All biological interactions, whether they take place on a molecular, organism or ecosystem scale, are part of complex dynamical systems. Understanding the behaviour of these systems lies at the heart of many key challenges in biological research. In this module you will have the opportunity to develop and investigate mathematical models of biological systems. You will learn techniques to construct, implement and analyse interaction networks using the Python programming language.

Data Science is an exciting new area that combines scientific inquiry, statistical knowledge, substantive expertise, and computer programming. One of the main challenges for businesses and policy makers when using big data is to find people with the appropriate skills. Students taking this module will be introduced to the most fundamental data analytic tools and techniques, and learn how to use specialised software to analyse real-world data and answer policy-relevant questions.

C++ is regarded as ‘sexy’ in the financial markets and is the most popular language in this arena. It is also a legacy language – many of the operating systems and software we use is written in C++. Python is rapidly becoming the standard in scientific computing, receiving much excitement about the application of Python to finance, medicine, mobile technology, online gaming, film industry. Its appeal continues to grow in both academia and industry. It is simple and fun to use, free to download, with a growing amount of add-on modules.

Provides students with a broad understanding of issues relating to crime measurement, crime patterns, explanations of criminal behavior, and crime prevention. The module will consider the challenges and processes associated with measuring and analyzing crime and will present some of the key crime trends. Special attention will be devoted to how crime patterns manifest in space and time and how they can be analyzed. Criminological and psychological theories will be compared and the role of the traditional criminal justice system as a means of crime control will be explored.

To ensure change is achieved on a global scale a multinational agreement was confirmed in 2015 at the Paris climate conference whereby 195 countries agreed a legally binding global climate deal, the first of its kind. Advancements in the field of electrochemical engineering and the infrastructure that will subsequently facilitate such changes are essential in order to reduce dependencies upon traditional carbon-intensive technologies. This course will provide insight into each stage of this process, from the chemistry and manufacture of new materials to the organisation of the grid and the redesigning of our metropolitan infrastructure. These stages will subsequently shape and dictate the future of our cities.

London is truly a global city. An international center of culture and art, business and finance, education and research and tourism: the city is also home to people from all over the world who help shape and characterize its diversity. Despite its status as a global city, London must also be understood as an ordinary city; one of the hundreds of large cities around the world where people negotiate their daily routines of living, working, traveling and sharing space with others. This course will use London as a springboard to explore ways that contemporary cities are being theorized, experienced and understood. The course aims to challenge you to consider your own relations to, and place within, an increasingly urbanized world.

As the planet’s land use and human population become increasingly urban, environmental problems and politics of cities are evermore critical for improving socio-environmental relationships and outcomes. Thus, this module will explore the urban political conflicts of environmental issues like climate change, air pollution, water quality/quantity, resource and energy use, waste disposal, and more. Using a range of case studies from around the world and beginning with some of the contested material flows of resources that both transform and comprise cities, the module then will move to address politicized ideas of nature, conservation, and habitats in the city while concluding with discussions of human agency and responses to the uneven social impacts of urban environmental problems.

This module will look at what we know about healthy brains - how the brain is structured, the different types of brain cells, localisation of function and neurochemistry of different brain areas, communication within the brain and how we investigate the brain in week 1. In weeks 2 and 3 the module will look at dysfunction in relation to vison, hearing, movement, memory, thinking, emotion and behaviour. UCL is ranked as second in the world for neuroscience and students will get to hear about the amazing world class research that takes place within the Faculty of Brain Sciences and its constituent parts: the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, the Division of Psychiatry, the Institutes of Ophthalmology and Neurology and the Ear Institute.

Provides an introduction to definitions used in population and public health, basic theories, and conceptual frameworks linking major determinants of health with a range of individual and population health outcomes. Students will discover the major milestones in the history of population health, while exploring the role of London in public health research.

The use of nanotechnology in medicine is an emerging field that can revolutionize the treatment and detection of disease. This module offers both an insight into these emerging technologies and a fundamental understanding of why size matters and how nanoscale technologies interact with biological environments. Through hands on laboratory sessions, workshops and lectures, students will see how this technology offers huge leaps in diagnostics. Please note there is a bench fee of £100 for the use of labs and consumable materials.

This module introduces students to key areas of business law from a UK-US and international perspective, while honing their analytical, communication, and team problem solving skills. Students will become familiar with the basic structure of the legal system and key elements of contract law, product liability, intellectual property law, the insider trading prohibition, and the law governing partnerships and corporations, including cross-border mergers and acquisitions. In order to deepen students’ understanding of business law, the module will also explore multi-dimensional aspects relating to social, political, ethical and technological considerations.

