in the School ranges from studies on the most basic chemical building blocks of life to studies on how the brain generates behaviour or how insect societies are organised. We offer PhD/MPhil degrees and welcome projects falling within our research interests. 

At the University of Sussex there are over 50 research groups working on the nervous system and this community is represented by Sussex Neuroscience. A significant component of our research is in cellular and molecular neurosciences, with particular strengths in learning and memory, neuropharmacology, sensory systems and synaptic physiology. About 20 of these groups will be located in a new Centre for Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience, a three-storey building specially refurbished to provide the infrastructure required for the best research. This building will foster a highly interactive and collaborative way of working, with substantial sharing of space and facilities. Refurbishment should be complete in 2014. 

Understanding how the brain works is the hugely challenging goal of neuroscience. Our knowledge of the brain is increasing exponentially, making neuroscience the most rapidly advancing of all the sciences. Interest and excitement in how the brain works is wholly understandable – after all, the scientific study of the brain is key to solving the greatest philosophical and scientific puzzles of all, the physical nature of the mind and consciousness. 

Perhaps more than any other area of science, an integrated interdisciplinary approach in neuroscience is essential for fundamental advances. Neuroscientists must employ a wide range of both human and animal model systems and apply a multitude of remarkable new tools and technologies. The range of expertise within neuroscience at Sussex, our interdisciplinary ethos and the research training environment are recognised internationally as exceptional. 

In joining us as a postgraduate student, you become a member of a team with expertise in diverse areas such as simple-systems analysis, computational modelling and cellular, molecular, structural, cognitive and developmental approaches to the brain. We give you unique opportunities to involve yourself in collaborations across the disciplines – within the School of Life Sciences, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, the Department of Informatics and the School of Psychology, for example. 

Student progress and support

Throughout your studies, you are expected to take part in laboratory meetings, journal clubs and to attend a weekly seminar series. All students are encouraged to attend, and present their work at, national and international scientific meetings. You are also encouraged to attend weekly School seminars. 

The School offers full support to all research students throughout their research period by monitoring their research progress in the form of annual reviews, informal meetings, mid-year reports (Year 1) and active participation in the Postgraduate Research Colloquium. The aim of the Colloquium is to bring research students and faculty together for a wider discussion of the ongoing research projects within the School. All third-year research students give a talk on their research, and all second-year research students submit a poster depicting the key aims and objectives, methods and findings of their research project. 

We aim to ensure that you have the best possible research experience. The relationships between supervisors and research students are often among the most rewarding academic partnerships in the School. We also host a monthly Coffee Morning and a Beer Hour for our students to mingle with their peers and supervisors across various disciplines. We take student feedback very seriously and PhD student representatives form an integral part of our Student Experience Committee. 

Supervision

All our research students are assigned at least two supervisors, typically a main supervisor and a co-supervisor. Progress is monitored by informal meetings and annual reports.

Entry requirements

MPhil in Neuroscience

UK entrance requirements

A first- or upper second-class undergraduate honours degree in a subject relevant to your chosen area of research.

Overseas entrance requirements

If your country is not listed below, please contact the University at E pg.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk

