University of Sussex

Starting from the concept of limit of a sequence, learn how it is possible to give a precise meaning to the concepts of "infinite", "infinitely small", and "infinitely large". Students also learn how to work with series, and understand how these tools can be applied to define limits of functions. Students see some of the concepts that they have covered in school in a new light, and analyze them in great depth. Students learn how to give rigorous proofs of mathematical statements, and how to sketch the graph of a function. 

In this course, students examine the nature of the mind, including insights from metaphysics, epistemology, and philosophy of language. This relates to empirical work in the cognitive sciences (psychology, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, linguistics and robotics). Topics students explore include the mind-body relation, problem of other minds, creature and machine consciousness, the nature and causal efficacy of the mental, self-knowledge, mental representation, and embodied, embedded, extended, and enactive cognition. An emphasis is placed on critical examination of arguments for and against competing accounts of the mind. 

This course is for students with some basic knowledge and experience of the target language (TL). The course enables students to understand key information and to communicate effectively in the TL, sometimes spontaneously, in less routine situations, at a standard level, provide opportunities, across a variety of topics, for practice of understanding and communication in the TL using the four language skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing, at a standard level, consolidate and develop the range of key elements of TL language structures, vocabulary, syntax and pronunciation, to allow progression in the TL, and present the background culture and society of the TL through a variety of contextualized activities and materials, in a range of media (e.g. text, audio, audio-visual, digital).

Students learn about the organization of the human genome, and how it affects the expression, preservation, and transmission of genetic traits. Students discover how modern genetic approaches, including whole genome sequencing, underpin advances in our understanding of gene function and human disease. Students also explore how current techniques drive genetic research and allow the characterization of genes, as well as their potential role in determining health outcomes. This includes an overview of basic bioinformatic methods, to navigate the public data resources that harbor genomic and functional data, an essential tool in the molecular and health sciences.

Working with the local community, this course builds on the communication and leadership skills necessary to lead action for social change. This practical work is facilitated by the charity Citizens UK, who match students with local campaigns or voluntary organizations. Exploring issues that impact various communities, students find links between their discipline and ways in which ‘community work’ can be undertaken. In workshops, students  engage critically with current debates about social justice, analyze historical and contemporary campaigns, and build practical skills (storytelling, negotiation, and delivering leadership speeches) to make positive social change.

In this course, students explore some of the most important texts in the history of western political philosophy, focusing on the work of seven major political thinkers. Students study the broad contours of modern political thought from the 17th to the 20th. Students learn to analyze philosophical arguments, situate the texts within their historical contexts, engage in close textual reading, and understand the wider themes and concepts that shape modern political thought.

In this course, students compare and analyze European politics, mapping changes and identifying constants. Instead of taking a country-by-country approach, students address key themes that shape politics in general and Europe in particular. Students explore key comparative questions about governance across Europe, including institutions of politics and how society and politics interacts.

This course introduces different approaches in the study of non-western musical cultures. Students will learn about methodologies borrowed from ethnomusicology and ethnography. Students focus on particular case studies including, for example, Iranian pop music and Bollywood musicals.

This course explores neuronal signaling in vertebrates and invertebrates. Students gain an in-depth understanding of chemical synaptic transmission. Students look at the processes involved in synaptic plasticity and its role in learning, memory and the regulation of behaviors. Students also explore sensory transduction and how the nervous system acquires and integrates information from the environment. There is a particular focus on vision, hearing, and pain. Throughout the course, students learn about the experimental approaches that have contributed to our understanding. Students develop analytical, presentation, and teamwork skills through formative group presentations of published research.

In this course, students build a foundation for studying development by engaging with first-hand research experiences of Sussex faculty, ranked as the world’s number one for International Development. Each week, a different lecturer shares how they’ve approached development, introducing key concepts and ideas rooted in their own research, and discussing real places and pressing issues. Students explore a variety of approaches to defining and understanding development, gaining insights into the diversity of perspectives that shape the field.