These themes are developed in reference to readings drawn from judicial decisions, statutes, recent news reports, and multimedia. Students will also undertake independent research and complete written assignments in which they assume a hypothetical role such as a legislative assistant, advocate or judicial clerk. Furthermore, a highlight of the module is the Supreme Court debate, where students work in teams on pending Supreme Court cases, culminating in an in-class mock trial during which teams represent one of the parties or act as Supreme Court justices.

This module offers perspectives on corporate social responsibility both as a governing mechanism for businesses as well as a form of business practice. Students will examine the theoretical paradigms surrounding the corporate objective, international movements in corporate social responsibility led by organisations such as the OECD and the UN, and delves into the role of corporations’ vis-à-vis social rights at both domestic and international levels. The module devotes a significant proportion of time to the role of corporations in human rights and furthering social welfare and will discuss key critical perspectives on other social rights, including labour and the environment, where relevant. This module challenges students into viewing the role and responsibility of the corporation from perspectives beyond the traditional idea of profit making.

Considers the role that law plays in society, with a particular focus on the ways in which lawyers can achieve social change. The module is rooted broadly in law and social sciences and will be richly interdisciplinary in its approach. It will introduce students to conceptions of social justice and to the lawyer client relationship, as well as the role of charities and NGOs in advocating and campaigning on social welfare and human rights. By the end of the module students will be able to question their assumptions about the ways in which the law is constructed and understood in society, as well as the ways in which lawyers achieve, or might fail to achieve, social justice.

The module in its scope, aims to offer exposure to the fundamental principles of special and general relativity and their significance to the evolution of the Cosmos. Topics such as stellar interiors, classification and evolution along with galaxy dynamics will be discussed in some detail. The module will culminate with descriptions of current cosmological models and touch up on recent developments of the much discussed dark matter and dark energy mysteries and what they entail to the evolution of the Universe.

The purpose of this module is to explore the relationship between science and society in both an historical and contemporary context. Since the days of Christopher Columbus, right down to the Apollo Space programme and more recently the large Hadron collider at CERN, it is has become clear that ambitious scientific endeavour requires public confidence, communication and funding in order to get from the original idea to something which has an impact in society. These considerations are just as valid in biology and medicine as they are in the physical sciences. This course will draw on the unique range of museums, learned societies and organisations based in London to enable students to experience and appreciate the relationship between science and society and the need for scientists to engage and communicate with the wider world.

This module is designed to introduce students to the foundations of organic chemistry by focusing on the structures, properties and chemical reactivity of the various carbon based compounds. This course will also cover different aspects of isomerism observed in organic molecules as well as the reactions’ mechanisms (substitution, elimination, and addition) in terms of the electrons flow. Various analytical techniques (MS, NMR and IR) will be introduced as a tool to determine organic structures.

Science and innovation are playing a central part in developed societies, with scientists being increasingly seen as key economic actors. Informed science journalism is more necessary than ever, if our societies are to develop as sustainable democracies. This module considers key aspects of news writing and offers participants the possibility to experiment practically with the production of different genres of journalistic output: News story, feature article, blog post, and podcast. For the latter, students will have access to the radio studio installed in the Science and Technology Studies department. The module’s practical approach invites students to reflect on the role of science journalists in today’s society. By the end of the module, participants will have produced contents that will be featured on a dedicated webpage.

What is the evidence for anthropogenic climate change? How can we generate lowcarbon electricity from nuclear and renewable sources, and how can we make our transport infrastructure greener? This module has a strong emphasis on the underlying physical principles of low-carbon energy sources, as well as simple estimates their potential contribution.

Evolution is an idea at the heart of modern science and society. Everything evolves. This module explores the history of evolution as an idea, covering topics from the eighteenth century to the present. Yes, we will explore science: evolutionary biology has evolved and we’ll follow some of those changes. But there is so much more. London has been a key center in the development of evolutionary studies. Darwin developed key ideas here. So did his predecessors, and many successors. We’ll visit locations such as Down House (Darwin’s family home), The Grant Museum of Zoology, The Natural History Museum, The Linnean Society and Oxford Museum of Natural History. We’ll explore episodes as diverse as (a) dinosaurs and deep time, (b) social Darwinism and corporate capitalism, (c) eugenics, (d) the clash in religion between fundamentalism and modernity, and (e) changing views of what it means to be human. We also explore the idea of hero worship and commemoration: for example, why does Darwin receive so much credit, and why is he buried in Westminster Abbey? There are no prerequisites: the science will be accessible to liberal arts students; the history will be accessible to science students.

