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There are few aspects of life that are not strongly influenced by the nervous system, from social interaction and behavior to nearly all physiological functions to cellular and molecular interactions. Consequently, neuroscience studies tend to integrate broad ranges of disciplines. And, since nearly all animals have remarkably complex nervous sytems (sponges being the sole exclusion), the underlyng principles of nervous systems apply broadly throughout the animal kingdom.
Consider your interests and goals in choosing your courses. Seek guidance from professors participating in the Minor.
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COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
Group A (required): Core classes, choose at least two out of three classes.
- Introduction to Neuroscience, SCCC 330P (3 credit)
An introductory course in neuroscience. Neuroscience is the study of the brain and how it mediates function. The course will cover basic sensory and motor systems of the brain and progress into studies on complex functions such as social behavior and learning. Examples of various neuroscientific approaches, such as molecular and computational neuroscience, will be discussed. This course is geared for freshmen.
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Neurobiology, Biol 635 (4 credits)
An advanced introduction to how nerve cells work and interact with other nerve cells in the context of making decisions and coordinating simple behavior. The course is a hybrid of inquiry and lecture that makes extensive use of historically significant literature (from 1930 to 2004) to support observed and deduced mechanisms. The laboratory allows students to explore the physiology of nervous systems involved in behavior, and to develop an independent project (alone or with other students). Basic knowledge of what cells are and how they function (e.g. Cell Biology) is assumed; a previous course in animal physiology would be helpful. This course is highly integrative with courses in animal behavior, psychology, environmental physiology and cell biology.
- Physiological Psychology , Psych 460 (3 credits)
The neurochemical and neuroanatomical bases of behavior ranging from the reflex to schizophrenia. (Prereq: PSYC 101 or SCCC 130)
Group B (required): Research in neuroscience, choose one of the following. Research experience must in some way be related to neuroscience. Participating laboratories are listed under the Faculty and Research link, or propose a lab/project to the program directors.
- Independent Study, Psyc 498, (2-3 credits)-- Advanced Independent Study. (Prereq: 9 hours of psychology and consent of instructor) Closely supervised project or research experience in psychology. Approved contract required.
- Independent Study, Biol 399, (2-3 credits)-- Independent Study. Contract approved by instructor, advisor, and department head is required for undergraduate students.
- Independent Study, SCCC 399, (2-3 credits) -- Independent Study. Required of all baccalaureus students. Contract approval by instructor, department advisor, and dean or associate dean is required.
Group C (electives): Select courses (typically three classes) from the following list to complete 18 credit hours.
Anthropology:
- Becoming Human, Anth 361 (3 credits) The processes of homonoid development with a review of the basic principles of physical and behavioral evolution using the fossil record and the evolving ecological and psychosocial contexts.
Biology:
- Cell and Molecular Biology, Biol 302 (3 credits) (Prereq: BIOL 102 or MSCI 311; prereq or coreq: CHEM 333) Principles of eukaryotic cell structure, molecular organization, and physiology. Genome organization and expression. Cell growth, division, and cell-cell interactions.
- General Physiology*, Biol 460 (3 credits) (Prereq: BIOL 302 or MSCI 311) Functional mechanisms of vertebrate organ systems.
- Comparative Physiology*, Biol 543 (3 credtis) (Prereq: BIOL 302 or MSCI 311) A study of phylogeny of physiological systems and functional mechanisms involved in the maintenance of life in zoological forms.*
- Animal Behavior, Biol 534 (3 credtis) (Prereq: BIOL 301 or MSCI 311) A comparative survey of behavior patterns of animals from protists to humans and the physiological mechanisms underlying behavior.
- Animal Behavior Laboratory, Biol 534L(1 credit) (Prereq or coreq: BIOL 534) Observational and experimental methods used in classifying animal behavior patterns and in determining underlying control mechanisms.
- Bioinformatics, Biol 653 (3 credits) (Prereq: BIOL 302, 303) Studies of the principles of genetics and molecular biology as applied to adaptive evolution of genes and genomes.
Communications Sciences and Disorders (Public Health):
- Neurocognitive Bases of Language Behavior, COMD 502 (3 credits) (Prereq: consent of instructor) Neurocognitive bases for speech and language in the central nervous system including anatomy and physiology and theoretical constructs of language.
Honors College:
- Neurobiology of Culture
, SCCC 386F (3 credits)
This course is intended as an investigation of a question that requires information from several fields (neuroscience, anthropology, psychology, archeology, sociology, theology, etc....) to answer: to what extent does the structure and function of the brain determine human culture [culture = "the totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought characteristic of a community or population..." AHD]. The course will begin with a short, didactic introduction to neuroanatomy, then we will explore the relationship between neural architecture and various aspects of human culture (e.g., social order, religious tenets, mating rituals, artistic concepts). We will also examine how neural evolution paralleled/predicted human culturalevolution.
Prerequisite: Psych 101
Philosophy:
- Philosophy of Mind, Phil 309 (3 credtis) The concept of mind, selected theories of the mind-body relation, and of the uniqueness of man. **
Psychology:
- Psychology of Consciousness, Psyc 370 (3 credtis) Theories, controversies, and research findings on the nature of various states of consciousness; topics such as sleep/dreams, hypnosis, drug-induced states, and psychic phenomena.
- Survey of Learning and Memory, Psyc 400 (3 credits) (Prereq: PSYC 101 or SCCC 130) Research and applications concerning the acquisition of new behavior and knowledge, including accounts based on classical and instrumental conditioning and on information-processing models.
- Cognitive Psychology, Psyc 405 (3 credits) (Prereq: PSYC 400) Research and theories on sensory memory, attention, short-term and working memory, human learning and forgetting, imagery, long-term memory, speech perception, reading, language, thinking and problem solving, and decision making.
- Sensation and Perception, Psyc 450 (3 credits) (Prereq: PSYC 101 or SCCC 130) Processing of information from the environment. Physiological, physical, psychological, and contextual determinants of perception.
- Psychology of Drug Use and Effects, Psyc 503 [=PHRM 513] (3 credits) (Prereq: consent of instructor) Research and theoretical considerations of substance abuse. Pharmacological, sociological, psychological, medical, economic, forensic, and other relevant research and treatment disciplines.
- Psychology of Mental Retardation, Psyc 524 [=EDEX 619] (3 credtis) (Prereq: a course in the areas of child psychology-child development) Nature and causes of mental retardation; behavior and potentialities of persons with mental retardation.
- Cognitive Neuroscience, Psyc 507 (3 credits) (Prereq: one course from PSYC 400, 405, 450, or 460) Research and theories on the role of the brain in facets of cognitive behavior, including attention, short-term and working memory, perception, language, executive function, thinking, and problem solving.
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Psyc 571 (3 credits) (Prereq: PSYC 226 and 227; prereq or coreq: one course from PSYC 400, 405, 450, or 460) Methods of observation and experimentation in cognitive neuroscience. Two lectures and one three-hour laboratory per week.
- Advanced Physiological Psychology, Psych 560 (3 credits) (Prereq: PSYC 460) Intensive study of topics selected from the field of physiological psychology.
- Physiological Psychology Laboratory, Psych 570 (3 credits) (Prereq or coreq: PSYC 460 or consent of instructor) Practice in surgical, histological, and behavioral testing methodology. Two lectures and one three-hour laboratory per week.
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