Academics

Fields of Study: Social Sciences, Sciences

This program enables you to follow courses taught by leading experts in cognitive and biological psychology. As you take classes along with students from all over the world, you’ll experience the university’s distinctive, student-centered learning methodology. With guidance from professors, you will work in small tutorial groups to analyze real-world problems similar to what you will encounter in a future career.

Unique study opportunities

  • Practice positive psychology intervention techniques like journaling and mindful meditation.
  • Learn to analyze groups and group behavior through facilitating exercises.
  • Explore how models used to study brain function are used in computational neuroscience.
  • Apply evolutionary psychological reasoning to topics like prejudice, health behavior, and aggression.
  • Develop and present a group research proposal regarding developmental neuropsychology.

Language

Language of Instruction: English

Dutch Language Study: Optional

You have the option to take a Dutch language course in addition to your required four courses. If you take the Dutch language course during one block, you will earn 1.5 quarter/1 semester UC units. If you take Dutch language during two blocks, you will earn 3 quarter/2 semester units.

Courses and credit

Requirements While Abroad

To successfully complete this program:

  • Take a full-time course of study:
    • Fall semester: Four courses for a total of 24 quarter/16 semester units.
    • Spring quarter: Two courses plus an independent study project for a total of 14.5 quarter units.
  • You can take one course per term for pass/no pass.

Current Program Courses

All courses on this program are upper division.

The fall semester is split into two blocks. You will enroll in one core course and one additional course per block. You also have the option to combine an Independent Study Project (ISP) with your core course for an additional 2.5 quarter/1.7 semester units. Under the supervision of your ISP instructor, you will develop a research paper on a topic that you decide on together.

Block 1 core courses:

  • Positive Psychology
  • Roaring Twenties, Nazi Terrors, and the Cold War

Additional courses:

  • Personality and Individual Differences + Practical: Personality Diagnostics
  • Group Dynamics
  • Child Neuropsychology
  • Forensic and Legal Psychology in a Nutshell
  • Psychopharmacology
  • Applied Social Psychology​
  • Aggression
  • Manipulating Memories

Block 2 core courses:

  • Dutch Art History
  • Social Psychology and Health

Additional courses

  • Cognitive Enhancement
  • Human Behavior in Organizations
  • Social Neuroscience
  • Adult Neuropsychology
  • Hormones, the Brain and Behavior
  • Cognitive Neuroscience of Language
  • Sexuality
  • Psychedelic Medicine: The Therapeutic Potential of Mind-altering Substances
  • Politics of Decision Making

In the spring quarter, you enroll in one core course and one additional course. You must also combine an Independent Study Project (ISP) with your core course.  Under the supervision of your ISP instructor, you will develop a research paper on a topic that you decide on together.

Core courses:

  • Medical Ethics (moral health care dilemmas from a European and comparative perspective)
  • Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Social Psychology and Health

Additional courses:

  • Action
  • Motivation and Emotion
  • Learning and Memory (includes three practical courses)
  • Neuropsychopharmacology​
  • Computational and Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Clinical Psychology

Catalogs and resources

Fall Semester

  • Fall semester course descriptions: Review course descriptions, objectives, prerequisites, and readings.
  • UCEAP Course Catalog: See a list of courses students have taken on this program. This is not a current representation of course offerings on this program. Reference the above links to review recent course offerings. 
  • Campus Credit Abroad: Learn the types of credit (major, minor, general education, elective) students from your campus received at this location. There are currently no listings for this program in the database.

Spring Quarter 

  • Spring quarter course descriptions: Review course descriptions, objectives, prerequisites, and readings.
  • UCEAP Course Catalog: See a list of courses students have taken on this program. This is not a current representation of course offerings on this program. Reference the above links to review recent course offerings. 
  • Campus Credit Abroad: Learn the types of credit (major, minor, general education, elective) students from your campus received at this location. There are currently no listings for this program in the database.

Academic culture

You will enroll in courses prior to departure as part of your application to Maastricht University. 

Courses at Maastricht are interdisciplinary and follow an untraditional lecture format. Using a distinctive problem-based learning (PBL) methodology, you’ll work in small groups of 10–12 students on projects that combine theory and practice. It is an exciting learning style on par with graduate seminar work at UC. You’ll be able to set your own learning objectives based on your background, education, and work experience. In addition to taking personal initiative, you’ll add to your skills and experience in collaborative project management.

The core of PBL is the tutorial that meets for two hours twice a week. You will analyze problems from the Block Book, which provides you with tasks, study material, and learning goals. The group will then disperse and you can work to reach these goals individually or with others. Study hours each week are intensive. In each tutorial meeting, you will discuss the results of your study activities and actively participate in group discussions. A tutor, usually a lecturer or a senior student, also attends the meetings and serves as a subject expert. The tutor may guide the discussion whenever it is needed.

Final exams emphasize the entire reading list provided in the Block Book for each course. Many exams test your understanding of complicated theories and models covered only in that reading and not in group projects or discussion.

Grades

You will earn direct UC credit and grades for all coursework. Grades for the fall semester are typically available in March and grades for the spring quarter are typically available by early September.