Data Science is an exciting new area that combines scientific inquiry, statistical knowledge, substantive expertise, and computer programming. One of the main challenges for businesses and policy makers when using big data is to find people with the appropriate skills. Students taking this module will be introduced to the most fundamental data analytic tools and techniques, and learn how to use specialised software to analyse real-world data and answer policy-relevant questions.

Health Data Science is an exciting new area that combines scientific inquiry, statistical knowledge, substantive expertise, and computer programming in the area of healthcare and biomedicine. One of the main challenges for businesses, research institutes, and policy makers when using big health data is to find people with the appropriate skills. Students taking this module will be introduced to the most fundamental data analytic tools and techniques, and learn how to use specialised software to analyse real-world health data.

We are exposed to statistical data on a daily basis in the form of opinion polls, economic forecasts, reports on the effect of diet and lifestyle on life expectancy and disease risk, debates over the evidence for climate change, among others. This module introduces statistics and the free software R/RStudio to students with no previous knowledge of mathematics beyond high school level. The module also assesses the uses, misuses and limitations of statistical methods. Topics range from basic descriptive statistics to more advanced topics including multivariate analysis, logistic regression, and model optimisation. As additional skills, students are introduced to professional-standard plotting resources, basic programming functions in R, and the user-friendly RStudio interface.

This module will provide an introduction to the phenomena of radicalization and terrorism; including key definitions, causal accounts, empirical trends, past and present manifestations, current groups, and tactics. Through successive case studies, students will familiarize themselves with the following five approaches to prevention and disruption: Efforts to anticipate and prevent terrorism acts through situational measures; enforcement measures used to disrupt, disable or suppress the activities of terrorist networks; interventions aimed at the individual actor, their risk factors, belief systems and pathways out of terrorism involvement; removal of the economic basis for terrorist activities by attacking organized crime; and strategies which focus on the “root causes” of terrorism and radicalization.

This module introduces the students to the aspects of how risk management methods are applied to improve cyber security. Firstly, it provides an overview of threats from cybercrimes followed by vulnerabilities and situational crime prevention techniques that provide mechanisms for cyber security. It then explains the principles of cyber security risk management that drives the decision making to protect organisations from cyber-attacks. Lastly, the key aspects of incident response planning and resilience in cyber risk management are outlined. Students will work in teams to identify, assess and prioritise cyber risks for a case study. The students will also get an opportunity to create a cybersecurity risk management plan within the same case study.

Provides an introduction to what it means to study education at a higher level.. Students will attend sessions at the UCL Institute of Education, where a range of experts will present their responses to the question: what is education? What is education for, what is its purpose, both here and now and looking to the future?; What should be its fundamental values and ethics?; What do we mean by knowledge and learning (including formal and informal learning)?; What is our concept of education?; What is our image of the learners, educators, learner contexts, and of community/ society?; Who is responsible for education, and what does it mean to be responsible?

Breakthroughs in key technologies will require multidisciplinary approaches from the work of fundamental scientists in the creation of new chemistries, to the applied work of engineers in materials scale up and fabrication, to the economic and policy regulations and guidance that will be required to facilitate such change. Although significant research is being undertaken in both academic and industrial environments, education on such devices remains limited. This course builds upon the teachings of the ‘Energy and future cities’ module in session one, exposing the audience to a detailed description of the fundamental mechanisms that drive electrochemical devices and how these devices are fabricated and implemented into real-word products answering questions such as: what is a battery? How is a battery made? Where and how can one implement battery technology?

Much of our built environment is dependent on the energy systems that power it. To pave the way for the adoption of novel and advance energy systems, the infrastructure that underpins our cities will need to be reimagined, a fact that can already be seen in the influx of electric car charging points. Building upon the teachings of the ‘Energy and future cities’ module in session one, this module will explore the potential of our future cities. The symbiotic relationship between cities and the energy systems that drive them will be the key in unlocking the future of our built environment.

Urban geoscience encompasses the geological aspects of the built environment in the context of construction materials and, the underlying bedrock that affects the stability of built structures. In London, the relevance of these aspects are evident. For example, landslips can disrupt rail services and, non-uniform expansion and shrinkage of underlying clay sub-soil results in cracks in buildings. Water resource is another important consideration in the growing urban context. Growing urbanisation also implies that the cities are increasingly becoming repositories of valuable materials that should be targets for recovery by urban mining. These critical aspects of urban geology are evident for London and will be explored, but also relevant to other expanding cities in the world.

