Prospectus | 08/09 - Psychology and Neuroscience - Maastricht ...

Prospectus Research Master Psychology 2008 • 2009
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The curriculum includes theoretical courses, colloquia, skill trainings, and workshops
followed throughout year 1 and the beginning of year 2. These ensure that students
acquire a broad intellectual foundation before choosing a research topic for the
remainder of the programme. Core courses form the backbone of the chosen
specialization. To increase awareness and appreciation of the value of different research
approaches, the course ‘Interdisciplinary Perspectives’ addresses two broad topics each
year, from the perspective of each of the four specializations. Colloquia are designed to
integrate topics that are of general interest to the fields of psychology and neuroscience.
The colloquia are open to all students, thus fostering interdisciplinary interaction. Skill
trainings provide students with the necessary practical knowledge for research in
experimental and applied settings, whereas specialized workshops provide the necessary
foundation for conducting the Master’s thesis research and advanced skills for a future
scientific or any other related career.
The Research Master’s (MSc) programme is equivalent to 120 European credits.
Core courses
In the core courses students become acquainted with the most important theories,
models, techniques, and analytic methods in the domains of Cognitive Neuroscience,
Fundamental Neuroscience, Neuropsychology, and Psychopathology. The courses are
given in a Problem-Based learning (PBL) or seminar format. Under the guidance of an
experienced faculty member, students meet in groups for in-depth discussion of current
research issues pertinent to the central theme of the course, based on assigned readings
of cutting-edge articles. Course credits (2 to 4 credits per course, depending on its length)
and grades are assigned on the basis of assessments that may include participation,
written papers and/or presentations or exams.
Two Advanced Statistics courses (with a total of 5 credits) are shared by all specializations.
They consist of a mixture of lectures, hands-on training, and student-centered meetings,
designed to acquaint the student with the most important advanced methods with widespread
research applications. The final grade is based on a multiple-choice format exam.
Interdisciplinary Perspectives course
This course, required for all students, consists of two series of four lectures each. The
lectures on each topic are given by faculty members from the four specializations, with
the aim of illustrating different perspectives on a shared research theme. The course
will demonstrate the richness of hypotheses, research designs, and methods that can
be brought to bear on a given research theme, thus stimulating students to combine
these different perspectives in their future research. Required readings, assigned by each
lecturer, will be made available prior to the first lecture on a new theme. The final grade
is the average score obtained on two exams, one following each series of four lectures (3
credits).