Why take Neuroscience?

The brain is one of the last mysteries of the body. It is a complex organ that shapes our every experience: from automatically controlling and monitoring our most basic functions to interpreting the world around us to planning and making decisions. In this class we will learn more about how the brain functions on its most basic levels and then explore several important processes such as vision, movement, sleep, memory, and language. We will also explore what happens when the brain functions abnormally.

Whether you are going into the medical field as a nursing student or are interested in counseling others, a more in-depth understanding of the brain and its functions will help you better understand yourself and others.

Class Approach

This class is online and requires students to engage with the material and each other to learn the content. Weekly adaptive quizzes help students learn the basic concepts whereas discussions allow for thinking more in-depth about the course topics and how they relate to "the real world".

Application Papers

There are two application papers in this course. In the first, students explore how neuroscience will relate to their future careers. In the second, students will dig deeper into one of the course topics to explore current research. This second paper is structured as an encyclopedia entry and includes a reflection.

Projects

Throughout the course, students complete three projects designed to develop a deeper understanding of the material. The first project builds a class glossary of brain areas. The second a multimedia project focusing on one of the major sensory systems. Finally, a final project that synthesizes course material into a game. 

Exams

Student demonstrate mastery of the course objectives through four exams. The exams combine multiple choice questions, diagrams, and longer "essays" focused on summarizing major topics and identifying areas that still need clarification. 

Fall 2019 sections:
online​
Summer 2020 sections:
online​​, summer session II