Program Overview

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Neuroscience and Psychology Stream

The Neuroscience and Psychology stream is designed to study neural functions across various levels, from lower-level processes of perception and action to complex, high-level mental phenomena such as attention, memory, emotion, and consciousness.

Stream Leader

The stream leader is Dr. Velia Cardin.

Aims

The aims of the Neuroscience and Psychology stream are to:

• Study neural functions across different levels
• Consider neural processes from a predominantly behavioural and cognitive perspective (Psychology pathway)
• Focus on the anatomical and physiological foundations of nervous system function (Neuroscience pathway)
• Examine topics such as disorders of nervous system function, developmental neuroscience, neurogenetics, neuropharmacology, and social psychology

Objectives

Students who complete this stream will be able to describe:

• The anatomical organisation of the central and peripheral nervous system and its development
• The biology of a typical neuron, including its structure, the generation of nerve impulses, and neural connections
• The fundamental processes underlying behaviour, including perception, representation, learning, memory, attention, action, decision-making, and emotions
• The ways in which neural processes mediate behaviour
• The basics of computational neuroscience, including neural networks and information processing
• The ways in which neural processes can go awry, leading to disorders of functioning

Year 1

All Neuroscience and Psychology stream students take:

• Life Sciences Foundation (BIOS0019)
• Introductory Mammalian Physiology (PHOL0002)
• Introduction to Psychology (PSYC0039)

Year 2

All Neuroscience and Psychology stream students take:

• Structure and Function of Nervous Systems (PHOL0005)
• Brain and Behaviour (PSYC0014) And choose 15-30 credits from:
  • Human Neuroanatomy (ANAT0003)
  • Essential Cellular Neurophysiology (NEUR0023)
  • Perception (PSYC0017) And may choose 0-15 credits from:
  • Health and Clinical Psychology (PSYC0015)
  • Developmental Psychology (PSYC0016)

Year 3

Students majoring in the stream should choose 45-60 credits, and students minoring should choose 30-45 credits from the following modules:

Neuroscience and Psychology Pathways

• The Neurobiology of Neurodegenerative Disease (ANAT0008)
• Pain (ANAT0013)
• Neuroesthetics (ANAT0014)
• Neural Basis of Motivation and Learning (NEUR0014)
• Human Learning and Memory (PSYC0030)
• Cognitive Neuroscience (PSYC0031)
• The Brain in Action (PSYC0032)

Neuroscience Pathway

• Cellular and Developmental Neurobiology (CELL0003)
• Neural Computation: Models of Brain Function (NEUR0016)
• Integrative Systems Neuroscience (NEUR0020)

Psychology Pathway

• Behaviour Change: An Interdisciplinary Approach (PSYC0002)
• Social Psychology (PSYC0010)
• Topics in Clinical Psychology (PSYC0023)
• The Social Psychology of Risk (PSYC0025)
• Topics in Developmental Psychology (PSYC0026)

Year 4

All Neuroscience and Psychology stream students majoring take:

• MSci Research Project in Life Sciences (BIOS0017)

The Neuroscience and Psychology stream combines with:

• Organic Chemistry
• Medical Physics
• Mathematics and Statistics
• History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Science