Master

The study programme aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental principles underlying autonomous adaptive behaviour of animals and humans. Brain morphology and function, including learning ability as well as innate behaviours in humans and animals have been shaped by evolution.

Our study programme bridges the gap from neurophysiology to behavioral ecology. It includes courses on the production of behaviour by neuronal circuits as well as courses on the evolution of behaviour.

As a distinguishing characteristic, this study programme integrates computational and experimental approaches and focuses on the neuronal as well as on the evolutionary aspects of behaviour.

• Computational Aspect: Behaviour is the result of computations performed by the nervous system of the organism at all relevant levels of complexity. These comprise the cellular and network level as well as the cognitive and behavioural performance of the entire system.
• Evolutionary Aspect: Brain function and behaviour emerge from the developmental and everyday interactions of the organism with its environment. They have been shaped by selection during the course of evolution.

NOTE that the eligibility criteria for this M.Sc. study program have been changed in 2023!

Applications can be submitted between 1 June and 15 July of every year via the university's application portal HisInOne .

International students are particularly encouraged to apply early.

The admission procedure has two steps, an eligibility check (“Zugangsprüfung”) and a ranking procedure for limited admission of 14 students per year (“Zulassung”).

A. Eligibility

 For the eligibility check, applicants must

• hold a Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in a field pertinent to the Master's programme Behaviour: From Neural Mechanisms to Evolution.
• provide evidence for very good command of the English language (at least level B2)
• provide evidence for sufficient university training in at least one of the following three “competence fields” (ideally, applicants should have training in all three competence fields):
  • Animal Behaviour and/or Behavioural Neurobiology (equivalent to 30 ECTS).
  • Animal Physiology, Neurophysiology, Animal Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and/or Cognitive Science (equivalent to 20 ECTS)
  • Statistics and/or „Scientific Computing" (equivalent to 10 ECTS)

B. Ranking

Each eligible application is rated according to the B.Sc degree (with 5 to 8 points for the final mark/grading) and the three competence fields (with 2 points for Animal Behaviour/Behavioural Neurobiology, and 1 point for each one the other two fields). A minimum of 10 points is required. Ranks are assigned according to number of points (Criterion 1) and, in case of equal point scores, the B.Sc. degree (Criterion 2).

Students may apply before finishing their Bachelor degree. In this case, they are required to submit a certified transcript of records of their studies, including a current mark or overall score. Admission may be granted subject to the successful completion of the B.Sc. degree before joining our MSc programme.

C. Documents required

For your online application, the following documents are required:

• A certified copy of the Bachelor's certificate (or equivalent degree) and the corresponding transcript with a detailed list of your courses and corresponding workload. If you haven’t received your B.Sc. degree at the time of application, make sure your transcript shows the current mark or grading.
• Official module descriptions, listing module type (e.g., practical), content and workload.
• For EACH selected competence field, you will need to (i) upload a pdf document (max. 1 A4; in English) in which you list the corresponding course names as mentioned in your transcript, the amount of ECTS  acquired (or equivalent workload) per course, and whether or not the course comprised practical experimental work. It is mandatory that you add a summary statement in which you explain, how the content of your B.Sc. studies has prepared you for the courses offered in our M.Sc. program “Behaviour”. Additionally, use the edit windows of each competence to (ii) summarize the focus of your coursework, total ECTS, and fraction of practical work.
• evidence of English language skills (except for native speakers or in case the first degree has been obtained at an English-speaking institution); TOEFL test (paper-based: TOEFL®ITP with a score record of at least 543; internet-based: TOEFL iBT® with a score record of at least 87), IELTS (International English Language Testing System) with an overall band score of at least 5.5 or any other equivalent test (level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).

D. Further Information

International students: Working knowledge of German is advisable for daily private life; German courses are strongly recommended.

