Testimonials students - Prospective Students - Master Brain and Cognitive Sciences - Education - Cognitive Science Center Amsterdam

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Testimonials students


		Ger Post, Track Cognitive Neuroscience, 2009-2011 "Once you realize that the brain is the most complex structure of the universe, you have two options; you either get depressed by the enormous amount of brain related questions that need to be answered, or you get a big part of your 100 billion neurons to find some answers. You will find students who choose the latter option at the Master Brain and Cognitive Sciences. Together with philosophy, neurobiology, mathematics, and language students, I (with a psychology background) have journeyed into the brain so far and I am inclined to write that it has been ‘a great adventure’. All right, maybe that is a little bit too much on the positive side, but the enthusiasm of the lecturers, the staff, and my fellow students is definitely contagious. Classes are full of debates, we have been to London for a meeting with researchers at Birkbeck University, and I started my first research project at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience. So, even though the brain is still an overwhelming structure, there is simply no time to get depressed.”

		Hannah Widmann, Track Cognitive Science, 2008-2010 “My experience with this programme has been a whirlwind so far. After I had chosen Amsterdam for their interesting course schedule and their dedicated and friendly staff (both research and support) I immediately discovered that although the academic backgrounds of the student group are very diverse, there are other people on this programme who are interested in the same research questions as I am. At UvA I thus first experienced how brilliant it is to be surrounded by peers - and how intimidating it feels when everyone else is extremely dedicated and slightly competitive! All in all, I just love the rapport we have going in the student group even after just one semester. We are united by our diverse but geeky interests and the knowledge that there are no cut-out solutions to our questions but that we instead have to work on these ourselves! I also like the contact with teaching staff of the university, which are all extremely involved and helpful. The nature of the subject matter makes the class sessions very lively and full of debates- which means that preparation needs to be done extra carefully on our part, but also requires the lecturers to be on their feet! All in all, I am very glad I have chosen the Brain and Cognitive Sciences master at UvA.”

		Joren Zandstra, Track Neuroscience, 2008-2010 “A year into the program, I can say that it’s been great all the way. Beyond interesting courses and other things you would expect from any decent research programme, Brain and Cognitive Sciences offers something extra. It delivers what it says on the label: an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the brain. This is due firstly to the staff, who seem to genuinely enjoy the programme. They are also very communicative, and sincerely interested in student input to improve the programme even further. On top of that, it’s the students that make or break any programme, and these students are all that I’d hoped for. Everyone shares the staff's enthusiasm for the material, and students from all tracks sincerely want to learn about the methods and viewpoints of the other approaches. This makes the interdisciplinary part of the program very interesting, next to the track-specific part where you have all the freedom to develop your own specialty. Having the city of Amsterdam at arm’s length, and the social life with the rest of the class to enjoy it with, is just icing on the cake.”