Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Amsterdam, the Netherlands

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www.vu.nl/en

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The purpose of this minor is to acquaint the student with different disciplines within the field of Neuroscience. The student will become familiar with the workings and functions of different types of brain cells and brain areas. The student will learn how this knowledge can be used to understand characteristics of the healthy brain (e.g., perception, attention, learning and memory), of the developing brain (pre- and postnatal), and of the diseased brain (e.g., depression, addiction, eating disorders).

The minor Development and Global Challenges explores a number of burning issues in the global world, such as environment and sustainability, poverty and unequal economic growth, diversity and inequality, urbanization and the global political economy. The minor addresses the policy level and local responses to contemporary global challenges through an understanding of “development” as a field that not only pertains to the Global South but also to the so-called developed countries. The minor critically assesses both earlier conceptualizations and approaches of development and discusses their successes and failures.

Why do some companies outperform their rivals? How is it possible for long-standing companies to be outdone by start-ups with a radically different approach to business? In the minor New Ways of Doing Business, you learn management principles to understand and assess how companies compete in today’s fast paced world of business. Particular attention is paid to how high-performing companies excel at using new ways of management and organization, and how managerial skills and leadership contribute to their success. In this minor we start by imparting the basic knowledge of theories and concepts necessary to understand and assess modern business organizations. You will learn in PI about traditional and pioneering forms of organizational structures, frameworks to evaluate competitive environments, and capabilities and behaviors developed by successful managers. Based on P1 knowledge and comprehension, you will be taught in P2 how to analyze and evaluate business models, as well as consider and explore opportunities for business model innovations. Case studies, guest lectures, individual work and teamwork will give you an understanding of how business models relate to competitive advantage in the dynamic world of modern business. They will also help you understand and critically evaluate choices in terms of funding sources, capital structure, and managerial skills’ development and actions to increase value. A real-world consulting project closes the minor in P3 and enables integration and application of the knowledge acquired during the minor. Understanding business models requires a multidisciplinary perspective on the organization, its competitive environment, and its individuals. Students from other faculties (i.e., non-SBE students), universities and countries are eligible and welcome to participate in the minor! The diverse background of students in the minor ensures lively and interactive discussion and fosters broad-mindedness.

The sources and objects studied in history, media, literature, art, and social sciences are increasingly becoming available in digital formats. The minor Digital Humanities and Social Analytics will train you in how to create and analyse different types of data collections, using tools for text mining, data analysis and visualization. The courses include hands-on training, research internships in ongoing research projects, as well as theoretical reflection on the promises of ‘the digital’ for your own discipline. Practical computational training will sharpen your analytical skills and enhance your job opportunities in the future.

What did people’s lives look like during medieval times? Which religions existed and how did people experience religious diversity? How did cities appear in literature and how did people feel about that image? How did people in towns relate to the natural environment like water bodies, parks and the surrounding countryside? These are questions you will address in the minor European Urban and Cultural History. With the minor European Urban and Cultural History, you will acquire in-depth knowledge and insights about the history of the medieval, early modern, and modern urbanizing societies of Europe, with a focus on the Netherlands and Amsterdam. The approaches follow the perspectives of the History of Emotions, Cultural, Environmental and Architectural History.

In the multidisciplinary minor Gender and Diversity you will learn how to critically perceive contemporary discussions in science and society, from the perspective of gender and diversity. You will gain knowledge of the relevant theories on gender, race, ethnicity and sexuality, in the disciplinary fields of history, philosophy, literature, medicine, sociology and anthropology, and religious studies. You will develop a diverse perspective in discussions with students from other disciplines in the classroom. In assignments, you apply knowledge to your own disciplinary field.

The regulation of the internet, the international mobility of people and the management and causation of climate change are amongst the most hotly debated issue of our times. These issues transcend national and regional borders, which not only complicates questions of accountability, effectivity but also the access to justice for the legal subjects involved. They raise questions of the control of national and international exercises of power, of the relationship between international law, the nation state and capitalism but also of the effects of colonialism in contemporary North/South relations. This minor contains courses on the law relating to migration, climate change, the internet, as well as a selection of other current topics in transnational law which vary from year to year (past topics including fertility tourism, selling citizenship, the Covid-19 pandemic, and geoengineering). If you are pursuing careers in European and international law or in the field of domestic or international migration, this is an excellent minor for you. The minor prepares you for the master programs European and International Law, International Migration and Refugee Law, International Technology Law or Internet, Intellectueel Eigendom en ICT. During this minor you will learn: The international legal framework relating to the three issues covered The problems and defects of this law, and the role of lawyers in creating change How to research and present a critical argument on issues of global justice

The minor programme consists of five courses and offers you essential insight in how new digital technologies change the way we work, how organizations can be changed or optimized, how new ways of designing and producing can be developed, and how new opportunities and business models can be found. At the same time, critical reflection is stimulated on the various reasons for, and consequences of, digital innovation.

This minor offers students insights into the concepts, causes and consequences of political violence and war, in particular from a broad set of disciplines, including political science, international law, criminology, theology, philosophy, anthropology, sociology and history. The interdisciplinary character of the minor is apparent in the composition of courses and also on the level of courses: each course is taught in an interdisciplinary manner by staff from two (or more) disciplines, thereby bringing dialogue amongst disciplines into the classroom. After completing this minor, students should be able to understand the driving forces of political violence, war and international crimes and to critically analyse complex global challenges. Students will also be able to work in interdisciplinary teams and design measures of reconciliation and peacemaking.

New scientific insights into the working of our brain and the way this influences our behaviour and mental health occur almost on a weekly basis. This knowledge alters our world, influencing all aspects of our lives (not only health care but also marketing, food, economy, technology). It provides insight into the reasons people differ and helps explain group processes. Knowledge about psychology and the brain is essential for anyone who wants to understand why we behave as we do. The minor Psychology and the Brain introduces you to the academic fields within Psychology that study behaviour and the brain. It assumes a basic familiarity with biological processes. You are provided with a basic overview of psychology, gain knowledge about the evolutionary and biological processes that influence our behaviour and learn about the influence of genes on our behaviour and the consequences of problems in brain function. During the courses you get also more insights into the methods used to increase our knowledge about psychology and the brain. At completion of the minor, you have the knowledge to judge claims made within and outside the scientific community about the brain in relation to our behaviour.

How can you quantify risk and what is the impact of human behavior? This minor highlights risk issues from different perspectives, such as quantitative methods and techniques, human behaviour, financial markets, technological innovation and regulation and supervision. You will gain insights in how financial institutions work and analyse their business models and risk issues. Besides quantitative analysis, the minor emphasises the importance of a holistic view including behavioural finance. Finally, the risks of new developments will be discussed. What is the impact of new financial technologies such as Big Data / machine learning and blockchain, sustainability and how can you mitigate cybercrime?

Emerging technologies in the field of artificial intelligence, biotechnology, neurotechnology and ICT promise to improve human communication, health, reproduction and cognition. Ultimately, in that process, these technologies may transform the human condition itself. One of the major challenges for the governance of this field is that these technologies are radically questioning central legal-ethical principles, such as responsibility, dignity, autonomy, freedom and privacy. What do these concepts mean for the regulation of emerging technologies? Are they still credible in the light of recent scientific findings? What makes this interdisciplinary minor truly unique is its focus on the underlying values within the regulation of advancing technology. During the minor, you will not only analyse and discuss academic literature, but also news items, documentaries, public and political discussions and advisory reports.