Furthermore, international students from countries not belonging to the European Union or the European Economic Area are requested to take the following entry requirements into consideration: DAAD - Visa / Entry into the country

For more details please see the Subject-specific Regulations for the Master Programme Behaviour: From Neural Mechanisms to Evolution" German Version

For more general information see https://www.uni-bielefeld.de/studium/studieninteressierte/international/studium-mit-abschluss/bewerbung/#accordion-comp_00005cc2662b_0000001c59_4d4f

1st/2nd Semester

Throughout the first year, basic concepts and current topics of mechanisms and evolution of brain and behaviour are taught in a comprehensive study programme. This combines in all modules both seminars and lectures with lab courses and small scientific projects. Emphasis during the first year is put on individual tutoring and intensive training in small groups.

Master modules (A - F)

The Master modules combine both seminars and lectures with lab courses and scientific projects. Current topics of the six master modules are:

A - Probing Behaviour
B - Neural Mechanisms of Behaviour
C - Control of Behaviour
D - Perception and Action
E - Evolution of Behaviour
F - Function of Behaviour

3rd/4th Semester

In the second year students select a supplementary module and will carry out - in research modules - independent projects in two of the participating research groups. These projects will eventually lead to the six- month Master's thesis project. Students are encouraged to use the supplementary module (and potentially one of the research modules) to do a project in a cooperative international research institution. All students of the study programme participate in a weekly seminar series where the results of the various research projects are presented and discussed. Special emphasis is also given to scientific writing and oral presentation skills. Seminar talks by internationally renowned scientists from other institutions further extend the scope of the study programme.

Supplementary module

Research modules A+B

Master's thesis

The Master's thesis project comprises original and independent research in the field of current research of one of the groups participating in the MSc programme. The research projects are accompanied by training in scientific writing and oral presentation skills. The Master's thesis will be written in the format of international scientific journals. (30 ECTS)

Data Acquisition, Analysis, and Presentation

The complexity of behaviour and the underlying neuronal processes is enchantingly rich. This richness is reflected in the broad range of analytical methodologies applied to biological data in our endeavor of elucidating this complexity. With respect of our Master program, the topics cover ranges from the theoretical modeling of evolutionary processes to quantitative behavioral analysis in various model systems and the studies of neuronal networks.

The first module within the Master program aims at providing students with an overview to this variety, with a special focus on learning and mastering the broad range of skills and techniques needed to successfully approach this complexity. Using theoretical and practical examples of topics fundamental to the research of the faculty involved in the master program, students are introduced to programming in Matlab®. In doing so, we introduce fundamental concepts of signal analysis (e.g., filtering signals, Fourier transforms, convolution, spike-train analysis, trajectory analysis, ROC analysis and statistical foundations) and approaches to experimental designs and data acquisition (extracellular recordings, psychophysical experiments). In addition to these analytical skills, problems in designing experiments, bibliographic research and the art of scientific-writing and presentation of scientific data are covered and practiced in this module.

Brains are believed to belong to the most complex structures in the universe. They consist of densely packed and intricately interconnected networks of neurons, each of which has already highly complex computational properties.
With their neuronal machinery even relatively small animals are able to deal successfully with extraordinary tasks - as least if judged by the performance of man-made artifical systems. In preparation that are accessible relatively easily to experimental approaches (such as semi-intact insects) fundamental issues of neuronal information processing in nerve cells, at synaptic connections and neuronal networks will be addressed by electrophysiological and pharmacological experiments using intra- and extracellular recording techniques. Modern computer-based approaches will be introduced to analyse the experimental data. The experimental analysis will be completed by model simulations based on special software packages to validate experimentally established hypotheses and to assess the functional consequences of the cellular properties. The different projects will be conducted in small groups. Topical papers in the field of cellular information processing and neuronal computation will be discussed in seminars.

Animals adapt their behaviour according to the requirements of the current situation. A wide range of sensory organs supply the animal's nervous system with information about the immediate environment (external cues), but also about the current state of the body (internal cues). Depending on both, external and internal cues, the nervous system switches, modulates or sustains the pattern of activity in its output organs - muscles and glands - in order to change the current behaviour or to maintain it. A change in output causes a concurrent change in sensory input, thus closing the loop from the output to the input. The module "Control of Behaviour" addresses different aspects of control loops, ranging from unconscious control of homeostasis and reflexive movements to orientation, course control and the coordination of complex movement sequences. The first part of the module gives an introduction to the basic theory and experimental analysis of feed-back systems (e.g., dynamic properties and stability), using simple examples of animal physiology and neurobiology. The second part is devoted to modelling the neural control of animal movement, with emphasis on the application of Artificial Neural Networks. During the third part, we offer small project experiments, addressing various specific aspects of sensory control of individual joints, limbs (i.e., chains with several joints) or whole bodies (i.e., coordination of multiple limbs).

