Cognition, Behavior and Neurobiology (Master)

Student in the laboratory.

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The master’s programme in Cognition, Behaviour and Neurobiology aims at teaching the wide range of modern behavioural as well as cognitive biology and neurobiology. It is designed in a way that links the different disciplines of neuroscience and behavioural science. Students acquire profound knowledge of the correlations between behaviour and physiological processes in humans and animals.

Master of Science

Degree Programme Code: 066 878

4 semesters / 120 ECTS credits

Language: English

NO entrance examination

Curriculum

Study Programme

Depending on their specialisation, they acquire different core competences:

  • Behaviour: Based on previously acquired knowledge, students gain advanced knowledge of special areas of behavioural biology, such as behavioural endocrinology, communication, social behaviour and human-animal relationships.
  • Neurobiology:  This specialisation focuses on the structure and function of nervous systems, and the senses and motor functions of animals on different organisational levels.
  • Cognition: This specialisation qualifies students to understand cognition from a comprehensive biological perspective. This includes a profound understanding of phylogenetic and evolutionary dimensions, functions and mechanisms in animals and humans, but also of the correlations of genetics and the environment, nature and culture, and evolution and ethics. Students have the opportunity to apply and strengthen the knowledge they acquired by conducting experimental research in small groups.

Five Concepts

which you will deal with during your studies:

  • Behavioural endocrinology
  • Neuroanatomy
  • Human-animal relationship
  • Sound communication
  • Physiology

... and many more.

 Overview of the programme structure & topics

Here you find the current offer of courses for this programme to gain better insight into the topics and structure. For more information please click on the respective level.



After Graduation

Graduates can pursue a career in the following areas:

  • teaching and research at universities, departments of academies and other non-university research institutions
  • public authorities and federal agencies (e.g. in Austria, environmental departments of provincial governments, the Environment Agency Austria, the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety)
  • research administration at federal ministries, parliaments, universities and companies, as well as organisation of research promotion, planning and assessment
  • work in zoological gardens or aquariums
  • advisory functions in the area of pet keeping and animal husbandry
  • expert activities and collaboration in national and international environmental protection departments
  • work in the area of environmental protection, protection of species and animals
  • science journalism, academic documentation and editing activities (publication institutions, publishers, companies and other organisations)
  • public presentations (exhibitions, multimedia, eco events)
  • science management and laboratory organisation
  • consulting and participation in the area of environmental policy
  • risk assessment and research.

Graduates' Perspective on the Degree Programme

Graduates ...

  • say that this degree programme receives the grade: 2.0 (good)
  • rate the level of difficulty as: 3.3 (appropriate)

→ These results are based on feedback from 21 graduates.

*You can find further assessments of the degree programme from its graduates’ perspective in the graduate survey of the master's programme in Behaviour, Neurobiology and Cognition (in German).

Graduates ...

  • find employment within 3 months after graduation on average.
  • earn an average of € 2,951 (women) and € 3,262 (men) gross per month within three years after graduation.
  • work full time at a percentage of 69% (women) and 60% (men) within three years after graduation.

*You can find further information on career entry and career paths in the tracking of graduates "MA Biology".

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