Maastricht University – University College Maastricht

Full course description

The mind-body problem is a legacy from the scientific revolution which started in the 16th century and reached its culmination point with Newtonian physics. Starting with Galileo’s and Descartes’ formulation of this problem we will discuss different philosophical positions in a more in-depth fashion. In the behavioral- and neurosciences these problems transform into questions about consciousness, conscious experience, and conscious perception. Those topics disappeared from science with the rise of behaviorism in the early twentieth century. But now they are back in the behavioral- and neurosciences again. Only over the past few decades consciousness has reappeared in cognitive science and neuropsychology. We will start this course with some philosophy, then we will scrutinize modern day sciences, especially cognitive science and neuroscience for ideas on mind and consciousness. At the end of the course we will go back to philosophy and we will ask ourselves whether all this empirical knowledge from psychology and neuroscience has brought us further in unraveling the brain-consciousness- (or mind-body) problem.

Course objectives

• To acquaint students with current ideas, philosophical arguments and empirical evidence on the nature of mind and the relationship between mind and body. We focus on modern cognitive and neuropsychological theories in the area of consciousness. Philosophical reflection on the caveats and problems associated with the notion of consciousness will be stimulated.  

Prerequisites

COR1002 Philosophy of Science and at least one 2000-level course from either Humanities, Social Sciences or Sciences.

Full course description

This course focuses on the basis of organic chemistry. In the first part of the course, important fundamental topics, such as atomic theory, bonding theory, hybridization, molecular orbital theory and resonance will be discussed. A special topic will be stereochemistry, which is an essential topic in organic chemistry and the life sciences, since stereochemistry often determines the activity of biological compounds or medicines. Subsequently, the course continues with an introduction into reactivity of organic molecules. Focus, will be on a selection of fundamental organic reactions, which form the basis for a wide array of other organic reactions. To this end, a logical review will be provided of the reactivity of the most important functional groups, as applied in organic synthesis. 

Course objectives

• To give the ability to recognize and name common organic compounds. 
• To know the basic physical and chemical properties of common organic compounds. 
• To understand stereochemistry and its impact on the properties and applications of organic molecules. 
• To enable you to understand the most important organic reactions and be able to apply these reactions to obtain well defined organic compounds. 

Prerequisites

SCI1004 Introduction to Chemistry. Students with substantial high school experience in Chemistry (For an indication of the relevant topics, see SCI-C, p. vi-viii) can contact the coordinator to request a waiver.

Full course description

In this course we investigate international economic relations, with a particular focus on the European Union (EU) and the euro area (EA). We discuss channels through which nations are economically connected. This involves analyzing the dynamics of international markets for products and services, labor and finance and the importance of the underlying institutional designs. We study the underlying economic theory and the way such insights have been translated into the institutional arrangements of the European Union. We discuss how effects of macroeconomic policies are transmitted from country to country through these channels and how fiscal and monetary policies can/should be coordinated to contribute to fostering economic integration. We pay attention both to the intra-European dynamics and the relation of Europe with the rest of the world.

This course introduces students to recent breakthroughs in the physical and biological sciences that are now being explored for biomedical applications. The topics come directly from the research expertise of the lecturers, all of whom are young principal investigators in the new research institutes at the University of Maastricht: MERLN and M4I. The course covers a broad range of topics, including nanomaterials for regenerative medicine, supramolecular biomaterials, big data and computer learning, electron microscopy, imaging and diagnostic mass spectrometry, and structural biology of tuberculosis. Each of these fields has the potential to address some of society's greatest challenges, including the health and vitality of our aging population, and this is discussed in both the lectures and the tasks. Students gain firsthand experience of scientific research taking place at the University of Maastricht and have the opportunity to visit research laboratories as part of a demonstration of some of the topics discussed in the lectures. Students experience unrestricted access to a firsthand account of a new generation of research lines with a new generation of labs. In addition to a final content-based oral exam, there are two papers for evaluation. For their midterm, students choose a recent discovery reported in the press and investigate the scientific claims and integrity of the reporting. In the final paper, the student acts as the reporter, and writes an opinion piece on a topic of research in either MERLN or M4I; this report is informed by an interview with one of the lecturers. This course is designed for top students with a concentration in the sciences who wish to advance their learning to the next level, beyond textbooks. Students benefit from close contact with young scientists from diverse fields and are expected to read scientific literature to enhance their learning. Skills learned within this course are highly applicable for more advanced degrees (Master's, PhD) within the sciences, and within the competitive job market.

The course provides a solid understanding of the key aspects of energy metabolism and the effects of nutrients on skeletal muscle metabolism during exercise of different types. The first part of the course provides a theoretical framework on the basics of exercise biochemistry and exercise physiology. In the form of tutorial groups, the physiology of muscles, the metabolism of macronutrients, the hormonal regulation of metabolism, and the biochemical and physiological role of micronutrients in relation to exercise and fatigue are discussed. The second part of the course investigates a case study. A recommendation on your case, in the form of a group assignment, concludes this part of the course. The course requires prior knowledge of some simple (bio)chemical concepts (e.g. the structure and function of macromolecules, common forms of chemical reactions, basic cell structure, and metabolism of macromolecules).