All students of the Master Brain and Cognitive Sciences conduct two research projects. These are a mandatory part of the Master programme.
For more information about the research project, see below and read the research project protocol

Aim

The general aim of the research projects is to give students an opportunity to acquire practical experience by scientific research methods, to go through the different phases of research and to learn to work independently in a research lab. 

Research Project Opportunities Database

During the year all research labs offer different projects for master students. The overview below gives a good insight in projects available at the UvA, NIN and AMC. Not all researchers post projects in this database so please note that this overview is never complete but instead gives an idea of the possibilities. You can also contact (other) researchers of the different research labs to see what possibilities they have.

Approval

All research projects are subject to approval from the Board of Examiners. Students should apply for approval of a research project by filling out the research project agreement form within the first month of their research project but definitely before starting the experimental phase. The form consists of two parts:

• Firstly, the ‘Research Project Agreement’ in which the research project is described. This form should be filled out together with the supervisor, a time schedule is vital.
• Secondly, the ‘Request for approval on master study plan’, has to be filled out with the courses you already completed and those you are still planning to commence.

This form can be submitted monthly for approval, before the last workday of the month. The Board of Examiners will report back before the end of the next month on the outcome of the assessment. Please note that without approval you cannot graduate.

• It can be send to boardofexaminers-csca@uva.nl or
• via snail mail to:
  Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies
  c/o Board of Examiners Brain and Cognitive Sciences (room C2.116A)
  Science Park 904
  1098 XH Amsterdam

Or hand your form in at the secretary’s office (room C2.116A at the Science Park 904, c/o MBCS Board of Examiners).
Please be aware that you have to submit all the supplements that are mentioned on the form

Guidance and Supervision

In a research project several people are involved, most notably the (daily) supervisor and the UvA representative but also the co-assessor. Students should select a supervisor, a co-assessor and an UvA representative for their research projects.  After finding a research internship please inform asap the MBCS organisation via info-mcs@uva.nl about the following: supervisor name and email address, the lab/research group/university

• Supervisor: Is responsible for the research project and is a permanent member of staff, a PhD or post doc at the research institute where the research project takes place. The supervisor is the first point of contact for questions regarding the project and supports the student in writing the proposal and time plan at the beginning of the project. The supervisor also evaluates with the student the project halfway. The supervisor assesses and grades the research project. 
• Co-assessor: Is a permanent member of academic staff, a PhD student or post doc at the UvA (preferably from a different discipline than the supervisor). The co-assessor reads, assesses, and grades the research project. The co-assessor and UvA representative can be the same person
• UvA representative: Is a permanent member of academic staff at the UvA. The UvA representative guards the level of the research project if necessary. The UvA representative doesn’t grade the project unless his role is combined with the co-assessor. The UvA representative can mediate between student and supervisor if necessary.

Grading / Assessment

Student and supervisor agree in advance on the relative weight of the three parts of the project (experimental work, research report and presentation) and are stated on the 'Research project agreement form'. The final grading takes place after the research report has been submitted and the colloquium has been held. Experimental work, report and colloquium are assessed and graded by the supervisor. The co-assessor reads and grades the research report and possibly the colloquium. The student should receive an explanation of the grade. The supervisor is responsible for submitting the grade to the Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies using the grading form

Colloquium

All students have to do a final public presentation of their research project. This colloquium is part of the final grading. It consists of two parts: presentation and defense, and has a duration of 60 minutes in total. Students have to conduct the colloquium in the final stage of their research though they don't have to have finished the research project. The supervisor has to be present, preferably your co-assessor and/or UvA representative is present as well, though this is not mandatory. It is the responsibility of the student to set a date and time for the colloquium with the supervisor and to inform the study advisor two weeks in advance. This way a room can be booked if necessary and it can be made public.