Prof Tim Andrews of the University of York: We can ask questions about the way in which the brain and the mind work. Photograph: Suxy Harrison/Suzy Harrison/University of York

How does the brain think? That is the question posed by a masters degree in cognitive neuroscience, which is being taken increasingly by students interested in the link between the brain and the mind.

And the proliferation of sophisticated machines, such as MRI scanners that can diagnose dementia, has created a need for trained people to analyse the information they provide.

Prof Tim Andrews, director of the MSc in cognitive neuroscience at the University of York, says: The MSc is designed to show students how modern techniques in brain imaging can be used to ask questions about the way in which the brain and the mind work.

Students at York gain experience in functional magnetic resonance imaging, magnetoencephalography, electroencephalography (EEG), and transcranial magnetic stimulation. They also design experiments to learn from and explain the brain mechanisms that underpin learning and behaviour.

The course, which is also run at Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool Hope universities, is aimed mainly at people interested in an academic career in cognitive neuroscience in other words those who want to pursue a PhD and follow an academic path.

If you are interested in having a career in the field and asking questions about the brain, you need to understand how these tools that have been developed work and how to understand the data, says Andrews.

York has its own MRI scanner, which is housed in the York Neuroimaging Centre. The university is highly rated for neuroscience and has invested heavily in equipment, giving students first-hand experience of using brain-imaging techniques.

The University of Birmingham also gives students access to expensive kit and a research centre. According to Dr Pia Rotshtein who developed the universitys MSc in brain imaging and cognitive neuroscience one of the courses biggest pluses is that students receive two research placements, where they are able to work with international researchers in the field.

The masters in cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging at Liverpool Hope University is only in its second year, but has already doubled its student numbers from five to 10.

Students at Liverpool Hope are able to use the EEG lab, which is on campus, as well as other labs that are located locally. However, they have to go into the city to use the MRI scanners in the University of Liverpools Magnetic Resonance and Image Analysis Research Centre.

Megan Kelleher, 22, has a first degree in psychology from Liverpool Hope University. She signed up for its cognitive neuroscience MSc to pursue her interest in the connections between the mind and the brain.

In the final year of my undergraduate degree I had the chance to take an option in cognitive neuroscience, which I found fascinating. In my dissertation I used neuroimaging electroencephalography (EEG) methodology to explore peoples emotional responses to familiar and unfamiliar kinds of music. You can see quite clearly how the brain reacts to different genres of music and which music people prefer.

I am finding the masters a challenge, but Im learning a lot. We have learned about the structure and functions of the brain and about memory and brain damage. One of the most interesting topics we have done is neural plasticity, which is about how the brain develops over time and changes when you are learning new things. Now we have begun to learn how to analyse EEG data, following up on the work I did in my undergraduate dissertation. I feel that once I have completed this MSc I will be able to call myself a scientist.

Science is now bridging the gap between psychology and biology, which were onceseen as separate domains. Having a masters in cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging means employers know you are up to date and have conducted modern, advanced research. For my dissertation I hope to investigate evolutionary psychology, using EEG neuroimaging. After my masters, I am planning to continue in academia, either by taking a PhD or a doctorate in clinical psychology.

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Cognitive neuroscience postgrads: delving into the mysteries of the mind - The Guardian