This module explores how London’s urban form is developing in response to the economic, social, and environmental challenges associated with its role as a ‘global city’. Capitalizing on UCL’s position in the heart of London, the module will introduce students to key frameworks for urban policy and planning decision-making, and will examine the processes shaping the urban development within London. Students will engage with current debates over issues such as airport expansion, super-tall buildings and affordable housing. Perspectives from social science and urban design will be used to critically examine how cities can respond to the challenge of ensuring a sustainable urban future. The insights, knowledge and skills developed on this module can ultimately be applied to cities around the world.

Health Data Science is an exciting new area that combines scientific inquiry, statistical knowledge, substantive expertise, and computer programming in the area of healthcare and biomedicine. One of the main challenges for businesses, research institutes, and policy makers when using big health data is to find people with the appropriate skills. Students taking this module will be introduced to the most fundamental data analytic tools and techniques, and learn how to use specialised software to analyse real-world health data.

The recent policy reforms in the NHS, and the challenges faced by health systems globally emphasise the need for future doctors and healthcare managers to understand how systems function, how they are financed, and how strategic policies are developed to ensure the provision of care to the highest quality standards. Looking at the vision and eye health subsector, with Moorfields Eye Hospital and the Institute of Ophthalmology staff as facilitators of various sessions, students will engage in informed discussions about how various policies, different strategic approaches and types of financing can affect health systems and how Moorfields is addressing these challenges.

Provides an introduction to the discipline of global health. Each week will be framed around the ‘wicked problems’ facing our world and the ways in which the individual can engage with global issues. Topics covered include access and availability of healthcare, inequality, poverty, ethics, aid, and the key actors in global health. Each week will begin with a U.K. case study relating to a core topic, and end with an excursion to a local site of significance in the development of the global health discipline.

Mental disorders, e.g. schizophrenia, dementia, depression, are common across all countries and constitute about 14% of the global burden of disease. Many people with a mental disorder - and the majority of those living in low income countries - still have no access to the treatments they need. This module will offer students from a range of backgrounds, e.g. social sciences, medicine, psychology, an understanding of basic principles of how mental disorders present, the impact on individuals and the advances in treatment and recovery.

Peripheral Nerve Injury is a field of regenerative medicine which is advancing towards a paradigm shift in available therapeutic options. This module offers the student the capacity to experience all the current therapeutic options for peripheral nerve injury treatment through a collaboration of the only clinical unit in the world to focus purely on nerve injury and UCL; a recognized world leader in neurobiology and engineering.

This module introduces students to the legal regulation of commercial relationships having strong connections with more than one legal system. Although the focus is on litigation before English courts, an international perspective will be adopted. The traditional English principles and rules concerning international commercial litigation form the basis of the law in many, primarily common law, jurisdictions. Since much of the law in this field in England has now been Europeanised, special emphasis will be placed on the relevant principles and rules of European Union law applicable before the courts across Europe.

Considers the role that law plays in society, with a particular focus on the ways in which lawyers can achieve social change. The module is rooted broadly in law and social sciences and will be richly interdisciplinary in its approach. It will introduce students to conceptions of social justice and to the lawyer client relationship, as well as the role of charities and NGOs in advocating and campaigning on social welfare and human rights. By the end of the module students will be able to question their assumptions about the ways in which the law is constructed and understood in society, as well as the ways in which lawyers achieve, or might fail to achieve, social justice.

The selling and purchasing of goods across territorial borders is an ancient yet sophisticated commercial activity, and carriage of goods by sea has been the backbone of international trade since ancient times. International trade involves interlocking contracts, including letters of credit and contracts of sale, carriage and insurance, all of which concern the minds of traders whilst performing this activity for profit. English law enjoys a long-standing predominance in the international shipping market, as it is frequently chosen by the parties to govern their contracts of carriage, and this module covers both the principles of the laws, and all facets of contracts, disputes and remedies.

Provides an introduction to significant aspects of human anatomy and embryonic development, preparing students for more advanced studies in these subjects. The module covers topographical anatomy and embryonic development of the nervous system, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, digestive system, musculoskeletal system, urogenital system, and limbs. The first few weeks of human development will be examined, alongside the cellular organization of tissues and organs.

Data Science is an exciting new area that combines scientific inquiry, statistical knowledge, substantive expertise, and computer programming. One of the main challenges for businesses and policy makers when using big data is to find people with the appropriate skills. This module will cover classic topics in data analysis (regression, binary models, and panel data) and introduce more specialised techniques, such as classification and decision trees, clustering and pattern recognition, and dimensionality reduction. It will cover data preparation and processing, including working with structured, key-value formatted (JSON), and unstructured data.