MSc in Developmental Science and Neurodiversity

Change and diversity are essential characteristics of the cognition, behaviour, and brains of children, adolescents, and adults. This MSc course will take neurodiversity as a framework for understanding development across the whole human lifespan and how development varies between people.

The course will provide a unique opportunity to gain advanced training in how to characterise diversity and development, and how to study them with the latest research designs and statistical methods.

Neurodiversity refers to variation in brain and cognitive functions including learning, attention, social ability, mood, and sleep. It provides a framework for understanding the factors that influence brain and behaviour across the whole population and the whole lifespan; for understanding conditions such as autism and ADHD as a part of that variation; and for addressing the need for variation to be recognised, valued, understood, and accommodated.

You will have opportunities to interact with a wide range of researchers from the University of Birmingham's Centre for Developmental Science, practitioners, and people with lived experience of neurodivergence. Optional modules let you combine your interest in development and diversity with training in advanced data analysis, neuroscience methods, and mental health.

Why study this course?

• The course is highly distinctive in taking neurodiversity as its central framework for understanding development and diversity.
• Create your own Pathway by combining optional modules on clinical psychology and developmental diversity, neuroscience, mental health, and advanced data analysis.
• Address challenging questions about the perspective that neurodiversity offers on understanding differences between people, and implications for clinical practice, education, and the workplace.

You will take a mixture of compulsory and optional modules totaling 180 credits, including a 60-credit supervised research project, leading to a 6,000-word research dissertation. See some of the recent projects undertaken by students on similar courses in the School of Psychology.

Compulsory modules

• Neurodiversity
• Modeling Change and Diversity
• Research methods and skills
• Proposing research in psychology
• MSc Research Project

Optional modules (two from this indicative list)

• Clinical psychology and developmental diversity.
• Data science for behavior and brain I
• Data science for behavior and brain II
• Translational Neuroscience
• Youth Mental Health
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Cognitive Neuroscience
• Applications of Electrophysiological Approaches

Please note: The modules listed on the website for this program are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods. Unless indicated otherwise, the modules listed for this program are for students starting in 2023. On rare occasions, we may need to make unexpected changes to compulsory modules after that date; in this event, we will contact offer holders as soon as possible to inform or consult them as appropriate.

A wide range of careers is open to students graduating with an MSc in Developmental Science and Neurodiversity. Our students will be excellent candidates for research-related employment in both private and public sector organisations because this MSc develops key skills that are highly attractive to employers, namely analytical and statistical skills, as well as presentation and report writing skills. Knowledge of developmental science and neurodiversity has particular relevance in a variety of careers in clinical psychology and education.

This MSc is also excellent preparation for PhD or other advanced degree positions.