University of St Andrews

Introduction

A degree from Scotland’s first university is a perfect start to any future career. The University of St Andrews has a reputation for excellence and the ability to attract the brightest students worldwide. With this as a starting point you are well on the way to impressing future employers.

Neuroscience is a wide and varied field of study, encompassing the workings of the brain and the nervous system. Graduates of Neuroscience degrees go into a range of career areas, described in more detail by the British Neuroscience Association in its Career Guide for Students:

• Research in industry and/or universities
• Clinical sciences
• Biotechnology
• Pharmaceutical industry
• Medical devices industry
• Medicine, dentistry and midwifery
• Regulatory affairs, policy and research administration
• Teaching in schools and universities
• Science communication (publishing and media)
• Neuro-marketing and advertising
• Management consultancy

Review your degree skills

The profile below identifies the skills that can be developed based on subject/benchmark statements developed by UK higher education communities:

Intellectual skills and attributes

• Scientific curiosity
• Creativity and originality
• Self-confidence and self-reliance
• Ability to solve complex problems by critical understanding, analysis and synthesis
• Ability to evaluate and discriminate amongst sources of information

Professional / subject-specific / practical skills

• Familiarity with both core principles of and state-of-the-art research in neuroscience
• Critical analysis and synthesis of primary and secondary literature in neuroscience
• Ability to work independently and as part of a group
• Written presentation of research results
• Oral presentation and defence of research results
• Neuroscience specific technical abilities

Where do our Neuroscience graduates go?

Giulia graduated in 2015. She is currently studying for an MSc by Research Integrative Neuroscience at the University of Edinburgh. Read Giulia's case study.

Anna graduated in 2014.  She is currently a Research Assistant II at Oregon Health & Science University. Read Anna's case study.

 Visit the Graduate Destinations page to see what graduates and postgraduates from your School are doing now.

Network with alumni

Many jobs and internships are not advertised.  One of the best ways to find out about these ‘hidden opportunities’ is by networking. Networking can also help secure a job that is publicised or is part of a training scheme. Your contacts can open doors, set up meetings, help prepare you for interviews, and provide you with an inside look at a company or industry.

How to contact alumni

There are two main ways to contact alumni on-line:

1. Saint Connect - brings together alumni and current students to facilitate networking, enable informal mentoring, provide industry discussion groups, and enable graduates and students to stay up to date with their student societies and sports teams.
2. LinkedIn - most comprehensive resource to connect with alumni is the University of St Andrews LinkedIn – Alumni Tool. There are also many LinkedIn St Andrews Groups, mainly based on location, which you can join to network with fellow students and alumni, eg St Andrews North America Careers Link.

Postgraduate study/research

In 2014, 43% of Neuroscience graduates went on to do further study. Advisers can discuss postgraduate applications – vocational and academic.

• Visit the Graduate Destinations page to see what postgraduates from your School are doing now.
• Visit Postgraduate Study for advice on further study
• The Careers A-Z pages have information about sector-specific postgraduate study

Summer internships/work experience

Work experience is becoming ‘essential’ in the UK when it comes to securing graduate level employment.

During the 2015-16 academic year, more than 90% of the UK’s leading graduate employers offered paid work experience programmes for students and recent graduates. Altogether, 55% of St Andrews finalists had completed some element of work experience with a graduate employer whilst at university – much higher than the survey average. More than two-fifths had a part-time job during term-time and three-fifths had some form of casual vacation work. Source: High Fliers –The UK Graduate Careers Survey 2016.

UK work experience opportunities

Careers A-Z Pharmaceutical or Biotechnology industries - How to gain experience/internships

The Scottish Life Sciences Internship Programme

Provides students with paid, relevant work experience in the Life Sciences sector. Open to undergraduate students in 1st, 2nd or 3rd year, who are studying a Life Science degree at a Scottish University. Placements last from ten to twelve weeks between June and September each year. ScotGrad website.

The Vienna Biocenter Summer School

Provides a unique opportunity for approximately 25 undergraduate students to work side by side with leading researchers in a dynamic scientific environment.  Further details.

Child Health Research Summer Studentships

These are non -clinical projects based in the UCL Institute of Child Health. Up to eight studentships are available to students studying science or medicine with maintenance support of at least £190 per week. Further details

Imperial College London - Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP)

UROP is a research opportunities programme available to students from within and outside Imperial. Further details

Medical Research Council

The MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) is a world-class research laboratory. The LMB Summer Studentships scheme is aimed at undergraduate students who are considering a future in academic research. Summer students join one of the research groups at LMB and carry out original research, working alongside LMB scientists with full access to the world-class facilities at the LMB. Further details

Biomedical Vacation Scholarships (Wellcome Trust)

These awards provide promising undergraduates with hands-on experience of research during the summer vacation, with the aim of encouraging them to consider a career in research. Further details

EASTBIO Undergraduate Research Placements (BBSRC)

EASTBIO allocates several Research Experience Placements awards annually to excellent undergraduate students during the summer holiday. The scheme aims to provide students with a first-hand opportunity to experience research in a British lab, thus encouraging them to consider a career in scientific research. Further details.

International work experience opportunities

Some of these international opportunities are open only to citizens and or/students of specific countries:

• Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience Internship Opportunities (FUN) – list of internships on the website of this international organisation which is focussed on neuroscience education and research at undergraduate level
• List of Co-op/Internships and Summer Research Opportunities for 2018 in Neuroscience provided by Rochester Institute of Technology
• IAESTE arrange international work experience for young scientists in over 80 countries
• Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (New York, USA) provides an opportunity for undergraduate scientists from around the world to conduct first-rate research
• Jackson Laboratory (Maine, USA) designed to help students understand the nature of research science
• Marine Biological Laboratory (Maine, USA) Summer opportunity for undergraduate research
• Example of an international volunteer opportunity: TReND in Africa - 'Teaching and Research in (Neuro)science for Development in Africa', - a non-profit organization run entirely by volunteer scientists at universities worldwide.

Key links and resources

• British Neuroscience Association  - the largest UK organisation representing all aspects of neuroscience. Website provides useful resources and information on careers in Neuroscience
• I want to work in … Neuroscience - comprehensive careers information from the University of Kent
• What can I do with this major? this resource has been written from the perspective of US degrees and the US labour market, but is a useful tool to search for information about your chosen field of study.
• Neuromarketing Science and Business Association – information about neuromarketing, careers in neuromarketing, and lists of companies involved in it