University College Dublin

The course provides a wide-ranging introduction to fundamental principles of chemical structure and reactivity for students who intend to major in Science or Engineering disciplines. The topics covered will include the electronic structure of atoms and and how that relates to the properties of the elements; ways in which the properties of substances are determined by their composition and bonding; nature of the interactions, and reactions, between substances; importance of energy, and energy flows, in understanding chemical and physical processes; and importance of chemistry in understanding ourselves, in our society, and in our environment.

This course introduces students to Earth Science, the multi-disciplinary study of the past, present, and future of planet Earth and other planets in our solar system. The course is in 3 parts. The first part considers the origin of the solid Earth, its atmosphere and oceans and how these have evolved over the past 4,600 million years. The second part examines how surface processes and burial generate the sedimentary rocks that record Earth’s history. The final part reviews the history of life on Earth as recorded in the fossil record, and emphasizes the coupled evolution of the geosphere and biosphere.

This course introduces students to the political system of the People’s Republic of China and the politics of its ruling entity, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The course first provides a historical foundation for understanding CCP rule, covering major events in the 20th Century. It then examines the party’s relationship to the state and policymaking, China’s foreign relations and foreign policy, as well as the politics of Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong. The politics of Taiwan are covered. 

This course examines the history of folkloristics and the documentation of popular tradition and folklore in Ireland and abroad, with reference to the various movements and interests which have shaped their development. Particular attention is paid to early collecting work in Ireland, and to the work of pioneers in the field. The evolution of collecting methodology in this country, and some of the more important approaches to the study of folklore, are examined and traced from the late 18th century to the present. The course makes reference to the National Folklore Collection's unique archive holdings at UCD, and to the library in the UCD Delargy Centre for Irish Folklore with its comprehensive collection of 18th and 19th century writings and publications.

The cell is the basic building block of eukaryotic organisms, and understanding how cells develop and their physiological responses to the environment are key to our understanding of plant growth and development. This course expands on basic cell biology by using the stomatal guard cell as the system to understand plant cell biology. Lectures explore the genetic and molecular regulation of stomatal development and how stomatal guard cells respond to internal and external signals through changes in ion transport to effect changes in stomatal guard cell turgor. Practical components of this course include demonstrations of (i) advanced microscopy techniques (including laser scanning confocal microscopy), (ii) biolistic transformation, and (iii) techniques to assay for stomatal function and stomatal development.

This course introduces students to a variety of sociological debates that surround human body. It explores various theoretical perspectives of how we experience and live in our bodies , including theories by Foucault, Elias, Goffman, Judith Butler, and others. It focuses on the roles our bodies are prescribed to, or play in our everyday interactions, how they are socially constructed. The main topics of this course range from exploring the mind/body relationship, the historical accounts of how attitudes to our bodies have been changing, the politics of the body, including gender and racial inequalities, disabilities, medicalization, and commodification of bodies. Processes behind sexualization, ageing, and dying are also discussed.

This course provides an overview of key issues in the triangular intersection of gender, religion, and colonialism. While aiming to bring together the literature Western and non-Western contexts on these debates, the course introduces the students the key texts in feminist theory, feminist religious studies, masculinities and religion, and postcolonial and decolonial feminism from a critical interdisciplinary perspective.

In this course, students explore the intersection between land use planning and environmental sustainability within the context of urban and rural development. Through a multidisciplinary approach, students study the principles, theories, and practical applications necessary for promoting sustainable land use practices in contemporary settings. The course explores the factors influencing land use patterns and methodologies to assess the environmental impacts of land use decisions, including climate change, biodiversity, and natural resource impacts. Through international case studies and policy reviews, students compare existing land use policies and develop strategies for integrating sustainability principles into land use planning, while exploring strategies to engage diverse stakeholders for equitable and inclusive decision making.

This course is an introduction to meat science. The course covers meat in the context of the human diet, the structure and composition of meat, and meat quality attributes. The impact of pre-slaughter factors on carcass and meat composition and on the sensory and nutritional quality of meat are explored. The impact of post-mortem factors, including aging and packaging of meat, on meat quality attributes, particularly color, flavor and texture, are studied. Students learn how selected meat products are manufactured.

This course focuses on the processes associated with knowledge sharing and decisions for change by farmers. It explores the link between agricultural research, farm advisory services, and agricultural education as part of the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS). It examines agricultural extension and education approaches for working with farmers/farm households to support learning, the adoption of innovation and behavior change. This is critically important for farm productivity, profitability, and sustainability.