Country	Overseas qualification
Australia	Bachelor (Honours) degree with second-class upper division
Brazil	Bacharel, Licenciado or professional title with a final mark of at least 8
Canada	Bachelor degree with CGPA 3.3/4.0 (grade B+)
China	Bachelor degree from a leading university with overall mark of 75%-85% depending on your university
Cyprus	Bachelor degree or Ptychion with a final mark of at least 7.5
France	Licence with mention bien or Maîtrise with final mark of at least 13
Germany	Bachelor degree or Magister Artium with a final mark of 2.4 or better
Ghana	Bachelor degree from a public university with second-class upper division
Greece	Ptychion from an AEI with a final mark of at least 7.5
Hong Kong	Bachelor (Honours) degree with second-class upper division
India	Bachelor degree from a leading institution with overall mark of at least 60% or equivalent
Iran	Bachelor degree (Licence or Karshenasi) with a final mark of at least 15
Italy	Diploma di Laurea with an overall mark of at least 105
Japan	Bachelor degree from a leading university with a minumum average of B+ or equivalent
Malaysia	Bachelor degree with class 2 division 1
Mexico	Licenciado with a final mark of at least 8
Nigeria	Bachelor degree with second-class upper division or CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0
Pakistan	Four-year bachelor degree, normally with a GPA of at least 3.3
Russia	Magistr or Specialist Diploma with a minimum average mark of at least 4
South Africa	Bachelor (Honours) degree or Bachelor degree in Technology with an overall mark of at least 70%
Saudi Arabia	Bachelor degree with an overall mark of at least 70% or CGPA 3.5/5.0 or equivalent
South Korea	Bachelor degree from a leading university with CGPA of at least 3.5/4.0 or equivalent
Spain	Licenciado with a final mark of at least 2/4
Taiwan	Bachelor degree with overall mark of 70%-85% depending on your university
Thailand	Bachelor degree with CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or equivalent
Turkey	Lisans Diplomasi with CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0 depending on your university
United Arab Emirates	Bachelor degree with CGPA of at least 3.5/4.0 or equivalent
USA	Bachelor degree with CGPA 3.3-3.5/4.0 depending on your university
Vietnam	Masters degree with CGPA 3.5/4.0 or equivalent

If you have any questions about your qualifications after consulting our overseas qualifications, contact the University at E pg.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5, with not less than 6.5 in Writing and 6.0 in the other sections. Internet TOEFL with 88 overall, with at least 20 in Listening, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking and 24 in Writing.

For more information, refer to English language requirements.

Additional admissions information

If you are a non-EEA student you must obtain clearance by the UK Government Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) for this degree. Please ensure you allow sufficient time for your university application to be considered and processed in time for you to apply for ATAS clearance and your Tier 4 visa.

PhD in Neuroscience

UK entrance requirements

A first- or upper second-class undergraduate honours degree in a subject relevant to your chosen area of research.

Overseas entrance requirements

If your country is not listed below, please contact the University at E pg.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk

Country	Overseas qualification
Australia	Bachelor (Honours) degree with second-class upper division
Brazil	Bacharel, Licenciado or professional title with a final mark of at least 8
Canada	Bachelor degree with CGPA 3.3/4.0 (grade B+)
China	Bachelor degree from a leading university with overall mark of 75%-85% depending on your university
Cyprus	Bachelor degree or Ptychion with a final mark of at least 7.5
France	Licence with mention bien or Maîtrise with final mark of at least 13
Germany	Bachelor degree or Magister Artium with a final mark of 2.4 or better
Ghana	Bachelor degree from a public university with second-class upper division
Greece	Ptychion from an AEI with a final mark of at least 7.5
Hong Kong	Bachelor (Honours) degree with second-class upper division
India	Bachelor degree from a leading institution with overall mark of at least 60% or equivalent
Iran	Bachelor degree (Licence or Karshenasi) with a final mark of at least 15
Italy	Diploma di Laurea with an overall mark of at least 105
Japan	Bachelor degree from a leading university with a minumum average of B+ or equivalent
Malaysia	Bachelor degree with class 2 division 1
Mexico	Licenciado with a final mark of at least 8
Nigeria	Bachelor degree with second-class upper division or CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0
Pakistan	Four-year bachelor degree, normally with a GPA of at least 3.3
Russia	Magistr or Specialist Diploma with a minimum average mark of at least 4
South Africa	Bachelor (Honours) degree or Bachelor degree in Technology with an overall mark of at least 70%
Saudi Arabia	Bachelor degree with an overall mark of at least 70% or CGPA 3.5/5.0 or equivalent
South Korea	Bachelor degree from a leading university with CGPA of at least 3.5/4.0 or equivalent
Spain	Licenciado with a final mark of at least 2/4
Taiwan	Bachelor degree with overall mark of 70%-85% depending on your university
Thailand	Bachelor degree with CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or equivalent
Turkey	Lisans Diplomasi with CGPA of at least 3.0/4.0 depending on your university
United Arab Emirates	Bachelor degree with CGPA of at least 3.5/4.0 or equivalent
USA	Bachelor degree with CGPA 3.3-3.5/4.0 depending on your university
Vietnam	Masters degree with CGPA 3.5/4.0 or equivalent

If you have any questions about your qualifications after consulting our overseas qualifications, contact the University at E pg.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5, with not less than 6.5 in Writing and 6.0 in the other sections. Internet TOEFL with 88 overall, with at least 20 in Listening, 20 in Reading, 22 in Speaking and 24 in Writing.

