General description

Through millions of years of evolution, Nature has evolved very sophisticated stategies and highly efficient biological machinery, such as a nervous system, to enable us to see, hear, and otherwise perceive our environment. The physical and operational sophistication of a nervous system allows its owners to make intelligent decisions, plan and execute actions, and learn and adapt very efficiently. The Neuroinformatics tries to discover the general principles that allow our own brains and the brains of other animals to function so fast and efficiently. If we can discover the fundamental principles of how brains function, we could understand how the astonishing perceptual capabilities and actions arise. This knowledge can then be applied to other domains, such as intelligent systems built from silicon. In the Neuroinformatics program, students learn how the central nervous system is built and operates to address specific challenges and solves complex problems. They learn about the computations performed by brain structures to achieve a particular goal, such as object recognition, planned actions, learning and memory. Students can also learn how biologically inspired strategies can be implemented in artificial devices. Neuroinformaticians work with real biological systems, with computational models, artificial neural networks, and robots. If you want to learn about the brain, or to build machines that can see, hear, maybe even think, then Neuroinformatics is for you!

Admission requirements

The provisions laid out in the framework ordinance for Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs and the provisions defined in the program regulations at the Faculty of Science of the University of Zurich, apply.

ECTS credits

30 ECTS Credits

Program structure

A minor study program in Neuroinformatics (30 ECTS credits) at Master's level offers students an in-depth introduction into the research fields of Neuroinformatics and Systems Neuroscience. The students have the possibility to choose among several courses taught by the Institute of Neuroinformatics and other relevant institutes, and to perform research projects in the fields of neurobiology or neuromorphic engineering.

Examination and assessment regulations

The student's achievement is assessed at the end of each module.
Achievements are graded on a scale from 1 to 6, whereby 6 denotes the highest grade of achievement and 1 the lowest. A grade below 4 is insufficient.
Achievements can also be graded with 'passed' or 'failed'.

Language of instruction

German, English