University of London, Royal Holloway

The course gives an advanced treatment of structure-function relationships in proteins, and of new practical opportunities for the use of genome-wide analyses in dissecting regulation in biological systems. Gene and protein networks are also discussed. Topics include, post-genomic science; modes of specific recognition in mediating protein interactions and DNA/protein interaction; domains and functions; and protein engineering. Students complete a guided bioinformatics coursework. This assesses individual competencies and practical skills as each student individually will have to analyze separate datasets and develop own conclusions on the function of a gene/protein within a network through the analysis of databases and literature. 

This course provides an introduction to developmental psychology, which seeks to understand and explain changes in an individual’s physical, cognitive, and social capacities across the lifespan. The overarching themes are to describe changes in an individual’s observed behaviour over time, and to uncover the processes that underlie these changes. The course begins by introducing the historical and conceptual issues underlying developmental psychology and the research methods used for studying individuals at different ages. It then proceeds to address physical development in the prenatal period, followed by cognitive and social development during infancy. The course then examines change during childhood by introducing major theories of cognitive development and addressing the social contexts of development (parents, peers, and social relationships; morality, altruism, and aggression). The course concludes by addressing the physical, cognitive, and social changes of adulthood and ageing.

In this course students study how organisms have changed through time. They look at the historical origins of the modern concept of evolution, examining the evidence for it and the processes that have shaped faunas and floras. Students consider Darwinism and its development, the origin and maintenance of variation, and adaptation and selection. They analyze how evolution can be studied using phylogenetic methods and the mechanisms of speciation, with a focus on human evolution.

The course is to understand how evolutionary principles can help us to better explain health and disease.  Why do we get sick? Why are pregnancies complicated? Why do we grow old? Why do infectious diseases have a disproportionate effect in men and women? These fascinating questions are the core of evolutionary medicine. Through case studies, students explore contemporary issues in health and disease –ones that we confront on a regular basis– and ask how evolutionary concepts –e.g., life history theory, cooperation and conflict, constraints and trade-offs, coevolution– help us to understand, mitigate, or combat those issues. 

This course offers students unfamiliar with life in Britain an opportunity to explore key aspects of literature, art, and culture in Contemporary Britain (20-21st century) as revealed in plays, novels, poems, films, and scholarly texts. The course is topic-based, with a range of related topics covered under the themes of feminism and multi-culturalism. Each topic is introduced through formal lectures and the use of audio and visual materials. The course facilitates the development of intercultural competence within a diverse cohort in terms of nationality, and students consider frameworks for discussing intercultural competence. The course also includes an external trip related to the themes of the course, for example to a play or exhibition. 

This course introduces students to a rich variety of often unfamiliar sonic expressions, musics, and contextualized musical case studies that highlight (or question the limits of) music’s relationship with particular physical (or natural) environments. It also introduces students to, and encourage critical engagement with, music specific and interdisciplinary literature relating to the environment, place, landscape, acoustic ecology, and indigeneity.

This course introduces students to the socio-cultural contexts, functions, philosophies, techniques, and organizing principles of a variety of musics of the world; musics from at least three continents are studied. These musical traditions are approached from both theoretical and practical perspectives, also giving a variety of opportunities for hands-on experience. Course content varies from year to year according to staff interests, availability of musicians to provide workshops, and to ensure freshness of approach. A typical curriculum might cover the following regions and theoretical themes: World Music - Introduction (culture, contact & concepts) South America: Andes to Amazon (exchange) Africa: Jaliya and Mbira (the musician) Indonesia: Sundanese Gamelan (temporal organization) North India: The Classical Tradition (improvisation) Papua New Guinea: The Kaluli (music and ecology) Iran: The Persian Classical Tradition (music & religion).

This course explores key development challenges faced across developing countries and is divided into three sections. The first critically examines some of the major concepts, paradigms, and theories, which have attempted to define what development is, how and why it occurs (or does not), and to whose benefit. The second focuses on some of the key development challenges faced by developing countries: economic (poverty, inequality, unemployment), political (democracy, human rights, role of elites), social (religion, race/ethnicity/caste, urbanization), and natural (climate change, pollution, resource extraction, extermination of species). The final section explores possible remedies to these issues through international cooperation (trade, aid, finance, South-South cooperation), national policies (welfare schemes, laws and regulations), and micro and informal solutions. 
 

This course explores the related topics of war and security. It is divided into three parts. The first part looks specifically at the idea of war, particularly how the idea of war has been conceptualized within the field of strategic studies and the tactics of war. The second section considers how these traditional notions of war and security have been questioned; specifically, it looks in depth at two key issues that have challenged traditional perceptions of war and security. These are the rise of non-state threats (i.e. terrorism) and the concept of human security. The third section looks at a range of contemporary issues in security studies, such as nuclear proliferation, genocide, and cybersecurity. 

This course explores the theory and practice of modern British politics. It familiarizes students with the ways in which British democracy has evolved, how it operates today and some of the challenges that confront it. Students gain knowledge of the of the political system and learn about how and why the system operates in the way it does, as well as the quality of contemporary democratic governance.