What does this master's programme entail?

Neuropsychologists assess and treat the cognitive, emotional and behavioural consequences of brain dysfunction. Brain dysfunction can be a result of various neurological and psychiatric conditions, which can occur across the lifespan, such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, locked-in syndrome, multiple sclerosis, migraine and epilepsy.Neuropsychologists play an important role in the management of brain diseases. The demand for their services is becoming greater as the population ages and medical (neuro)technology advances. In Leiden, we aim to prepare students for a job market that encompasses clinical work and research, but also focuses on innovation and technological advances.

Evidence-based practice

The course is grounded in the neurosciences relevant to neuropsychology with a strong focus on evidence-based practice. This means that you are taught to focus on the use of current best scientific evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients or patient groups; this in terms of diagnostics, prognostics and creation and evaluation of interventions (the ?scientist-practitioner? model).

Reasons to choose Clinical Neuropsychology at Leiden University

• This master specialisation combines fascinating neuroscience and its clinical application. The research and practical aspects are strongly clinically oriented and scientifically based.

• You will be trained to offer good care to individual clients with brain damage. Moreover, you will learn to think as a neuropsychological researcher and understand what happens in the brain of these patients. An important focus lays on the severe consequences these problems can have in the daily lives of these patients.

• Within this master specialisation, there are many opportunities to specialize and determine your own focus, depending on your interests in particular patient groups, their life stage (child, adult or old age) or specific aspects of the illness, diagnostics or treatment.?

• Innovative research topics and methods are used in our department, offering students the opportunity to keep up with the newest developments and anticipate future progress in the field.?

• Clinical Neuropsychology: the right programme for you?

  This master specialisation is the right program for you:

  • if you wish to become professionally active in the field of clinical neuropsychology (for instance as a Health Care psychologist/Gezondheidszorgpsycholoog BIG, Clinical Neuropsychologist/Klinisch Neuropsycholoog or Clinical Psychologist/Klinisch Psycholoog).
  • if you are interested in a scientific career that focuses on clinical issues in neuroscience and patients with brain disease.
  • if you like to be involved in neuropsychological assessment, treatment and guidance of patients with brain damage.
  • if you are interested in development of clinical tools and methods that focus on new directions in neuropsychology, such as e-health, virtual reality, brain-computer interfaces and serious gaming.