Programme Description - NS

The International Master's Degree in Neuroscience was initially established in 2003 as Laurea Specialistica in Neuroscienze, taught in Italian, and was the first of its kind in Italy. Since 2008, thanks to funding from the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region for the internationalisation of university courses, it has become an international course, taught entirely in English. It is currently included in the Network of European Neuroscience Schools and is considered the national reference course for Neuroscience. The teaching activity is carried out by lecturers from the University of Trieste supported by lecturers from the Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA) of Trieste. The course lecturers have all achieved a C1 level of English in order to guarantee quality and correspondence to international standards. To be admitted to the course, students must have an English language proficiency of level B2 or higher. Students enrolled in the International Master's Degree in Neuroscience are required to attend class for at least 2/3 of the lessons of each course in order to be admitted to take the corresponding examinations.

The aim of the Master’s degree course is to provide multidisciplinary knowledge ranging from cellular and molecular neuroscience to cognitive and clinical neuroscience. Students are trained in the most advanced investigative techniques for understanding brain functioning in managing movement, physiological functions, emotions, memory, learning and creative abilities. The graduate will acquire advanced scientific and professional skills and competences to work in universities and research institutes and in the numerous national and foreign productive realities in the typical work fields of the biologist.

The Master’s degree course lasts two years and is divided into four semesters. The first semester is devoted to the study of the anatomy of the vertebrate nervous system and the cellular and molecular bases of neurobiology, neurophysiology and neuropharmacology. The second semester focuses on the development and integrated functioning of the nervous system in physiology and pathology. The third semester offers students advanced courses with a choice between a Molecular Neuroscience track (NeuroMol track), a Cognitive Neuroscience track (NeuroCog track) or a personalized blended track. The study programme also offers several elective courses in neuroscience, with practical courses on various methods including the use of the main programming languages for computational data analysis.

Courses taught by Visiting Professors complete the curriculum, offering students the opportunity to meet renowned neuroscientists from prestigious Italian and foreign universities. Since 2009, the International Master's Degree Course in Neuroscience has been organising a professionalizing training activities taught by professionals from industry and small and medium-sized enterprises in order to adapt the training to the working needs of the sector. Since 2024, a professionalizing theoretical/practical course on scientific communication techniques is also offered to learn how to communicate to  specialists in the field and the general public.

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 Programme Structure - International Master's Degree in Neuroscience - Trieste 23-24-25