For more information, refer to English language requirements.

Additional admissions information

If you are a non-EEA student you must obtain clearance by the UK Government Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) for this degree. Please ensure you allow sufficient time for your university application to be considered and processed in time for you to apply for ATAS clearance and your Tier 4 visa.

Related subjects

• Biochemistry and molecular biology
• Chemistry
• Evolution, behaviour and environment
• Genome damage and stability

Fees and funding

Fees

MPhil in Neuroscience

Home UK/EU students: £3,900¹
Channel Island and Isle of Man students: £3,900²
Overseas students: £16,200³

¹ The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
² The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
³ The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.

PhD in Neuroscience

Home UK/EU students: £3,900¹
Channel Island and Isle of Man students: £3,900²
Overseas students: £16,200³

¹ The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
² The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.
³ The fee shown is for the academic year 2013.

Funding

The funding sources listed below are for the subject area you are viewing and may not apply to all degrees listed within it. Please check the description of the individual funding source to make sure it is relevant to your chosen degree.

Faculty interests

Dr Claudio Alonso The Alonso Lab investigates the molecular mechanisms controlling gene function during neural development with a focus on RNA control. 

Professor Paul Benjamin We aim to understand the adaptive role of temporary lapses of recall in memory consolidation. 

Professor Juan-Pablo Couso We uncover and characterise micro-genes hidden inside normal genes and junk DNA. Nobody knows what they do, and there are thousands of them.

Dr Majid Hafezparast Motor neurone disease is an adult-onset disease that kills within two to five years after diagnosis. My laboratory investigates the underlying molecular mechanisms of this disease. 

Professor George Kemenes Analysis of evolutionarily conserved cellular and molecular mechanisms of memory function and dysfunction in defined neural circuits.  

Dr Ildiko Kemenes I am interested in the behavioural and physiological processes underlying memory formation and especially what happens during lapses in memory. 

Dr Sergei Korneev We investigate the role of long noncoding RNAs in nitric oxide (NO)- dependent physiological and pathophysiological processes in the brain. 

Professor Corné Kros Function and development of auditory hair cells: preventing drug-induced deafness and the role of spontaneous activity before hearing onset.  

Professor Leon Lagnado How do synapses in the visual system transfer and transform the information in a stimulus? 

Professor Michael Land FRS Evolution of optical systems and visual behaviour in animals. Human eye movements and the representation of space. 

Dr Mark Maconochie Understanding the regulation and function of growth-factor signalling in the inner ear to enable development of therapies to cure deafness.  

Dr Jeremy Niven I am interested in how neural circuits in animal brains have evolved in relation to behaviour that they generate and the energy they consume.  

Professor Michael O’Shea What can simple neuronal networks tell us about how the human brain acquires, processes, stores and uses information in generating adaptive behaviour? 

Professor Guy Richardson FRS Molecular and cellular basis of hearing with an emphasis on the mechanisms of hereditary and drug-induced deafness. 

Dr Kevin Staras We look at synapses – signalling points between brain cells – investigating how they normally work and also change during learning or disease. 

Careers and perspectives

Career development is an important part of our PhD training. The development of research and transferable skills is supported by the Sussex Postgraduate Skills Programme, which runs a large number of short skills modules, including interview skills, time management, oral presentations and thesis writing. All postgraduate research students complete a skills assessment and choose a personalised set of modules. 

Our graduates have gone on to careers in Higher Education and research, and hold roles such as lecturer, research associate, science teacher and research fellow. 

School and contacts