Master's Degree in Human Cognition and Evolution
Academic year 2024-25
- New student profile and admission criteria
- Academic and professional goals
- Access to other study programmes and career opportunities
- Structure of the study programme
- Final Exam
- Evaluation criteria and exams
- Study programme leadership
- Composition of the Academic Committee for MCEV
- Credit Recognition and Transfer Committee for MCEV
New student profile and admission criteria
A numerus clausus of 20 seats has been established for this programme. The degree programme's academic committee will revise the candidates' CVs in order to decide who to admit to the programme, depending on the applicants' profiles and the established educational requirements. If the number of applicants exceeds the numerus clausus, the degree programme's academic committee will create an ordered list of the applicants' merits based on the following criteria:
- Academic transcript
- Publications in journals related to the field of study
- Scholarships/grants obtained
- Attendance at congresses and seminars
- Other academic merits
Academic and professional goals
The objective of the Master's degree programme in human cognition and evolution is to provide training and education that lead towards the understanding of and ability to conduct analyses of human behaviour under three premises: (i) in line with the main cognitive components of human behaviour, (ii) as an integrated part of a specific society within the context of globalization of groups of people, and (iii) as the result of an evolutionary process in both ontogenetic and phylogenetic terms. This objective is founded on the importance that the knowledge of human behaviour has on the understanding of human nature, evolutionary processes, and cognitive mechanisms specific to our species. This project, to advance the understanding of human nature via the integration of evolutionary and cognitive perspectives in order to understand our species specifically, represents one of the most currently active interdisciplinary areas of research. This popularity can be seen in the proliferation of academic institutions, scientific organizations, scholarly journals, and congresses in this field.
In line with this plan, the specific competences covered in this Master's programme are as follows:
- CE1: Obtain an advanced level of knowledge about evolution, cognitive processes, and socialization processes in human beings.
- CE2: Understand advanced research techniques in the field of social and human sciences, especially those that have to do with the study of human evolution, cognition, and socialization.
- CE3: Understand the main neuronal processes that have been involved in the emergence of traits of human cognition.
- CE4: Know how to integrate research in the fields of evolution, anthropology, and cognitive psychology.
- CE5: Know how to work in a team in a research group related to the disciplines in the Master's programme.
Access to other study programmes and career opportunities
The Master's degree in human cognition and evolution leads to the ability to access the UIB's doctorate programme of the same name. In fact, it allows graduates to access many doctorate programmes depending on the direction chosen for their Master's thesis. The research credentials that this programme provides could be useful across many fields.
Structure of the study programme
Subjects may be viewed in the 'Subjects' section of this degree programme. Subjects will be taught in the language that best matches students' preferences in each year.
The master's programme is designed to be taken in one year and comprises 60 credits: 30 core credits taught in the first term, 15 elective credits and 15 credits for the final thesis.
First term (Core module)
Human Evolution
Evolution of the Mind
Theory of Evolution
Cognition and the Brain
Socialisation Processes
Research Training
Second term
Comprising the following modules:
Modelling Complex Systems. Cognitive Psychology. Cognitive Neuroscience of Higher Functions. Socialisation Processes in the Contemporary World.
Advanced research training electives. One of the three subjects must be selected:
Advanced Research into Social and Political Studies
Advanced Research into Cognitive Psychology
Advanced Research into Cognitive Neuroscience
Free electives:
(Please check as the availability of these subjects may change year-to-year)
Master's Thesis
This is the key element of training in research. The thesis must be in the format of a scientific article for publication in a journal.
Final Exam
Information for each subject is specified in that courses' syllabus, which can be found in the subjects section.
There is no final exam for the Master's degree programme, but graduation does depend on the public defence of an original piece of research work, worth 15 ECTS credits.
We require that the Master's thesis be written as a scientific article destined to be published in some specific scientific journal, the choice of which must be justified. The objective is for this research to be published, as this is the best way to accredit a student's training in research work. The Master's thesis will be assessed on the written report, the value of the work that was done, and the public presentation of the project.
Evaluation criteria and exams
Specified in the syllabi that can be found in the subjects section.