Mind, Brain and Behaviour

Understanding human perception and behaviour is one of the greatest challenges facing science. Fuelled by recent advances in artificial intelligence, there is a growing need in numerous application areas for expertise in methods and models addressing this mystery. Our programme will prepare for a career in behavioural measurement, human-machine interface design, VR, autonomous driving, cognitive robotics, AI, machine learning, and other domains. Mind, Brain and Behaviour is an international research-oriented study programme taught in English language at Justus Liebig University Giessen in Germany. The programme is designed to provide essential skills for a career in academia or industry in the fields of psychology, cognitive neuroscience or the behavioural sciences, and it combines theoretical and hands-on methods courses. Theoretical courses on selected topics are taught by renowned experts. Hands-on courses cover a range of key empirical methods for measuring and modelling neural and behavioural processes of perception, action, and cognition. Theoretical courses cover multi-sensory perception, action and cognition, and their development during infancy and childhood, as well as the perception of objects, colour and materials. Hands-on courses cover functional magnetic resonance imaging, electroencephalography (EEG), measurements of eye and body movements, computer graphics, virtual reality (VR), computational modelling and machine learning. An internship and elective modules help students to shape their professional profile according to their preferences. Examples of these modules include Quantitative Foundations of AI, Creativity and Entrepreneurship, Technology and Innovation Management, or Scientific Programming and Data Analysis. Lecturers include renowned scientists Katharina Dobs, Katja Dörschner-Boyaci, Katja Fiehler, Roland W. Fleming, Karl Gegenfurtner, Benjamin de Haas, Martin N. Hebart, Daniel Kaiser, Bianca van Kemenade, and Gudrun Schwarzer, who are all involved in the Excellence Cluster The Adaptive Mind. JLU Giessen is consistently ranked among the top places for vision science worldwide. The study programme comprises theoretical and application modules in selected topics from neuroscience and behavioural science, together with key empirical methods for measuring and modelling perception, neural processes, and behaviour. In total, students complete four theoretical and four (out of five) application modules. In the first two semesters, students complete the four theoretical modules and three of the application modules, together with two elective modules. In the third semester, they finish their final application module and spend nine weeks of practical training in research or industry. The fourth semester is dedicated to completing the Master’s thesis. Theoretical modules Visual Perception of Colour and Materials Perception and Action Visual Cognition and Object Perception Current Topics in Cognition and Development Application modules Programming Capturing and Emulating the World Measuring and Modelling Human Behaviour and Neural Processing Imaging and Recording Brain Activity Elective modules Two elective modules can be selected from the courses offered by other study programmes of the Justus Liebig University Giessen, specifically from Economics, Data Science, Psychology and Human Movement Analytics. Master’s thesis Students complete their theses in the final semester, typically on an experimental research project in one of the associated research departments.