Maastricht University - Center for European Studies

Systems biology is a new approach to biological and biomedical research based on a more holistic perspective and relies on the use of mathematical and computational models, with complementing experiments in the lab.  This course provides an overview of systems biology and its building blocks, experimental approaches, and a variety of mathematical models and tools. Students are introduced to the mathematical basis of dynamic systems, networks, and constraint-based modeling.  Examples used in the course include cancer metabolism (molecular modeling), neuroscience (tissue-level modeling), and diabetes (whole-body level modeling). Practical skills are trained by carrying out computer experiments. 

This course focuses on brain-behavior relationships from a developmental perspective. It increases understanding of how healthy children and adolescents (or brains) function and how brain disease, brain injury, or developmental disorders, such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, and learning disabilities, express themselves and interfere with the demands of daily life. Relevant topics in this context are behavior, higher cognitive functions (e.g., executive functions, memory, attention), and the level of interactions a child has with his environment since these elements determine how well individuals cope and participate in daily life situations. Normal and abnormal brain and cognitive development are discussed in preschoolers, school-aged children, and adolescents. During the course, students gain insights into (1) developmental changes in brain structure, brain functioning, and cognitive functions; (2) the clinical phenomenology of the most important developmental disorders; (3) the underlying brain-behavior relationships in these disorders; and (4) diagnosis and treatment. Students also gain experience in the selection, administration, and interpretation of commonly used neuropsychological tests, measuring the above-mentioned domains of higher cognitive functions and behavior.

This course makes students familiar with diverse aspects of human behavior in organizations. The course considers the following: how organizations select good employees, how organizations maintain a healthy and motivated workforce, effective leadership styles, and the characteristics of high-performing teams. An array of different topics from work and organizational psychology are studied such as work stress, occupational health, emotions in organizations, leadership, personnel selection, work motivation, and teamwork. The course consists of lectures, assignments, and a group project in which students focus on one of the topics mentioned above.  At the end, there is a ‘mini conference’ in which groups present the results of their group work.

This course highlights the core processes for developing theory-and evidence-based interventions. Several topics in the field of applied psychology are discussed, for example obesity, sexual behaviors, but also topics like traffic safety, and pro-environmental behaviors. Additionally, students are provided with applications of more fundamental insights (e.g., emotion regulation, stigma), and first-hand examples of existing behavior change programs: from problems they target and who are involved, to theory and empirical evidence, to development, implementation, and evaluation.

In this course, students learn about various ways to enhance cognition covering a broad range of approaches. The focus is on current hot topics such as brain stimulation, neuro-feedback, smart drugs, and meditation. Additionally, students have the opportunity to critically discuss the scientific basis of other (potential) cognitive enhancers such as sleep, hypnosis, nutrition, physical exercise, and neuro-linguistic programming. Lastly, the possibility of cognitive enhancement poses ethical questions that are discussed. At the end of this course, students have basic knowledge of the potential, current limitations, and risks of cognitive enhancement.

This version of the Positive Psychology course includes an Independent Study Project (ISP) done under the direction of the instructor. The ISP is 10-12 pages and counts for 1/3 of the overall grade for the course. Positive psychology was introduced by Martin Seligman around 2000 and can be viewed as a supplementary approach to clinical psychology. The positive psychological movement formulated three aims: (1) to focus on well-being and happiness instead of abnormal behavior and psychopathology, (2) to be concerned with building positive qualities and strengths instead of repairing damage, and (3) to prevent future problems instead of correcting past and present problems. This course starts with a general introduction to the field of positive psychology. The main concepts are introduced and clarified, and an overview of the results of happiness studies is presented. In subsequent meetings, various topics are discussed in lectures and group discussions including mindfulness, positive emotions, resilience, self-determination theory, self-compassion, and research in the field. There is ample room to gain hands-on experience with positive psychological techniques ranging from simple journaling exercises to mindfulness meditation. The course provides participants with the tools to be able to evaluate and design research in the area of positive psychology, but also with the skills to apply some important intervention techniques. Final assessment is by means of an individual paper on a topic of choice within the field of positive psychology. The course includes a field trip.

The course provides an overview of modern health challenges in Europe and how they are shaped by a variety of themes within stakeholders in policy, research, and practice. Such themes include developing a unified system of population health monitoring across sovereign countries; coping with population aging and rising healthcare expenditures; managing commercial and social determinants of health; supporting cross-border collaboration between national health systems; fostering learning and the exchange of expertise in social and health policy; and identifying a global role for European Public Health. The current course combines theory with practice through lectures, tutorials, and a masterclass. Lectures introduce the content and initiate discussions on topics covered by the course. In addition, the course makes use of problem-based learning (PBL), a prominent learning method widely used at Maastricht University, in which students actively engage in their own learning. Finally, the course includes an exchange of views in the form of a masterclass with a senior expert in European health policy. To facilitate a fruitful learning environment a moderate level of health-related knowledge is required. Hence, the course is directed toward students attending bachelor or master's courses in medicine, public health science, sociology, anthropology, political science, or economics.

This course provides students with an introductory investigation into the question of if, when, and how ethical considerations can or must play a role in the practice of the medical profession. It makes students aware of the fact that the health sciences are not operating in a moral vacuum and that a good knowledge of both older and recent ethical debates in this particular field is of the greatest significance. This course consists of three parts. The first part of the course gives an introduction to some fundamental European philosophical ideas of what it means to be a human being. This introduction is accompanied by an introduction to the most important ethical theories of the West. The second part of the course discusses a general framework of medical ethics as it could play a guiding role in the day-to-day practice of those who are members of the medical profession or related areas. The third part of the course discusses some of the most important and well-known ethical problems that can be found within the medical field. There are lectures, discussions, and the study of cases that reflect the most important problems and topics that make up the moral challenges of the medical discipline of today. 

In this course, students are introduced to the innovative and mind-blowing field of developmental neuropsychology. The anatomy of the brain and relevant brain functions are introduced at the beginning of the module. Through case studies, students explore the fundamental research and the most recent advances in the field. Students endeavor to find solutions to the questions presented by researching various articles and group discussion. For example, why is there a change in the ability to discriminate between human faces and monkey faces in babies of 12 months? And why is this difference not present at 6 months? Cognitive development is typically measured by changes or improvements in cognitive processes. In this course, processes such as language, reasoning, and memory etc. are explored in terms of their developmental trajectory and how this trajectory relates to changes in the maturing brain. It examines how these developmental changes can be measured by various neurological methods (e.g. fMRI and EEG). The field trip included in the course focuses on the importance of neuroscientific research methods and forms a unique and practical insight into the subject matter. Midway through the course the students construct a research proposal regarding developmental neuropsychology in subgroups and present this proposal.