Bachelor Programmes

The Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences participates in two Bachelor programmes, Biology and Life Science and Technology. GELIFES coordinates the university-level minor Neurosciences.

A bachelor programme is a three-year programme. The first semester is a joint programme of the Bachelor Biology and the Bachelor Life Science and Technology where all students take the same two modules and the practicals Anatomy & Physiology and Minimal Cell. In the first module, the focal point is on the living cell, with courses in Cell Biology, Biochemistry and Genetics. The second module focuses on the complex organism, with courses in Physiology & Therapy, Ecology & Behaviour and Diversity.

In the second semester students choose a major. The Biology programme offers one general major and four specializations:

1. General Biology: the general option for students with a broad interest in biology. The contents of this major can be largely defined by yourself.
2. Ecology and Evolution: specialization focusing on the interactions within living nature and the way they came into existence. This major is mostly research-oriented but also provides a good starting point for working in government, consultancy and other organisations in the nature conservation sector.
3. Behaviour and Neurosciences: specialization focusing on the workings of the brain and the behaviour of humans and animals, providing insight into all manners of factors to do with behaviour, such as nurture conditions, the environment and endogenous processes.
4. Molecular Life Sciences: specialization focusing on molecular science, such as studying prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells in their environment, research of cellular functions, or the development of molecular technologies for medicine or biotechnology in cooperation with many other disciplines.
5. Biomedical Sciences: the focus of this specialization is the human being as a biological creature. Medical biology aims to understand the biological basis and progression of diseases in humans and to develop better diagnostic and therapeutic programmes.

In the Life Science and Technology programme students choose one of four specializations: in addition to the majors 3 - 5, the programme offers the specialization Biomedical Technology for students interested in both healthcare and technology. Biomedical technologists design and develop new diagnostic and treatment techniques for the healthcare sector, in cooperation with physicians, biologists, biochemists and engineers.

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Minor Neurosciences

The minor in Neurosciences is an introduction to the neurosciences, intended for students with no previous experience of natural sciences. Most of the lectures and practical sessions in the course unit are given by lecturers from the Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES).

The lectures (9 ECTS) explore the main principles of the neurosciences with a special emphasis on the neurobiological background of behaviour. In addition, specialist lectures (magistraalcolleges) (4 ECTS) given by expert guest speakers look into the most diverse subjects covered by neurosciences. Finally, there are practicals (5 ECTS) dealing with subjects such as: anatomy and immuno-histo-chemistry of the brain, autonomous reflexes, nerve conductivity, learning behaviour and EEG.

Default programme of the minor Neurosciences

Check the Education website for admission requirements and a detailed study guide.