Suggested Reading:

• Biewener, A. A. (2003) Animal Locomotion. Oxford University Press.
• Cruse, H (2008) Neural networks as cybernetic systems. 3rd ed., Brains, Minds & Media; ebook: http://www.brains-minds-media.org/archive/1841

This module is an introduction into current research topics of Cognitive Neuroscience. First there will be an overview about different experimental methods used in Cognitive Neuroscience research. In small groups the students will then learn to develop their own scientific questions about the neural processing mechanisms underlying cognitive processes. Thereby, one focus will be on human multisensory perception and the interaction of perception and action sequences. Higher cognitive functions, such as learning, attention and navigation/orientation will play a central role. Next to the theoretical introduction, a predominant part of the course will be on receiving hands on experience with Cognitive Neuroscience topics. To this end, scientific questions will be approached experimentally and the results received will be quantitatively analyzed. In addition to the thematic introduction into the field of cognitive neuroscience, one of the main objectives of this module is to learn about the entire scientific process, from the development of the scientific question, the conduction of well-controlled cognitive experiments, all the way to the the presentation of the results in written or oral form.

This course concentrates on how to study the evolution and maintenance of animal behaviour. It has the following components: In the first introductory part the participants attend lectures on the basic mechanisms of evolution and get suggestions for small research projects using insects. In the second part that will take place during an excursion to Greece, the students will work in small groups on the projects they have selected. In the third part the received data have to be analysed and on the last day all participants will give oral presentations of their projects. In addition, all participants have to write reports in the form of scientific publications.

The aim of this course is to become familiar with concepts and methods used to study animal behaviour, specifically behavioural ecology. Basic principles will be theoretically presented and exemplified by research projects, mostly on small mammals, birds and fish. These experiments serve to obtain experience in asking precise questions on the causation and function of behaviour and to teach experimental design. Experiments on the proximate aspect of behaviour deal mainly with different aspects of communication. Examples are the role of acoustic and visual stimuli in courtship behaviour and partner choice. Ultimate aspects deal, for example, with distribution in space, the study of personality features and phylogenetic and molecular analysis of behaviour. Seminars serve to discuss current ideas based on the study of recent literature.

The international graduate programme "Behaviour: From Neural Mechanisms to Evolution" is centred in Biology. However, a selection of curricular modules may also be selected from related fields such as Psychology, Computer Science, Robotics or Linguistics.

Alphabetical listing of faculty in biology

• Böddeker, Norbert, Dr. (Cognitive Neuroscience)
  norbert.boeddeker@uni-bielefeld.de
• Caspers, Barbara, Prof. Dr. (Behavioural Ecology)
  barbara.caspers@uni-bielefeld.de
• Dürr, Volker, Prof. Dr. (Biological Cybernetics)
  volker.duerr@uni-bielefeld.de
• Egelhaaf, Martin, Prof. Dr. (Neurobiology)
  martin.egelhaaf@uni-bielefeld.de
• Engelmann, Jacob, Prof. Dr. (Active Sensing)
  jacob.engelmann@uni-bielefeld.de
• Kayser, Christoph, Prof. Dr. (Cognitive Neuroscience)
  christoph.kayser@uni-bielefeld.de
• Kern, Roland, Dr. (Neurobiology)
  roland.kern@uni-bielefeld.de
• Krüger, Oliver, Prof. Dr. (Animal Behaviour)
  oliver.krueger@uni-bielefeld.de
• Lindemann, Jens Peter, Dr. (Neurobiology)
  jens.lindemann@uni-bielefeld.de
• Reinhold, Klaus, Prof. Dr. (Evolutionary Biology)
  klaus.reinhold@uni-bielefeld.de
• Strube-Bloss, Martin, Dr. (Biological Cybernetics)
  martin.strube-bloss@uni-bielefeld.de