Academic Content
For Summer Academy 2024, we are hosting two separate sessions.
Two academic streams will be offered during both cohorts. MSA students may only participate in one
Pathways to Neuro and Health Sciences
Through a series of lectures, case studies, simulations, experiments, and debates, we will explore the complex structure and function of the human nervous system. We will outline some of the stories of McGill scientists that lead to major breakthroughs in understanding the brain.
Through tracing development, we will examine how the nervous system develops from a single cell and matures into the brain. We will contrast how the neonatal brain differs from an adult brain and how it continues to change as we get older.
Students then survey different systems in the nervous system to demonstrate how the brain encodes sensory information and processes it to helps us feel and understand our world. After this survey, we will illustrate how the brain creates a motor response that allows us to move and speak.
We will apply our knowledge of various brain systems to understand what happens in diseases of the nervous system. We will also examine how various classes of drugs influence the functioning of the nervous system.
Lastly, we will evaluate how various technologies such as brain computer interface, cognitive enhancement, and AI may impact the evolution of the brain and some of the key ethical challenges facing neuroscientists.
Understanding Migration, Global Citizenship and Diasporic Resistance
This course delves into the multifaceted phenomenon of global migration. Students will explore historical, social, economic, and political debates using a cosmopolitan lens to critically interrogate key concepts and approaches to the study of migration.
Students will engage in critical discussions, analyze case studies, and explore different perspectives to develop a comprehensive understanding of the complexities surrounding migration. Key topics will include: the causes and consequences of migration, the role of states and international organizations in shaping migration policies, and constructing human rights from below.
A significant aspect of the course will be a citizens’ assembly simulation which encourages students to collaborate and participate in the democratic process in constructing the parameters for their learning about migration. The assembly will allow students to build and demonstrate skills such as critical reading, presentation and public opinion polling through a dynamic, team-based environment. Students will learn the philosophy of cosmopolitanism, a worldview that emphasizes global citizenship and interconnectedness.
By engaging real-world complexities that shape migration policies, this course addresses the challenges faced by migrants, the impact of migration on national culture and diasporic identities, and the debates surrounding acculturation in so-called host societies in so-called host societies. Overall, this course will emphasize the importance of empathy, accountability, and solidarity that is necessary to foster inclusive societies.
The 2024 syllabus for this course is currently being updated by a McGill Faculty member. More information will become available to applicants before the end of March.