As a research master student, you can study two theme-specific areas:
Cognitive neurosciences: How does the brain work? How do we use information and experiences for decision-making? What exactly does neuroplasticity mean? How does stress affect our brain? Topics revolving around cognitive neuroscience are taught as part of the complementary basic research module Cognitive Neurosciences, and the elective course Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. Selected topics include the investigation of neurological mechanisms that underly cognitive and emotional processes with a strong focus on integrating theories, methods, and paradigms on the current state of research, including neuroimaging studies and mathematical models.
Social and emotional processes: How do other people affect our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors? In what way do family, school, and work contexts shape individual characteristics and experiences? And how do these characteristics, experiences, and social dynamics develop across the life span? Topics revolving around social and emotional processes are taught as part of one basic research module Origins of and Differences in Human Cognition and Personality as well as in the two applied elective subject modules Social Dynamics of Organizational Behavior and Socio-Emotional Development and Learning. Selected topics include the integrative perspective on social and biological processes and their interaction from developmental, social, cognitive and personality psychology research. The two applied modules transfer these topics to increase our understanding of social dynamics within teams and organizations as well as the socio-emotional development in educational contexts.
Given the Masters strong focus on research, extensive methodological and statistical skills are taught and required in all modules. Specifically, in-depth methods teaching is integrated into the complementary basic research modules, the applied modules, the project module, and the thesis module. All modules focus on providing students with a comprehensive skill set of data assessment methods. These encompass laboratory-based experimental data collection, which include state-of-the-art methods such as neurophysiological measures (e.g., fMRI, EEG), behavioral measures (e.g., reaction times, eye-tracking), and video graphed interactions. Additionally, modules cover the collection of data in the field (e.g., apps, reports, scan sampling), and a diverse set of statistical methods for data handling and evaluation, which include managing large datasets with repeated measurements, addressing missing data, and employing diverse experimental, latent, and cognitive data modeling approaches.
Next to the focus on research methods and the two complementary theme-specific areas of study, an internship is planned for the third semester of the program, during which students also have the opportunity to spend a semester abroad. Teaching formats for the degree program include different formats such as lectures, seminars, and intensive project seminars. The Master’s degree program is an on-campus study program in which regular teaching formats take place in person. Hybrid and digital forms are only considered under special circumstances.
