specialisatie Perception, Action & Control

specialisatie Language and communication

Studying the acquisition, understanding and production of language.

A mature language user has a vocabulary of about thirty to forty thousand words. Speech is produced at a speed of three to five words per second. How is it possible that, in such an amazingly short period of time, you can select the correct words, put them in the correct order and grammatical form, and pronounce them intelligibly? The acquisition and comprehension of language are based on extremely complex cognitive processes which are not yet entirely understood. It's these processes, and their biological underpinnings, that form psycholinguistics' field of study and are the basis of this specialisation.

specialisatie Plasticity & Memory

specialisatie Brain Networks & Neuronal Communication

This focus is on brain networks, ranging from the very smallest – communication between individual neurons – to the largest: communication between different brain areas and the outside world.

The specialization Brain Networks and Neuronal Communication (BNNC) deals with brain networks ranging from the smallest scale: communication between individual neurons, up to the largest scale: communication between different brain areas. It intends to provide students with the tools and insights necessary to conduct research in this area. Using advanced mathematical tools, this track prepares students for cutting-edge neuroscience research.

Students who are interested in this specialization are expected to already have a high level of mathematical skills and/or training in physics, engineering or computer science based on their BSc studies. Highly motivated students with a more cognitive science background can get quickly up to speed by taking our math courses specifically geared towards cognitive neuroscience.