University College Dublin

The course explores the human language faculty from the point of view of language impairment. Both acquired impairment (such as aphasia) and developmental impairment (such as specific language impairment) are examined. As a result, the course also explores the various ways brain activity is monitored and understood. Other areas where language is impaired or develops in some "unusual" way (such as in autism and various genetic syndromes) or in "exceptional" circumstances (such as with isolated children, blind children) are examined in order to determine what factors lead to the impairment of language.

The course teaches key concepts prevalent in organic chemistry and the resulting properties of organic molecules. These are presented based on standard U.S. text books and are complemented by specific examples of compounds present in important drug molecules and natural products. Introductory topics include molecular structure, chemical bonding, and orbital interactions. The resulting properties of molecules are then introduced on key compound classes such as alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes that later are complemented by aromatic rings and functional groups such as alcohols, carbonyls, and amines. Furthermore, the crucial properties that explain the reactivity of organic molecules and enable a detailed understanding through distinct reaction mechanisms are highlighted throughout the course. Finally, these concepts are applied towards the planned synthesis of target molecules in combination with suitable structure determination methods.

The UN has defined seventeen sustainable development goals. At least half of these (e.g. clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, industry, innovation and infrastructure, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water, life on land, no poverty and zero hunger, and sustainable cities and communities) have implications for how society exploits Earth's finite resources (e.g. energy, freshwater, minerals, soils, and metals). This course provides geoscience and earth systems perspectives on the opportunities, limitations, and challenges that are likely to arise from the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

People have been living on the island of Ireland for the last 10,000 years. This course tells that human story from early hunter-gatherer times to the present. Students follow the footprints of people through time by means of the spectacular archaeological heritage that is such a central feature of the Irish landscape. This rich and diverse record of monuments, landscapes, and objects is explored and interpreted to provide a narrative of the lifestyles of people in the past. Students study the first settlement of the island, the establishment of farming, and the building of monuments like Newgrange. The course explores Ireland's place in the Celtic world and the lasting impacts of the introduction of Christianity. The richness of the historic archaeological gives a vivid picture of life and society in medieval times and the emergence of modern Ireland. This is an accessible course for students across the range of disciplines and programs. It provides students with a clear understanding of Ireland's past, the Irish landscape, and key times of innovation and change.

This course introduces students to current trends and discussions in American sociology. By looking at a variety of topics (exceptionalism, political sociology, constitutional framework, community, social capital, multiculturalism, religion, urban sociology, popular culture) students get an overall impression of the main developments in American society and how the social sciences have tried to analyze and understand them.