International Master’s Degree in Neuroscience

The International Master's Degree in Neuroscience is the first Master’s Degree of its kind in Italy, and it is innovative by definition. The teaching staff comes from the former Faculties of Sciences, Medicine, Pharmacy, Psychology, and Engineering of the University of Trieste, and it is organized in collaboration with neurobiology professors of the International School for Advanced Studies (ISAS-SISSA), with Italian and foreign experts from the pharmaceutical and biomedical industry and with "Visiting Professors" from prestigious European and USA universities. The International NS course is also included in the Network of European Neuroscience Schools.

A focus of the Programme

The main objective of the International Master’s Degree in Neuroscience is to provide a multidisciplinary training in both basic and applied neurobiology, spanning from single molecules to whole organisms in normal or pathological conditions. Students will be introduced to new tools and methods enabling them to investigate how the brain works, interacts with the body, drives behavior, and forms the basis for the complex biological machine, which has allowed humans to achieve amazing milestones in artistic creativity, technology, and invention. Students will acquire strong professional skills for the development of fundamental knowledge and innovative therapies and diagnostics for more than 1,000 nervous system disorders that affect over 1 billion people worldwide.

Objectives and Career Opportunities

Graduates in the International Master’s Degree Programme in Neuroscience will acquire:

• a solid cultural preparation in basic neuroscience and in different sectors of applied neuroscience and a high level of scientific and operational preparation in connected subjects;
• thorough knowledge of instrumental methodology, analytical tools, techniques of data acquisition and analysis;
• advanced knowledge of mathematical and informatics support tools;
• expertise in the scientific investigation method;
• the capacity to fluently use the English language, both written and spoken, with specific reference to the subject terminology;
• the capacity to work autonomously, also taking responsibility for managing projects and structures.

For the purposes indicated, the International Master’s Degree Programme in Neuroscience includes:

• training aimed at: acquiring mathematical, statistical, informatics, physical and chemical tools; furthering basic neurobiological training and its applications, especially concerning comparative and applicative knowledge of molecules, cells, tissue and organisms in physiological and altered conditions, their reciprocal interaction, the social and inter-relational effects on living beings; the acquisition of useful techniques for understanding biomolecular, cellular and organism phenomena; the acquisition of specialised skills in a specific sector of basic or applied neurobiology;
• training activities, lessons and laboratory practice dedicated to learning experimental and data processing methods;
• training in companies, public administration offices, and laboratories, as well as study trips to other Italian and overseas universities, also within the framework of international agreements.

Founded in 1924 , the University of Trieste is a medium-sized university with a student population of approximately 16,000. It offers a wide range of degree programmes at bachelor, master and doctoral level, as well as short vocational masters, advanced masters and specialisation programmes, most of which are in the medical area. Some degree programmes are taught in English .

The university currently has 10 departments: Economic , Business, Mathematical and Statistical Sciences ; Engineering and Architecture ; Humanities; Legal, Language, Interpreting and Translation Studies ; Mathematics and Geosciences ; Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences ; Life Sciences ; Pharmaceutical and Chemical Sciences ; Physics; Political and Social Sciences .

The university participates in many research projects at national and international level. It is also involved in various student and staff exchange programmes with universities in the EU and collaborates with several universities from Eastern Europe and other non-EU countries.

The International Mobility at the University of Trieste

Universities are crossroads of knowledge.

Following the Lisbon strategy, which emphasizes the creation of a more competitive and dynamic knowledge-based society, international mobility and internationalisation of the universities may represent a strategic tool for a social, cultural and economic development of a country. They can be considered as a challenge and an opportunity for the involved Higher Institutions to enlarge and enrich their range of the courses offered.

The internationalisation of its system, which has been started by the University of Trieste since long, is perfectly in line with these points and lies also in the strategic position and historical international vocation of the city of Trieste.

The University of Trieste is actively involved in different Programmes at a European level (LLP Erasmus, Leonardo da Vinci, Alpe Adria, Bovec Summer School) and within wider European (Tempus) and international frameworks (ISEP Programme, International Mobility Grant Programme, Marco Polo Project).